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CREE is an industry leader in LED manufacturing, with the industry’s best durability and color stability. When it comes to my flashlights, CREE is on the very short list of acceptable LED manufacturers. These lights cast a beam that makes everything that’s illuminated look more vibrant and lifelike than a standard LED light.
Choosing one of the best CREE bike lights to guide your way at night ensures a powerful beam that’s energy-efficient and long-lasting.
So, If you’re looking for a high-quality, bright bike light to increase your safety and enhance your vision on dark evenings and in low-lit locations, this list should provide you with a variety of great options.
This is our selection of the best CREE bike lights for you to look at:
- hkbayi New SolarStorm 5000Lumen Bike Light
- victagen USB Rechargeable Bike Light
- RioRand 4 Mode 1200 Lm Cree Bike Light
- Te-Rich Super Bright Bike Light
- WindFire 3X CREE Bike Light/Headlamp
- WindFire 2000 Lumens CREE Headlamp
From these six top-quality products, we found hkbayi New SolarStorm 5000Lumen Bike Light to be the best, but the other CREE bike headlights featured on our list are first-rate too. Read on to find out why.
How to Choose the Best CREE Bike Lights
When you’re looking for the best CREE bike lights, you want to keep the following in mind:
Brightness
It’s easy to cycle later in the evening in summer, but when it gets dark earlier in winter, you’ll need a bright light to illuminate the road in front of you.
For a light to be sufficient, it needs to be between 700 to 5000 lumens. This will allow you to cycle at the same speed you would if it was daylight, while adequately lighting up everything in front of you.
The power of the light is not the be-all and end-all—you need to consider the beam too. Depending on the type of cycling you’ll be doing, decide whether you want a light that has a wide beam, which will allow you to see more of the surrounding terrain, as opposed to a narrow beam that lights up a further distance, but only directly in front of you.
Our Lumens, Lux, and Candela article is a great resource to learn more about Lumens and light output
Mounting
You want to make sure that when you’re transitioning from smooth surfaces to more uneven, bumpy surfaces, your light remains stable.
The last thing you want is a light that isn’t mounted securely, whether it’s on the handlebars or your helmet. This can lead to you having to frequently readjust the light, or worse, having your light fall off while you’re riding on a bumpy surface.
When you’re choosing, you want to find CREE lights that have adjustable mountings. This will ensure that you can create a tight fit, which will keep the light steady and secure, no matter the terrain.
Battery
The battery is one of the most important things to consider when choosing a bike light. You don’t want to be left in the dark while you’re halfway through your ride. You want to know that the battery will last through your longest rides. If you’re concerned that it won’t, you may want to invest in an extra battery pack.
You need to look at whether the battery is rechargeable or a primary cell that needs replacing when it expires. If it’s rechargeable, fully charge it before a long nighttime outing. If you’re using a disposable battery, keep a spare in your cycling kit in case it dies on your ride.
Learn everything you need to know about Batteries with our Ultimate Guide to Batteries!
Durability
You want a CREE light that is made from long-lasting and tough material that can withstand high winds, rain, and the occasional fall.
Manufacturers make most CREE lights from a military-grade aluminum alloy. Top brands even construct them from aircraft-grade aluminum.
This quality gives you peace of mind that the product will stand up to anything that the road can throw at it without it cracking or breaking.
How durable is it? What does IPX6 mean? Read our Ultimate Guide to the ANSI/PLATO FL1 Standard symbols!
Weight
When you are choosing any bike light, you want to consider the weight. Some lights have an external battery pack, adding to the load on your bike frame or handlebar. Others come with built-in batteries but will be bigger or will need to be recharged or changed more frequently.
With an external battery pack, as well as the additional weight, it’s something else you need to secure firmly in place when riding.
If you’re going to be mounting your light to your helmet, you don’t want a CREE light that will feel too heavy while you’re riding. This will only cause fatigue and muscle strain in your neck.
