What Lights?

Outbound lighting. Not cheap thanks to shipping/import but they are awesome. Not the highest lumen count around but they seem to be actually using optics to shape the beam to be far more efficient and effective. Seems leagues ahead of what other people are doing, which is basically a round beam like a torch. I think if they had a UK distributor they would be putting some heat on exposure etc. I’ve seen them pop up on a few GMBN videos so perhaps they will begin to get some more UK presence soon.

John

I would agree that Exposure are a fine light having had one a few years ago.

for me Four4th made in the uk offer incredible value for money.

I have a Rameses on the bar and a Scorch on the lid.

four4th +1, a bit like exposure in terms of cost, but the quality is top drawer and similar levels of backup. Most of them aren’t all-in-one units but they do a variety of batteries like the QR mounted ones that sit under the stem, and soft pouch batteries which IME are preferable to 100g+ helmet lights.

Mid-budget I still think MTBBatteries are hard to beat. The Lumenator and 900 aren’t going to make headlines for brightness levels compared to exposure or four4th but they’re bright enough in the real world UNLESS YOUR FRIENDS HAVE EXPOSURE OF FOUR4TH.  As soon as one person in the group has >4000lumens the rest are basically caught in an arms race again. You don’t gain much between 2000 and 4000 lumens, but it’s enough to make the person in front’s field of view a shadow in your lights.

Agree with the four4th suggestions.  Look and feel extremely well made.

I have an OMG on the helmet and a holy moses v2 on the bars.

They are really really good lights

These used to be popular :

https://www.four4th.co.uk/collections/lights/products/scorch-qr

Exposure is usually the answer but instead I got a Hope R8. Currently on a super discount at Winstanleys. The landscape floodlight shape wins over the round shape of Exposure.
The R4 smaller version might even be what you’re after if you can find a deal or stock.

Otherwise. Yes. Exposure. Any of them.

I have used a Knog Power mountain for the last couple of years.  2000 lumen, 8000mha battery, battery doubles as a power bank, battery and lamp connect to make one unit but its bit heavy and the weight of it seems to move the mount  on the bar when it’s rough. Was about £120 I think.

My problem with Exposure is that I have 100% failure rate with the brand. I realise that is actually the only light of theirs I have had but it does put me off trying another. I couldn’t find proof of purchase so didn’t claim under warranty and I didn’t want to pay for a repair as I had lost faith in the light. There are plenty of other good lights around so there are plenty of alternatives to Exposure

Jaw dropping stuff.

As mentioned earlier by someone the lezyne 2400+ looks to be a really good value option. Looks a really good wide beam and cost/output/battery ratio seems very impressive. I had the 1800i before the outbound trail evo and it was a solid light.

Shame Troutie isn’t about anymore, I’m sure he’d be making some great stuff. I still have a Darkness Dominator gathering dust in the cupboard but it’s still puts out a staggering amount of light!

John

Was watching a vid the other night on differences between

Magicshine MJ906SE,(ebike wired in) £140)

Amazon 6000 lumen (£26)

Exposure six pack mk11(£400)

Magicshine monteer 6500(£290)

Vid is about 4 years old, but the magicshine 6500 wins hands down.

Would help if the fella in the video up there angled the lights correctly.

Bit of a tangent, but why haven’t more brands taken the all-in-one route like Exposure?

It’s such a strong selling point and I’ve only seen a couple of other companies doing it.

Integrating a battery and a light set into one enclosure takes a skill set many companies can’t do or choose not to do.

keeping batteries and lights separate allow flexibility in changes in tech.

exposure and four4th do it incredibly well.

I was looking at another set -although i’ve got a perfectly good set from MTB Batteries (it’s a prototype set @ ~3500lm.)  However as TINAS said, if others in the group have exposures, or the magicshine 1million lumen jobs, then you’re basically stuffed and you might as well run in the dark!  would love a set of exposures.

Update on the above – and many thanks for the replies and advice!

I ended up going for a middle ground and ordered a Magicshine MJ906se – as soon as it arrives I’ll report back but it seemed a good middle of the road light, should have plenty illumination for what I need and costwise not too bad.

Cheers!

I’m got an Exposure maxxd sync (2019) on the bars and joystick mk13 (2018) on my head.

Both are great lights but the sync feature of the maxxd has never really worked and the runtime isn’t what it says it will be.

I generally run it in low most of the time and high for single-track stuff. Using the low setting that says 12hrs I’ll probably be at 50% after a 2 hours of riding and using high for about 15 minutes of those 2 hours. So nothing like the runtime prediction. Having said that, the light is otherwise faultless, the build quality is very high. One day I’ll probably have to sort the batteries but I’d rather do that than get a different light and risk it not being as good.

Do MTB batteries still replace/upgrade batteries in other brand lights?

Exposure are massively overpriced and overrated IMHO.

Have tried several over the years. Have a Joystick now and find it underwhelming TBH. The run time is terrible and it doesn’t always seem to charge despite showing it has.

The light and battery all in one unit is too heavy, they ping off their stupid mount constantly. Unless the mount has already broken first of course.

There is a D-Maxx about 50  yards off the bottom of the trail up to Green Hill, Pitfichie. My brother launched it that way in a fit of rage after it had popped off his bars on the descent causing him to crash.

That MagicShine should do the job. Decent for the money.

Go on AliExpress and get a £20 light as a back up or for your helmet. We have had several and most have lasted well.

I am a fan of Four4th lights which are superbly made in the UK.

Their Scorch light which is mountable of the helmet and bars (just different mounts) and offers 2000l for £135.00, it also comes as a QR with button control rather than the touch sensitive lens.

This is a little over your budget but its a cracker of a light that has a detachable battery.

I have two batteries which gives me 2000lm for 3 hours.

Scorch QR

Scorch QRS

These are a rebadged Magicshine RN 1500.

https://amzn.eu/d/68vr2Lm

Currently £52 delivered on Amazon. They don’t come with a helmet mount but I found these on EBay which I think are the right ones.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/156476540123?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=vorad1flqfe&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=o52LRPCBTFu&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

I’ve never had an issue with either of my Exposure lights not lasting a ride –  but then night rides are only usually up to around 2.5hrs. Joystick has to be managed – i.e. only on high for descents, but Maxx D has plenty left in the tank – I’ve got the Mk13 that automatically adjusts the brightness depending on your riding

Most of the riding group use them and I’ve never seen a Maxx D bounce off it’s mounting. It is possible to not engage them properly though

At £50 is there anything better than the magic shine equivalent up there?