Best list of bicycle lights with batteries 2023

Best list of bicycle lights with batteries: Velomotion tests modern, StVZO-compliant bicycle lights for use in road traffic. We explain what is important and help you make a decision.

StVZO-compliant bicycle light with battery

Glare-free bicycle lights play an important role in road traffic. As with cars, dazzling light poses a risk of accidents. That's why she writes StVZO stipulates that bicycle lighting must be glare-free and must also be firmly and immovably fixed to the bicycle. The bicycle lights must not slip due to vibration or shock, for example. The lack of glare is also one of the reasons why they are so popular helmet lamps do not receive StVZO approval: They are not designed to be glare-free and even if they were, any head movement would destroy this. In order to ultimately ensure full road safety according to the law, all required reflectors and a rear light must of course be installed on the bike. Here, the StVZO lighting at the front alone is not enough!

Modern, battery-operated bicycle lights now have powerful batteries that provide more than two hours of energy even at full light output. This means they should be sufficient for most journeys - because even the weaker light levels of modern LEDs offer a high light output. Urban areas in particular are often very well lit with street lights; the streets are usually bright enough to see enough. Here you can safely use lower light levels, because it's more about being noticed by other road users.

Bicycle light: what is important?

Illumination of the route

First of all, the location where the bicycle lights are used is important: those who primarily travel in urban areas will usually find well-lit streets. Here, weaker, usually cheaper lighting is often sufficient because it's more about being seen. In contrast, there are more rural areas, which are often less well lit or not lit at all. A strong bike light is particularly beneficial for regular cross-country journeys. It is important to illuminate the driveway over as large an area as possible in order to be able to see sufficiently in curves or to recognize possible dangers such as animals on the side of the road at an early stage.
In addition, some of our test candidates barely illuminate the area directly in front of the front wheel up to a distance of around five meters. This may not bother some experienced cyclists. However, it can be dangerous for occasional drivers: if, for example, the curb disappears into the darkness directly in front of the front wheel, this can lead to incorrect estimation of the distance and, in the worst case, to a fall. This means that points are deducted in our test.
Last but not least, brightness also plays a role: the brighter the bike lights are, the faster you can ride without having to accept any loss of perception.

Lunivo Lync F100 Daylight light field — Lunivo's light field is precisely adapted to the road surface, which is well illuminated. However, on the shoulder, directly in front of the front wheel or in dark curves, you don't notice much.

Busch Mueller IXON Space light field — The Busch & Müller bicycle light offers very wide illumination of the route. This allows it to show its strengths particularly on cross-country journeys and in tight curves.

Operation & assembly

People don't like using things that don't work well. Of course, this also applies to bicycle lights. Therefore, mounting the light in both directions should work well. Stable handlebar mounts usually last longer, even if you approach the thing too roughly in the cold with numb fingers. In addition, the holder should not twist, otherwise the bicycle lights will have to be readjusted again and again.
Illuminated switches and buttons are very advantageous for smooth operation in the dark. Because if you have to search forever in the dark, you risk falling more quickly when riding long, one-handed. Easy operation with gloves is also very important. Because in the dark you usually drive in the colder season. Therefore, when buying in retail, pack the gloves and try them out!

Best list of bicycle lights with batteries: The tests

As mentioned, what is particularly interesting about bike lights is the light field and brightness. How well is the road and surrounding area illuminated? Accordingly, this factor has the greatest influence in our test. For this purpose, we built a structure in a parking garage in order to have as little external light influence as possible. Our test setup with colorful cones at a distance of five meters shows the light range of the test candidates. The strip between the parked cars is approximately the width of a federal highway.
But it's not just the light field that's important, handling and operation are also important - especially when wearing gloves. Therefore, this is also an important factor in the test.
But of course nothing works without a practical test: For this purpose, each lamp is tested extensively in everyday cycling - when commuting, shopping, in the city and in the country. Below you will find all the criteria we used to evaluate – the most important ones at the top: