When lights are mentioned, only a few think of the bike tail light. Most bikers tend to focus on the headlight, not knowing that the tail lights are legally mandatory. Although headlights help you see where you’re going, tail lights make it easy for other road users to notice you from behind.

Depending on how and where you ride, your priorities regarding flashing modes, battery life, and brightness will vary. Do you go for standard or would LED lights prove a more worthwhile solution? Read on to find out more.

Things to Consider When Choosing a Bike’s Tail Light

Type of Riding

For people who use their bikes just to run errands and get back home, a basic bike tail light will do the job. Simple flashers that use batteries are effective and cheap, not to mention that they are durable. For those who take long rides at night or commute on busy roads, brighter lights will do the trick.

You can find multiple brighter AAA powered rear lights and USB rechargeable rear lights that will attract a driver’s attention from afar. Some riders fit more than one rear light to increase their chances of being noticed by oncoming drivers.

Optics

The characteristics of the light cast matter when you are trying to cast different shadows from potholes. Things tend to appear undefined and flat after dark, but the right rear light can help you avoid potential hazards.

The Type of Flashing

The law requires bikers to have tail lights that have flashing modes between one to four flashes per second. The actual modes differ and some will be outside that range. However, you don’t want to end up with constant pulsing modes.

The type of flashing differs for different riders. Some will keep their light flashing on because it makes them visible from far while others will keep a constant light for the oncoming drivers to easily judge the distance.

Durability of the Battery

While most tail lights will easily last you for long, you cannot trust USB rechargeable batteries to last you a whole night. If you prefer tail lights that don’t need to be recharged all the time, go for a rear light with AAA powered batteries.

Visibility

Although most tail lights are bright, in some cases, traffic may be approaching you from different directions and this can become a problem. In such a case, go for a light with a wide angle of visibility.

Mounting

You can now find rear lights with various types of mounting styles and options like strap mounts or clamp mounts. Strap mount tail lights are popular as they are placed on the seat post without requiring any special tool. If you’d rather go for a heavier light, the clamp mounted tail light would be ideal.

Number of Lumens

While companies could easily trick you into buying a rear light, go for one that has an FL-1 certification. This ensures that the lumens advertised are what you’ll find when you buy the product. For cycling in the city, you can opt for 300 – 500 lumens. If you simply use your bike to go to the mall and back, a rear light with 200 – 300 lumens would be ideal.

Here are the top 5 Best Cycling Lightsin 2017

Knog Blinder Road R70

Being one of the strongest performing and well-designed lights available, the Knog Blinder rear light pumps out sufficient light to keep you visible. Moreover, it has a huge variety of placement options while still giving you a good battery life. With 44 lumens, you’re assured that you’re well-lit without blinding the person behind you.

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Blitzu Cyborg 168T

Blitzu Cyborg provides plenty of intensity light. With its ability to give consistent light for added visibility, these rear lights are also easy to install and are perfect if you’re riding in poorly lit areas.

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CygoLite Hotshot 50 lm

Compared to its original version, this tail light provides maximum light which is nearly 50 lumens for added safety.

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Cycle Torch GT800

Powered with 800 lumens, the Cycle Torch helps you to reduce the chance of an accident to almost zero. You’re assured of an advanced level of visibility and safety. Featuring a compact design, this rear light is lightweight and works with different kind of bikes.

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Lezyne Strip Drive Pro Rear Light

One of the many additions for Lezyne is the Strip Drive Pro which is a revamped version. With a maximum output of 100 lumens, this Lezyne rear light ensures that you’re visible to anyone and everyone when riding in poorly lit conditions.

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Choosing a rear light for your bike is no longer about luxury. Tail lights ensure that you’re visible to oncoming drivers which could help prevent injuries and accidents. Go for a quality tail light made of durable material, one that is easy to mount, and a rear light that provides maximum visibility for your type of riding be it commuting or just running simple errands.

In recent times, tricycles have become increasingly popular for both men and women. Unlike regular bikes, you don’t have to struggle with balance. Moreover, they are easy to use and perfect for people of all ages. What’s more, they require no experience and they are easy to mount.

However, amidst all these benefits lies a major challenge: How do you get to choose the best brand with numerous options to choose from?

Fortunately, this guide will help you settle on the right adult trike of 2017.

