To make your shopping decisions easier we have been working closely with suppliers, our sponsored athletes and passionate cyclists to produce an easy-to-follow, useful and informative guide to help you make the correct choice when choosing Lights - Front.

Any products featured in this guide will have been actively researched / tested to find the qualities that sets them apart from others. Spend a few minutes to read through and if you still need a little extra help simply contact us and we will be glad to help

Introduction to Lights - Front

If you’re not currently making use of the dark winter nights to keep up your saddle time, you’re seriously limiting your bike time. Time and technology have moved on from the dark and flickering lights of yesteryear. Modern bike lights are lightweight and longer running, thanks to great advances in battery technology, brighter, thanks to clearer lenses and more finely focussed reflectors. At Wiggle we think sooner or later every bike rider is going to need a set quality bicycle lights weather lightweight units just for the odd early/late commute, right up to the latest high tech super bright lights designed for those hardy souls who like to get out during the night for a more sporting ride.

Front lights vary in price greatly, ranging from lights to be seen with in city traffic to ones that will light up the trail for off road riding at night, so choosing the right light for your needs is important. LED’s are the common choice for cycle lights now and have many benefits, longer run times and life being the two most important. A common misconception with LED’s is that they do not give off a lot of light, this has been challenged with the fitment on top end sports cars such as the Audi R8. If you can see in the dark at 70mph (possibly more in other European countries) whilst driving a car with LED’s, you should be able to see with them when riding your bike. Just try to choose the correct light for your needs, the following guide should help you with some of the most common features and terms used on today’s lights.

Before buying, it would be worth considering the following:
Where will you be riding? Will it be on well lit roads, country lanes or off road? There is a light for you to fulfill all these needs. If you will be riding on well lit roads a compact styled LED light is the best option, their bright nature means other road users can see them(and you) over duller lights, they are especially effective when used in there flashing mode.
If you are riding on unlit roads, such as country lanes, you will need a light which gives off a beam that you can see with, again LED’s are commonly used, lights intended for this purpose will feature specific lens technology to spread the beam across the riding surface.
If riding off road you really should be looking at a rechargeable light set, the more you spend, the better you get with regards to lens and battery technology. More sophisticated lenses offer improved light spread which means you can ride quickly, safely, see obstacles more clearly and ride with confidence. Battery technology improves run times, especially in cooler conditions, which can reduce run times in Lead Acid and NiCad battery powered systems. When viewing lights look for run times, brightness levels/type and features such as battery warning indicators for off-road use, if one of these is not featured it can cut short an evening ride and leave you in the dark (always take a backup light for emergencies, compact LED’s are ideal due to their long battery run times). We also offer a range of spare parts for your lights, from extra brackets to enable fitting to more than one bike, to extra batteries to extend your evening ride or for 24 hour endurance events.

Rechargeable Battery Types:Batteries have a huge impact on the light, the more you spend the better the battery should be, higher quality batteries will provide longer run times and more versatility with regards to charge cycles. The four main battery types which are used in rechargeable lights are as follows, Lead Acid is the most basic, followed by NiCad (Nickel Cadmium), then NiMH (Nickel Metal Hydride) and finally the superior Li-Ion (Lithium Ion). Battery run times are dependent on a few factors, temperature, bulb output mode and time. Flashing and low output levels will increase the run time, but you cannot ride off road in these modes. Each battery type has different care requirements, which means slightly different techniques for storage and recharging, these must be followed to maximize battery life and avoid damage.
Lead acid and NiCad(Nickel-Cadnium) are the cheapest, they are low in technology and heavier than the more sophisticated Ni-MH and Li-Ion. NiCad batteries need to be fully discharged(but not over-discharged) before recharging to prevent damage to the battery. This means you cannot do small top up charges (which could damage the battery). Always refer to the manufacturers guidelines when charging and discharging a battery. Lead acid and NiCad are also sensitive to cold weather and run times will be reduced, so do not rely on the maximum run times and always keep a backup light with you in case of being caught away from home, a compact LED is ideal as it can be used to get you to and from your off road or unlit section of the ride.
Ni-MH(Nickel-Metal Hydride) are a popular choice of battery as they are easier to maintain than the Lead acid and Ni-Cad battery types, they also do not require a full discharge before recharging, you also have the benefit of twice the capacity of a NiCad, which means increased run times and more versatility.
Li-Ion(Lithium-Ion) are the most sophisticated of all the battery types and are used in mobile phones and cameras, they offer low weights and superior run times to all other types, but they do cost more than the other three types. But when you consider their low weight, longer run times and ease of maintenance they are often the most cost effective choice in the long term.

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