The right light could save your life. That's the message from local bike shops as we are still only in the first week of 'falling back.'
"This is what I like to call the darkest time of year for both bicyclists and pedestrians," said Kurstin Graham, Manager of Reno Bike Project.
It's not just Graham of the Reno Bike Project who calls it the darkest time of the year, but the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has the numbers to support it. In 2019, 864 bicyclists were killed in the United States, most accidents happening between 6 and 9 pm.
"No matter how experienced you are, every cyclist knows that you they will get caught in the dark, on their bikes," he said.
That's why lights are in high demand at the project and you can get just about any light for any need.
"When I started here about 8 years ago, we had three or four offerings," said Graham. "Now we have 10 fold that."
Some lights can be controlled by your smartphone, while others are more basic. Graham says that with the increase in technology, they're a hot target for thieves. He recommends taking off bike lights before you park a bike, because there is a chance they could get swiped.
"You want to make sure that they're easy to take on and take off and that it's strong enough and durable enough that it will stay on while you're riding," he said.Â
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