I grew up without a car in the family. As I walked, I would often cross the street in front of cars. "They’ll see me," I thought. It wasn’t until I started driving in college that I realized how bad visibility is at night.
That’s why having bicycle tail lights is so important. Bicycles make no noise, unlike cars and motorcycles. So right off the bat, most drivers are not aware of them, even in daylight.
Then add to that darkness which makes it really hard to see bikes, and you’ve got a very sticky situation.
Cars that are heading in your direction are ones that you will see too and have at least a shot of swerving out of the way.
But cars that are behind you are a real problem. They’ll never see your headlight and you won’t see them. So having bicycle tail lights is a no-brainer. It should be part of your standard bike lights.
There are many different things to think about with tail lights for your bike, each with their own advantages/disadvantages.
Solar-Powered Bicycle Tail Lights
There’s a model of light that runs entirely on solar power. The advantage to these lights is that you never have to worry about changing the battery or worry if your light is working or not. It’s also better for the environment since there are no batteries to toss in a landfill.
Power Sources for your Bicycle Tail Lights
There are three main ways that a bike tail light is powered.
- External Battery
A battery pack is strapped to a horizontal bar, or can sometimes be attached to the water bottle cage. One concern with these types of power sources it that they are easy for others to take. - Internal Battery
A standard AA or AAA battery inside the lighting unit prevents theft (although if you remove the whole light and take it with you, this isn’t a concern). If you do go with a cycle tail light that has an internal battery, you’ll be happier with a battery compartment that doesn’t require a screwdriver to open. Also you can use rechargeable AA or AAA batteries and carry spares so you’ll never be without power. - Dynamos
These are generators that use the rotation of the wheel to power the cycle tail light. While the environmental advantages are clear, they don’t produce as much power as batteries. They can also cause some drag and wear on the tire.
Flashing Tail Lights
Once a neighbor’s dog was barking for 5 hours before I really noticed it. A steady noise tends to be ignored. The same is true for bike lights. If you want to really be noticed by cars, a flashing light is helpful because it sets you apart from the solid, steady tail lights of cars. A flashing tail light will also lengthen the battery life, sometimes for 4x more life.
Some bike tail lights even have settings for different speeds of flashing.
Visibility
The whole reason for having bicycle tail lights in the first place is so that you are seen by motorists. Some bike lights are more visible than others. For example, some have LEDs on the sides as well as the back so that your bike can be seen if a car is coming at you from an angle.
Water Resistant
Make sure your bike tail light has a rubber seal where water could get in.
Easy Release Mounting
Many cyclists like a quick release so that they can pop off their tail lights and put them in their pockets when they leave the bicycle unattended.
Whatever kind of bicycle tail lights you’re looking for, there are many different brands and types out there, so be sure to do your homework.