When the clocks go back, daylight scarcely exists outside of the working day. If you’re cycling anywhere, you’ll want lights – because if it isn’t dark when you set off, it will be when you come home.

The law says that if you ride a bicycle on a UK public road between dusk and dawn, you must use a white front light and a red rear light. (You must also have a red rear reflector and amber pedal reflectors.)

The letter of the law also stipulates: approved lighting standards; the areas where lights should be attached; and the brightness and flash rate of flashing lights. None of these is enforced. Cycle light usage and performance have outpaced the fine detail of the regulations. So long as you have a bright front and rear light of the right colour – flashing or steady – the police will be happy.

Modern LED lights are efficient, producing a lot of illumination for minimal drain on the battery – especially rear lights, which are economical to run even with disposable batteries. A front light uses more power, so for regular use it’s more cost-effective if you can recharge it.

On unlit roads, you’ll need a headlight beam that you can see clearly by, extending at least 10 metres down the road. Light output is quoted in lumens. You won’t need the dazzling 1,000-plus lumen lights meant for mountain bikers, even on the darkest road; anything upwards of 150-200 lumens should be enough.

Don’t forget to remove your lights when you park your bike, and take care that they don’t switch themselves on and sit blinking in the bottom of a pannier or backpack all day!