The clocks go back on Sunday, which means darker evenings. Spokes is urging all cyclists to be seen and be safe by using lights and reflectors on your bike. Without these, you are not only illegal, but drivers may not see you and your risk of being involved in a crash is much greater.

The law requires that you have a white front-facing light. a red rear-facing light and a red rear-facing reflector fitted to your bike if riding at night. You are also legally required to have front and rear-facing amber reflectors on both pedals.  The police have the powers to stop anyone they catch cycling without these and issue a £50 penalty.

There is a bewildering array of lights available from cheap ‘flashers’ costing a few pounds to high power units costing several hundreds of pounds. There is also a wide range of clothing that you can buy, including fluorescent and reflective kit.

What you buy will depend on the type of riding that you intend to do. Some kit is better than others, but the rule of thumb is that you get what you pay for.  If you only ride at night occasionally on streetlit urban roads, then the priority is to be visible to other road users. A set of flashing lights and perhaps a slap band on the ankle will suffice.  However, if you are rising on unlit roads, then you will need something brighter, not only to increase your visibility to other road users, but also to light up the road ahead of you. You may also want to invest in come hi-viz clothing – a combination of bright colours and reflectives helps you to be seen in both low light and night-time conditions. This useful video helps to demonstrate the various option.

Remember that Spokes members get 10% off all lights and clothing at participating local bike shops, including Banjo Cycles and the Specialized Concept Store in Newbury.