Bike or helmet mounted lights?

[Jennifer]

Which is better, helmet or bike mounted headlamps and why?

[Tumbleweed]

Use both.

[LOOK695]

Depends, what type of riding are you doing? I would say for mountain biking go for both, and for road a good bike mounted light is sufficient

[two hands]

Agree. For MTB, both. Stronger one on your bars as it will pick up trail obstacles better. Slightly weaker light should go on your head as it is line-of-sight, and won't blow the trail out or make everything you are approaching look the same in flat light.

[CAAD4]

Just take the weight of your helmet light into consideration. It might seem light, oops, in the first 20 minutes, but it could eventually hammer you neck if it is a great big beast..

[Pieterg]

Both

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Both. Helmet mounted is very useful for when you want cars at intersections to know that you're there. Direct it towards them and they can get a bit dazzled, but then they know you're there. Obviously don't shine it directly in their line of sight, just so that the car is lit up.

 

Also good for going through dodgy areas where, normally, the bar mounted light would not light enough of the periphery. Directional light from your helmet is fantastic to light up the bushes & sidewalks.

 

But a bar mounted light is a must.

[Thug]

Depends on the lenses of your light.

 

If they are narrow beam focused, then you'll need one on your bars and one on your helmet.

 

I only use a bar mounted light as the outer two of my 3 lenses are relatively wide beam focussed.

[Velouria]

Also depends on the course - if there lots of twisty stuff, your bars will often be pointing in different direction to where you'll be looking. A helmet light is good for this. Doesn't have to be the brightest thing around - just enough to see the way until your bars are pointing in the same direction again.

[Jennifer]

Thanks for the responses, how much is a decent light going to cost me

and anybody have preferred brands

[rouxtjie]

Thanks for the responses, how much is a decent light going to cost me

and anybody have preferred brands

CWC has a nice special on a nice set for 799

 

http://www.cwcycles.co.za/product/bicycle-light-1000-lums

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

CWC has a nice special on a nice set for 799

 

http://www.cwcycles.co.za/product/bicycle-light-1000-lums

 

Yep, I'd go for that. It's just like the Macicshine / Majiclight etc. I think it's the MJ808E, with a Cree XRE LED. Very bright, high efficiency LED and a good run-time. And knowing CWC, they'll just swop it out for you no questions asked if something goes wrong.

 

I've ordered a pair of Ultrafire LED torches, bar mounts & hemlet mounts as well as batteries and chargers for myself from Dealextreme. They're taking an age to get here, but I paid R 800 all in for a set of lights that should be roughly 1 1/2 to 2 times as bright as these.

 

For real quality - go for Exxposure or Brighter Lights. www.brighterlights.co.za

[rouxtjie]

Yep, I'd go for that. It's just like the Macicshine / Majiclight etc. I think it's the MJ808E, with a Cree XRE LED. Very bright, high efficiency LED and a good run-time. And knowing CWC, they'll just swop it out for you no questions asked if something goes wrong.

 

I've ordered a pair of Ultrafire LED torches, bar mounts & hemlet mounts as well as batteries and chargers for myself from Dealextreme. They're taking an age to get here, but I paid R 800 all in for a set of lights that should be roughly 1 1/2 to 2 times as bright as these.

 

For real quality - go for Exxposure or Brighter Lights. www.brighterlights.co.za

Yes I have set, they are the ones with the new Cree LED, super bright.

 

Good advice

[rouxtjie]

Oh and the one in the link comes with a helmet strap thing so you can do it either as a helmet light or bar light.

[NinjaManiak]

I'd try easyBike. They have the FULL range of magicshine lights (with the upgraded batteries!),

including the new MJ-856, MJ-858, MJ-868, MJ-870, and MJ-872

 

Here is a nice comparison of all the Magicshine lights available:

 

http://www.easybike.co.za/easybike/catalog/product_compare/index/items/841,842,843,844,845,846,847,848/uenc/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5lYXN5YmlrZS5jby56YS9lYXN5YmlrZS9saWdodHMuaHRtbA,,/

 

 

Now, as for your question: Bar lights are great if you are going in a straight line. Helmet lights are great when you are going around twisty stuff.

 

Generally a wider light on the bar (more light), and a narrow light (more throw) on the helmet will work the best.