I remember there were some changes to the law (maybe it was to do with fines for not having a bell?) and I can’t remember if you are required to have a light on your bike or not. Anyone know?
I don’t know if it’s required anymore but it certainly used to be as my son was stopped by the police a few years ago and warned because his wasn’t working properly.
Surely even if it’s not legally required it makes sense to have one from a safety point of view.
E-bike needs lights 24/7, sine I thin 2 or 3 years…
1 Like
I was cycling last night and surprised by the large number of bikes without lights on them.
Yes, all E-bikes (of all classes) must have lights on day and night when being ridden on public roads and paths.
And yes, there are a lot of organ donors riding around at night without lights, dark clothing and usually without helmets (not a legal requirement, but a preservation issue).
After watching a Louis Theroux documentary on the effects of even small head trauma, I’ve started wearing helmets religiously on activities where their is a head injury danger.
3 Likes
But what about non-electric bikes.
I guess e-bikes have a battery and lights by default.
They are required at night, front and back.
2 Likes
What kind of question is that? 
A similar one to "who gets to ring your bell?
Usually you can spot them in the dark because of the glow from the phone screen they are staring at.
7 Likes
Yes, the bell requirement was dropped a few years back.
Lights must be shown at night by any vehicle on public roads, there’s no requirement to have them fitted to pedal cycles at other times of the day.
1 Like
Front and rear reflectors are required too by law.
Bells are required for ebikes.
USB-charging lights are so cheap and so bright these days that not having them and using them is pretty pathetic
I didn’t think USB lights were allowed. I thought you had to have lights that were permanently fixed and powered by a hub.
1 Like
I’ve never heard that, ever.
1 Like
I’ve never heard of that either. You can buy specific bike lights in sports shops here which are USB powered. Also, removable ones are good so they don’t get nicked. I used to have a set that would clip to a fixed mount but now I just have the ones that are on a rubber bungie that fit round the handlebar and the saddle post. Tiny lights, big beam.
No, most certainly not. It’s true that a large proportion of street bikes sold in Switzerland have hub dynamos and built-in lights, but it’s not a requirement. Battery-operated lights are fine and there’s nothing special about them being rechargeable, via USB or otherwise.
Some bike light are ludicrously expensive but you can spend CHF50 on a front lamp which will light up the whole of an unlit road in the middle of the night.
I bought a spare rear lamp from from Temu which at 60Lums is fine to to be seen with. It was 10 CHF
1 Like
In an urban area, lights are more “to be seen” rather than illuminate the road. Outside urban areas is the opposite.
StVZO Compliance (Germany) is often a good guide as to what is “allowed” and what not. I tend to go for Lenzyne lights as they are cheap, robust and bright enough.
But please, do not use front flashing lights. They are annoying and useless.
There are different fines for cyclists without lights depending on whether the road is lit or unlit.
I use them only in thick fog out in the countryside.
At night they are both useless to see by and can confuse other road users as distances are difficult to judge.
The big problem I have with USB-rechargeable lamps is that the batteries eventually have less power, discharge quicker and then fail - and are not replaceable.
They should make battery-replaceability law.
1 Like
My ebike lights do not switch on automatically. It makes sense to have them on during the day in winter but less in summer. Hardly anyone around here cycles at night without lights. I can recommend a side mirror -should be obligatory on all bikes.