Helmet lights - what do you use for night time winter riding?

[carlbiker]

Carl. You're so gullible.
The article you read sounds very much like sponsored content. So whatever equipment it said they needed needs to be taken with a huge pinch of salt. There's no bike park traik in the UK that would require anything more than a £50 light to ride. The only issue would be runtime but even then a 4 hour ride is perfectly doable by simply running a low power mode for all climbing.
I can't think of 5 bike parks all within close enough distance of each other in the UK to ride between and do a lap of in 24hrs. Or did you mean "trail centres"?
Also. You're not those chaps.

In the real world. You know. Actually outdoors. 6000lm isn't really any more use than 3000. Beam pattern and light quality matters way more than lumens

I have many lights ranging from 800lm to 3500. I rarely ever take more than 1600 and even then its only used at full chat for about 10min of any ride.

Cheers, good to know. There are a few here who have spent a pretty penny so perhaps I’m less chap than those to warrant the spend or.....

I’ve not actually bought one yet, my hunchy theme here so far has been steering towards <£100 since my poxy 500 lumen lamp was doing alright tbh and that was like £10

Do you have a model you’d recommend upto £100?

 

[Gary]

2 of these? (one for your bars, one for your lid)

Review - Bikehut 1600 lumen front bike light

Product Image: Product name: Bikehut 1600 lumen front bike light Price paid: £50 Score (out of 10): 9.8 Review: Specs, pricing and info here: Bikehut 1600 Lumen Front Bike Light I bought one of these to do away with the faff of cables and battery packs for shorter night rides Ok. In the box...

www.emtbforums.com

I know you like reading. ?

 

[carlbiker]

I've been using the cheap chinese cree based led lights for 10 years or so now, I dont see any need to pay more. They work fine, provide a load of light (although you have to take the quoted lumens figures with a huge pinch of salt - 10000 lumens yeah right! more like 2000 lumens but thats plenty). They last for a few years then a cable fails, or some water gets in, you throw it away and buy a new one. You're still saving a fortune compared with buying a 'branded' light.

plenty to choose from

Cree T6 Bike Light for sale | eBay

Find great deals on eBay for Cree T6 Bike Light. Shop with confidence.

www.ebay.co.uk

Tbf on eBay some sellers are nearly sold out (500+) and here there scoring highly: Nestling®2400Lumens CREE XML-T6 LED Bike Light Set USB Rechargeable,IP-65 Waterproof Front Bicycle Lights Headlight & Free Taillight,4 Modes Cycle Lights Safety for All Road Bicycles Mountain Bikes


added bonus of if your doing some ‘offs’ and it brakes no big deal....I’m annoyed at my bike shop as they fit my new Kiox display with a screw and discarded everything else! It’s meant to fit with magnets so after an off it won’t break as easy....after my 4 offs at Stainburn I managed to crack it already ?

 

[Ktmdriver]

I’m trying to figure out why folks are promoting a $20.00 China made light with less than stellar performance and reliability when most of the bikes we ride are 6K and more and a night ride requires equipment that is mission critical. I wonder if these promoters of junk would trust a Chinese made scuba regulator that costs $20.00 vs one that is $1,700 ?

 

[Gary]

Probably because the average rider doesn't need "stellar" performance from a light to ride about in their local woods after dark.

I'd trust a chinese scuba regulator for riding my bike in the woods too. Hopefully it'd be lighter to carry than the £1700 ones.

 

[Mteam]

I’m trying to figure out why folks are promoting a $20.00 China made light with less than stellar performance and reliability when most of the bikes we ride are 6K and more and a night ride requires equipment that is mission critical. I wonder if these promoters of junk would trust a Chinese made scuba regulator that costs $20.00 vs one that is $1,700 ?

2 x 20 quid Chinese lights work just fine, and have done for the last 10 years or so. no need to spend any more.

I'm not scuba diving, I'm riding a bike,if one light fails, I've got another. If both lights fail (they never have) I'll ride home slowly.

 

[Jimbo Vills]

I wonder if these promoters of junk would trust a Chinese made scuba regulator that costs $20.00 vs one that is $1,700 ?

Er no. Because if my lights stop working. I don’t stop breathing. ?

irony is. The $1,700 is probably still made in China ??‍

I tried some £20 Cree ebay specials. They are pretty decent, sure £1m lights are better but these seem alright.

I’ll hold judgment until I see someone with expensive lights on a night ride.

I use 2 bar mounted and 1 helmet.

couldn’t imagine them all failing at the same time. But if they do. I won’t die ??

 

[Ktmdriver]

Er no. Because if my lights stop working. I don’t stop breathing. ?

irony is. The $1,700 is probably still made in China ??‍

I tried some £20 Cree ebay specials. They are pretty decent, sure £1m lights are better but these seem alright.

I’ll hold judgment until I see someone with expensive lights on a night ride.

I use 2 bar mounted and 1 helmet.

couldn’t imagine them all failing at the same time. But if they do. I won’t die ??

No, the $1,700 regulators are not made in China. But as much rain as you blokes get across the pond, you just might need a scuba regulator. But go ahead and trust your breathing with one of those.
People are missing the big picture. Every damn thing is made in China and it’s sad that no one gives a shit, except the few folks that value quality and local jobs over saving a few bucks.
So no amount of Chinese 20 dollars lights will ever sway me. I don’t give a shit if it throws more lumens than the sun.

