Does turning a (bike) light to blink/flash conserve battery life?

My friends seem to think that it doesn’t, and that starting the light up and then off would consume more, but the company which made the light claim it does save energy.

Any help?

Is there a reason he won’t believe his own lying eyes? Why not take two of them and put them in the garage for a few hours? In my experience the lights last a lot longer on flashy mode than constant mode, but I think the best way of convincing them is to just go ahead and try it out.

I think he is confusing the wear and tear of turning on and off incandescent lights. If you have an LED bike light, like I do, his argument really doesn’t hold water. But he may need to see it to believe it…

Does turning a (bike) light to blink/flash conserve battery life?

Yes.

FYI, having your bike light set on flashy mode also makes you more visible to others on the road.

Yes and no. It makes you easier (very slightly easier) to notice, but it’s been reported that flashing lights are much harder to judge in terms of speed and distance.

Cars don’t show flashing lights to the rear (in fact, it’s illegal to do so.) Unless you’re a cop that is. This law in my understanding is not just to not mimic an emergency vehicle; it’s a safety issue as well.