Battery bicycle lighting test 2021: Stiftung Warentest winner and recommendations

It is compulsory to have a light! In Germany, Austria and Switzerland, bicycles must be equipped with lights at the front and rear. GIGA editor Stefan presents recommended battery-operated LED front and rear lights with USB connection and explains what to look out for when buying.

Bicycle lighting is not a voluntary accessory, but a part of the Compulsory equipment. All bicycles in Germany must be equipped with a “forward-looking headlight for white low beam” (front light) and a “rear light for red light” (rear light) – this is what the road traffic licensing regulations (StVZO § 67 lighting equipment on bicycles) want. In Austria and Switzerland, too, comparable requirements from the respective legislators apply.

The best battery bike lights 2021: All test winners and recommendations at a glance

Amazon bestseller price-performance tip Front light test winner Front light test winner Rear light model Fischer LED lighting set Cateye GVolt 50 Trelock LS 760 I-Go Vision Sigma Blaze Price approx. 20 euros approx. 39 euros approx. 110 euros approx. 17 euros Advantages Top Price- Performance ratio Good price-performance ratio Technically excellent With brake light function Disadvantages No battery indicator on the rear light Duration and strength only average Too expensive for occasional cyclists Silicone strap as attachment Offer to Amazon to Conrad to FahrradXXL to Amazon Compare prices Compare prices Compare prices Compare prices

Amazon customer: Fischer LED lighting set

Advantages:

Double pack of front and rear light at an attractive price 360-degree “circle of light” on the floor (rear light)

Disadvantage:

Taillight without battery indicator (indicator)

Front and rear lights approved by the Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA), in a set for around 24 euros – at the low price, it’s no wonder that Fischer LED lighting set can be found at the top of the Amazon bestseller list for bicycle lamp sets. The full name is, by the way, “Fischer 50363 rechargeable battery light set 30 Lux front light & 360 ° twin rear light light set” – this is how it is listed at MediaMarkt.

Amazon customers rate the Fischer bicycle light set with an average of 4.6 out of 5 stars. The red circle of light on the floor, which is generated by the rear light, is praised – however, this has no battery indicator for a low charge level. The rubber fastening, which according to individual reports has only a limited shelf life, has to be criticized. Annoying, but you have to cope with that at the low price. At least you can find universal replacement rubber rings for bike lights on Amazon.

Price-performance tip front light: Cateye GVolt 50

Advantages:

Good price-performance ratio Light and compact

Disadvantage:

Burn time and strength are good, but not outstanding

That Cateye GVolt 50 was able to get third place among 13 tested headlights at Stiftung Warentest (edition 09/2020) with a grade of 2.0 (“good”). A considerable success, because it is placed directly behind models from Trelock and Busch + Müller, which are more than twice as expensive – the Cateye is equal to them in terms of “light and visibility”.

According to Stiftung Warentest, the light duration of the Cateye GVolt 50 is between 3:30 h (highest level) and 18:20 h (lowest level) – these are good, but by no means outstanding values. Particularly long-lasting front lights come on for over 5 hours at the maximum setting. There are a few complaints on Amazon about the sharp release button that releases the bike light from its attachment. With 36 × 106 × 44 mm (dimensions) and 92 grams (weight), the Cateye GVolt 50 is relatively compact and lightweight – you can also think about a second use as a handy flashlight for evening walks.

Test winner front light: Trelock 760 I-Go Vision

Advantages:

Bright + good illumination of the street display with battery level

Disadvantage:

Too expensive and feature-rich for occasional cyclists

Anyone who travels frequently by bike shouldn’t compromise on lighting. That Trelock 760 I-Go Vision is a front light “Made in Germany” that shows as a real high-tech gadget what is technically possible today. It has as much in common with the flickering and dynamo-powered lightbulbs of old bikes as a Trabi with a Porsche Taycan. Nothing against the good old Trabi – but the technology is developing rapidly. The progress in bicycle lighting over the past 30 years has really been that huge.

The Stiftung Warentest awards an excellent final score of 1.3 (“very good”) and names the Trelock 760 I-Go Vision the clear test winner. Regardless of whether it is “light and visibility”, “durability” or “handling” – the Trelock 760 I-Go Vision shines in all sub-disciplines with the rating “very good” – none of the competitors managed that. The technical features are extensive and well implemented. Above all, there is the display on the top, which shows the charge level (accurate to the percent) and helps with the correct attachment of the lighting.

