Lights…specifically, distribution of spend; bar vs head vs both

What’s the best way to spunk £300 on lights?

I was going to plump for a Lumen Liberator, but it seems that most people seem to favour the combination of a helmet mounted light in conjunction with a bar mounted. Is that fair to say?

What are you folks using? Who’s done both and what are your thoughts…pros and cons of the different mount options?

I’ve never ridden at night before, so it’s all new to me. I will mostly be mincing around Cannock and local woods, so tight-ish, twisty singletrack is the order of the day. Or night.

Ta,
Rusty

bar and helmet is good with two mid power lights but a lumen lib is easily powerfull enough that you dont need a helmet light, infact most helmet lights would get washed out by a LL
stick with troutie you wont be dissapointed

p.s. its less hassle to just have one light to sort out/ charge/ remember etc

probably a troute thing on your heed!

but a £40 DX torch and some velcro would do

I’d forget bar mounts completely if your rides involve tight n twisty woodland

bar mount first then head.

head’s a nightmare in mist or rain and even in twisty woodland you can see ok with just bar.

Head does help, though.

I’d go for both for that money but I’ve not got any specific recommendations in your price range.

I have a very similar bar mounted Luminous 601 (I also tested the LL) – I honestly don’t need another light. It throws a long way but also spreads enough to “spill” around most corners.

I keep a torch in my Camelback just in case and for trailside repairs.

Just about on budget too.

A fan of both here, one or the other doesn’t give you enough flexibility IMHO, they fill in the gaps that you get using just one. I’ve got a nukeproof(700 lumens) on the bars and a dinotte (200 lumens) on the helmet – I’d imagine you can easily replicate that sort of set up for under £300 nowadays.

Still love my AyUps and now they are back in the UK again, with a new/official distributer again you can even get them without spending a fortune on postage.

£50 DX on the bar. £50 Spark on the helmet for me round cannock monkey

I’ve got an Trout LL on my bars and a Fenix L20 on my lid – the Fenix just gives enough light looking round corners etc – whilst the LL is certainly bright enough I do prefer having something helmet mounted as well. My Fenix was about £50 – there are a lot of cheaper options out there – have a look at Deal Extreme or look for Solarforce torches on ebay but I’m pretty sure I can rely on the fenix and I’m not so sure with some of the cheaper torches.

Yep – I have a Fenix too – a TK11 R5 (285 lumens) and a lockblock as back up but I don’t need it. It’s more “just in case.”

I’ve used bar mounted lights for nearly twenty years, BLT, Nightsun and for the last eight years a set of Lumicycles. Last year I bought a 4fours helmet mount LED and the difference has blown me away. Helmet mount is the way ahead, much better for riding as you can see where your going in singletrack better, especially when it gets muddy or fast and the handlebars are pointing in a different direction from where you want to go – LED’s a brilliant, both super light and super lite 🙂

Airbike on the bar, pretty much echo what others have said. On the helmet in rain or fog is a nightmare, low branches, falling off, heft, and so on.

Exposure joystick. Try it for a few weeks, if you need more, go for a bar mount as well.

I’ve ridden with helmet mount only for years. The other day I rode my bmx with just a bar mount down a twisty tarmac path, and it was horrible. You can’t see where you’re going when you’re going round corners.

Helmet only here as well, I don’t like bar mounts unless it’s on road.
I’ve got a NiteRider HID which is quite old now but still more than powerful enough and the battery lasts 4hrs.

I’d quite like a new (and lighter weight) LED helmet mounted light though.

IMO, helmet lights are much better than bar but as mentioned they do suffer in fog or snow.

Thanks all, very helpful…I think I may well go the helmet route to start off and then as RM suggests, add a bar mounted light if I think I need it.

Cheers