I need a new helmet light for off road night rides. I’ve been using a Hope R4 on my lid for the last 2 winters and it’s served me well but it’s never had the throw that my old MR16 halogen light had.

So I want a new light for under £100, from a UK seller, that’s lightweight, comes with a helmet mount, has a spot beam pattern and a battery that will last for 3 hours. And I don’t want the charger/battery to burn my house down.
What should I buy?

Exposure Diablo meets all of your requirements except price.

I was looking at the Diablo but built in battery and run time a bit limited for what I do.

I have a similar shopping list to replace my Ay ups’s and currently looking at these:
http://www.crgmoto.co.uk/new—gloworm-x1-version-2-led-light-system—cree-xm-l2-u2-950-lumens-1936-p.asp

Powerful, comes with 3 lenses, light, battery is remote so no weight on lid, can be in a pocket/pack and spares available for longer rides. Only 2 1/4 hours on full but dim able or programmable to get more.

It’s only a pointer, not recommendation as I don’t have one, would love feedback from any users as it looks like a good upgrade for my 500ish lumen +40% Ay-ups that don’t have the throw for what I’m after any more.

The battery will go in my Camelbak so battery weight not issue, but the light unit needs to be, light 🙂

Hope R1
last version of Exposure Joystick
Gloworms are nice too

That X1 looks interesting, though a bit over budget.

How much does the Joystick weigh? And is only 400 lumens really enough?

Latest Joystick is the mk 9, about 700 and more expensive than the Gloworm.

I have a Joystick mk 7, 400 lumen and it’s not as good as the Ayups that I want to upgrade for more power. Very nicely made and was a great deal at £56 but not enough for flat out tech riding in my opinion.

Head unit from here
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/301007188322?limghlpsr=true&hlpv=2&ops=true&viphx=1&hlpht=true&lpid=108&chn=ps&device=t&adtype=pla&crdt=0&ff3=1&ff11=ICEP3.0.0-L&ff12=67&ff13=80&ff14=108&ff19=0

And batteries and a charger from here
http://www.mtbbatteries.co.uk/mountain-bike-batteries/

Mtbbatteries lumen800 also looks good.

I have just replaced my AyUps with a Gloworm X1. Spent some time exploring options, unfortunately Exposure wouldn’t work well with my helmet (Urge) so went for a separate light/battery combo.
It is much brighter than AyUp and looks equally well made. My main concern has been how long it takes to get replies from UK supplier and NZ manufacturer when asking basic questions.
Edit: the head unit is very light indeed an the mount is solid when strapped tight with supplied kit.

This is turning into a hopefully helpful thread hijack! Cheers Jim, good to know. I had same concern, there’s just a slight lack of important info that could be improved (cable length, beam shots, photos of full setups) and the program mode possibly over complicated, but users seem happy. Worth the upgrade over a 2012 +40% Ayup?

I’m also tempted with an X2 for the bars to replace my MJ872 with failing battery – matching X1/X2 for same system, same light colour, interchangeable batteries and chargers – makes sense but expensive!

i’ve been using the 1200 lumen unit from CandB Seen for the last 2 years. the standard battery will give you 3 hours on the full 1200 lumens and more on the lower settings. its not super light but i believe the 1000 lumen unit is lighter and its cheaper too.

http://www.candb-seen.co.uk/bikehead-lights/cabs-02-series—cree-xml.html

http://www.candb-seen.co.uk/bikehead-lights/cabs-01—cree-xml-t6-led.html

they dont come with the helmet mount but that costs an extra £4
http://www.candb-seen.co.uk/accessories/cables-o-rings-and-helmet.html

the charger is a proper UK spec one and as i can testify…my house is still standing and i’m still alive

awesome power on the 1200…

gate at the end of the alleyway is about 50 metres away

Another vote for going for the diablo, yeah, run time on flat out is around an hour, but if you cycle it to lower settings its still plenty bright and lasts for ages.

This: mapdec

Sold out though. Give paul a ring to see about stock. The Thumb 1 is great if you can get one.

Fluxient U2 Mini from Torchy on eBay. £60, comes with helmet mount, and spare battery. Been pretty impressed with it so far. Only criticism is that the mount could fit more snugly. You could refine the existing solution without going to drastic lengths though.

I’ve got an X1 and I think it’s brilliant. Nicely made, good amount of light, light unit weighs nothing, decent battery life.

