Bike lights have become mandatory in major states and cities worldwide. This has forced bike manufacturers to produce their bike lights. While the competition gives you lots of options, it makes finding the best bike lights even more challenging.

It can be challenging to look for the best bike lights that suit your needs. To help you with this, we've come up with the top features that you should be looking for in your bike lights. This way, you'll be sure that you'll only pay for what you need.

1. Smartphone connectivity

The first thing you'd want to look for in a bike light is smartphone connectivity.

Nowadays, you can do pretty much anything within the comforts of your smartphone–this includes controlling your riding experience. Many bike lights already come with smartphone connectivity through their respective smartphone apps, and it's best to buy those instead of basic bike lights.

Smart bike lights will not just allow you to customize your lights through your phone. These bike lights will also allow you to track your location, monitor your riding habits, check your battery, sync with other bikers, and more.

Bike lights with smartphone connectivity can make your riding experience convenient and hassle-free.

2. Anti-theft alerts

Bikes are becoming more and more expensive these days. Because of this, they are now an easy target for theft.

Most bikers are used to carrying chains and padlocks on their bags to secure their bikes on the nearest bike pole. While this method is helpful, it isn't that convenient as you still need to monitor your bike constantly.

You don't have to experience this inconvenience as there are already many anti-theft devices specially designed for bikes.

Some smart brake lights come with anti-theft technology. Their motion sensors will be triggered once your bike is moved from where you've programmed it. Then, they will automatically send a notification to your phone through your bike light app. You can leave your bike around a cafe or restaurant without worrying that it will be stolen.

This anti-theft feature is also beneficial if your bike lights are always stolen. After all, most bike lights are just strapped into your bike's body without any security.

3. Auto light adjustment

When it comes to bike lights, brightness isn't enough. You have to get the appropriate level of brightness for various riding environments.

For example, riding in the daytime requires a different brightness level than riding at night. The same goes for riding in the countryside and a well-lit city. You might think that the answer to this is just getting the brightest bike light possible, but that's not the case. Using an ultra-bright light on the road will drain your battery, affect its lifespan, and even cause more accidents.

This is why it's best to look for a bike light with ambient light sensing technology. This feature automatically adjusts the light setting of your bike light depending on your light environment. This way, you'll get the brightness you need when you need it. You can also make the most out of your battery life so you won't have to change it frequently.

4. Free and regular firmware updates

As we mentioned a while ago, there are already many bike lights that come with their smartphone app. It will be best to look for a bike light app with free and regular firmware updates.

The best thing about these firmware updates is that you're technically getting a regular upgrade to your bike light. So, you wouldn't need to buy a new bike light. These firmware updates may range for more light settings, customized theft alerts, etc.

Fortunately, some biking apps offer these firmware updates for free. No in-app purchases or no subscriptions are needed— that's biking convenience at its best.

5. Compatible with riding habits

Last but not least–find a bike light compatible with your riding habits.

If you're used to biking on trails, you should find a heavy-duty bike light with high battery capacity, high brightness level, and a smartphone app with a tracker. 

On the other hand, if you're used to riding in the city, it's best to get a brake light with an accurate motion sensor, ambient light technology, and other smart features to protect you from possible road crashes.

Finding the best bike light is not a walk in the park. But getting some of these features can significantly improve your riding experience–making it safe and hassle-free.