Is it too early for a what lights thread?

Helmet mounted always seems over-kill to me, and frankly make it all very confusing.

It’s preferable to not being able to see off a drop at all until you’re committed – which is what can happen if it is just after a tight turn – or just the shape where a low-sitting bar light is blocked out by the lip.

Also Diablo on your helmet, how exactly do you see when the little LED starts to turn red that it’s running out of charge…

The light itself also gives out warning flashes as you burn through your % of charge.

Also Diablo, that touch to change the brightness that also ‘works’ on chunky bits of the trail…mega useful.

That feature is poor IME. It is either so sensitive that running over a twig sets it off or you adjust it to the point where you have to whack the unit so hard you upset the mount. But that’s fine, I’ve just disabled it on mine as I only tend to use it for descents.

Exposure light are definitely not the only answer, but they are very good with excellent backup. Some of the features that they use to justify being up to Mk13 or whatever are annoying, but they can be disabled. And many of the small leaps from Mk to Mk are accompanied by a small increase in lumens.

As for wanting night riding to be a different experience and achieving that by having less bright lights… well, you can turn bright lights down!

For lamps I’m currently on the MTB Batteries

Me also, I don’t think I’m significantly slower on night rides than I am in daylight despite just using bar lights, maybe that just says more about my daylight riding speed.

Another vote for MTB Batteries. The Lumenator is a great light. Mark’s customer service is second to none. He made a custom head lamp for my daughter for ultra distance running, and it’s performed well in all weather conditions.

I’m a former MTBBatteries user too – and they are excellent quality with a real hand-built feel to the backup as well as the product. My Lumenator is >10 years old and currently on loan to a buddy.

The Pavo 3600 came up on my FB feed and I was swayed by the greater brightness and the all-in-one design. If it does start playing up the Lumenator will be back on whilst the Pavo is back with CRC. But obvs hoping that doesn’t happen.

The Pavo felt solid from the off (no rattly bits), has performed really well being rattled around, has been accidentally left on a few times and dunked in mud whilst sorting out mechanicals, and has a really nice beam and hue.

My Gemini Titans finally failed in their 8th winter. Gave them to a mate who replaced the cable & they’re all good.

I replaced the with a Gloworm 3600Lm & I’m impressed. Seem just as bright as the Titans 4000Lm. The mount is really solid compared to the rubber ring mount on the Titan.

The biggest surprise was the spares you got with it. Different optics, all the allen keys you need, seals for the cables & spare screws. Plus a longer cable & nice helmet mount. I run a 1000Lm Lezyne on the helmet.

I’m just not sure about the size of the Exposure on that tiny mount. The Gloworm & Titan have a really low profile on the bar, external batteries never bothered me.

That Pavo looks pretty good value.

Look no further;

http://www.outboundlighting.com/collections/bike-lights/products/evo-downhill-package-best-bike-light

I’ve got the bar mounted one and it’s a cracking bit of kit. It replaced a maxx d that was, erm, unrecoverable.
To pick between the two, I prefer the outbound for a few reasons but they’re about as important as the colour…

USB c instead of another cable.
Pass through from a standard power bank if I need more battery life.
It’s not as bright as the maxx d but for me uses the light better.
Oh, and the cable management thing. That’s such a tiny thing but awesome.

I’ve still got a Diablo sync on my helmet. It runs on a low setting most of the time which gives *hours* of burn time, quick kick up to boost when it gets spicy then back down.
The app connectivity is a bit naff but got used once to create the settings I like then left mostly, I just switch between mode one and two on the head unit depending on the ride in headed out on – low and v. High for winch and plummet, or mid setting for more sustained trails, in both modes I’m disappointed if I’m below about 20% after three or four hours riding.
Remote is great when it works (I think they fixed this and app connection on subsequent versions).

In the past had maxx d which was great. My old one is still going strong though did need an out of warranty repair at about 5 or 6 years old, since quickly and very reasonably. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommended.

Gloworm x2 (first version) also a brilliant light but the switch cable failed and was a pita to get sorted. Battery went after a couple of years use but being external was easily replaced. To get a 35mm bat mount I ended up sourcing one from Greece because there was no other option.
I think they’re back to having some UK distribution these days and if that’s the case I’d certainly take a look at them, that being said I’d not go back to separate batteries these days as I’m fed up of them sliding down frame tubes and no one has a stem long enough to mount them anymore.

Had various “chinese” things, including early magicshine back when they were really just a slightly up market ebay/Ali express “cree p7 light” seller. wouldn’t recommend any of them. Poor batteries, o ring mounts, poor connections one I’m pretty sure killed two good batteries (one definitely was good which makes me suspicious about the first one)

MTB batteries (May have been torchy) one, the modes didn’t work for me, rubber ring mounts can get in the sea – I modded a hope qr one to replace, and separate battery. Good for what it was but too many compromises on what I wanted and think it’s good in a light to recommend it.

