Why StVZO Could Transform Bicycle and Auto Lighting

Picture this. You are out after dark and as a car approaches you from ahead, their glaring lights force you to look away so they don’t blind you. It can happen when you are driving your car, out for a walk, or even on the bike, but lights on many cars, and even the front of your bike, cast light out in all directions instead of a focused beam. These lights can be dangerous to other road users, but there is a standard in Germany called StVZO that helps to eliminate this problem. While it is primarily in Germany and Europe, it is a standard that is starting to spread and is something you’ll start to see more of when it comes to cycling lights.

What is StVZO?

StVZO stands for Straßenverkehrs-Zulassungs-Ordnung, which generally translates to Road Traffic Licensing and Registration. Think of it as the Department of Transportation, but it covers all road users, including cyclists. In Germany, all road users, including cyclists, are required to run lights. There are some exceptions given, but in general, if you are on the road, you need lights. That’s not a bad thing, as it helps to provide extra visibility for all road users. Personally, I’ve been riding with a “be seen” light front and rear for years, but I didn’t think that much about how those lights can affect visibility and the vision of other users on the road.

StVZO lights are made to throw a specific light pattern with a cut off at the top. This allows you to set up the lights to cast light to where you need it, but not blind others users. This is important, because it takes time for your eyes to adjust after a bright light hits them, especially at night. For cars, more brands are using projector style headlights that focus the beam of light with a cutoff at the top, versus a wide spread of light both horizontally and vertically on traditional lenses. Additionally, lights cannot blink, which can be seen as distracting.

Other parts of the regulation, includes front and rear bike lights need to be connected to a 6V/3W generator (dynamo), while racing style bikes under 11kg can use battery powered lights. Lights can have a maximum output of 205 lumens for the front. Rear lights must be mounted between 60cm and 25cm above the road surface. Reflectors are also required on the front and back of the bike, along with pedals and spokes, and tires must have at least two reflective strips. Again, there are some exceptions for all of this for racing style bikes.

Other parts of the world require at a minimum a front white and rear red light, but here in the US, there are no set rules for lights while cycling during the day or night. There are requirements on reflectors for bikes on the lower and entry level side, but most readers here will not have reflectors on bikes they ride or purchase.

StVZO lights will be beneficial to those riding in the dark in urban or high traffic areas. The focused beam will help illuminate the path forward and make you visible without blinding other road users. Even if you are riding in less populated areas, many lights have adjustable beams that will dim with oncoming light sources, or dedicated high beams to throw more light. If you are trail riding where you would need a large amount of light cast widely in front of you, a dedicated StVZO light might not be the best option, depending on if it has non-StVZO modes you can run.

Light Measurement

While I mentioned Lumen earlier as a max amount of light a StVZO light can project, LUX is another measurement they use. While Lumen is the amount of light thrown by a light, LUX is the amount of light at a specific point. This shows how efficient the source is to get the light to a specific point. StVZO standards require 10 LUX of light at 10 meters. A way to visualize it would be to put a piece of paper 10m away with a dot on it. StVZO takes the measurement at that specific point to determine LUX.

Do I Need an StVZO Light?

So, if you are outside of Germany or any other place that requires StVZO lights, are they something you should consider? Personally, I say yes, unless you only trail ride. If you are out on the trails, you’ll need a light that throws a lot of light in a wide and tall beam. You probably aren’t encountering many other trail users, so it is less likely you’ll blind anyone.

If you are riding on the road, rail trails, cities, or anywhere else you are out with other road users, then yes, there is definitely a benefit in being respectful to other users. Many StVZO lights for the North American market do offer additional settings that include a high beam when you are the only user on the road.

While there are many brands now creating StVZO lights, German brand Lupine makes some great options as it is their home standard. We’ll follow this with a product line preview and a rundown of how we got on with the Mono SL StVZO front light and the stealthy C14 Mag rear light, so watch for those articles coming in the next few weeks.