UK law requires your bike is fitted with a suitable rear light when cycling. Nasty knocks from behind can incur severe consequences, therefore protecting yourself from sleepy drivers with restricted visibility is paramount to your safety.
Bright LED rear bike lights can help mitigate the risks associated with cycling at night and alert drivers, pedestrians and fellow cyclists to your position on the road. Whether you commute to work, enjoy the thrill of country roads or prefer to race around parks with friends, you'll need to equip yourself with one that suits your needs. To help you decide, in this article we rank the top 10 rear bike lights in the UK, with handy links to buy them online on Amazon and eBay!
Quick List - Top Rear Bike Lights
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We dived into a sea of rear bike lights and rose to the surface grasping all the information you need to know. How bright is bright enough? Does the battery last long enough to handle your average journey? We'll answer these questions and much more below.
Bike light brightness is measured in lumens, or lm, which tells you the total visible light emitted. Your rear light acts a safety beacon, rather than an illumination tool to help you see, which means you require a high brightness.
while anything above 20 lm will be sufficient, many the latest products on the market produce far stronger beams, with 250 lumens being the most powerful on our list. If you're unsure which to pick, consider the time of day you usually ride. Brighter lights are better for ensuring you are seen during daylight hours, whereas a dimmer beam at night will stand out without hindering approaching drivers.
When you purchase your front light, there's a good chance the brand will throw in the rear light for free. While this approach works, there's every reason to buy the best product you can afford. By investing a little extra, you can reap the benefits of multiple functions to ensure you're prepared when the unexpected arises.
There are many reasons to choose a model with multiple lighting modes to cater to whichever situation you land in. Most rear lights will provide at least one steady and one flashing mode.
Flashing modes will help to preserve battery life, while the different speeds and brightness will alert drivers and help them judge your distance.
Some rear lights even come with special lighting features, such as ones capable of firing laser beams to create a virtual cycle lane!
If you're cycling into the night, down winding country lanes, there are few things more dangerous than your light failing prior to you running into a speeding car. Think about how long your average ride lasts before investing in a new rear light to ensure you're not put in a perilous position.
There's no set standard for battery life, although most will last between 6-10 hours, which easily outstays the average ride. For lengthier treks, you can find rear lights with extra long battery life, with some lasting over 60 hours.
We recommend choosing a bike light that's USB rechargeable. While you'll perhaps have to plug it in more often that you would with alkaline batteries, you will save money and get the peace of mind that you won't get left in the lurch one night with no spare batteries in sight.
Look out for different types of mounting systems to prevent wasting money on rear lights that you can't fix to your bike. For example, some tail light brackets require you to fix them using zip ties. This will ensure a tight, customisable fit. However, to remove it you'll need to snip off the ends, which may be an issue if you don't have scissors handy!
Smaller bike lights are often simple to mount using some form of rubber or silicone straps, rings or bands. These wrap around and fasten to your seat post, no matter the type of bike you have, and are easy to install, reliable and versatile. When you don't need the light to protect your behind, you can fasten them to your clothing, helmet or backpack.
Always remember, no matter the type of mounting, to remove your lights when you park your bike. This is because thieves actively hunt out those that are left attached.
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Apache Vision Guard G3X Pro 100 | ![]() | Great for the Everyday Cyclist | |
2 | Knog Blinder Mob V Mr. Chips | ![]() | Never Worry About a Charging Cable Again | |
3 | Lezyne Zecto Drive Rear Light | ![]() | Perfect for Early Risers | |
4 | See.Sense Ace Rear Light | ![]() | Your Smart Cycling Buddy | |
5 | Nite Rider NiteRider Sentinel Rear Cycling Light | ![]() | Carve Your Own Path with Lasers | |
6 | Moon Nebula | ![]() | Light, Bright and Reliable | |
7 | Nkomax Smart Rear Bike Light | ![]() | A Compact Light With a Smart Braking System | |
8 | Cateye Cateye Red Rapid X3 | ![]() | Versatility from a Brand You Can Trust | |
9 | Garmin Varia Radar Rear | ![]() | Intelligent with Advanced Safety Features | |
10 | Blackburn Dayblazer 65 Rear Light | ![]() | Excellent Value for Money |
Our coveted top spot goes to revered brand, Apache Vision, who create some of the best affordable bike lights on the market. This is a great all rounder, suitable for everyday cyclists who rely on their bike for commuting.
