If you intend to ride your electric bike during the night time of the day, you must know about e-bike lights. It is for both your safety and others’ safety. So if you are a regular or an occasional night electric bike rider, you should have a good light set for your bike or scooter. Moreover, most US states require electric bike riders to set white lights on the front side. And they need the riders to set red lights on the bike’s rear side.
Setting bike lights in this way is essential because you can see others even though it is dark. And the other drivers also can see you. As a result, you can avoid many dangers on the road. In addition, setting lights on your e-bike or electric scooter is essential for another reason. That is, you can ride safely even under bad weather conditions. For example, you may ride in heavy rain, fog, and mist. If you have a good light system, you can avoid potential accidents under such weather conditions.
And electric bike and scooter laws in some regions require safety lights. In such countries that is a mandatory requirement. Even though regulations don’t necessarily need you to fix lights, you must have lights on your electric bike. That way, you can ensure your safety and other people who travel on the roads. But before selecting lights, you should know certain things first.
Types of E-bike Lights
There are two major types of lights on an electric bike or scooter. They are the headlight and rear light. Moreover, indicators are also important. But that depends on the bike’s model. In addition, the reflectors on the bike’s spokes are equally important. But that is only for more classical bikes. And the general rule is that every electric bike and scooter must have a sound lighting system. That is vital, especially when you ride at night or under bad weather conditions.
Head Light
This light is the most crucial for both electric bikes and scooters. As a result of having a headlight, riders can have a clear view of the front road while they ride. As mentioned above, this light is essential when it is raining and when there is fog. And many models’ brightness level is 60 lux. And that is enough to brighten the road ahead of you.
Apart from that, many electric bike headlights come with a daytime light. Accordingly, that light becomes active in daylight. Moreover, there is a low beam. And this light is essential for riders to see through traffic.
Moreover, several electric bike headlights come with the main beam. That comes into active status during both daylight and twilight. That light also helps the riders see in traffic.
Backlight
This light is fixed on the rear of an electric bike or scooter. And it brightens the road behind your e-bike. Moreover, there are various types of rear lights. For instance, you have the option of LED rear lights. And also the halogen rear lights. Besides, please fix something brighter. Even though you don’t need it to see the road, you must be seen by the vehicles behind you. Therefore, when you buy a light for the back of the bike, think of the brightness. And the majority of models emit a brightness level of 20 lux.
Moreover, you can get rear lights with a brake light function. Usually, they were available for cars. But now you can have them for your electric bikes and scooters.
High-output Lighting Systems
These lights give excellent illumination. Moreover, they are most of the time rechargeable. But the problem is they are expensive. However, we assure you that these lights are safer than any other light category. Accordingly, they show you the path clearly in all weather and environmental conditions.
Rechargeable Bulbs
These lights feature lithium batteries. You can charge these lights as much as you want (the number of turns). As a result, you can save a lot of money. And you don’t have to dispose of this battery. As a result, they are environmentally friendly.
Moreover, these lights provide constant illumination until the batteries reach the lower end. That is contrary to other light types like alkaline. They become dim with the batteries lowering down. So these rechargeable lights always have enough power for your rides.
Active Lights and Passive Lights
There are two types of lights that you have to install on your electric bike or scooter. Active lights are the bulbs that produce light themselves. That type of light includes headlights and brake lights. Moreover, indicators also belong to this group. On the other hand, passive lights to produce light, they need the help of an external source of light. Accordingly, they cannot illuminate on their own. And this group includes the reflectors. Reflectors are usually fixed on the front and back wheels. In addition, reflectors are there on the wheel’s spokes.
Mandatory E-bike and Electric Scooter Lights
Some countries give clear e-bike light guidelines. For example, Switzerland and Germany are two such countries. Accordingly, those countries require e-bike riders to have lights. And the riders must do it if they ride their bikes on public roads. Therefore, you must be aware of e-bike light rules before selecting lights. Some countries’ rules are strict in this regard.
Poorly Attached Lights on Electric Bikes and Electric Scooters
According to several random studies, it has been found that only a few riders follow correct lighting methods. And the majority of electric bikes and scooters have lights of poor quality. Moreover, underpowered LEDs and low-mounted bulbs are also weak points among many.
And many riders have mounted lights at too-low positions on their electric bikes and scooters. What most riders and e-bike owners care about is beauty. And it is OK for your e-bike or electric scooter to be beautiful. But don’t prioritize it over security. Therefore, you must ensure that you fix the lights in your bike in the right place.
Moreover, when you fix lights at a low place on the bike, the lights don’t fall to a long distance. Accordingly, you will see only the road beneath your bike. Therefore, you cannot see the vehicles or obstacles ahead of you. And this is a risk.
Besides, many electric scooters have low-quality optics. When the lenses are of low quality, they don’t reflect light well enough for you to see the road. , you will get a very dim light from those optics. Moreover, the LED sources usually don’t have significant illumination. Therefore, you must be careful about the lights you choose and how you fix them.
Types of Light That Your Electric Bike or Electric Scooter Battery Can Power
You can find several light varieties that you can connect to the bike battery. And by doing so, you can power the e-bike lights. Moreover, there are different models of this type of light.
