Best budget bike lights 2023

The best budget bike lights give you quality options for riding safely during the night, or day, without breaking the bank

If you are looking for the best budget bike lights, it can be a challenge. As with most things related to a bike, or life in general, there are some really amazing products if money is no object. Staying safe and visible while riding at night shouldn't break the bank though. It doesn't matter if you are getting home from work on one of the best commuter bikes or riding past sunset on one of the best road bikes, finding the best budget bike light is an important consideration.

We also have a list of the best bike lights on the market and due to their good value, you might see some of those duplicated here. The point is to find the best quality, not the most expensive.

The difference between the two lists is just that budget is more top of mind in this case and there are some, small, concessions with that in mind. This list is a little more concise because, while there are a lot of options for bike lights at all price points, it is a real challenge to find high-quality lights for a great price. With that in mind, if you are looking for the best budget bike light keep reading to see our recommendations.

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The Thousand Traveler front and rear lights are the epitome of this list. They are inexpensive but not cheap and they do exactly what they claim to by looking good and keeping you visible. The front light has three modes and switching between 100 lumen solid, 250 lumen daylight flash, and 30 lumen eco flash is as simple as twisting the light. Keep twisting a little more, along with a pull and a bit of a jiggle, the light pops out of the magnetic mount. You won't have to charge it often because the run time ranges from 6 hours to 36 hours depending on mode but when it's time, there's USB-C charging. There are cheaper lights on the market but Thousand has put together a great budget option with a solid set of features.

The Thousand Traveler is great if you just need to stay visible but it's not ideal for seeing where you are going. If you want more light to see the road, you need something more powerful. The challenge then becomes telling one light apart from the next in the midrange power options. The market for these commuter focused lights that are still bright enough to help you see is incredibly tight. The Portland Design Works City Rover Power 700 gets my nod for this use quite simply because it's got a power gauge that makes it easy to understand when it needs a charge. At half power the light it offers is plenty for riding in the city with street lights and that gives you three hours of runtime. It's likely that will be quite a few days of commuting so it's nice to have a simple, and constant, reminder when you need to plug it in. It's also powerful enough that if you do decide you want to take it for performance-oriented ride, it's also workable even if it's not ideal.

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700 lumens vs 1000 is only a small difference. The reality is that both the Portland Design Works City Rover Power 700 and Lezyne Lite Drive 1000XL can do the job of getting you to and from work but there are a few small differences that make them good for slightly different uses. The extra three hundred lumens of max power will make it a lot more comfortable to ride at speed with no street lighting. If that's your focus then you get 1:30 of burn time at full power but if you need a little more time you can power down to 500 lumens and get yourself three hours of light. The trade-off you make for the extra power and battery life is that the system for communicating remaining battery is less transparent than a simple gauge. This is also a light that's been around for a while and hasn't yet made the switch to USB-C charging.

If you'd like to read more detail, take a look at our review of the Lezyne Lite Drive 1000XL.

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If you want big power, or long runtimes, then the MagicShine RN3000 is an excellent budget option to get the job done. The heart of the light is a 10,000 mAh battery and it's from this foundation that everything builds. Using the massive battery, you can power all the way up for a 3000-lumen option that will cover you in even the most demanding trail situations. Alternatively, you can power down the light and extend the runtime. 750 lumens is enough to ride comfortably at speed even without street lights and at that power, the RN3000 will run for thirteen and a half hours. You might even consider this light as a commuter option because of how infrequently you'll need to think about charging it. Knowing that the USB-C charge port can also charge a phone in an emergency is a nice bonus feature. The only downside is a slightly odd control scheme. There are two bulbs on the light and for some reason you can choose to run either one or the other or both. Using both gives a better light shape and longer burn times but since the option is there, changing modes means stepping through more options. It's a small annoyance given the price and features but it is worth mentioning.

You can read more about the details of this light in our MagicShine RN3000 full review

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I listed the low max power as a negative and while that's true, you have to look at the Moon MX GPS mount and light a little differently. The point is not to be your primary light when you head out the door for a late ride. Instead, the 400 lumens max power and 2.6 hour burn time is there to get you home when the ride ends up lasting longer than you'd hoped. The light does dual duty as a mount for Garmin and Wahoo GPS head units and the wide, flat, design does an excellent job of being forgettable under a computer. When it's time to turn on the light you can adjust the angle separately of the overall angle of the mount freeing you from needing to keep your computer at an odd angle. Overall, this is a low-cost way to make sure you always have a light with you just in case.

Read more about the Moon MX GPS mount and light in our review.

