Since the change in the StVZO in the summer of 2013, battery lights on bicycles have been universally permitted. Of course, clear rules still apply when it comes to bicycle lights. Headlights, rear lights and reflectors have to meet very specific requirements. Velomotion gives you an overview of the most important facts.
"The main thing is that something lights up," many cyclists think when it comes to bicycle lights. Whether antediluvian sparkles with "bicycle bulbs" or hardware store flashing lights - whatever is at hand is favoured. It is basically clear to everyone that this is often not the right thing to do - word has long since got around that flashing lights are not allowed. On the other hand, since the summer of 2013, the road traffic licensing regulations have come a bit closer to the reality of life in cycling and have opened up to modern technology.
The need for improvement of the StVZO became apparent at the latest when masses of e-bikes with dynamos came onto the market - those with front wheel hub motors even with old-fashioned side wheels. Why mount an alternator with minimal efficiency if at the same time an almost inexhaustible energy store is carried along? (An e-bike battery will still provide enough voltage to operate a lighting system if the energy is no longer sufficient for driving.) The legislator had an understanding - since the new version of the lighting regulations of the StVZO, e-bikes no longer have to be equipped with a separate dynamo. If this is missing, special lights must of course be installed, namely those that can handle direct current and have a voltage converter.
But what has changed for non-motorised cyclists? The good news for everyone who hasn't followed what has changed for the better in the last two years in terms of bicycle lights: battery lights are now universally permitted and no longer reserved for sports bikes under eleven kilograms. You don't necessarily have to dwell on details such as the nominal voltage of batteries and accumulators; It is fairly easy to recognize what is permitted and what is not: the wavy line and K number on the component in question indicate that it has been approved by the Federal Motor Transport Authority. Battery-powered headlights with this symbol, for example, have a charge level indicator, and they also provide at least the legally required illuminance of 10 lux at a distance of ten meters from the road. By the way, many old dynamo headlights with incandescent bulbs should have problems with this. There are hardly any upper limits to the legal light intensity: Brand new is a 100 lux headlight from the manufacturer Busch & Müller, which illuminates the road almost as well as modern car headlights. Anyone who puts such lights into operation, however, has to pay meticulous attention to the adjustment: Dazzling oncoming traffic is not only annoying and dangerous, but of course also forbidden.
We visited Busch & Müller a few weeks ago and had the experts explain to us exactly what StVZO-compliant bicycle lighting consists of in detail and what you should pay attention to - explained here in the video:
Whoever rides the sub-eleven-kilo racing bike will benefit from a clear regulation: In this case, the headlight and tail light only have to be carried along, for example in the jersey pocket. For all other bicycles, the attachment of battery headlights and rear lights has not yet been finally clarified: the StVZO speaks of "permanently attached" without clarifying what this means. The Ministry of Transport has said that "removable plug-in lights" are also permitted, but a clear regulation through a renewed change in the StVZO is still a long time coming. In practice, of course, this should not lead to problems.
As a side note, mountain bikes, no matter how light, don't fall under the eleven-kilo rule. This was originally introduced with consideration for the sensitive, narrow tires of racing bikes, which were not compatible with the hard friction rollers of the side dynamos.
A special feature that is common in the Netherlands has been allowed here since 2013: the combination of dynamo-powered headlights and battery-powered rear lights. This configuration saves the manufacturer the complex wiring of the rear light and eliminates this as a weak point. But you can get into the embarrassment of suddenly being invisible from behind with an empty battery. But in this case, the still mandatory "cat's eyes" may help: reflectors at the front and rear, pedal reflectors and spoke reflectors or reflective rings on the tires are of course also part of the StVZO-compliant bicycle.
Even though battery lighting is now universally permitted: the combination of hub dynamo and LED spotlights is probably the best choice for city bikes that are used every day. With an almost fail-safe alternator and long-lasting bulbs, you are well equipped for the dark season and can get on your bike with a clear conscience when winter comes. Let's go!
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