Click here to see the Best Bike Headlights reviewed!
Product Reviews
Best CREE Bike Light Overall
hkbayi New SolarStorm 5000Lumen Bike Light
This aluminum alloy CREE light is compact and easy to mount it onto the handlebar using the two different sized rubber rings provided.
It consists of three LED lights with a total brightness of 5000 lumens. The maximum beam distance is 820.21 feet, and it comes with four different lighting modes: high, medium, low, and strobe.
The light gets its power from a battery pack of four 18650 cells, putting the total battery capacity at 6400mAh. It also comes with an 8.4-volt charger.
At the back of the light, by the switch, there are three small LED lights to indicate the battery level. While it is outstandingly bright, runtime of the unit could be better. The estimated runtime on each mode is:
- High: one hour.
- Medium: one and a half hours.
- Low: two and a half hours.
- Strobe: two hours.
The battery pack comes in a nylon storage pouch with a velcro strap so you can attach it to the frame of your bike or your belt while riding.
Pros
- Beam distance of 820.21 feet.
- Rechargeable battery.
- Lightweight.
- Made from aluminum alloy.
Cons
- Doesn’t come with a strap or clip.
Runner-Up Best CREE Bike Light
victagen USB Rechargeable Bike Light
Weighing only 11.2 ounces and dimensions of 3.6 inches x 1.9 inches x 1.1 inches, this CREE bike headlight can be attached to the handlebar or used as a stand-alone flashlight. It slides in and out of the mounting bracket, making it easy to remove when you need to recharge it.
The headlight uses dual XML-T6 white LED lights and comes with two built-in 18500 batteries. It has a one-touch switch, which lets you choose one of the four modes. The headlight has the following lumens and run times:
- Low: 600 lumens, about 16 hours.
- Medium: 1200 lumens, about 8 hours.
- High: 2400 lumens, about 4 hours.
- Strobe: 2400 lumens.
On the highest setting, it has a beam distance of 986 feet, and on low, the beam extends to a range of 656 feet. They’ve constructed the headlight from lightweight, military-grade aluminum alloy, and it has an IP65 rating, which indicates that it’s dustproof and waterproof.
When you buy the headlight, you will also get a free taillight with a red LED light, powered by a CR2032 battery. The taillight has a multi-use clip strap that allows you to attach it to the seat post, and it has three lighting modes: slow flash, fast flash and high.
Pros
- Rated IP65 waterproof and dustproof.
- Light has 360-degree rotation capability.
- Constructed from military-grade aluminum alloy.
- Built-in battery.
- Comes with a taillight that has a multi-purpose clip.
Cons
- The plastic slide mount seems to be weak.
Best Budget CREE Bike Light
RioRand 4 Mode 1200 Lm Cree Bike Light
You can use this Riorand light as a headlamp or a bike light, as it comes with an adjustable headband, and plastic rings for mounting it to the handlebar of your bicycle. It’s an LED light with a brightness of 1200 lumens, and it runs off of a rechargeable 8.4V 4400Ma lithium-ion battery pack.
The battery pack contains four x 18650 batteries that have overcharge protection. The power switch button has two LED battery indicator lights, which will shine green when the battery is fully charged and turn red when a charge is needed.
At 100 percent brightness, you have a runtime of up to four hours. This Cree light comes with four modes:
- Low.
- Medium.
- High.
- Strobe.
The shell of this CREE light is made from aviation-grade aluminum alloy, has an anodized surface treatment and underwent CNC machining. With an IPX6 rating, it is waterproof, and the light can survive falls from 3.3 feet.
Pros
- Can be used as a headlamp and bicycle light.
- Easy end-cap on/off button.
- Can be used for multiple activities such as fishing, cycling and camping.
- LED battery indicator lights.
Cons
- Doesn’t have a focused spot beam, so you would need to purchase a diffuser separately.
Click here to see the Best Bike Tail Lights reviewed!