I included the Traveler front light and it only makes sense to include the rear. You can purchase either light alone but they are also available as a set at a small discount. When it comes to the rear light though you get the exact same mounting system. There's an integrated rubber strap attached to a magnetic plastic mount. The light itself needs a twist and a bit of a jiggle to get it loose before exposing the USB-C charging port. Although it could be a little easier to get the light free, it is still relatively easy to take off the bike for charging or to prevent theft. Also like the front, twisting the light changes between a solid mode or flashing modes. For the rear you get burn times that range from Solid: 35 lumens, 4.5 hours in the solid 35 lumen mode to as much as 22 hours at the lowest 10 lumen Eco flash mode. It's a good looking light at a good price and it makes a lot of sense for visibility while commuting in the city.

In the world of rear lights, the Bontrager Flare RT isn't exactly a bargain and that's especially true given the somewhat modest power level. The reason it makes it to this list of budget bike lights is because despite being a little more expensive, it's still on the affordable side and it's highly effective. If you care about your visibility, day or night, then spending just a little more for the Flare RT makes sense. When the Flare RT hit the market, it was a light that changed the way many riders viewed daytime visibility and it's just as effective at night. The secret is a well-designed reflector that optimises rear visibility plus a flash pattern that is intentionally irregular. So many cheap rear lights on the market are completely ineffective during the day and barely usable even at night. By contrast, the Flare RT is visible as far as 2km away even in the height of mid-day sun. The high-quality mount also adds value because you won't find yourself replacing a lost light every few rides.

Our expert review:

For those who spend their time riding in the country a rear radar is an amazing addition to your time on the bike. It's a product that allows you to focus on your riding without ever worrying about a car surprising you from behind. Previously if that sounded like something you wanted to incorporate into your setup, that meant only the Garmin Varia. The Varia is still an option but as it continues to age and the price stays the same, there is more opportunity for choice. The Magicshine (also sometimes sold as a Magene) Seemee 508 works in the same way, and pairs with the same head units, as a Garmin Varia but it's significantly less expensive and fixes some of the issues the Garmin has. That means it has a leash so it doesn't fall off and it's got USB-C charging. Getting the price down does mean some trade-offs though. The battery life chart on the Magene website is inaccurate and even with a low 20 lumen max power you can only expect about 8 hours of burn time on pulse mode. However, I understand that's longer than the vast majority of rides people do so if that works for you, Magene will let you add radar for less money.

The Lezyne KTV Pro Drive 75 is the option when you need an all-around inexpensive rear bike light. The price is outstanding and there's all-day performance with a burn time of 10-hours even at the max 75-lumen day flash setting. Mounting is a simple rubber strap and the integrated USB connector means charging needs no cord although it does mean you have to remove the light to charge it. There's really no special tricks to the Lezyne KTV Pro Drive 75 but it gets the job done for not a lot of money.

Take a look at our review of the Lezyne KTV Pro Drive 75 to get more details about the performance.

As we head into shorter days and longer nights, riding in the dark becomes more of an issue. For some people that might mean the fitness they've built through the summer season leaves them getting back as the sun is setting and for others it's more of a transportation issue. Either way, you'll need lighting and I have some advice to help you figure out what light you need.

The first thing to consider is if you need a light to make yourself visible or to see where you are going. If you are only riding in the city, on well-lit streets, you'll already be able to see where you are going, so the light you need is going to be a lot less expensive and the specs are far less important. If you need a light to see where you are going then the next consideration is how long you need it to last.

It's relatively easy to find a light that's bright enough for an hour. Anything beyond that becomes more difficult and expensive. Don't forget though, you might want to ride more than once before needing to charge. Do you want to charge after every ride? You might also want to consider multiple uses for your light. Using the same light during the commute as you use for long rides on the weekend is a good way to save money. This consideration also opens up the discussion of what kind of mounting you need.

If you only use a single bike, your decision about mounting is a lot simpler. It has to work in a single situation. If your bike has round bars then a hard mount for round bars will do the job. Alternatively, if it has oval aero bars you can find something that will work. If you are swapping the light between different bikes, you need it to work in all the situations you'll encounter. You might also want to consider if you need a light with mounting considerations for bags, clothing, or racks.

If you are looking for more information about any of this, keep reading for even more details.

Before I get too far into the details, we have a buyer's guide for the best bike lights, while this is a guide focussing on the best budget bike lights. An expensive bike light isn't necessarily better so it's an obvious question to wonder what you might be giving up with the options on this list focused on less expensive options.

The biggest challenge when looking for a budget bike light is making sure you are also getting a quality bike light. A product isn't good value if it's junk that you end up needing to replace it anyway. I frequently ride with people using lights that aren't visible in the best of situations and fall off often. Those lights aren't good value and buying them wastes money. With that in mind, I made sure to include only products that are good quality even if that means they aren't the absolute cheapest option.

The sacrifices you make aren't about quality, they're about features and simply said, it comes down to power and battery life. More powerful lights and bigger batteries cost more, so looking for a bargain is necessarily going to limit those pieces. You can think about the sacrifice as being about max power or long burn times but the bottom line is the same. On the upside, that makes sense for the progression of most people's riding. As you find yourself needing higher-spec lights, you will likely be willing to spend more on them. If you can work with products that cover what most people do on a bike, you can find a good deal on a quality product.

