I’m in the market for a new light. I intend to use it for commuting on the road bike, including both fairly busy roads and unlit lanes, and also as a helmet light for mountain biking to complement my Magicshine MJ880u on the bars. Budget is £150ish.

The Exposure Joystick seems the obvious choice, but would the beam be too focussed for road use? Would the Exposure Axis be a better choice? Any other lights I should be considering?

For road use, is it better to mount the light on the helmet or bars in order to give enough light and prevent blinding drivers? I have an old Hope Vision 1 light that could be used in addition, as a backup or for extra visibility, but it doesn’t provide enough light to use alone.

I got at Axis for the same use, partnered with a 872 on the bars when for MTB.
I really like the no cables for helmet use and it’s as bright as the 880 it replaced. To change the brightness you just tap it which is really neat although it’s not always obvious it has worked depending on what power settings are programmed.
For the road again it’s better than the 880 although I have only used it on flat straight roads so not sure about descending at speed on dark lanes. Never use on the helmet as it’s too easy to blind drivers.

Leaning towards the Axis over the Joystick due to the ‘tap to change mode’ function – very handy for helmet mounting. The Diablo is a lot more lumens for not much more money, but would this be overkill for my intended purpose and/or too wide a beam?

I rule out the Diablo as – on paper at least – the beam paper is not so suited for road

AyUp road kit? Might be over budget, not sure about the price in pounds, but a great set of lights with all the mounting options you need.

I don’t ride with the light on the helmet for the simple reason that being so close to the eyes it casts very little shdow ahead, making it difficult to spot irregularities in the surface. On the bars works fine.

keep the magichine 880 on your mtb.

Get a specialised flux expert, can be had for 180 link this it the best road “ride fast on completely dark roads” light I have ever used, proper focused full/dipped beam behaviour just like a car headlamp you do not blind drivers. this is for the bars on your road bike. I have experimented with all my MTB’ing lights (1st gen magicshine, fluxient, gloworm) none of them are safe for road use – unfocused very bright beam is dangerous to blind oncoming cars, just think how blind/annoyed you are when the other guy doesn’t dip his headlights when you are in your car, these lights are bright enough to have the same effect as they are unfocused.

then get dx lightweight small XML-U2 or better for your helmet for mountainbiking, this is your head “see into the corners light” when MTB’ing. e.g. this one for 30 notes on DX link or if you have more budget to go branded / with support a gloworm X1 link (what I have) this has the advantage of being able to angle it down, so for road riding you can leave it on low angled down at your bars (See your gps / phone / whatever). and I am sure there are others (I last shopped for lights a year back). never point these type of lights at oncoming cars they are too bright will blind drivers.

finally something like a topeak headlux as a safety light on your head for added visibility in traffic.

a little over your budget but covers all bases, doesn’t blind drivers and gives you the full night riding mtb and road experience.