The FUB has updated its guide to front and rear bicycle lighting tests, particularly for electric bicycles, which are often affordable, but sometimes impossible to find online.
In November, it is now dark or even dark before leaving for work, or returning home. When cycling, this is a concern, particularly in the area of visibility, where good lighting is essential. However, some electric (and muscle) bikes do not necessarily have good basic equipment. Or it is necessary to replace the equipment after a few years of wear, or a bad fall.
Why is bicycle lighting important?
A glaring figure points to a need, since 57% of cyclists ride under-lit in the city at night, according to a 2018 Road Prevention/MMA survey. The reason could also be found in the short lifespan of certain bicycle lights at night. non-removable plastics, including “lithium batteries have a lifespan of 4 years”, according to Arnaud Sivert, Lecturer at IUT GEII in Soissons.
To find your way among the products available on the market, an association tested numerous references. It is the FUB (Federation of Bicycle Users) which created a Lighting Commission in 2017, and which regularly updates its guide – it has carried out the same work for the best locks. In this fall of 2023, more than 120 models have been tested, without going towards expensive or smart bike lighting.
The FUB rated them on the main points: ease of use, light beam adjustment characteristics, autonomy indication, weather resistance, repairability.
Obscure references
So, what are the best lights for your (electric) bike in 2023? In the list of 22 products tested in 2023, you must first separate the front headlight and rear light. We must then distinguish between those requiring an electrical system of an e-bike, and those with an internal cell or battery.
The No. 1 product for VAE would be a generic one taking the form of a large round motorcycle-style headlight, sold under the BHKC brand on a “Marketplace”: it offers 900 lumens for only 20 euros. It has even been the best lighting since 2017. Problem: it is impossible to find this product on the Internet.
In any case, we understood that it was a model on Amazon, of which we could not even find an equivalent. No. 2 is the Lezyne Macro Drive 1000 with 950 lumens, at 80 euros. Two others are listed, much less noted.
The best front and rear bike lights
With an internal power supply, the MagicShine MJ906 comes second in 2023: this pack includes a 2,160 lumen front headlight (with very good lighting at 15 m) and a rear light, for 137 euros. An indicative price: we find it today between 120 and 200 euros depending on the resellers.
It is important to know that these lights require wiring to connect them to the battery, which is attached to the frame. This solution is not the most aesthetic or practical. As for the rear light, the Lupine Rotlight Max would be the best choice of 2023, offering 10 lumens and a battery life of 6 hours, with charging via USB, for a price of 82 euros.
Another interesting observation concerns the tests carried out by the FUB on Decathlon ST lighting, revealing that going upmarket does not necessarily guarantee greater efficiency. For example, the ST 920 flagship is the best rated (and would be the best in terms of quality/price ratio – 29 euros – as well as efficiency).
However, it narrowly beats the entry ticket ST 110 (battery-powered), which would do better than the ST 500/540. Surprisingly, the hierarchy is completely reversed for the rear lights, with the ST 110 outperforming the other models (also better in quality/price ratio, at 8 euros), although the differences in ratings are quite small.
Bike lights that are quickly disappearing from the Internet
If we look at all the previous FUB tests, ignoring the “BHKC”, the front light we recommend would be the Wasafire XM-L2, currently around 15 euros, rated 3.5. The following two proposals also seem a bit obscure to us: the “Bosmaa 18 W” and “YHTSport”, previously sold on Aliexpress and Amazon, but impossible to find in 2023.
The MagicShine thus seem to be positioned as true No. 2, with the Soonfire FD38S, replaced by the FD39 available on Amazon at 39.99 euros.
Finally, the best bicycle rear light all years combined is the Raypal RH 207 (4.39), unfortunately also unavailable. So choose the 3W, still sold for around 7 euros and with an excellent rating (4.21). More expensive, the Nitrider Omega 300 (50 euros) and MSC Cree XPE (30 euros) are the only ones still sold in 2023 with a rating above 4.