First, how do these devices function? The usual power used by many e-bike and electric scooter lighting systems is 6 volts of DC power. And there are batteries with other voltage capacities. For example, 24, 36, and 48 electric bike batteries are available. These are the most commonly available ones.
And you should know that electric bikes and scooter lights function on DC power rather than AC power. The relevance of this detail is that some lights work only with AC power. Therefore, such lights won’t match electric bikes or scooters.
Rich-Quality Light Brands for Electric Bikes and Electric Scooters
Choose from the best brands when selecting lights for your electric bike or scooter. The following is a list of the world’s best e-bike light brands.
- Busch and Muller – this light brand originates in German. And there is no doubt about their quality. Moreover, many QEM companies have kept faith in them because of their high quality.
- Light and Motion– this brand originates in the US. And this company manufactures 500, 800-lumen lights. And also they produce 1200 Lumen lights.
- SON– this company is also a German company. And it is famous for producing high-quality dynamos. These lights are DC versions. Hence, e-bikes and electric scooters can have them.
- Supernova– This brand is also a German one. And highly reliable company to buy e-bike and electric scooter lights. Moreover, nobody questions their quality because of the standard rate of their lights. So you can fearlessly invest in these lights.
Essential Facts to Consider Before Selecting Electric Bike and Scooter Lights
Additional Wide Beam
A light system that gives you a wide-angled illumination ensures your and other riders’ safety. Accordingly, a good amount of light will fall on the ground ahead of you. As a result, you can avoid any obstacle in front of you. Moreover, other riders can locate you even from a distance.
Daytime Visibility
Many earlier studies say that daytime lights will safeguard riders from accidents. Besides, other studies say that 200 lumens give enough brightness for riders to see during the daytime.
Waterproofing Quality
Nowadays, many light manufacturers do waterproofing free of charge. The first waterproof electric bike lights came from Light and Motion.
Pulsing Patterns
It would help if you had solid beams to illuminate the path ahead correctly. That is an essential fact you should consider. Moreover, a dynamic lighting method would suit you the most if you are an urban rider. As a result, you can maintain clear visibility of the road ahead. And it will increase your safety too.
Last-Mode Memory
This fact is vital to get more modes. And this is for the versatility. But you might find it irritating to select from many settings. However, you don’t have to worry. The reason is that the most advanced lights in the market today can automatically remember and set the default to this last-mode memory. With this option, you have relief as you don’t have to do the same thing repeatedly.
Lumens and power
We use Lumens to measure to decide the light’s power. Accordingly, one lumen means one unit of your e-bike’s visible light. However, modern light measurement comes from watts. The reason is that LEDs don’t require much energy. Accordingly, a 100w bulb usually unleashes 1600 lumens. That way, you can better understand the amount of power emitted from e-bike lights.
And if you can pay more, you will receive more lumens. However, remember that lumens need more energy. Therefore, you need a larger battery if you intend to use a more significant amount of lumens for an extended period. Moreover, the average amount of lumens you want is 100 to have enough visibility. And if you have 300 or more, the ground ahead will be visible.
The lifespan of the Battery and Charging
Typically, the flash function provides an excellent service when you have it on the back side of your electric bike. But you have to think about the efficiency of the bike’s lamp lights. And this is important, particularly when you ride your e-bike or scooter using the front and back lights. Besides, ensure that your side lighting is also in good condition. As a result, you will be visible from many angles. And you also can see a broader scope. And that would help you mainly to turn your e-bike.
Apart from that, there are other things that you should consider. For example, the number of flash settings, the number of run times of a battery, and whether you have a rechargeable power generator are to name a few. Furthermore, you need to know whether your battery requires a powerful charger. Or else, would a USB be enough? These questions are vital for you to find answers in advance.
Legal Requirements
Usually, the law requires your rear light to be red. And the front light has to be white. Moreover, both these lights should either be steady or flashing in illumination. Besides, the front and rear lights should be visible at least from a 200m distance. And the side light illumination should be visible from a 50m distance. Remember to check your national laws to know how e-bike laws are governed. That is just an average account.
In addition to these basic requirements, you can decorate your e-bike with colorful lights. But remember to follow the required lighting first. The more you add lights, the more you will be visible.
Why Do Electric Bikes and Scooters Need Lights?
Typically, modern electric bikes and scooters have lights. And they help riders to travel at night and under bad weather conditions. So if you don’t have these lights, there are two repercussions. One is that you will encounter accidents. The other thing is you will have to be subject to legal penalties.
Moreover, the penalties for not having a light on your electric bike and scooter vary from country to country. And even if your region doesn’t require it by law, as a responsible rider, you must have an e-bike light for your bike.
Moreover, when you ride at night, you will lose certain things on the way. In such an instance, these electric bike lights are helpful for you to find lost things.
Final Words
Electric bikes and scooter lights are essential to riding, mainly at night. In addition, they are helpful for riders to ride under challenging weather conditions. And when you fix the lights on your e-bike, you cannot do it recklessly. There is a procedure to follow if you want a good light system. A good light system ensures both your safety and others’ safety. And some countries require safety lights for e-bikes through their laws. We recommend having the mornings anyway, even if your region doesn’t need it by law. Moreover, before buying e-bike lights, consider the factors that we have listed above. You must prioritize safety rather than beauty.