Here is the official manufacturer video showing all the benefits of the Trelock 760 I-Go Vision:

Serious disadvantages of the Trelock 760 I-Go Vision you have to look with a magnifying glass. The lack of an automatic on and off switch could be one such point. At the end of the day, however, it is the high price that could put off casual riders. We are dealing with a professional model that can only fully exploit its many advantages with regular use (commuters).

Currently the Trelock 760 I-Go is only Vision hard to get – Apparently it sells so well that the stocks are empty every now and then. Anyone who trusts the brand will find an interesting alternative in a price range below that. The smaller one Sister model is called Trelock 660 I-Go vision Lite. This is a little cheaper and does not shine as brightly – at least it is immediately available from several online retailers. The “Lite” model also offers the most important advantages of the Stiftung Warentest winner, such as the display and the minute-by-minute display of the remaining light time.

Test winner rear light: Sigma Blaze

Advantages:

Bright + good illumination with brake light function

Disadvantage:

Silicone strap as attachment

We do without a “price-performance winner” for the taillights in this overview, because the Stiftung Warentest winner 2020 is extremely cheap. That Sigma Blaze costs less than 25 euros and can convince with a test grade of 1.7 (“good”). The mechanical strength (durability) is very good.

The robust Sigma Blaze is also used almost every day in the GIGA editorial team, and one of our editors can fully confirm the findings of Stiftung Warentest. Above all, the integrated brake light function is a useful additional feature. The burn time is almost 11 hours. The charging time of the Sigma Blaze is a bit long at 3 hours, and you have to attach the rear light with a silicone strap. An acceptable fastening method in this price range – it can, however, be broken or lost.

Bicycle lighting test 2021: This is how I selected the recommendations

In this summary, I have incorporated my own experience and extensive research in specialist magazines (including Stiftung Warentest issue 09/2020, Velomotion, ADAC, Ebikeers). Current bicycle light models will be presented, which have received special praise from the press and customers and are therefore recommended for purchase. The test procedure for bicycle lights used by Stiftung Warentest is also explained on the relevant website.

Rechargeable bicycle lights: what should you look out for when buying?

In general it can be said: If you are still on the road with a dynamo and lightbulb or have no bike lights at all, you will get one with today’s selection tremendous step forward do. We would advise against products from no-name manufacturers that are too cheap, as the above recommendations are attractively priced enough. After all, it’s about them Road safety – you really shouldn’t save money and use inferior technology.

Bicycle lights: the main characteristics

You should definitely take a look at the following properties before buying bicycle lights:

Luminosity and illumination Duration of the light Charging time of the battery Holder fixed to the bike (fixed or rubber band?) Watertightness Energy supply: Batteries or integrated battery? Approval from the Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA): “K number” available?

We’ll show you the best e-bikes in our detailed Purchase advice:

See and be seen – but don’t dazzle

The German StVZO stipulates: “The headlight must be set so that it does not dazzle other road users.” The best way to find out is by checking the light cone and the illumination on the street or on a house wall before driving. Which setting is optimal depends on the lighting, because each model illuminates slightly differently. The above-mentioned test winner Trelock 760 I-Go Vision has a sensor that helps with adjustment, as can be seen here in the operating instructions (PDF):

Wear part: integrated battery

We know it from smartphones and Bluetooth headphones: The battery is permanently installed in more and more TECH gadgets – including some bicycle lights. The disadvantage is obvious: over time, the battery ages and loses performance. That doesn’t happen overnight, but after around two years, many cyclists will notice that the battery runs out faster. An example: The manufacturer Cateye names around 300 charging / discharging processes for the GVolt 50 model in the operating instructions (PDF) – then the nominal capacity drops to 70 percent.

Don’t forget reflectors!

Not only bicycle lights, but also reflectors are compulsory equipment on every bike in Germany. According to ADFC Munich, this means:

1 white reflector at the front 1 red large area reflector yellow reflector on the pedals yellow spoke reflector or white sticks on the spokes

Just in case – you can find the best bicycle helmets in the GIGA purchase advice:

Are headlamps, flashlights and flashing lights allowed?

Flashing bicycle lights are not allowed in Germany. A briefly brighter “brake light” (like the Sigma Blaze), on the other hand, does. Headlamps, flashlights or cell phones are out of the question as lighting, as bike lights have to be firmly attached to the bike.