Listed below are one of the best mountain bike lights. Bombing round at midnight might seem to be a mad factor to do, however night time driving is nice.

Learn extra: The most effective waterproof mountain bike jackets

In the summertime you’ll be able to experience on the weekends and sometimes twice through the week however as soon as the clocks return, experience frequency can plummet. Spend money on an honest set of mountain bike lights although and you may simply knock out a few mid-week night time rides, sustaining your health and talent degree, and having enjoyable within the course of.

The primary factor to think about when shopping for mountain bike lights is to get ample brightness for the kind of terrain you’re driving on. For flatter terrain you can also make do with a 1000 to 1500 lumen (that is the measure of sunshine output) gentle however for quick or technical driving it’s possible you’ll must double that.

The way you distribute the sunshine can also be vital and it’s a good suggestion to have two mountain bike lights, one on the handlebars and one other in your helmet. The bar gentle does many of the donkey work and needs to be probably the most highly effective and have a large beam sample, so you’ll be able to see numerous the path in entrance of you. A helmet gentle ought to have a extra targeted beam, which helps you to spot turns, look over obstacles and even down at your gears. Concentrating the beam additionally means a helmet gentle might be much less highly effective, permitting you to run a smaller, lighter weight and cheaper gentle.

Finest mountain bike lights on the market

1. Mild and Movement Seca race

Serial take a look at winner because of its easy design and glorious beam high quality

Weight: 222g | Lumens: 2000

Execs: Stunning beam readability

Execs: Good worth in comparison with rival lights

Cons: Not quite a bit actually

Seca Race has a dinky 3-cell lithium ion battery. That is housed in a rubberised case and mounts to a body tube utilizing a heavy-duty Velcro strap. The pinnacle unit attaches to the handlebar with an even bigger rubber leash and includes a useful breakaway bolt.

Mild and Movement pumped a load of cash within the customized engineered reflector and Cree LEDs les on this gentle and it exhibits – not solely is the sunshine a crisp blue color, there are not any rings, shadows or darkish spots. We additionally may see simply as far down the path with this gentle as we may with lights that had double the lumen depend.

Although the Seca Race has a little bit bit much less burn time than we’re used to, it’s nonetheless an excellent gentle with one of the best beam sample on take a look at, the bottom weight and it’s additionally superb worth for cash.

2. Publicity Diablo Mk11

Places out practically as a lot as bar gentle but it surely weighs 50% much less

Weight: 129g | Lumens: 1,750

Execs: Design and engineering perfection

Execs: Clever tap-to-adjust energy ranges

Cons: Slightly on the costly aspect

The sunshine output is great – it’s produces an extremely vivid white gentle that actually picks up element and it by no means acquired overpowered, not matter what bar gentle we used it with.

On full energy, you get 1750 lumens however there seven totally different programmable modes utilizing the excessive, medium and low settings, so you’ll be able to actually differ the output and run time. Turning off the Faucet Mode is an possibility too, which we did a few occasions when driving by way of dense undergrowth as a result of that may catch the sunshine and faucet it off.

Publicity makes a neat and light-weight vent mount for the Diablo that’s absolutely adjustable and low profile. Additionally included within the field is a bar mount field and a correct charger, not only a USB cable.

3. Mild and Movement Taz 2000

Appears like an affordable and cheerful commuter, this gentle is fairly misleading little field of tips

Weight: 226g | Lumens: 2,000

Execs: An excellently designed lens

Execs: Nicely made (regardless of its low cost look)

Cons: Not the longest run time

As with all Mild and Movement lights we now have tried, the Taz actually comes into its personal after we hit the path. They’ve all the time – fairly rightly – positioned nice significance on beam sample, and the result’s a superbly clean transition between a subtle, close-in pool of sunshine to punchy lengthy vary LEDs that reach up the path. It provides a seamless, confidence inspiring protection that undoubtedly promotes sooner driving.

The one draw back to this small however highly effective package deal is run time. With only one:30 at our disposal we discover the amber then purple battery warnings are approaching nearly each experience, with greater than a little bit energy administration wanted to get by way of even brief, sharp night time blasts.

You simply must determine which degree you wish to purchase in at – if burn time and output numbers go well with, it actually is a wonderful little unit.

 

4. Lezyne Macro Drive Duo 700

Every part a helmet gentle needs to be

Weight: 134g | Lumens: 700

Execs: Simple to put in and take away from helmet

Execs: Excellent path illumination

Cons: Too many energy ranges to cycle by way of

The wonderful helmet mount simply straps although vents and cinched tight on each helmet mannequin we now have experimented with, whereas a ball and socket joint means the sunshine might be pointed precisely the place desired, shortly and simply. The sunshine itself is held in with a easy semi-circular clip so it may be simply eliminated with out affecting the mount itself. The comfort is prolonged into charging – screw the rear cap off and plug in a micro usb. Easy and efficient.

Does anybody actually need 4 totally different flash modes? Most likely not. At most there needs to be 3 energy ranges and one flash, as altering energy ranges like this retains your hand off the bar for a lot too lengthy. A disgrace because the frustration barely mars what’s in any other case a terrific, nice worth little gentle.

5. Blackburn Central 650

We like this gentle quite a bit and each tester was shocked to listen to the value

Weight: 162g | Lumens: 650

Execs: Really a discount

Execs: Nice at lighting the path, which is the principle factor

Cons: Helmet mount isn’t one of the best

The Blackburn Central 650 comes with what they describe as a ‘common mount,’ which is meant to handle each bar and helmet mount duties.

