RANKED:THE 3 BEST CYCLING TAILLIGHTS OF 2023

By reading this review, it means that you too are facing the issue of generic cycling taillights essentially being overpriced pieces of plastic that don’t do much apart from shining light at directions that don’t necessarily improve your safety or visibility, and die after only a few hours of use. If this sounds like you then you have come to the right place, because here we review the top 3 cycling taillights of 2023. You will be surprised at the tech that you are missing out on!

After trying several different brands, and believe me there’s a lot of different taillights out there, we wanted to keep this list simple, so we narrowed it down to the top 3 only. We ranked them on features, price point and their battery life.

Features: 99%
Battery Life: 99%
Price: $
Lumen Output: 90lm
Overall: A+
Cliq itself looks high tech. I know several people that use it, however I have personally never tried it, so I thought why not. All I can say is, wow… This thing is sensational. For those who don’t know, Cliq is considered a Smart Light, and it achieves this slogan but utilising a bunch of smart sensor hardware, engineered optics that boost visibility and a connection to the SmartGrid app vi Bluetooth. Cliq’s optics boost its visibility projecting light at up to 270 degrees, making it far more visible in all directions, which makes its claimed 90lm peak brightness seem much brighter than the competition, which some offer higher lm output. The smart sensors allow for the auto brake light to kick in and even has an anti-theft alarm thanks to some clever motion sensing tech. An IP67 waterproof rating is a given, and there are up to 20 hours battery life, even while being daylight visible. The connection back to SmartGird app mean you can customize, toggle and configure several aspects of the smart light’s features. SBL also claims that you will soon get access to SBL+, which is managed through the same app and will provide next level ride data analysis, route sharing, widgets and more, all while utilising data provided through your smartphone and your smart lights. We love the group synching feature, which basically syncs your group together so that you can have matching light flashing patterns that are proven to make you more visible on the road. We couldn’t get enough of Cliq and used on so many rides! Features like the anti-theft function came in handy a couple of times, but luckily they were false alarms.
What we really love about the Cliq is that SBL provides regularly feature and software updates, with one feature (eco and auto sleep mode), releasing while we were undergoing our testing! This basically lets the light go to sleep after waiting a certain amount of time (60 seconds), and then springs it back to life once you begin to move. Cliq is currently on sale for 50% off and is offered for FREE when you buy the smart front light Farina! Hands down the overall best (smart) cycling taillight of 2023.

Features: 85%
Battery Life: 60%
Price: $$$$$
Lumen Output: 65lm
Overall: B
The Bontrager Ion Pro is ultra-compact in size, which is its best feature. The small size however means you need to compensate with a small battery, and with 90lm peak brightness, its battery life is quite low with the following breakdown: 13.5 hours at 5LM, and 6 hours at 90LM. Some clever smart light sensing tech is available to help manage this depending on your location and surrounding light, which is a positive. Bluetooth connectivity is available too, however only with basic features and require Garmin products to be utilised. The Bontrager Ion Pro also has a nice sturdy mount that is easy to attach. Priced at over $70 USD, the Bontrager is a good choice amongst a sea of taillights.

There are just so many different brands creating different pieces of technology and hardware that never coherently work together to create an optimal experience for the cyclist. However SBL’s Cliq was my number one taillight not only because if its proven smart features that increase safety, reduce theft and make cycling more fun, but because it’s part of an ecosystem of hardware and software that work together seamlessly that have had a significant impact on my life.

Just like every other cyclist out there, I have a morning routine which includes a commute to work with my bike. There are many times where I feel sluggish and tired, especially in the cold, dark winter mornings, visibility is an issue, which my cycling partner also shares the same concern. With Cliq’s smart light tech, we always turn on the group syncing feature, which makes us so much more apparent to oncoming traffic and adjacent cyclists. We always get asked how we are making our lights flash in sync! Moreover, I am super comfortable now parking my bike anywhere during my commute to work or during a friendly ride thanks to the anti-theft alarm, as we regularly makes stops for our morning coffee. Sometimes it’s the little things that count, which have helped us maintain our fitness consistency. I informed SBL about our experience, and they gave us early access to SBL+ and their anti-vibration smartphone mount, which know allows us to track our fitness data from this more consistent commute, and our results have been astounding. I have now realized that I have been burning for more calories than I thought, I feel healthier and I look great! Most importantly, all this without spending $1000 plus on expensive gadgets.

Truly an awesome experience, for those who are not only wanting to improve their safety, experience and reduce chances of theft, but also want to commence a journey where they radically improve their life, I highly recommend Cliq for you. Actually, who am I kidding, I recommend Cliq and SBL’s awesome ecosystem to everyone, and there has never been a better time to get one with SBL’s FREE Cliq offer when you buy the smart front light Farina.

CLIQ against the competition