Having rear lights is essential for all cyclists. While front lights allow you to see the road for safer biking, rear lights will enable you to be seen on the road. According to researchers, rear lights can reduce a biker's vulnerability to road crashes by 19%.

While there are many rear lights available in the market today, not all of them can provide you with the road visibility you need. As of today, two of the best taillights are the Lezyne Strip Drive and Smart Bike Light's CLIQ.

If you're one of the cyclists who have a hard time choosing between the two, we've come up with a quick guide to determine which one is best for you. While it ultimately boils down to your preference, you need to know their respective features.

Comparison

Based on our research, bikers have the top 4 considerations for choosing their bike lights–the light output, battery efficiency, braking technology, smart features, and price. In this blog, we will use these 4 factors to guide you in choosing your tail light.

We will analyze Lezyne Strip Drive and CLIQ's light output in the first category. This includes their maximum brightness, light setting, and other light features.

Next, we will check their battery efficiency in line with their light output. Sure enough, every one of us would like a rear light that can withstand even our longest bike rides.

The third category is their braking technology. We'll see the capabilities of the two lights in alerting other road users regarding your directions and movements.

The next one is the smart features. Lezyne and Smart Bike Lights have some of the most advanced technology for biking accessories; we'll see how they were applied on their two flagship rear lights.

Last but not least is the price. We'll see which tail lights will give you a run for your money.

Light Output

The Lezyne Strip Drive has a higher light output between the two, with a maximum capacity of 300 lumens. This kind of spare capacity is already comparable to some front lights. Aside from this, The Lezyne Strip Drive Pro Alert also has a 5 light setup. The Blast, Economy, Daylight, and two Flash settings.

These light setups are further enhanced with Lezyne Strip Drive Pro Alert's 270° wide-angle projection. This means that it's visible in almost all directions on the road when you're cycling.

On the other hand, Smart Bike Light's CLIQ comes with 90 maximum lumens. 

While CLIQ lags behind Lezyne in maximum output, it compensates for it through its Total Internal Reflection technology.

The problem with rear lights with high brightness levels is that they can be blinding for other road users. Drivers behind you might experience momentary brightness because of your light–making you more vulnerable to road crashes. 

Total Internal Reflection (TIR) technology is an innovation in optics in which your light is perceived with varying degrees of brightness depending on the viewing angle. Because of optimal projection, your light is perceived with less brightness by people directly behind you. Yet, they remain visible to people from a long distance.

Aside from this, CLIQ also comes with adjustable panels which you can tilt upward and downward. This simple yet handy feature lets you get maximum visibility even on steep trails, tunnels, and other biking environments.

CLIQ also comes with daylight visibility which automatically adjusts your brightness depending on your environment. While Lezyne's 300 lumens on Daylight setting sure is impressive, the truth is, it can't be perceived during daylight hours. This gravely affects the battery life of your bike light.

Battery Efficiency

Lezyne Drive Pro Alert can last up to 28 hours in Economy mode of 5 lumens. On the other hand, CLIQ can last up to 20 hours of maximum light output use.

How is this possible? As we mentioned a while ago, CLIQ banks on engineered optics for visibility and not on light output. Which means it uses less power output.

This high level of battery efficiency on CLIQ means that you can go on long bike rides without recharging. It also means it has a better lifespan since its batteries don't quickly get drained. 

Braking Technology

Both Lezyne Strip Drive Pro Alert and CLIQ have the most impressive braking technology among all the tail lights available in the market today.

Lezyne Strip Drive Pro Alert has its alert technology which automatically switches the light setting into Flashing when you go into a complete stop. This alerts drivers behind you on your movement to avoid road crashes.

On the other hand, CLIQ comes with a smart brake accelerometer. It's powered by an internal sensor that triggers the flashing mode. It has 3 adjustable levels, which you can modify through your RAYO app.

The best thing about CLIQ's accelerometer is its motion sensors that light up the brake light when you slow down–and not when you've already come to a full stop. This way, drivers behind you would not be surprised when you've suddenly hit your brake–ensuring a safer and better riding experience.

Smart Features

While Lezyne has some of the most groundbreaking smart technology, especially their GPS device, their Strip Drive Pro Alert falls short on smart features. As of the moment, it doesn't have a smartphone, unlike other Lezyne units.

Smart Bike Light's CLIQ is powered by the RAYO app. You can easily adjust the light output of your tail light and switch from one light setting to another through your phone. The RAYO app is downloadable on all Android and Apple devices… for free!

One of the most groundbreaking smart features of CLIQ is its anti-theft alert. You'll get automatic notifications about your bike through its accelerometer on your RAYO app. It prevents possible bike theft, but it also ensures the safety of your bike light itself.

And if you have a cycling group, CLIQ's smart synchronization system will come in handy. Through the RAYO app, your group can simultaneously sync your CLIQ units' light settings. This increases your road visibility during your late-night biking escapades. 

Price

Last but not least is the pricing of the two rear lights. Lezyne Strip Drive Pro Alert is priced at $59.99, while CLIQ is $44.99.

You'll get smartphone connectivity, engineered optics, better motion sensor, and other innovative features with CLIQ at a lower price. Smart Bike Lights also offers massive discounts for combo purchases and bulk orders.

Conclusion

Lezyne Strip Drive Pro Alert has impressive specifications when it comes to lighting. However, with our roads getting significantly more dangerous every year, it's only ample that we equip ourselves with the latest biking technologies that CLIQ has.

With all their features considered, we can say that CLIQ is the rear light that will give you a safer and better cycling experience.