This is the first place you need to start your journey for the right light. At one point in my life, I spent a lot of time riding through the streets of Los Angeles at relatively low speeds. I had no issue seeing where I was going and I just needed drivers to see me. In that situation, my considerations were all about quality reflectors and mounting. The lights will be inexpensive and don't need to be that bright. Look for a reflector design that amplifies the light for visibility at a distance and look for a mount that is secure enough that you don't lose lights.

If you need a light to see where you are going, it's going to need a lot more thought. The mount has to be secure enough that it doesn't bounce. You need a bright enough light that you can see details in the road at the speed you will be moving. Then the final consideration is how long the battery will last.

If you are shopping for a light to make yourself visible there's a lot of flexibility. A really good reflector does an amazing job at amplifying not much light and making sure you are visible to cars. Multiple brands have settled on 40-50 lumens as the right brightness for night flash modes and I've also found that feels about right. There are also options for far brighter lights and while I wouldn't dissuade anyone from going brighter, I've not found it to be necessary for visibility.

If you are instead looking for a front light to see where you are going, the number has to be a lot higher. My riding tends to be in the 32-37 kph range at night and for me to feel safe at those speeds, I find I need at least 800 lumens. If I go under that number, I find it hard to process the information I'm getting from the road surface at speed and I start to slow down. I find that to be true even on well-lit city streets but the need does drop if my speed drops. If you ride slower, it's likely you can make it work with less power but my advice is 800 lumens if you need to see where you are going.

The first thing to think about is what you are planning to do. You need a light that will go the distance but there are different considerations for commuting vs adventuring. If you are commuting then you need a light to last for your commute but you might want to cover more than one trip. Sure, you could charge between the morning and evening ride but are you going to want to deal with that? What about charging every night, is that something you want to think about? Even if your commute is short, you might want to get a set of lights that has enough battery for more than one day. It's relatively easy with a light to be seen but if you need to see you are going to need to really study the specs.

If you are looking for a light to see where you are going then the most important piece of advice I can offer is to overestimate your needs. When commuting, sometimes you forget to charge and sometimes you decide to take the long way home. If you buy a light that barely meets your needs it's not going to be much fun to own. There are also a lot of lights that can double as a battery pack for a phone and extra battery power can be helpful for that use.

This same advice holds true when looking for a nighttime adventure light. Often you need a light at the end of a long ride and in those situations, you might be moving a lot slower than normal. The last thing you want to worry about is getting home before your light dies.

Remember also that bigger lights have bigger batteries. I like to ride with around 800 lumens but I almost always ride with lights that have far bigger max numbers. By powering them down I leave myself extra flexibility plus I get big burn time numbers. Buy more light than you need and never leave yourself stressed.

This is probably the most straightforward question. You just need a mount that works in every situation you need to cover. If it's a light to be seen with then you might also want consider attachment to a rack or clothing. It doesn't matter where you mount it if it bounces and moves around too much, so just make sure it's secure. If you need a light to see, those lights are heavier so the mount needs to stand up to bumps without rotating over time.

One consideration to think about is hard mount vs soft. For the most part this isn't that important as long as the mount does the job but there are some situations where one option is better than the other. If you have an ovalized, or aero handlebar of some kind then it's almost impossible to make a hard mount work but a soft mount will generally work without issue. If you take your lights off to park a bike outside then a hard mount with some kind of quick release might be a good idea.

There are also a couple of other mounts that free up bar space and might be worth considering. Bontrager has the Blendr mounting that integrates into saddles, stems, and even some helmets. You can also look for a GoPro-style mount as a way to really open up options. There are outfront bike computer mounts with GoPro mounts underneath and saddle rail options for rear lights. One last innovative way to manage bike lights is something that mounts into the spacers below the stem. Restrap is a leader in bikepacking bags and they also make a product called the Bumper Bar that mounts on the steerer tube and gives plenty of space to mount a light. With mounting you can get creative or not, just make sure it's convenient and secure.

I test bike lights by heading out after dark and riding my bike. Sometimes that means riding to the store or riding to meet a friend on a city bike. Much of the time it means I start a ride before the sun comes up and I finish after the sun goes down. There are also a few times a year when I try to ride through the night without stopping. In every situation, I am always looking for the best performance and for the right solution to the needs of a diverse group of riders.

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Josh hails from the Pacific Northwest of the United States but would prefer riding through the desert than the rain. He will happily talk for hours about the minutiae of cycling tech but also has an understanding that most people just want things to work. He is a road cyclist at heart and doesn't care much if those roads are paved, dirt, or digital. Although he rarely races, if you ask him to ride from sunrise to sunset the answer will be yes.Height: 5'9"Weight: 140 lb.Rides: Cannondale Topstone Lefty, Cannondale CAAD9, Enve Melee, Look 795 Blade RS, Priority Continuum Onyx

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