Types of Tricycles

Upright Tricycles

If you’re looking to carry items in a stable adult trike, then upright tricycles are a good choice. Available in different styles, you can either opt for semi-recumbent or recumbent options. For a more classic and stylish look, a chopper tricycle will do the trick.​

Industrial Tricycles

These types of tricycles are meant for commercial purposes. They are used to transport heavy loads from one area to another.

Folding Tricycles

If you have limited space and really want a tricycle, folding tricycles are an excellent choice as they are easily foldable.

Electric Tricycles

These come with an option of no pedaling or pedaling. The only drawback is that electric tricycles are expensive compared to other types of tricycles.

Factors to Consider When Shopping for a Tricycle

Features

Tricycles come with a variety of features, such as dual brakes, single and multi-speed settings, sturdy construction, stylish fenders, and a collapsible basket. In as much as these features are important, it’s essential to find a trike that suits your body and one that won’t cause injuries.

Installation

You can find tricycles assembled, non-assembled, and pre-assembled. If you would rather not deal with all the setup, an assembled trike would be ideal. If you love DIY, you can choose a non-assembled trike and follow the guidelines in the installation manual to assemble the tricycle.

Age of the User

The user’s age is an important consideration when shopping for a tricycle. You need to also consider the size and weight of the user to ensure that it meets your needs and demands. A trike with good pedals helps in muscle strengthening as well as exercise which is best for users of any age.

Ease of Use

The tricycle you choose should be easy to use and assemble. Determine if you need a lightweight trike, but also check to ensure that it’s build of durable material.​

The Top 5 Adult Tricycles

Raleigh Bikes Tristar 3-Speed Trike

A perfect trike for tall people, this Raleigh bike features a three-speed system that makes it easy for riders to run it on varying speeds. This means that when you’re riding this tricycle, you are sure that you won’t get injured or topple over.

With this tricycle, you can run your daily chores as it has a heavy loading rear basket that is able to carry around 45 pounds. Being easy to ride, the trike is ideal for those who ride both in residential areas and in the city.

What’s more, it’s easy for riders to mount and features a three-wheeled design that allows you as a rider to maneuver without any issues. The fact that it’s a stable ride and features high-quality parts make this tricycle durable. Its compact design features a durable steel frame.

Schwinn Meridian 26-Inch Bike

Featuring a fast single-speed design, this Schwinn Meridian tricycle has a large footprint and features a durable, lightweight aluminum frame. The convenient design makes this tricycle stable while the wheels are ideal for riding on all types of terrains including off roads and tarmac roads.

Furthermore, the tricycle has a sturdy construction made of stainless steel ensures that the rims do not bend easily. This adult tricycle has upright handle bars, padded cruiser saddle, and a rear basket that easily foldable. This makes your ride exciting.

With an adjustable seat height, you can easily change to what makes you comfortable. Enjoy a speed of seven miles per hour which helps you to speed up when needed.

Razor DXT Drift Trike

Razor offers an amazing tricycle excellent for anyone interested in trike racing. What’s more, you can do several trikes, for example, complete a 180-degree turn. An excellent steel construction that makes the DXT time durable; the steel material makes this tricycle resistant to corrosion.

Enjoy the BMX design pedals, 10-inch rear wheels, alloy crank mechanism, short handlebars, and flexible front wheels. Perfect for both indoors and outdoors, this tricycle provides excellent performance without slipping. Other important features that make this tricycle a great choice include a well-designed bearing, hook attachment, bucket seat, and grip tape.

Worksman Port-o-Trike Adult Tricycle

One of the most efficient and lightweight trikes around, the Worksman Port-o-Trike features stable accessory that is user-friendly. With a 3-speed feature mechanism, you can run the trike at your own pace while enjoying safety.

The Worksman adult tricycle has 20-inch wheels that allow you to ride on any terrain. The rear cargo basket is coated with vinyl and allows to store your groceries and other shopping items while on the move.

Ideal for both men and women, this trike has a simple step-through structure and is easy to mount with a 215-weight capacity; this tricycle has a foldable design, making it an excellent choice if you have limited storage. The tires improve stability and grip on wet surfaces.

Komodo Cycling Adult Tricycle

Available in two derailleur shifters, the Komodo adult tricycle has a low frame, making it one of the simplest to mount, with a weight capacity of 240 pounds, the adult tricycle has a comfortable set and set up through construction which is perfect especially for seniors. Other additional features include three fenders, a loud bell, and a wire basket. To back up its claim to be one of the most durable trikes, the manufacturers provide a one-year warranty. The 6-speed mechanism is perfect if you love commuting on a bike.

