Dynamo light
Also called · dynamo lighting · hub dynamo light · bottle dynamo — the older kind driven off the tire sidewall
A light powered by a small generator — built into the front wheel hub, or on older bikes a 'bottle' roller driven off the tire — so it runs whenever the wheels turn. Standard on European city bikes, with nothing to charge.
How to spot itNo battery pack and no charging port: the light is wired to the bike, often with a thin cable running down the fork to the hub, and it glows whenever you're moving.
Best forRiders who never want to think about charging — the light is simply always there, wired in, ready on every ride.
Watch outMany basic setups go dark at a stop unless they have a standlight capacitor, and a hub dynamo adds a little steady drag whether the light is on or not.
You might say“the lights that are always on, wired into the bike”“the lights on a Dutch bike with no batteries to charge”“the little bottle that rubs the tire to make light”“the light powered by a generator in the wheel hub”
Source · Busch & Müller and Shimano dynamo-lighting product documentation; Sheldon Brown's Bicycle Glossary (generator / dynamo lighting) · 2026-07
Be-seen light
Also called · safety light · blinky — common cyclist slang for a small flashing LED · marker light
A small, low-to-moderate output light — white on the front, red on the rear — whose job is to make the rider visible to others on lit streets rather than to illuminate the road. Usually battery or USB-rechargeable.
How to spot itSmall and light, clipped or strapped to the bars, seatpost, or a bag, and often blinking; you can look near it without being dazzled.
Best forCity and suburban riding on lit streets — the everyday front-and-rear visibility most riders actually need.
Watch outIt helps others see you; it will not light an unlit path. And a flat battery is no light — a be-seen light only works charged.
You might say“the small light you clip on just to be seen”“the little red blinking light on the back”“the one you charge with a USB cable”“a small light to be visible, not to light the road”
Source · Knog and Cygolite product documentation; League of American Bicyclists — bike lighting and visibility guidance · 2026-07
See-by light (headlight)
Also called · see-with light · headlight
A brighter front light with a shaped beam strong enough to reveal the road surface on genuinely dark, unlit roads or paths — as opposed to a be-seen light, which only makes you visible.
How to spot itNoticeably bigger and brighter than a blinker, with a focused beam aimed down at the road, usually a larger battery, and a mode that throws a real pool of light ahead.
Best forUnlit roads, trails, and paths where you must see surface hazards in time — riders who go beyond streetlights.
Watch outOverkill on lit city streets, where a too-bright or badly aimed beam dazzles the very people you're trying to be safe around. Aim it down.
You might say“the really bright front light that lights up the road”“the powerful headlight for dark paths”“the one bright enough to ride where there are no streetlights”
Source · Cygolite, Light & Motion and NiteRider product documentation; German StVZO bicycle-lighting standard (beam and anti-dazzle requirements) · 2026-07
Daytime running light
Also called · DRL · daytime running lamp · daytime flash — a high-frequency, daylight-visible flash mode
A light — most often the rear — run in a bright, distinctive flash during daylight to help drivers notice and judge a rider, the same logic as a car's daytime running lights. As much a mode as a device.
How to spot itA light that's on and flashing in full daylight; on the rear especially, a sharp, attention-getting pulse rather than a steady glow.
Best forBusier and higher-speed roads in daylight, where being noticed earlier gives drivers more time to react — a low-cost habit.
Watch outIt's a visibility aid, not a substitute for after-dark lights or for riding predictably; and like any light, it only helps while it's charged.
You might say“the light people leave flashing in broad daylight”“the daytime flash on the back even when it's sunny”“a light used in the day to be noticed, not to see”
Source · Trek / Bontrager Daytime Running Lights product documentation; League of American Bicyclists — visibility and lighting guidance · 2026-07
Wearable light
Also called · clip-on light · helmet light · ankle light
A small light worn on the rider — helmet, backpack, ankle, or strap — rather than mounted on the bike. It adds motion (a moving ankle light reads unmistakably as a person) and a higher sightline than a frame-mounted light.
How to spot itLight coming from the rider's body rather than the bike: a point of light up on the helmet, on a pack, or bobbing at ankle height with each pedal stroke.
Best forA visibility booster on top of bike-mounted lights — the helmet light aims where you look, the ankle light advertises motion.
Watch outA complement, not a replacement for a proper front and rear light; and worn lights are easy to leave on another jacket or forget to charge.
You might say“the little light clipped to a helmet or backpack”“the glowing band worn around an ankle”“a light worn on the body instead of on the bike”
Source · Knog and Nite Ize wearable-light product documentation; League of American Bicyclists — visibility guidance · 2026-07
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