Bicycle with visibility: safe lighting for the road

As a cyclist you are more vulnerable in traffic than a motorist. Ensure visibility by means of good bicycle lighting. In this article you will find everything about rules for bicycle lights, different types and how to replace them. Read on to safely hit the road with the right lighting and increase your safety.

Why is good bicycle lighting crucial?

Bicycle lighting is indispensable for being seen in the dark and for better visibility of where you are cycling, especially during the longer, darker days and nights. It is not only sensible, but also required by law. Without lighting, motorists can see you late or not at all, which can cause dangerous situations. A car needs an average of 26 meters to stop at 50 km/h, but with bicycle lights you can fall off from 100 meters. The color of your clothing also plays a role in your visibility: with dark clothing you are only visible for 20 meters, but with light or reflective clothing up to 50 meters. Contribute to your safety by wearing good bicycle lights and light (or reflective) clothing.

What are the rules for bicycle lights?

As a cyclist you are obliged to have your bicycle lights on during certain times and under certain circumstances. Below you will find the most important rules:

- The light must be on between sunset and sunrise and when visibility is obstructed during the day.

- The front light must be yellow or white, the rear light red.

- Lighting must be attached to the bicycle and other road users must not be dazzled by it.

- No additional lighting is allowed.

- Headlight and rear light must be clearly visible and must be cleaned regularly.

- When you're standing still, you don't need to turn on your lights.

- In addition to lighting, bicycles must also have reflectors: red rear reflector, white/yellow on the rims or tires and yellow on the pedals.

- Special rules apply to bicycles with two front or rear wheels, such as a cargo bike or tricycle. For example, bicycles with two front wheels must have two white/yellow lamps and bicycles with two rear wheels must have an extra white reflector at the front.

Bicycle lighting: The right light for every circumstance

Cycling in the dark can be a challenge, but with the right lighting you can safely and confidently on your way. There are different types and sizes of bicycle lights available and the choice you make depends on your personal wishes and legal requirements. In this article we explain in more detail what you need to know about bicycle lighting.

Light intensity: The right light for the right situation

The brightness you need depends on where you are cycling. Bicycle lights can be divided into two categories: lights that only allow you to be seen and lights that allow you to see something yourself. These categories are determined by the light intensity, which is expressed in Lumen and Lux.

Lumen and Lux: The amount of light

Lumen indicates how much light a light source emits, or the light output. The higher the number of Lumens, the higher the brightness. Lux indicates how much light actually reaches a surface, i.e. the width of the beam. It is important to know that Lux says nothing about the strength or brightness of the light.

How much light do you need?

Depending on where you cycle, you need a different light intensity. Below you will find an overview:

- Cycling on illuminated roads: Choose a headlight with 100 lumens or less. This is sufficient because you are seen by the street lighting and you have a sufficient view of the road.

- Cycling on moderately lit roads: Choose a headlight between 100 and 400 lumens with a high lux. This way you will be seen and you also have a better view of the road.

- Cycling on dark roads: Choose a headlight between 400 and 800 lumens with a high lux. This ensures that you are both seen and can look sufficiently far ahead on the road.

With the right bicycle lighting you are always assured of a safe ride. Choose the light intensity that suits your cycling environment and cycle with confidence in the dark.

Color of bicycle lights: mandatory and responsible

As a cyclist, it is important to be visible to other road users. That is why there are legal requirements for the color of your bicycle lighting. The front light must be white or yellow and the rear light red. This makes it clear which side of the bike is the front and which side is the rear. Swapping the color or using other colors is prohibited and may result in a fine. So make sure your lighting meets the legal requirements for a safe and responsible bike ride.

Power supply for bicycle lights: a choice of options

There are several ways to power the lights on your bicycle. You can choose lighting that works on a classic dynamo, a hub dynamo or batteries. What suits you best depends on your personal wishes. There is also lighting that switches on automatically when it gets dark or when you start cycling, so you never have to forget to turn on your lights again.

Classic dynamo; A classic dynamo works by means of a small wheel that comes into contact with your wheel and keeps turning due to the movement of the wheel. Advantages are that it comes standard on the bike and is affordable. Disadvantages are that it is vulnerable, gives extra resistance when pedaling and makes noise.

Hub dynamo; The hub dynamo is mounted in the axle of the front wheel and works with magnets and a coil. Advantages are high efficiency, less vulnerable and silent. The disadvantage is that it is difficult to mount on your bike later, since all spokes have to be removed.

Separate bicycle lights on batteries; Separate bicycle lights on batteries are also allowed, as long as the color meets the legal requirements, it does not flash and is attached in the right place. The advantages are that the lights stay on when you are standing still, they are light (useful for racing bikes) and do not give extra resistance when pedaling. Disadvantages are that they sometimes give too little light and that the batteries are suddenly empty.

Bike lighting broken; what now?!

If your bicycle lights suddenly stop working, this can be annoying and make traffic less safe. Fortunately, this is often easy to fix. In this article we discuss what to do when your bicycle lights are broken and how you can fix this yourself.

Battery-powered bicycle lights; If your bicycle lights work on batteries, the solution is often simple. Just replace the batteries and see if the light still doesn't work. If the light still doesn't work, the bulb is probably broken and you will need to replace it.

Dynamo-powered bicycle lights; When your bicycle lights work on a dynamo, there are several things that can be broken. First check whether the wiring is still tight and whether the alternator is still running against the belt. If all this is good, then the light is probably broken. You can simply replace this yourself. Removing rust can also be a solution.

Reflective clothing and accessories

Being lit and visible on the road is important, especially when cycling in twilight, darkness or bad weather conditions. Reflective clothing and accessories can help.

A wide range of reflective clothing and accessories are available, including shirts, jackets, pants, shoes and separate reflective armbands. Some bracelets even have built-in lights. Reflective material works through super tiny glass beads or prisms in the fabric that reflect the light and almost give it the appearance. This ensures that the light that falls on the material reflects back to the source, making someone with reflective clothing more visible to road users.

Reflective clothing and accessories are a smart way to be even more visible in bad weather conditions and at night, while offering a choice of stylish options.

In summary

Good bicycle lighting is essential for your safety while cycling. Both to be able to move yourself in the dark and to be noticed by other road users. Moreover, it is legally required to have good lighting on your bike after sunset until sunrise and to have it on while cycling.

In addition, reflective clothing or accessories are an excellent way to be even more visible at dusk or in the dark. There are many different options available, from shirts and jackets with reflective stripes to separate bracelets with built-in lights. Reflective material works through super tiny glass beads or prisms in the fabric, which reflect the light they capture back to the source of the light, making it almost appear as if the material itself is emitting light.

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