I’ve got something a bit different… one23 light with a review here: review.

It hasn’t got millions of lumens, but it’s bright more than enough for fast night mtb riding as a helmet light, with something powerful on the bars.

It’s very light, it’s robust and not afraid of very heavy rains (I’ve been using it for more than a year already), the beam pattern is awesome (nice spot of light with just enough of flood), it takes 4x AA batteries (comes with a charger and rechargeable batteries) which last me about 3.5 hours on constant high pattern (which goes up to about 6 hours on low and more than 7 on flashing mode). The “battery pack” weights just a bit more than the 4 AA batteries and has a nice clip – I attach it on a side of my bib shorts (under arm) where it stays comfortable under jersey.

Helmet mount included.

I recommend it.

This: mapdec

Sold out though. Give paul a ring to see about stock. The Thumb 1 is great if you can get one.

Stock due next week.

+1 for the X1, love mine

The extension cable for the X1 is 840mm long, and both the head unit and battery have a cable of approx 150mm, so approx 1140mm when all connected.
My AyUps were the first 400lm version so can’t comment on newer ones sorry. The X 1 is certainly brighter than them, but not subjectively twice as bright as the lumen count would suggest

Cheers, great info. Any chance you can measure the lead to the remote too? Want to make sure it works with 750mm bars if I get an X2.
I think mine were 400 +40% so 560ish. Don’t think I can run to 2 X2’s though!

So what makes the Gloworm X1 twice as expensive as the C&B Seen 1200lm helmet light?

170mm from head unit

So what makes the Gloworm X1 twice as expensive as the C&B Seen 1200lm helmet light?

What put me off was the weight of the battery pack

Surely heavier battery = more battery= more burn time. Battery will be in my camelbak so battery weight isn’t such a problem.

Anyone used either a BK2200 or 4xXPG Fluxient from Torchy on their helmet?

Surely heavier battery = more battery= more burn time. Battery will be in my camelbak so battery weight isn’t such a problem.

Not if you want to put the battery on the helmet, which I do. X1+mount +battery is 35g heavier than my AyUp setup was which I was very used to, and so is fine for me-don’t notice it after a short while. As you say, if going in a backpack or pocket, not so much of an issue. Different people have different needs.

boxelder – Member
This: mapdec
Sold out though. Give paul a ring to see about stock. The Thumb 1 is great if you can get one.

My mate (Mugboo off here) has lent me his Thumb 1, I’m going to try it on my helmet tonight.

So what makes the Gloworm X1 twice as expensive as the C&B Seen 1200lm helmet light?

You are paying for better after sales support, a better beam pattern, better quality of components and build quality and less chance of your house burning down due to the battery overheating.

I’m massively generalising here as there are many different types of lights made by different people and not all retailers are the same. There will always be a few gems in the dirt that buck the trend but as a rule of thumb I think what I said holds true.

Surely heavier battery = more battery= more burn time.

Not all batteries have the same power density. Better batteries can handle a greater max current draw and have a larger capacity and last for more recharge cycles. You also get many batteries with very inaccurate ratings.

The C and B seen light matches the criteria, I’ve just picked one up as a cheap winter light and initial impressions are it’s excellent.

+1 for the Lumen 800 from mtbbatteries… great little light, hardly notice it’s there.

As a head light (supporting a bar light, especially when in a group) I rate both the Exposure Joystick and Lumen 800 from mtb batteries.

As I have both I’m erring towards the Joystick purely for being cable and battery free although the Lumen is the better light.

I have the Lumenator on my bars too though.

Mtb batteries are uk based with uk assembled batteries from the man who used to build batteries for Hope and Lumicycle.

Had a go with the Thumb 1 light tonight. It’s weight is hardly noticeable on my helmet. Throws it’s light (on full power) at least far as my R4 but in a tighter spot only not as bright. It was fine though for seeing where I was looking but I think in group rides it might get swamped in the lumen wars. Great little light though, ideal as a back up or solo rides.
Interestingly it looks identical to the MTB Batteries Lumen800….