Most Durable CREE Bike Light
Te-Rich Super Bright Bike Light
The Te-Rich CREE headlight has 2-in-1 functionality. It can be attached to headgear with the included head strap, or you can mount it to the handlebars of the bike.
The product can fit most bikes as it can easily be placed onto handlebars up to 1.10 inches in diameter. The Te-Rich weighs 0.27 pounds, and its dimensions are 1.85 inches x 1.37 inches x 1.37 inches. To mount it on to your handlebar, you simply need to turn a dial until it’s tightly secured.
A 4400mhA rechargeable battery pack provides power, and the light has a brightness of 1200 lumens for 4 hours on the highest setting. It runs double that on the medium setting and 12 hours on low.
The headlight uses a USB charging cable, and the indicator light on the charger will change from red to blue when charging is complete. The headlight has a casing constructed with long-lasting, aircraft-grade aluminum, which makes it lightweight and sturdy. The light is also waterproof.
Also included Is a red LED tail light. This uses two CR2032 batteries and has three modes: slow strobe, fast strobe and steady.
Pros
- Easy no tools set-up.
- Can fit handlebars of a diameter up to 1.10 inches.
- Beam distance of 980 feet at 1200 lumens.
- USB charger indicator, which turns blue when fully charged.
- Comes with a taillight.
- Head strap to mount headlight included.
Cons
- Back-lit switch may irritate you if you are riding dark trails at night.
Best Dual Purpose CREE Headlamp/Bike Light
WindFire 3X CREE Bike Light/Headlamp
This light is 1.86 inches in diameter and 2.36 inches in length and it functions as a bicycle light or a headlamp. Windfire has constructed it from corrosion-resistant aluminum alloy, which makes this CREE light a mere 10.22 ounces.
It is powered by a rechargeable 8.4 volt 6400 mAh battery pack that will give you a runtime of up to 2 hours at 100 percent brightness of a maximum of 3800 lumens. This light has four modes:
- Low.
- Medium.
- High.
- Strobe.
You will also receive the plug adaptor and AC charger—100 to 240 volts—and the 6400mAh battery pack.
Pros
- Easy to mount using a rubber ring.
- Dual-use bicycle light or headlamp.
- Beam distance of 450 feet.
- 1-year warranty.
Cons
- Narrow “spotlight” beam with little peripheral spread.
Easiest To Use CREE Bike Light
WindFire 2000 Lumens CREE Headlamp
This light is lightweight at 15.2 ounces. It’s also a nice size, at 7.7 inches x 4 inches x 3.1 inches. The light features an aluminum alloy casing for high durability.
You can use it as a headlamp, torch, or bicycle light, and it is powered by two 4000mAh WindFire 18650 rechargeable batteries. This provides a bright LED of 2000-lumen in high mode. The light also has two other modes, low and strobe.
To mount the CREE light to your bike handlebars, it comes with two differently sized rubber rings. Choose the size that allows for a tight and secure fit.
The light is water-resistant and comes with an LED indicator back-light to tell when it’s fully charged and when the power is on. There’s a nylon pouch to store the battery pack, which, with its velcro strap, is convenient to attach to your bicycle frame, belt or backpack.
Pros
- Multifunctional, can be used as a headlamp, torch, or bicycle light.
- Easy one-button mode control design.
- Power/ full charge/ charging LED indicator light.
- 12 months warranty.
Cons
- Narrow “spotlight” beam with little peripheral spread.
Click here to see all of our Bike Light Reviews!
Conclusion
Riding with the best CREE bike lights can transform your night rides and enhance visibility and safety. At the same time, you’ll have a light that is extremely energy-efficient and bright.
Our top choice for the best CREE bike lights is the hkbayi New SolarStorm 5000Lumen Bike Light. It has a total brightness of 5000 lumens and up to a distance of 820 feet.
We’re sure you can’t go wrong choosing one of the products on this list. Once you’ve used a CREE bike light, you’ll never go back to a standard LED headlight again.