As the evenings draw in, it’s time to think about using bike lights if there’s any chance you’ll be riding between dusk and dawn.
But if your current set is looking a bit worse for wear after a hard winter and spring followed by six months of hibernation, or you’ve simply misplaced them, it’s time to invest in a new setup.
This year, there’s a new brand to consider – Dutch bike care manufacturer Dynamic is launching its own range of lights. And like the rest of the brand’s cleaning and oil products, the Lyte line-up goes all in on high performance.
Introducing Dynamic
Dynamic has been around in the cycling industry for more than 30 years and has been part of Tacx and Garmin in that time, but launched itself to the wider world in 2020.
Since the start of the decade, the Dutch brand has built up a portfolio of performance-focused bike- and rider-care products – from pressure washers and massage guns to cleaning cloths and chain wax – across road cycling, gravel and mountain biking.
Dynamic also has pro-cycling credentials to back up its high-performance claims, and is a technical partner across the WorldTour and Women’s WorldTour with teams including Red Bull–BORA–hansgrohe, Alpecin–Premier Tech and FDJ United–SUEZ.
This access to professional riders and teams means its products have been tested in cycling’s most extreme conditions, with feedback and experience helping Dynamic to refine the range.
Although used by road cycling’s elite, Dynamic’s line-up is designed to make high-end performance accessible to all, and it’s intended to support all cyclists before, during and after every ride with products that make riding and caring for equipment better.
The new Lyte range, which launched on 24 September in Europe and will be available from 1 October in the UK, is an extension of this ambition. Featuring a 400, 800 and 1,200-lumen front light and a 100-lumen rear light, each answers a different riding requirement and budget while paying close attention to key factors such as weight, battery life, light performance and smart functionality.
The front lights use Dynamic’s OPT Lens and OPT Beam technology. Designed to concentrate the light where it is needed on the road, the cut-off beam reduces unnecessary light dispersion and helps prevent glare for oncoming road users.
Each front light is also versatile and can be mounted in two ways – either on top of the handlebar, or neatly beneath a bike computer mount using an included GoPro adaptor to keep your cockpit clean.
The two-way mount ensures the light is oriented correctly, rather than being upside-down, enabling it to illuminate the route ahead rather than shining upwards.
From a sub-25g rear light to a 1,200-lumen beacon that will guide you over any terrain, here is an overview of the Dynamic Lyte range.
Lyte 400
Opening the range, the Lyte 400 packs a 400-lumen punch, which is more than enough for urban settings and will even illuminate some of the road in front of you.
Visible from 200m, it will help you to be seen on the road, while the OPT Lens and OPT Beam avoid dazzling oncoming traffic.
With up to 24 hours of battery life, it’s a fit-and-forget light that will also satisfy the weight weenies out there, thanks to the 89g claimed weight.
- Price: £59.99 / €59.99
- Weight: 89g
- Maximum brightness of 400 lumens
- Up to 24 hours of runtime per charge
- IPX6 waterproof rating
- Visible from 200 metres
- USB-C rechargeable
- 1,600 mAh battery
- Five different light modes
Lyte 800
The middle offering in the Dynamic range, the Lyte 800 offers the best of both worlds in terms of its power-to-weight ratio.
With a maximum output of 800 lumens, it has double the potential power of its Lyte 400 little sibling, but at only 119g, that extra illumination doesn’t come with a significant weight penalty.
The 800-lumen output means you could use the Lyte 800 on unlit roads to see, as well as be seen, enabling you to carefully ride country lanes after dark.
Its IPX6 waterproof rating (a feature across the Lyte range) and 24-hour battery life mean it’s an all-rounder that can be used for commuting throughout the depths of winter, too.
- Price: £69.99 / €69.99
- Claimed weight: 119g
- Maximum brightness of 800 lumens
- Up to 24 hours of runtime per charge
- IPX6 waterproof rating
- Beam distance of over 200 metres
- USB-C rechargeable
- 2,500 mAh battery
- Five light modes
Lyte 1200
If you want a front light that leaves no stone unturned (or unseen), the Lyte 1200 is Dynamic’s answer.
Packing a maximum output of 1,200 lumens, the Lyte 1200 creates a beam-like effect on the road (or trail) in front of you.
This power makes it the heaviest light in the range, but at 156g, it’s lighter than a lot of its ‘to see’ front light rivals.
The Lyte 1200’s 4,500mAh battery can also function as a power bank when riding, meaning you can charge a GPS computer or phone without having to stop or bring a separate power bank – ideal for bikepacking, touring or ultra-distance events.
The Lyte 1200 is also compatible with the Lyte Remote; a small handlebar-mounted control that enables you to cycle through the light’s modes without taking your hands off the bar.
- Price: £89.99 / €89.99
- Claimed weight: 156g
- Maximum brightness of 1200 lumens
- Up to 24 hours of runtime per charge
- IPX6 waterproof rating
- Beam distance of over 200 metres
- USB-C rechargeable
- 4,500 mAh battery can function as a power bank when riding
- Compatible with Lyte remote
- Five light modes
Red Lyte 100
The Red Lyte 100 is the rear light companion to Dynamic’s front light offerings, but stands out in its own unique ways.
As its name suggests, it has a maximum output of up to 100 lumens, which is an ideal number for being seen at night.
But the Red Lyte 100 goes further. Its power means the light can be seen from a distance of more than 1,000m, while the design provides a visibility angle of 220°, extending how noticeable you are to other road users.
It also has automatic braking recognition, where the light switches to maximum brightness for three seconds if you suddenly decelerate, signaling to traffic behind that you’re slowing down. This can be switched off in ‘peloton mode’ to avoid distracting other riders in a group setting.
The motion sensor also helps to preserve battery by automatically entering sleep mode if no motion is detected for two minutes, meaning you won’t leave it on by mistake. The sensor will also turn the light on again once motion is detected.
This helps the Red Lyte 100 achieve up to 40 hours of battery life, while all of the above is crammed into a design that weighs only 24g.
- Price: £39.99 / €39.99
- Claimed weight: 24g
- Maximum brightness of 100 lumens
- Up to 40 hours battery life
- IPX6 waterproof rating
- Visible from more than 1,000 metres
- Six different light modes, including ‘peloton mode’
- Automatic braking recognition
- USB-C rechargeable
- 420 mAh battery
Lyte Remote
The final piece in the puzzle is the Lyte Remote – the ultimate accessory for the Lyte 1200.
Minimalist, lightweight (10g) and discrete, it makes controlling the Lyte 1200 a seamless experience, and you won’t need to remove your hands from the handlebar to switch between the light’s five modes.
Powered by a replaceable CR2032 coin battery, the Lyte Remote will last for more than 8,000 button presses and is a piece of fit-and-forget tech that will transform your after-dark riding experience.
- Price: £19.99 / €19.99
- Claimed weight: 10g
- Compatible with Dynamic Lyte 1200
- Up to 8,000 button presses per battery
- IPX6 waterproof
- Powered by a replaceable CR2032 battery