Thanks all plenty of food for thought.

I’ve a pair of yinding (Gemini duo clone) still working well after several winters, a pair of modified solarstorm, again still working well after several winters and a pair of homemade cree lights when troutie posted a thread about making your own light.

Battery wise I use loose 18650 cells and an xtar charger with either a 4 or 6 cell holder.

Helmet mounted always seems over-kill to me, and frankly make it all very confusing.

Come for a winter night ride at the Golfie or Thornielee…, next day you’ll be buying a helmet light.

I’m very happy with my two fenix torches, an E35 on the bars and an E28 on my helmet. About 4500 lumens combinedand less than 250gm for the two, including batteries, which last a couple of hours at least…

Not bad for less than £150 the pair…

Come for a winter night ride at the Golfie or Thornielee…, next day you’ll be buying a helmet light

Last I did any serious night riding was in Hebden Bridge which is just as full on, and I still only used bar mounted, and I didn’t die. Really I’ve tried it, and I dunno, maybe I’m just too used to just having bar lights but helmet lights just freak me out, can’t be doing with ’em.

As an aside, has Mark/Smudge managed to sort his issue with couriers getting the hump about the batteries? I know it caused him and some customers some issues in the past.

Hope or Exposure.

Or Exposure or Hope.

Support British companies making great stuff in Britain with great service.and repair/ refurbished if needed in years.to come rather than supporting China and their take-over of the world.

Diablo mk13 on the lid and a Magicshine Monteer 8000s on the bars. Diablo battery life is abit poo TBH, Only use it as back up on the techy stuff though. Monteer seems good but not had a proper winter night ride out of it yet so hard to judge.

Magicshine Monteer of some variety on the bars – around 3500 lumens and easy to use with decent buttons.

Had an exposure on my lid which provided a great beam but always found the button configuration a pain, cycling through what for me were too many options. I lost it and replaced it with a lenzyne, my second one I’ve had from them and think it’s pretty much as good and more user friendly, for significantly less cost.

Did use Chinese lights for ages and they can be a good way to get into night riding, just be careful with chargers. If you get into it you can easily upgrade to something better.

This thread has got me thinking – of adding another Hope R4+ head unit.

I’d want both lamps to run off the same battery, so would need a splitter.

I can only find the Hope District splitter which

a) is too long

b) seems to have the wrong plug configuration.

Does anyone know if such a product exists?

There’s 18% of exposure with Singletrack rewards. They really are excellent and do last.

Anyone with recent experience of the Exposure Axis. Read mixed reviews from the past but it’s reduced to £100 on CRC and I need a new helmet light. I like the MTB batteries light on my bars so tempted to get the same for helmet but that means a battery to stash somewhere. Also looking at the Scorch but I don’t like the sound of the switching system/touch screen.

I know hardly a controversial opinion  but another vote for Exposure here. On a gravel rather than mountain bike, but got a Joystick on the helmet and a Toro underneath a K Edge Wahoo mount with GoPro adaptor on the bottom. Super tidy and avoids bar clutter.

Digging this thread up as it’s getting to that time of year again.

To those who use a torch style lights like the Wuben C7 or 18650/21700 torches, how are you mounting them to your helmets?

Exposure Six Pack on the bars and a Diabalo on the lid.

Both new and untried but looking forward to getting out one night soon.

I still have a Light & Motion which is probably 18 years old and an amazing homemade front light  that was made by a member on this site about 15 years ago – both still work!

Gooner – would that be a Troutie light? I had one but those utter **** at Yodel lost mine last year

I’ve ridden with a Lumicycle setup on my bar since I started night riding well over 20 years ago. They’ve evolved from NiCad powered halogen lamps to my current setup of a Li ion powered LED. All of which is modular and backwards compatible. I tried a night ride with the old halogens plugged into my new battery a couple of winters ago. The battery didn’t last very long, but then neither did I as I couldn’t see where I was going! How did we ride with Halogens? I don’t want to think about my lead acid powered Cateyes before them, or the Ever Ready battery lights before that!!!

Super reliable and well constructed lights. I’ve never, in all that time had reason to regret buying Lumicycle, or seen anything that’s made me want to swap over to something new.

Over the last few years, I’ve tried various cheap Chinese manufactured helmet mounted lights and torches, all of which have been subjected to a fair amount of weather and branch abuse during the long Scottish winters. The failure rate was always high enough to make it feel like a bit of a false economy, so I finally settled on a set of Moon 1600lm wired lamps that were on half price offer in Halfords for around £80 at the time. This light rivalled my bar mounted Lumi for power and spread, but the big battery in my bag and the dinner plate helmet mount didn’t really work for me.  I persevered with this light for 4-5 years until this year when I got my hands on an Exposure Diablo.

