Bike lights are crucial in two ways; primarily to help you be seen by other road users, and, in darker areas, to help light your way. There really are enough cycling light sets on the market today to give you a headache, from daylight riding cycling lights to high-powered performance lights and helmet lights.
To help you narrow down the best cycling light sets for you, we’ve compiled a list of our tried-and-tested favourites below, which range from budget-friendly urban options to a few more premium models designed for riding both on lit and unlit roads.
Read on for our full, detailed buying advice below. You may be surprised to learn that there’s more to the quality of a light than the lumen output, and less surprisingly, often a compromise to be found between power, battery life, unit size and cost.
Reviews of the best bike lights
- Exposure Sirius Mk10 + TraceR MK3 ReAKT Pack – Read our full review
- Cateye AMPP 200 / VIZ 100 Bike Light Set – Read our full review
- Moon Meteor (400lm) & Orion (50lm) – Read our full review
- Lezyne Micro Drive 800+/Strip Drive 300+ LED Light Set – Read our full review
- Ravemen FR300 and CL05 Light Set – Read our full review
Related questions you can explore with Ask Cyclist, our new AI search engine.
How do we test and why trust our advice?
Not everyone is willing or able to hop on an indoor trainer as soon as the nights draw in and the weather turns south. Indeed, many of us still brave the daily commute by bike or get a real kick out of heading out into the elements when the conditions are less than favourable. For the year-round commuters, audax champions and night-time mile munchers; we’ve got you covered.
Here at Cyclist, we’ve tried and tested a huge selection of lights over the years, so you can trust that we’ll only recommend the lights that we really think are worth your hard-earned cash – whether that’s budget options that won’t underperform, or higher ticket options that do really offer a good value investment.
Each of the light sets in this buyer’s guide has been thoroughly tested by us in a range of conditions, so you can be confident that they’re worthy of your consideration.
Best bike lights reviewed
Exposure Sirius Mk10 + TraceR MK3 ReAKT Pack
RRP: £175 | View offer
- 900 lumen front light and 75 lumen rear
- Exceptional build quality with CNC machined anodised bodies
- ReAKT and Peloton modes intelligently brighten or dull rear light
Top-end quality commands a top-end price, but these Exposure Sirius Mk10 and TraceR MK3 ReAKT lights are an investment that is sure to last you for many years to come.
The focussed, powerful beam of the 900-lumen Sirius front light is plentiful for both lit and unlit roads, with an impressive range of programs allowing you to pre-select the most appropriate settings for you.
The rear light, the TraceR ReAKT, is one of the most visible rear lights you can buy, with a wrap-around lens that positively glows, even in the low power setting. The light also has a sensor that detects braking, causing the light to flare up to 120 lumens when the ReAKT mode is selected. Conversely, the Peloton mode can be selected to dim the rear light slightly when the light of a fellow rider behind you is detected.
- Read our full Exposure Sirius Mk10 + TraceR MK3 ReAKT Pack review
Cateye AMPP 200 / VIZ 100 Bike Light Set
RRP: £44.99 | View offer
- 200 lumen front light and 100 lumen rear
- Steady, flashing, group ride and daytime hyperflash rear light modes
- Secure, adjustable mounts to fit different setups
Cycling light stalwart Cateye has combined quality features with excellent value for this street-ready light set, best suited to semi-lit urban riding.
While the rear light is both adaptable and bright enough to take on any kind of riding, the 200-lumen front light is relatively low-powered, so will light your way at slower speeds on the streets rather than when you venture out onto the dark lanes.
The lights have easy to use, adjustable mounts, a compact, lightweight design and plenty of side visibility to help keep you safe, day or night.
- Read our full Cateye AMPP 200 / VIZ 100 Bike Light Set review
Moon Meteor (400lm) & Orion (50lm)
RRP: £49.99 | View offer
- 400 lumen front light and 50 lumen rear
- Budget lights offering good value performance
- Easy to use and versatile mounts
Priced around £50, this light set from Moon offers great value for the performance offered. The Orion rear light is cleverly designed with a ring of LEDs giving a very visible light pattern from a distance in a very compact package.
Up front, the Meteor is a compact light that offers enough power to light your path and keep you seen on lit streets, though it isn’t quite powerful enough for dark countryside roads if you’re riding at pace.
While the build quality and water resistance level is what you’d expect for a budget option, the performance of these Moon lights does impress on test, making them a highly recommendable option if you’re looking for some cheap lights.
- Read our full Moon Meteor (400lm) & Orion (50lm) review
Lezyne Micro Drive 800+ / Strip Drive 300+ LED Light Set
RRP: £95 | View offer
- 800 lumen front light and 300 lumen rear
- ‘Race mode’ setting lets you toggle between high and low beam
- Robust, quality construction and USB-C charging
Designed both for lighting your way on unlit roads and for keeping you visible in all conditions, Lezyne’s Micro Drive 800+ and Strip Drive 300+ lights are just a few of a dizzying number produced by the brand.