It very practically does, with a protracted rubber band beneath the swivelling gentle bracket permitting numerous flexibility and becoming simply to most of our take a look at crew’s helmets.

Mild high quality is superb, with the moderately-specced 650 lumens positioned in a delicate centre spot with simply sufficient peripheral to maintain you knowledgeable of your environment with out it being too distracting.

The ability button on helmet lights is essential – it needs to be distinguished sufficient to be discovered with thick gloves on, and the clicking needs to be optimistic sufficient to let you already know you may have related and are jabbing in the suitable place.

The Blackburn is each, with each tester happy with the convenience of adjustment on the fly.

6. Gemini Duo 1500L

Doubles up as a path operating gentle too

Weight: 368g | Lumens: 1,500

Execs: Nice all-round performer on center settings

Execs: Helpful wi-fi distant management

Cons: Prime-level energy is OTT

At 1500 lumens it’s a tad overkill for a helmet solely gentle, and as such we now have solely ever run it at diminished energy ranges when head mounted on the path.

In any other case the centre heavy beam can swamp essential bar gentle shadows that give definition to the lumps and bumps forward. On the medium, 900 lumen output it’s greater than ample.

It has glorious energy, however the glorious wi-fi distant received us over from the primary experience too, with one of many chunky, simply groped for buttons dealing with on/off and energy ranges whereas the opposite dramatically dims the sunshine for chat stops or oncoming automobiles – a really sensible thought certainly.

7. Publicity Six Pack MK10

Most likely extra gentle than you’ll ever want for path driving

Weight: 422g | Lumens: 4,750

Execs: The head of mountain bike lights

Execs: Distinctive and helpful options that aren’t gimmicks

Cons: Not precisely low cost

On full output the Six Pack Mk10 does bangs out a whopping 4,750 lumens over two hour run time. Like all Publicity items you differ the output/burn time ratio by toggling between modes utilizing Publicity’s OMS programming.

The highest three modes get Publicity’s distinctive Reflex+ characteristic, which makes use of a built-in accelerometer and gyroscope to ship the right amount of sunshine for the terrain you’re driving. In different phrases – dim for these gradual uphill climbs, vivid for the downhills. The Six Pack additionally options an OLED gas gauge readout on the rear display with precise time remaining somewhat than only a flashing purple blob.

It’s somewhat cumbersome unit on the bar however the development is first-class, it’s absolutely customisable and the Reflex mode means it’ll simply run and run.

 

8. Knog PWR Mountain

We actually just like the modular design of the PWR Mountain

Weight: 355g | Lumens: 2,000

Execs: Modular system means you’ll be able to tweak it to your wishes

Execs: Customised energy settings through cellphone app

Cons: Bar clamp is a bit flexy

The PWR Mountain is a modular design, which suggests you break up it aside and run the battery on the down tube, add a helmet extension package or connect totally different dimension battery packs or head items. The lithium-ion battery additionally options twin USB ports, so you utilize it as gas cell to cost your iPhone or plug it into a spread of Knog equipment, such because the PWR Lantern.

On full beam, the PWR Mountain places out 2,000 lumens, however you’ll be able to change the inventory settings utilizing the ModeMaker app, and if you happen to’re a severe night time time shredder you’ll wish to get rid of the flashing and strobe choices.

You twist the lamp unit to show it on/off and it’s surprisingly fast to cycle by way of the modes. The plastic bar clamp is straightforward to put in, but it surely feels flexy, and a few testers additionally struggled getting the sunshine to launch.

What to for in mountain bike lights

Energy output

The measure of sunshine energy is expressed in lumens, and the minimal requirement for driving shortly at night time is at the least 1,000 on the handlebar and 500 on the helmet. Including lumens typically bumps up the price and likewise the dimensions and weight of the sunshine unit. Most lights have a number of modes, permitting you to cut back/enhance the output and prolong/lower run time.

Helmet mount

As soon as hooked up, a helmet mount needs to be safe, but it surely additionally must be simply detachable. To do that, most firms use some type of common Velcro strap design, however some newer helmets include Go Professional mounts, and meaning you’ll be able to typically piggyback double up, eliminating the clamp and fussy Velcro. Ideally you need the mount to be as little as attainable in order that it’s much less more likely to catch on overhanging branches.

Distant management

If the sunshine comes with a button you’ll be able to connect subsequent to the grip it means you don’t have to achieve throughout to toggle by way of the settings. Some are wired, however one of the best sync through Bluetooth. A distant is just not that vital with a bar-mounted gentle, however they’re strongly really helpful for helmet lights because it makes switching the unit on and off, or altering settings, a lot simpler.

Beam sample

Relating to placing gentle onto the path, the form and dimension of the beam is without doubt one of the most vital components. Bar lights ought to have a flood beam, which spreads gentle out in entrance of you to create shadow and texture on the path. Head-mounted lights ought to create a spot beam for choosing out element.

Gasoline gauge

Important for monitoring battery life throughout a experience. A few of the easiest are color coded (inexperienced/amber/purple) however numerous fashionable lights even have time remaining, typically in minutes or represented as a share, within the present burn mode. The gas gauge might be on the battery or head unit.

Charging cable

Most lights used to return with a devoted charger, however over the previous few years we’ve seen a swap to USB suitable charging, which suggests now you can use any suitable USB cable.