Its 100 lumens delivers enough brightness to remind drivers that you're on the road, no matter the time, location or weather conditions. It's easy to mount and pack away once you've finished your ride, and you can take advantage of the day flash mode to enjoy up to 45 hours batterylife, letting you concentrate on the road instead of battery life.
Grappling with tangled cables to find the one you need when it's time to charge your rear light can get annoying pretty quickly. Knog have succeeded in solving this issue by allowing you to plug the light directly into your UBS port.
It's bright, compact and convenient. So, if you're susceptible to forgetting charging cables, or despise the hassle of untangling wires, then this light will guarantee you won't be caught in the dark.
Lezyne created this light with simplicity, durability and versatility in mind. A common complaint with bike lights is that the buttons are tough to press with gloves on. Which is why we like that this model can be operated via one large button on the top. It even has a battery indicator light so you can see at a glance when it's low on juice.
Perfect for commuters, we love this light for early starts and dull conditions as the 250 lumen brightness from three LEDs will really shine through the typical UK weather conditions.
Never feel lonely on your ride with this intelligent cycling buddy. This rear bike light connects to your smartphone to alert you when the battery is running of low charge, while GPS tech alters brightness and flash patterns to account for the conditions of your current locations.
See.Sense packs plenty of neat tricks into this package. So if you don't mind splurging a bit of extra cash for cutting edge technology, then we'd highly recommend grabbing this rear light.
NiteRider gives you a taste of the future with laser beam guidance. This light projects lasers to create a unique virtual cycle lane behind you. All three laser modes can be activated on their own, or together alongside the two main LEDSs.
Though it's uncertain whether there are any actual road safety benefits, we'd still recommend this light to anybody that loves cycling in groups to help friends to keep a safe distance.
Lightweight and sleek, this powerful rear light delivers maximum visual impact with only a soft blow to your wallet. If you're safety conscious and tend to ride alone, then this super bright light will certainly suit you.
It's perfect for keeping motorists alert of your presence on the road with eight total light settings. Day flashing mode preserves your battery life, while the night flash mode transforms it into mighty 200 lumen beam!
This clever light stands out from the crowd, thanks to its intelligent safety system. The Nkomax Smart rear bike light senses when you slow down, engaging a braking light to alert drivers to your change of speed.
This rear light has received rave reviews for it's convenient auto mode, that will save you manually fiddling with the settings. Just be aware that you will only be able to mount it directly underneath the saddle.
We love CatEye technology. The Japanese company has come through once again with the X3, the most powerful rear light in its Rapid range.
We'd understand if the price scared you a little, but this versatile light will provide you the peace of mind that you're safe on the road. At 150 lumens, you can trust drivers to steer clear at night and spot you during the day with the daytime flashing mode.
Garmin has become synonymous with smart technology, and this light lives up to the reputation. While it may lack brightness and battery life, the advanced safety features are what set this product apart.
As traffic approaches from up to 140 metres behind you, the radar automatically adjusts its brightness and flashing pattern to warn drivers. To help you stay out of harm's way, audible notifications will also alert you when vehicles approach at speed.
One of the most underrated rear cycling lights on the market, if you're looking for a dependable and affordable rear light this one ticks all the boxes. This versatile option provides excellent value for money, with it's narrow profile and rubber backing plate allowing for a snug fit wherever you fix it.
The only real downside is that it's not particularly bright or powerful, lacking many of the bells and whistles offered with others on the list
Once you've secured your rear light, it's time to start looking forward. Cycling is about safety, convenience and fun, and achieving this trifecta requires kitting yourself out in the best gear. Check out these articles to discover more of the top ranking gear for safe cycling.
Safety always comes first, especially when you're cycling on roads where so much relies on your visibility. While the law dictates that you sport rear bike lights at night, take the extra step and grab an accessory that provides extra levels of safety during the day. When you've got the peace of mind earned from great preparation, you enjoy the freedom of flying around on your bike!
Author: Danny Mitchell
No. 1: Apache Vision|Guard G3X Pro 100
No. 2: Knog|Blinder Mob V Mr. Chips
No. 3: Lezyne|Zecto Drive Rear Light
No. 4: See.Sense|Ace Rear Light
No. 5: Nite Rider|NiteRider Sentinel Rear Cycling Light
View Full RankingThe descriptions of each product are referenced from content available on manufacturer, brand, and e-commerce sites.
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