Best / Cost Effective lights for night MTB

[CraigCCW]

I am wanting to enter some night events this year, but need some advice on what light or lights I should be looking to get.

 

Should I look at handlebar or helmet mounted, or both?

 

Any suggestions on some good lights that you use or have used?

[Super Sywurm]

I prefer handlebar mounted, because if you turn your head with a helmet light, the road will be dark. Or even better, get both.

 

Oh, and I have a 1000 lumen light (not sure the name of the brand), way more light than I need. But if I need to buy I new light, I would go for more lumens.

Edited January 3, 2014 by Heinrich55

[BarHugger]

Go both for bar end helmet, from personal experience. Knyp maar ogies toe en gaan vir die beste, byt so bietjie aan die beursie.

 

Seriaaas lighting power for the bar (CREE led type approx 1000 lumens)....why???.....because your speed at night is directly related to the light output and your field of visibility.

 

Helmet light more for extra field of view (also CREE led type approx 300 lumens).....why???......to scan track area next to you, especially in bends and turns; to read cycle computer or other devices attached to bar; immediate light for mechanical breakdowns or punctures; and lastly you wont be left stranded if main light unit fails (happened to me in the reed section during last year's 24h at Van Gaalens......scary......head light saved the night and me from crashing).

 

Just my 2CW

Edited January 3, 2014 by BarHugger

[SeaBee]

From the little I've ridden at night, I agree with BarHugger. You need both - and if only one, I'd prefer helmet. It helps stuff-all to have a light shining forwards from your bar if you enter a turn at speed. It's worse if said bar-mounted light is on the outside of the turn.

 

But that's just my R0.02, sure there's a lot of people with more experience.

[Joeboy69]

I bought a 1200 lumens CREE for handlebar, works well enough for me. Still want to add a headlight though; last night cycled with a group of people between 7 and 9pm on footpaths with tall grass, couldn't see where I was going so was painstakingly slow, reckon a headlight would've helped, even if just a little!!

[madbradd]

I've got the 1200 lumen one from easybike... I think its a magicshine, which cost about a grand. Really wide field with a smooth intensity increase ie no bright spot in the middle. I ride with it on my bars at about 50 percent most of the time and put it on bright for downhills. The addition of a headlamp would definitely be helpful for looking down a singletrack and also for mechanicals, but is not necessary if you're doing shorter rides. Often do the delta park night racing and the light lasts the whole hour on full, but I normally run it 50 to 75 percent.

 

What you need to remember is brighter isn't always better. If you have a bright spot your eyes adjust to it making it difficult to see anything outside of that bright spot... therefore don't mount a bright spot on your handlebars.

 

[madbradd]

http://www.light-test.info/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=39&Itemid=59&lang=en

 

Nice comparison site

[MTBc]

i bought the 1200 lumen from extremelights (who advertise on the classifieds here) for R700 and have been happy with it. I used to attach it to my helmet and had a Lezyne handlebar mounted one, but after loosing that, i find just the bar-mounted 1200 is more than enough.