In conclusion, there are various styles of tricycles in the market. When shopping for one, determine the ease of use, what type of rider you are and any other features that may come in handy such as a shopping basket. You could opt for a fully assembled trike to avoid the hassle of doing it by yourself.​

If you live in an area where seasons happen and can’t always go outside and cycle around, then you should get yourself a turbo trainer. Turbo trainers are designed specifically to bring the outdoor feel of bicycling indoors. So, when it’s snowy, wet, or just a dreary day full of traffic, all you need to do is grab your bike and your turbo trainer with rollers and you are good to go! It is the perfect bike trainer solution.

Turbo trainers are easy to install onto your bike: You just need to attach the clamps on the trainer to the quick release skewer on the rear wheel of your bike; this makes it so that as you pedal, the rear wheel will turn and so will the turbo trainer rollers. Turbo training has never been easier.

Why Should You Invest in a Turbo Trainer?

You might think that they seem super boring or tedious, but that’s not true. They are a great tool to help you stay in shape during those days, weeks, or even months when you can’t go outside and train. Plus, it makes it safer for you to ride around during the winter or when there’s a lot of traffic. Imagine turbo training whenever you need to with the ultimate bike trainer.

You don’t just have to use turbo trainers when you don’t think it’s a good idea to go outside; you can use them all year round to help you train. They are an effective method of training because you can work on any specific fitness area and create a training session just around that one thing.

If you find that you are tight on time some days, but you really need or want to train, then you should consider purchasing a turbo trainer. They make it easy for you to cram in a 30-minute training session into any of your busy days. You won’t have to drag your bike outside and work your way around different areas of traffic, or feel like you can’t go the route you want to go because of time constraints—it’s right there in your house!

Ultimately, the choice is up to you, but they are a great buy if you are looking to train and improve your cycling abilities. If you do decide to go ahead and purchase a turbo trainer, here is a list of 5 of the overall best turbo trainers on the market that you should consider purchasing:

Kinetic Road Machine 2.0 Fluid Trainer

Price: $339.00

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JetBlack Z1 Pro Fluid Trainer

Price: $349.99

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Elite Qubo Fluid Trainer with Riser Block and Sweat Net

Price: $149.00

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CycleOps Mag

Price: $199.99

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Tacx Blue Motion Trainer

Price: $223.47

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These trainers are a great investment, but which should you buy? The first thing you should do is look at your budget, how much can you afford on a trainer? Once you have determined that, think about your training needs. How often would you use it for training? Do you think that it could add to your training sessions and help you improve?

These are just some questions that you can ask yourself if you are looking through this list and wondering which you should buy, just figure out your needs and go from there!​

When you’re out mountain biking riding the trails, the chances are that you’ll want to have a GPS on you. Even better would be a bike computer with GPS built in as one of the many functions so that you will benefit from turn-by-turn navigation over any distance. Well, you can now have the best of both worlds!

But what should you look for in a GPS bike computer?

One of the biggest things that you should think about is if you want it just to give you GPS or if you want it also to track your ride and give you data so that you can review your ride later. The latter of these two types tend to cost more, but they also hold a lot of neat features (i.e., built in maps, larger screens, navigation software, power meter, heart rate monitor, etc.).

Do you want to be able to connect your phone to the device? You might want to be able to do this so you can share information about your trip, control music, have spoken navigation, have incoming calls and text alerts, and so much more. But it’s all personal preference here.

How do you want to be able to connect the device to your bike? Do you want to be able to have the device attach to your handlebars or the stem of the bike? There are also others that can be worn as wristwatches which tend not to be ideal for viewing while cycling.

Screen size is also something to consider: Larger screen sizes allow you to see more data at once than smaller ones do. But they also have the downside of being a lot bulkier, even though they do cut down on the amount of page navigating you’ll have to do.

All of these things depend on how you cycle and the trips that you take. If you’re truly curious about which features would be best for the type of cycling you do there is plenty of research out there that can help you out!

To get you started, here is a list of the top 5 GPS bike computers that you can find on the market today:

Garmin Edge 520 Bike GPS

Price: $249.99

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Cateye Stealth 10 Cycling Computer

Price: $94.63

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Wahoo ELEMENT GPS Bike Computer

Price: $327.50

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Garmin Edge 1000 Color Touchscreen GPS

Price: $459.00

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Lezyne Enhanced Super GPS Cycling Computer

Price: $149.99

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