Best bike lights 2024 – Front and rear lights to keep you safe both day and night

By Will Jones
The best bike lights help you see, be seen, and keep you safe when cycling on the road

The best bike lights fall into one of two categories. The first help other road users (cars, primarily) see you. They’re usually run at night but increasingly riders are opting to run them as daytime running lights on every ride for added visibility. Both front and rear options fall into this category, and the majority of the best budget bike lights fall here too.

Secondly, you have lights that help you see where you are going when riding in the dark. These naturally also serve to make you more visible too, but are larger and brighter, and only front lights fall into this category. A lot of riders bolster their ‘seeing’ front light with a ‘be seen’ auxiliary one too.

Image courtesy of Cateye
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The Cost-of-Cycling Crisis: Why Bike Brands Need to Shift Gears for the Greater Good

From LBBonline.com

We’ve just had a summer of cycling. Worldwide, billions watched the Olympics, the Tour de France, and Tour de France Femmes. Many will be inspired to jump on two wheels and reap cycling’s health benefits. Cycling has increased in England by 46% from 2016 to 2023 (Statistica). If it continues, the UK cycling industry will be worth £1.5 billion by 2028 (Mintel).

Yet, the cycling industry is suffering. UK bike sales slumped to a 39-year low this year (Bicycle Association). Major bike manufacturer Giant reported a 38% loss in profits in the first quarter of 2024. The reasons are complex but, in short, prices have skyrocketed during a cost-of-living crisis. The same bike in 2019 cost you £1,000 in 2019 but £1,400 in 2022, a rise of 26% (Bicycle Association).

Cycling is notoriously expensive and elitist. Brands have prioritised pushing high-end gear to affluent buyers, pricing many out of a sport that should be open to all. BHS Extras recently found that almost half (49%) of Brits can’t afford a bike outright. Bike brands are in danger of losing the next generation of cyclists and this could have a wider knock-on effect; from makers of energy bars, to coffee shops, masseuses, and even the NHS.

 

Photo by Munbaik Cycling Clothing on Unsplash

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Why Road Bikes Are Still King

No matter how much we love all kinds of cycling, like gravel and mountain biking, we can’t help but always come back to the humble road bike. For us, road bikes will always be boss …and this is why!

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You have to see these 10 stunning and unique bicycle routes to believe them

From MomentumMag.com

Written by:

In a world where every corner seems explored, hidden gems and unique bicycle routes await discovery for those willing to pedal off the beaten path. These 10 extraordinary bicycle routes beckon adventurers to embark on journeys of a lifetime. Take Death Road in Bolivia—though its name evokes fear, it promises an adrenaline-fueled adventure through mesmerizing landscapes. Or the Karakoram Highway, winding through the heart of the mountains from Pakistan to China, offering awe-inspiring vistas and a journey through history.

These unique bicycle routes promise adventure, challenge, and a deep connection with nature. So, saddle up and let the journey begin.

Death Road, Bolivia

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Friday Bikeway Briefs: Reseda, Mason, Avenue 51, and MANGo

From LA.Streetsblog.org

By Joe Linton

Santa Monica MANGo extension

A couple of readers have reported that Santa Monica’s new extension of its Michigan Avenue Neighborhood Greenway, “MANGo,” is now open.

The 1/8-mile-long facility includes two short stretches of bike/walk path and a block of two-way protected bike lanes. These connect the neighborhood greenway across the 10 Freeway to within easy bike/walk distance of Crossroads schools and the Metro E Line 26th Street/​Bergamot Station.

Find more MANGo extension project details at SBLA coverage last Novemberand in April.

Reseda Boulevard in Tarzana

A steep hillside stretch of Reseda Boulevard appears poised to receive the first stretch of new bike lanes triggered by Measure HLA. The Bureau of Street Services (StreetsLA) resurfacing project there was done when Streetsblog visited the site a week ago, but the new bike lanes were still pending.

Photo by Dário Gomes on Unsplash

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