A bike helmet may protect you in a crash, but lights can help prevent one from happening in the first place. Evidence suggests bike lights can improve rider visibility in traffic, particularly in bright or shifting light, where cyclists can otherwise blend into the background.
That’s why bike lights broadly fall into two categories: high-output headlamps to illuminate the road at night, and daytime running lights to make you more visible to motorists at all hours. Whether you ride to work daily or every now and then for exercise, owning a high-quality light is one of the cheapest investments you can make in two-wheeled safety. Modern LED lights provide impressive brightness and all-day battery life for very little cost or weight penalty, plus convenient charging with the same USB cable your phone uses.