At this mid-range price point, you can expect fantastic build quality and features, such as the ‘race mode’ setting, which lets you quickly toggle between full beam (800 lumens), and a lower steady power setting, perfect for group riding or commuting without dazzling oncoming riders or traffic.
However, you’ll need to spend a bit more to get the power to light your way in the dark if you plan on riding at pace, and for greater battery capacity to keep you riding for longer periods of time.
Ravemen FR300 and CL05 Light Set
RRP: £69.99 | View offer
- 300 lumen front light and 30 lumen rear
- Front light fits on computer out-front mount with wrap-around visibility
- Rear light can also be clipped onto garments or a backpack
Designed for semi-lit areas, the Ravemen FR300 and CL05 Light Set is a great choice for urban commuting and riding.
While the 300-lumen front light has a broad throw of light that won’t be sufficient for lighting your way on dark lanes, it does offer excellent visibility. Not only is this due to the wrap-around lens design, but also as it’s designed to be positioned prominently at the front of the cockpit on a computer mount.
The rear light features a versatile mount design, allowing you to clip it onto a coat or backpack as well as clip into the seat post mount.
If your priority is being seen, the Ravemen light set offers a sleek solution that won’t break the bank.
- Read the full Ravemen FR300 and CL05 Light Set review
Light set buying advice
What are lumens and how many do I need?
The power of a light is measured in lumens – the measure of the perceived power of visible light emitted by a source. Front lights tend to range from around 100 lumens to several thousand, while most rear lights tend to have an output of around 100 lumens or less. Rear lights designed for daytime use can often offer flashing modes with more than 100 lumens.
How many lumens you will need depends on what you plan on using your light for. If you need to your lights to be seen in daylight or semi-lit environments, then a lower powered light will be just fine. Contrastingly, if you need your front light to light your path on unlit roads, then you’ll really benefit from a higher-powered model.
A word of caution; there’s more to the effectiveness of a light than the pure number of lumens. The pattern of LEDs and construction of the lens and reflective material within it also have a significant effect on how well a light can be seen. The Exposure TraceR rear light is a great example of this.
What other things do I need to look for when choosing the best bike lights for me?
The most important things to take into account when choosing cycling lights include the brightness and beam pattern, the battery life and of course, cost.
Each manufacturer will list the claimed battery life for their lights for the different modes. Remember that you may not need to spend your whole ride using full power, especially if riding on lit roads or in a group, so you will likely be able to extend your battery life from the minimum by switching between a higher and lower powered setting intermittently.
If battery life is key, you will find yourself looking at larger lights to accommodate larger batteries, whereas lights for short journeys like commuting that can be quickly charged before, during or after your working day can be really quite compact and lightweight.
How much should I spend on cycling light sets?
For the most part, you get what you pay for when it comes to cycling light sets. While you can get some sets cheaper, most budget sets start at around £40-£60. Mid-range sets will see a step-up in quality for around £100, while the most premium lights will set you back around £200.
The price will depend on the construction of the lights (with more expensive options often featuring more durable CNC machined aluminium rather than plastic) the power of the lights, battery life, water resistance ratings and warranty duration.
What are the different types of mounts available?
Bulky plastic bolt-on brackets are largely a thing of the past; today most lights are attached to the handlebars or seat post using a combination of a plastic mount with a stretchy rubber strap. This allows the light to be attached to a much greater range of bikes.
Some of these mounts are universal, allowing you to use them with both standard and aero bars and seatposts, while others will require you to buy a separate mounts to accommodate or may come with them.
For off-road use, more secure mounts may be needed to counteract the bumps and vibration of rougher roads and trails.
What degree of water resistance do I need for my bike lights?
Most lights are rated on the IPX scale for water resistance or waterproofing, which is the Ingress Protection rating. Most lights are between IPX 4 and IPX 7, dependent on quality and price. Here’s what the different levels stand for:
- IPX 0 No protection
- IPX 1 Protects against dripping water or condensation
- IPX 2 Protects against spraying water at angles up to 15°
- IPX 3 Protects against spraying water at angles up to 60°
- IPX 4 Protects against splashing of water from any angle
- IPX 5 Protects against low pressure water stream from any angle
- IPX 6 Protects against high pressure water stream from any angle
- IPX 7 Protects from immersion in water up to 1 metre (for a minimum of 30 minutes)
The best thing you can do to help keep your lights lasting for longer in wet weather or when riding on wet roads is to use them in conjunction with mudguards, which significantly reduce the amount of road spray coming into contact with the lights. Your bum will thank you for them too.
