Cycling UK Forum

On page 52 of the latest CTC mag somebody states "Note that white LEDs are not legal on their own". My white LED Cateye has BS 6102/3 stamped on the lens. Can I legally use this as a sole front light?

CJ will be the best to answer this- but as I understand it the answer is NO, because the regulations call up an out of date BS, which does not allow LEDs.
When you refer to a BS, you have to specify which version you mean- so BS6102 is not enough- you have to say BS6102 - 1947 or whatever it is. The latest BS allows LEDs, but the regulations do not allow the latest BS!!

Refer to our Regulations and Standards page: http://www.ctc.org.uk/DesktopDefault.aspx?TabID=3522 where I have written:

Wherever a British Standard (BS) is referred to, other equivalent standards from EC countries are now also permitted, but only if they provide an equivalent level of safety etc. It’s not exactly clear which do. However Germany has arguably the strictest cycle lighting regulations in Europe, so the CTC considers it safe to use equipment that conforms to those and is marked accordingly, with a “K~number”. German regulations already permit light sources other than bulbs (e.g. LEDs) as does a recent amendment to BS6102/3. Unfortunately the 1986 edition is called up by our lighting regs., but as Britain is an EC country and the latest version is surely equivalent, that seems to let them in!

Quite a few LED rear lamps, and that Cat-Eye front lamp, are BS marked, and I reckon that this EC-equivalent argument is good enough to make their use legal.