I went through a few helmet lights before being happy. I dont like wearing a bag so cable free is preferred but it limits you on power. I initially had a niteflux photon max which was good but an external battery and getting very old so needed a new one. I tried a Niterider Lumina 700 and it was really good, absolutely perfect pattern but I wanted a bit more power. I next had a Gemini Xera flashlight with an exposure mount, great light with changeable lenses and it just ran on 18650s so I grabbed a few from torchy. Awesome all night option in my book. The problem is my Troute DD is just so bright that all these lights get a little lost in it! After careful consideration I have stuck a cateye volt 1200 on the helmet. Great light and a really good match with the Troute. Weight wise it’s actually fine. It’s like having the Lumina or Gemini with an additional 18650 taped to it. if you always wear a bag and don’t mind doing so then having an external battery has to be the way to go. The cable seems a small trade off for the extra power and run time it can give you.

Simon, In fairness the mtb batteries lamp units are far eastern sourced so similarities are likely. I believe that Smudge there does work directly with his supplier to develop and tweak aspects of the units he buys. He then has a preferred battery cell which he builds into packs himself.

You are paying for better after sales support, a better beam pattern, better quality of components and build quality and less chance of your house burning down due to the battery overheating.

really?? i know you’re saying that your comment is a generalisation but i have to kind of disagree with you on that point.
i dont have the Gloworm but i;ve had the CandB Seen light for 2 years now. in that time its been absolutely faultless in is performance. the lamp itself is very well made with a very nice alloy casing that has doen a very good job. mt friends have bought more modern units for simialr money but with supposedly higher light outputs and my light has put them to shame with a brighter and more focused beam with a good spread of light too.
as for the battery…i’ve left the battery on charge overnight many times in the past and my house is still standing and i’m still alive. the chargers have a safety cut-off switch so they stop the charging process when the battery is fully charged.
with regards to burn time i have had 3 hour run time on the full 1200 lumens…and more when switched onto the lower setting.
the standard 4-cell battery weighs only slightly more than my samsung galaxy s4
i recently got the 6-cell battery too and that seems to run for 6 hours at 1200 lumens although it weighs a bit more
in terms of support whenever i’ve had any issues or needed a bit of advice Roger and CandB Seen has been very helpful and prompt with his responses. from what other users have said the technical support is quite good too..i.e. sending stuff back
they now offer 2 year warranties on all their products and will carry out simple repairs for free…i’ve ever had to use this and judging by the performance of my lights i hope i never have to.
so for me…given the price and performance its a no-brainer that the CandB Seen light is very hard to beat.

CTC did a technical review of a range of lights a few months ago…they were a bit critical of the CandB Seen lights simply because of the amount of light they generate but in use its never been an issue for me

C&B Seen – Max 13013cd, Max@3.5° 9121cd, Min@3.5° 2710cd – To call this a torch would be a compliment. It’s an LED in a can, an indiscriminate blunderbus of light that simply blasts away at all in its path. It does have a dim setting, if you can call it that.

http://www.ctc.org.uk/blog/chris-juden/bobby-dazzlers

The C and B seen light matches the criteria, I’ve just picked one up as a cheap winter light and initial impressions are it’s excellent.

good choice Somouk

Thanks for the feedback Gonzy.

I’ve tried a few of the Ebay and Deal Extreme lights and wasn’t impressed by them. For the price they are fine but I’d rather just spend more and get more.

But its good to hear things are changing and there are some people offering good support and well made lights for a very reasonable price too.

Subscribe to MBUK and get the free Lezyne macro duo, £24. 😉

Hi Folks, Paul from Mapdec here. Thanks for the kind comments about our lights. There is nothing to hide here. You can buy Sanguan lights direct from Aliexpress if you like. They supply both us and MTB Batteries. The only difference as far as I know is that I didn’t specify to replace the Sangaun logo with our own where it is etched on the casing. Although I understand their reason for wanting to track what they had sold for warranty reasons.

Basically. After I did a ton of research, like you all have, I found the Sanguan factory which offered good value, but had all the sound electronics, circuit breakers and waterproofing I wanted. Their safety certs all checked out, and they fill a gap between the cheap and risky eBay items and the regular branded items.

Mapdec (me) is your point of contact for any warranty or faulty issues, and we make a bit of cash by importing in bulk. I don’t suppose it will be long before one of the big companies see the potential and do these value lights bigger and better than us or MTB batteries can. In fact one23 (moore large) and a few others already seem to be.

For now its a good little earner next to our modest Mapbaord business. oh, and almost everything is back in stock now.

Cheers