I’m really liking this combo, enough power for me to confidently descend through the trails at speed, but also quickly adjustable so that I’m not blinded by glare as I pick my way through the trees. I really like the quick button press, or simple tap to change the Diablo’s setting. Worth the money in my opinion, especially as a fairly significant part of my annual mountain bike riding is done in the dark.

C.

Exposure Six Pack on the bars and a Diabalo on the lid.

I have this, kind of wish I got the maxxd. I’ve used them a few times in the last few weeks and can’t complain about performance, battery life or anything. It’s just huge on the bars

First ride out last night with lights since last winter. Started in daylight but the light under the trees faded pretty quickly. Still on the Maxx D / Axis combo. Still flipping bright and excellent for visibility.

Still think the Maxx D is epic. The Axis – not convinced and probably wouldn’t buy again – I don’t think the battery is high enough capacity for the power it’s putting out.

Exposure Six Pack on the bars and a Diabalo on the lid.

Same here. The lights are getting on but still run with 0 drama or faults.

Some mates were pricing them up. They have always been pricey but even more so now

Used mine last night (MaxxD and a Diablo), but just for the last descent and then the ride home from the pub :-)

Anything non Exposure that’s similar to a Joystick?

MTBBatteries Lumenator +1

I did have a battery pack fail and Mark did ask me to send it back but it must have been summer and I never bothered. I think it was probably user error leaving flat since the last night ride.  The lamp itself is still going strong as a helmet light with a nitefighter battery pack.

Really tempted to take the plunge and get a full exposure setup this winter as work do C2W via Halfords and there’s not really much else high-end (as opposed to consumables which they’re great for) they sell that I’d want!

Currently and for the last 10-11 years I’ve had a Lupine Wilma 14 (biggest battery) with 800, 1200, 2100 and 2800 lumen settings.  Apparently 32 hours on the lowest setting and 3 hours 45 on the highest.  Only use the  1200 and 2100 lumen setting as the spread of light doesn’t need anymore even on the fastest and most technical of descents.  And on the back lanes riding back from the trails all cars stop in lay-bys for me!

Really tempted to take the plunge and get a full exposure setup this winter as work do C2W via Halfords

Now I’m the last person to talk anyone out of exposure lights (happy maxxD owner here) but you do realise Halfords c2w can be spent not only at tredz, but also transferred to many many other indie and local bike shops.

Another +1 for Outbound Lighting. I’ve got the Trail Evo/Hangover package and it’s phenomenal. Had it over 2 1/2 years now, loads of use from night riding, commuting in shit weather etc, never missed a beat. Beam pattern is best I’ve experienced – including Exposure.

Rascal, yes it is a Troutie and what a great light it is

I ended up sacking off buying another Hope that I was thinking about further up the page and getting an Exposure Maxx D from the outlet store. Brilliant light, combined with a joystick on my helmet it’s enough for me

Mate bought a Diablo last year and whereas I manage my joystick through a typical night ride, he’s always moaning that the Diablo won’t last the duration

Exposure Diablo on the lid, and a Magicshine Monteer8000 on the bars. I only use the Diablo when the going gets techy though as the run time isnt great IMO. The Monteer kicks out loads of light and has a good lifespan but I do find it has too many modes to cycle through, and strapping a battery to the bike is a faff and looks messy.

Gooner – I ran a Troutie Liberator which I loved – the battery wasn’t holding charge so I sent it to Smudge at MTBatteries so he could look at it…unfortunately I also boxed up the head unit – Yodel admitted they sent it to the wrong place and I never saw it again.

I tried a Diablo but was really unimpressed with the runtimes. Also found it a bit floody for a helmet light, prefer something with a tighter beam pattern.

Had an exposure Axis before that but got rid as it just a bit meh – got lost in my bar light and couldn’t tell if it was even turned on half the time.

My current setup is a magicshine MJ900S and a joystick on the helmet plus a tracer for road sections. I do also have one of the exposure commuting lights but havent stuck the bracket on my main bike.

Tested last night and was rather pleased with the results. It is amazing how stupidly bright lights are now. A couple of years back clearing out some old stuff I found my old ever ready lights and decided to go back to my teens and match them with a jury rigged mini maglite on the helmet. It was an experience.

I have a 6 pack on my bars. Used to have a diablo and a joystick, I sold the diablo in favour of the joystick

It’s not the lumens, it’s the beam shape that I found more important. Diablo puts out more lumens but because it’s floodier, you need to crank it up to see it. The joystick has a more spottier beam, which is perfect for seeing around corners or looking in the distance. It’s not very floody but that’s fine with the 6 pack as it’s so floody already

TLDR – joystick works with the 6 pack (and probably the maxx d) better than the diablo