 

[Jimbo Vills]

People are missing the big picture. Every damn thing is made in China and it’s sad that no one gives a shit, except the few folks that value quality and local jobs over saving a few bucks.
So no amount of Chinese 20 dollars lights will ever sway me. I don’t give a shit if it throws more lumens than the sun.

See - I think you’re missing the big picture. The big picture isn’t bike lights mate. They are just that. Some lights.

We all have the choice to purchase what we like. Shouldn’t get so worked up about it.

I’m a director of a small / medium company. We employ circa 150 people. Many with 30+ years service and multi generations.

Im passionate and carry the burden of local jobs mate. Just don’t get my knickers in a twist over who buys what bike lights ??

 

[Gary]

We're no made ay paper

Do you even realise the irony of slating entire nations from your 'murcan ivory tower via the means of a UK based multi cultural international forum?

 

[Ktmdriver]

We're no made ay paper

Do you even realise the irony of slating entire nations from your 'murcan ivory tower via the means of a UK based multi cultural international forum?

‘First of all I never slammed you blokes from across the pond, but since you mentioned “Ivory Tower” and “Murica” its obvious you run the Chinese light company. So I guess you would be ok with a Chinese made Rolex. FFS.

 

[Gary]

Luckily I have enough taste that I wouldn't be "OK" wearing any hideous gaudy wrist watch no matter what brand or what it cost.

You slammed the Chinese and you're still happily and ignorantly continuing to. No one here is interested in hearing your biggoted views. Drag them and your knuckles elsewhere.

 

[Zimmerframe]

@Swissrider posted number 10 in this series the other day ..

#9 comes up with alternatives to head torches .. just set the trail on fire ... from just after 2 minutes ..


They also solve @R120's issues on what is the best bike transporter .. much nearer to the old smart car, rather than his overly attractive present option.

 

[Swissete]

Tbf on eBay some sellers are nearly sold out (500+) and here there scoring highly: Nestling®2400Lumens CREE XML-T6 LED Bike Light Set USB Rechargeable,IP-65 Waterproof Front Bicycle Lights Headlight & Free Taillight,4 Modes Cycle Lights Safety for All Road Bicycles Mountain Bikes


added bonus of if your doing some ‘offs’ and it brakes no big deal....I’m annoyed at my bike shop as they fit my new Kiox display with a screw and discarded everything else! It’s meant to fit with magnets so after an off it won’t break as easy....after my 4 offs at Stainburn I managed to crack it already ?

The above light example is something I was doubting to purchase. It is initially a handlebar mounted torch. How do you attach it to the helmet?
When you guys talk about gopro mount adapters, which ones are those exactly? I can see in many markets hundreds of lights/torches/whatever with handlebar mounts but not many with an adapter for the helmet. I can print the adapter myself if knowing which should it be

The idea is continuing with the Haibike light in bike itself which is amazing but adding a helmet mount as I do still miss illuminating what my eyes point at... and not what the bike points at.

 

[Jackware]

@Swissrider posted number 10 in this series the other day ..

#9 comes up with alternatives to head torches .. just set the trail on fire ... from just after 2 minutes ..

Apparently they had to leave California in a bit of a hurry after their last video shoot

 

[davarello]

Not the cheapest option but the new Gloworm generation 2 lights look good - better cables/plugs, battery displays, handlebar remote and customisable optics

Gloworm X2 Adventure Lightset (G2.0) | Glowormlites

 

[salko]

For riding you will need as much light on the trail as possible, red light is for being as stealthily as possible while still having some usable amount of light. Absolutely no point and usability of having red light for riding...

 

[Ponk]

Tip for those mounting lights to there bars and helmet, you maybe find the light rotates on the bars over rough ground, even if they feel tight. To prevent this, I bought some bar tape (the stuff wound round race bikes). Keeps the light really tight and solid, no chance of it moving. You can throw away each bit of tape after each night ride if you want as a box doesn't cost much.

 

[Flyfisha]

Here’s the situation in my country ( Australia) . Even the 500 lumen light that came with my Ebike is an issue on cycle paths at dusk or after dark. Not only are pedestrians constantly complaining I am also getting words from bike riders passing the in the opposite direction. It would seem many on the bike paths run their lights pointing down at an angle of less than 45 degrees? As an ex motor cycle rider I what to see what’s ahead of me .The law in my country means I can not turn the light off ever. This is my solution . A flap of plastic to swing over the light .

 

[Pivot]

Althought I know that red headlamps are primarily dedicated to soldiers in training and carrying out missions. These gears are chosen by military personnel for their functionality and convenience. But I still have a question that can I use red headlamp for riding? Hope someone can help me.

Red light is less offensive on the eye and doesn’t blind the person on the receiving end. I.e. the eye recovers visibility much faster.
Green light is more offensive, but gives you a better details.
White and blue light blinds everything in front of you, but it provides best visibility.
You decide how stealth of how offensive you want to be on the trail.
PS. On the road, in most countries, the red light should be pointing backwards.