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

[Chubba]

These are also very good, and for you pound/dollar based chaps fairly inexpensive.

Bicycle Lights

 

[Devondownhill]

So I use an exposure joystick, it’s light enough to it doesn’t hurt your neck. Battery life can be tricky, I have to manage mine a little to get two hours riding. I paid a boy £120. Hope this helps.

Why did you pay a boy £120? Was it to carry the battery for you? (Sorry)

 

[lumpy]

Gloworm X2

 

[Evolution Stu]

Cateye Volt 800 on the head and Volt 1700 on the bars.

I recently bought one of those eBay Nestling 2400 lumens lights for about £20 that everyone on the Facebook groups were shouting about of late.

Its ok, but maybe 1000lumens max In reality. You get what you pay for.

 

[Russell]

I would like a helmet light but I don't like the idea of strapping a hard light to my head. They are starting to ban helmet mounted go pros in dirt bike events for this reason.

 

[Flatslide]

Solar Storm X2, a plastic wedge and a hole drilled in the peak.

 

[Beezerk]

Solar Storm X2, a plastic wedge and a hole drilled in the peak. View attachment 21728

Wall-Eeeeeeee

 

[Rich the gasman]

Exposure Diablo on helmet and exposure maxxd on bars, pricey yes, but had them couple of years now and will last many more. Quality is the best out there, and no wires or battery pack to be annoying.
fYI I started with cheap lights of eBay, when battery pack set on fire while charging and the other battery back started smoking on my frame so more than happy to spend more for quality.

 

[Evolution Stu]

I would like a helmet light but I don't like the idea of strapping a hard light to my head. They are starting to ban helmet mounted go pros in dirt bike events for this reason.

Fair point.
mine is mounted on a MET breakaway mount.

 

[Akiwi]

I just got myself the Sigma Buster 700 for €39.99.
Haven't tried it yet, but seems like it will work pretty well.

 

[Duelsy]

I have a couple of the cheap Cree lights from eBay. I run one on my bars and one on my helmet, with the battery for the latter stored in my bag.

I’ve ordered the light that’s powered off of my bikes main battery too. Will be nice not having to worry about running low on light.

 

[Flatslide]

I would like a helmet light but I don't like the idea of strapping a hard light to my head. They are starting to ban helmet mounted go pros in dirt bike events for this reason.

There are a few lights that will mount under the peak like I've done. Trails around here have so many low branches, a top mounted head lamp is asking to be hung-up ?

 

[grantini]

So I have the Halfords 1600 lumen light that @Gary recommended for the bars. Got it last year and it seems really good.

I’d like a helmet mounted light to go with it. Not crazy money, just a good bang for buck one will do.

What do you recommend?

Cygnalite Metro 1100 on my helmet and Lupine SL-SF hardwired to the motor.

 

[PsiLoCybia]

Solar Storm X2, a plastic wedge and a hole drilled in the peak. View attachment 21728

Can you provide more detail about the mounting? When you say plastic wedge, was this something you improvised?

 

[Flatslide]

Can you provide more detail about the mounting? When you say plastic wedge, was this something you improvised?

I used a piece of clear acrylic circular bar, cut at an angle on one face (the peak side), and left it square on the other. Drilled a hole to suit and bought a longer M4 stainless machine screw and washers to mount with. I use Velcro straps to secure the cable along the outside of the helmet and sit the battery in the top of my back pack. The acrylic bar was an offcut in a drawer under our lathe. You could use nylon or acetyl etc. Just has to sit flat against the light body and have an angle that points where it works for you.
The X2 is a great wee spot lamp, ideal for lighting where you look.

 

[PsiLoCybia]

Solar Storm X2, a plastic wedge and a hole drilled in the peak. View attachment 21728

What run time do you get om the solarstorm pack?

 

[Flatslide]

What run time do you get om the solarstorm pack?

Mine was $40 new from trade me here in NZ. The light is good, unsurprisingly the battery is weak. 50mins on full power. Mind you, I've had it for 5 years or so and still goes well. If you can use a soldering iron, replacing the batteries with 3Ah ones (I got mine from a vape shop), makes for a good pack. I recently did that with my handle bar lamp battery pack. It lasts 2.5 hours on full with a 900 lumen Route 7 lamp.

 

[James_MTB]

Invest in an Exposure Diablo and you won't look back.

