Best Light for Night Mountain Bike Riding

[Johan1983]

Hi All

 

What the best light for Night Mountain Bike riding?

I also don't want to break the bank

Thank you

[Meezo]

seeing you commented on the esel thread, assuming you riding the 3 day (incl night ride).

My suggest anything over 450 (True) lumens, on your bars and at least a 150 lumen light on your head you a for away. Having done the race a number of times this i found best...

I've got an 600 lumens Magicshine line with a energizer 250 lumen head light...and had not issue seeing where i needed to go

[Jako De Wet]

I have a Bontrager ION Elite R (1000 Lumens), it's the bees knees.

[nonky]

Two questions - how LONG will you be riding and at WHAT SPEED?

If you are doing an all-nighter like Desert Dash or 36ONE or a 24-hour, you will need an external battery pack to see you through the night.  Most bar-mounted lights with internal batteries won't last more than 3 or 4 hours at their brightest illumination.

If you are traveling at speed (faster than jogging pace), you'll need 1,000 lumens+, in my opinion, to be able to see far enough ahead in the trail / road to be safe.

My neck can't handle the extra weight of a head-mounted light, so i'd check that out beforehand and not test on race day.  

Riding through the night is exhausting and fatigue can be debilitating.  I was super grateful for my powerful chinese-special light (2,000 lumens + external battery mounted on frame) during the night at Desert Dash.

 

[Ozzie NL]

Check Extreme lights range. Can't go wrong and they are lekker okes

[leon_pro]

3 hours ago, Ozzie NL said:

Check Extreme lights range. Can't go wrong and they are lekker okes

Cannot agree more.

They provide such personal service. 
it might seem initially expensive, but there products last and they have brilliant back up service. 
 

if you are around Stellenbosch , go visit the showroom in woodmill Centre… and then have a beer at stellenbrau or Beer yard

 

@extremelights

Edited October 5, 2023 by leon_pro

[Sandro]

3 hours ago, Ozzie NL said:

Check Extreme lights range. Can't go wrong and they are lekker okes

This.

[RookieSports.co.za]

You will not regret the Fluir Elite 1000lm. Also check out the reviews on Takealot. 

https://www.rookiesports.co.za/product/fluir-elite-1000lm-front-bicycle-light-usb-c-rechargeable/

 

[RobertWhitehead]

The best light for night riding is the sun, o wait, the sun is missing during the night .

So this post is not to bad mouth any product or say which one is better, this post is solely to answer the original question: 

The wider the beam the better, trust me, you don't want a spotlight when doing 35km/h. I bought a cheap Chinese light in 2013 which I still have. That thing lights up everything at 1800 lumens where as I've bought others over the years that were way more expensive and were supposedly way better that had to be replaced multiple times and were rubbish in the lighting department. More expensive isn't always better 

[Dappere]

13 hours ago, Ozzie NL said:

Check Extreme lights range. Can't go wrong and they are lekker okes

+1 

[Underachiever]

1 hour ago, Dappere said:

+1 

another +1

[madmarc]

Extreme Lights have great products but at extreme prices

Back when night riding became a thing I got 2 of these for about 400 ronds each - they obv a lot more expensive now

https://www.takealot.com/solsave-waterproof-rechargeable-bicycle-headlight-dy-h001/PLID91438077

One on the handle bar and one on my helmet. 1000 lumens each - My mates say i look like a 747 coming into land 

I jerry rigged both to mount using GoPro fittings as the standard mounts they come are not the greatest for MTBing - There is a Youtube video on how to do it 

Had them for 5 or 6 years now and batteries still work fine.

They lay in my cupboard unused for over 3 years and recently i did TB with them both ran for 8 hrs on low beam.

CL also have 1800 Lumen 

https://www.cyclelab.com/product/4001498-light-marvel-knight-rider-1800-lumen?https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cyclelab.com%3Futm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=standard_shopping&utm_campaign=18563292205&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_content=627419215405&utm_term=&adgroupid=143053788860&gclid=CjwKCAjwvfmoBhAwEiwAG2tqzJe6ky-hlgrX_If54DuAENM9x_Yi5Pq_nWvvPftlBwIeXdNK5n2_UBoCfzsQAvD_BwE

No need to unload 2.5 - 3.0 K on lights

[Duane_Bosch]

For mountain biking at night. Just my humble opinion I used 2 lights. A bar mount AND a head mount.

The head one lights up where you want to go and the bar one lights up where you are going. Not necessarily the same thing.

Having said that night riding is not for me.

[Old school]

Used an Extreme lights 3600lumin last year at Eselfontein, it makes the rocky and sandy section at night seem like a very bright day. To me its worth the extra bucks

[Shebeen]

Extreme lights are great, fill a good gap in the market at a fair price point.

BUT there's a reason why everyone says they are so good at replacing faulty units. There are lots of faulty units.

They are well known for having battery connection failures on the freedom challenge. Doesn't help having a brilliant replacement policy if you're 40km outside of cradock and 1200km of trail still to ride with moonlight.

They are aware of the issues but it's not a big enough market to worry about improving the product fault. I know of many people who have had absolutely no problems too.

[josleroux]

If you want to spend a bit more, but use it for 10 years +, try Exposure Lights. Amazing amazing lights!