When it comes to winter sports, many people may not consider cycling. This is because winter often means bad weather and difficult roads. But if you're an avid cyclist, there's probably no season or weather that can stop you from getting out and cycling. Even the thought of not being able to ride for a few months can make them miserable. Some professional cyclists don't let the season stop their training either. In fact, winter cycling is low-carbon and also facilitates travel, eliminating the possibility of traffic jams. On the other hand, it also adds a certain amount of exercise to your body to ensure good health, and exercise is something that needs to be maintained for a long time.
Of course, determination and enthusiasm are not enough, we do need to make some extra preparations for winter riding. This will allow us to stay safe and healthy. To battle the cold weather, we can take some of the windproof equipment with us, especially for our face and ears, which we tend to overlook. Instead, you don't need to wear heavy clothes because when you actually ride, your body will heat up and sweat, and too heavy clothes will be a burden. There are also mudguards, gloves, suitable shoes and, of course, the bike lights that we will mainly discuss today, all of which need to be prepared.
When winter comes, you will find that it gets dark particularly quickly and the days get shorter and shorter. If you are planning to go out riding, a bike light is an absolute necessity. Not only to light the way ahead of you, but also for an important reason to keep yourself safe by allowing others to see you. In winter, when temperatures plummet and there are generally few cyclists on the roads, many car drivers may let their guard down and thus ignore unlit cyclists riding on dark roads. When you equip yourself with a light, the presence is much higher. And it is important to remember that due to the low temperatures, the bike light consumes more power, so it is important to recharge it in time.
But depending on the riding conditions, the type of riding, the bike you choose and the time of you riding, the first question you need to ask yourself before you start buying a light is whether the light is there to make it easier for others to see you, or to allow you to see clearly when you are cycling. Usually, lights with a higher brightness rating have a higher battery capacity and a narrower angle of light, allowing you to see further. Conversely, lights that allow you to be seen are designed to attract attention from all angles and have features such as a wide beam and side lighting. The lumens of the latter light tend to be reduced because priority is not given to distant locations. As a result, they are usually lighter, have a smaller battery capacity, fewer lumens, a wider beam angle and are usually cheaper than lights that help you to see.
If you focus on mountain biking, you may want something more powerful that can help you spot hazards and places where you need to turn or brake. While more than 200 lumens is fine for most road riding, you may need more than 1000 lumens if you're going to be on some trails or bush roads.
Olight’s newest product Gotorch X is such a powerful bicycle headlight. It is a mountain bike light that delivers up to 2000 lumens max. output, a bright hotspot, and wide spill. The light consists of two main parts, the light head and the battery pack. The light head is compatible with the GoPro mounts, so It easily mounts to handlebars, helmets, tripods, and more. The entire upper cover of the light head is a large switch button, so it can be easily operated with your riding gloves on. The rechargeable battery pack that comes with the product supports up to 80+ hours of continuous lighting, and its USB Type-C port charges the light while also allowing the battery pack to serve as a convenient mobile power bank to charge your phone, taillight, GPS, action cameras, and more. The light offers great performance! Its bright hotspot crisply illuminates the trail ahead, while the beam’s ample spill provides a wide-angle view of closer trail features and obstacles to the front and sides. This MTB light will help make your rides safer and let you stay out on the trail longer!
Click Here to learn more about Gotorch X.
If you're not that demanding, we also have a few bike headlights for commuting. Wyvern and BFL 900 are still available.
Wyvern is a stylish bike headlight, unlike most bike lights which are black, it is available in red and blue, sweeping away the dullness of these lights and adding a little extra colour to your ride. It also has enough performance for everyday cycling. Up to 300 lumens, a maximum runtime of 13 hours and easy charging with the Type-C port. Best of all it also comes at a very low price, making it great value for money.
Click Here to learn more about Wyvern.
The BFL 900 projects a focused, even beam with up to 900 lumens of output and a 150-metre max beam distance. And the runtime is still able to reach at 13.5 hours. The light window on each side of the light body enhances peripheral visibility to always stay safe. The light has 3 output settings that can be accessed with the side switch, and the setting used previously will be memorized. Powerful for its compact size, the BFL 900 is perfect for daily commuting, urban riding, and road cycling.
Click Here to learn more about BFL 900
Generally, in addition to a front light on the handlebars, you can also put a rear light on the back of your bike. The front light mainly comes to illuminate the road ahead of you while the rear light can usually flash red to act as a warning that someone is here. There are also reflectors on clothing, bags, and pedals that can be used as a warning. We also have a number of excellent rear lights for you to choose from.
The RN 100 TL is movement-sensitive light with a built-in accelerometer that goes into an attention-grabbing burst mode when you brake or slow down. Whether you're riding in broad daylight or complete darkness, the RN 100 TL offers constant, flashing, and smart light modes to keep you safe and visible. The status LED on the light turns red when the battery gets low, and when about 20 minutes are remaining it will automatically switch to a low-powered flashing mode to help ensure you have light until you get home.
Click Here to learn more about RN100 TL
When you're all set, set off for a ride and don't worry about the cold and dark, winter cycling will give you a whole new sporting experience!