My Mk4 is still going strong after 5 years.

For me, no wires is a must.

 

[PsiLoCybia]

Although I bought a pair of Solarstorm X2's, I have actually hardwired them to the motor giving a decent amount of light for night riding. Thanks to @rsilvers for his write up here.

To complement these I also bought a Bikehut 1600 Lumen light which I have helmet mounted. This was after reading the review by @Gary.

Heading over Thetford Forest tonight, so will feedback how this setup works!

 

[galaga187]

Although I bought a pair of Solarstorm X2's, I have actually hardwired them to the motor giving a decent amount of light for night riding. Thanks to @rsilvers for his write up here.

To complement these I also bought a Bikehut 1600 Lumen light which I have helmet mounted. This was after reading the review by @Gary.

Heading over Thetford Forest tonight, so will feedback how this setup works!

View attachment 22522

I’ve found the light from the two solar storms hardwired to the levo similar to to bikehut 1600 but we don’t need to about charging. How are you helmet mount the bikehut 1600?

 

[PsiLoCybia]

I’ve found the light from the two solar storms hardwired to the levo similar to to bikehut 1600 but we don’t need to about charging. How are you helmet mount the bikehut 1600?

I bought the £5 bikehut out front mount (garmin/gopro) it comes with gopro mount for the light. I have a snap off gopro attachment on my Bell super 3r, so just mount it on that

 

[galaga187]

I bought the £5 bikehut out front mount (garmin/gopro) it comes with gopro mount for the light. I have a snap off gopro attachment on my Bell super 3r, so just mount it on that

I’ve got plenty of go pro attachments so will look at this ?

 

[PsiLoCybia]

I have lots too, but the one that comes with the bikehut mount is designed for the light, unscrew the handlebar bracket and just screw in the gopro mount. Was worth a fiver and the out front mount is actually good too

 

[salko]

I'm looking for a good helmet light with 1500-2000lm output with wireless remote on my bars. I like the idea of small & lightweight light on my helmet so external battery in a backpack (which is always with me anyway) I think is the way to go. Looked at Lupine Piko R4 and Gemini Duo 2200, but these are bloody expensive. What would you recommend? Any cheaper alternatives out there?

 

[Mcharza]

Check these, they are very good. Used here a lot for biking and ski randonnee

Lighting

The Bright As Day collection features a unique cooling technology allowing the lamps to deliver a high amount of lumens in all conditions, all the time. Darkness is not an excuse anymore.

moonlightmountaingear.com

 

[deksawyer]

I'm looking for a good helmet light with 1500-2000lm output with wireless remote on my bars. I like the idea of small & lightweight light on my helmet so external battery in a backpack (which is always with me anyway) I think is the way to go. Looked at Lupine Piko R4 and Gemini Duo 2200, but these are bloody expensive. What would you recommend? Any cheaper alternatives out there?

Something like the X2 or X2 Adventure might work for you (I have the X2 - bigger battery) and it's fantastic. Remote can also control a bar mounted Gloworm. 15% of with newsletter sign up as well.

Luminous – light systems

www.luminous.bike

 

[salko]

Something like the X2 or X2 Adventure might work for you (I have the X2 - bigger battery) and it's fantastic. Remote can also control a bar mounted Gloworm. 15% of with newsletter sign up as well.

Luminous – light systems

www.luminous.bike

Those look fantastic with more reasonable pricing. I'm now tempted to go for Gloworm XS with 2500lm output. Does anyone have this one mounted on a helmet? Or is it to big/heavy for the helmet? I think I've got an offer too good to refuse

 

[Rusty]

Those look fantastic with more reasonable pricing. I'm now tempted to go for Gloworm XS with 2500lm output. Does anyone have this one mounted on a helmet? Or is it to big/heavy for the helmet? I think I've got an offer too good to refuse

Go back through the thread - there is a pic of my night race set-up. Used to carry the battery in a camelback until I came across some smaller, low-profile batteries.

 

[salko]

I was asking about XS, not X2 light ...

 

[Rusty]

Sorry - was reading on phone and a bit too small.
The XS is 110g which is lighter than the original X3 which was 120g from memory. I used one of those until my helmet with it on was stolen. The X2 I am currently running is 95g - the new ones are listed as 89g.
Except for helmet balance the weight is hardly noticeable - even with the battery. Light only I fit it more on the helmet crown for balance.