Shine A Light - FLambassador Ade has some useful tips on lighting

Now the clocks have gone back and the evenings are drawing in you may have thought about getting some lights to keep you riding throughout the winter months. There is a huge amount on offer and if you're new to cycling it can be a bit overwhelming knowing where to start.

Without going into huge technical detail there are basically two types of lights, those that help you to be seen and be more visible to other road users and those that will light up the road ahead ensuring you can see any obstacles like the dreaded potholes. Lights have "lumens" which means how bright it is to the human eye the higher the lumen the brighter the light. Lights are usually powered by batteries or are rechargeable via a USB port which is great if you're commuting as you can charge them via your computer while you're at work.

So for urban well lit areas a lower end lumen light that makes sure you are visible to other road users but doesn't need to light up the road in front of you is perfect. These usually have several flashing modes and several can be put on the bike to ensure that you are seen from all angles and at junctions etc I personally like to have a couple of lights on the front and rear especially when commuting early on dark winter mornings prices range from £10 upwards this is a great little budget set from http://www.cateye.com/en/products/detail/HL-EL135/

 

If you like to do some serious off roading or need a strong light for a fast road night ride in the lanes then you will need a serious set of lights with high lumens, these lights aren't cheap and the higher the lumen the higher the price tag this is a great 1100 lumen http://www.lezyne.com/product-led-perf-power1100xl.php#.WBthxldOVHg 

but if you need something more powerful and want to invest in a great light this 3400 lumen would be perfect for those night MTB rides http://www.exposurelights.com/cycle-lights/front-lights/exposure-six-pack-mk7