Bike
MTB
What to look for when buying bike lights and 5 of the best for MTB
When the nights draw in it’s time to invest in some decent bike lights and get back out on the trails for what those in the know understand to be the most fun rides of the year.
Night riding on a mountain bike is a blast. The forests are calm and quiet, the trails equally so, and your vision is focused on what is in front of your wheel. Tunnel vision on singletrack – sounds like a literal version of most mountain bikers’ daydreams.
What should you look for when buying bike lights?
First, it’s important to understand the differences: a helmet-mounted light goes on top of your helmet and points where your head points. A handlebar-mounted light fits to the centre of your handlebars and points where your bars point. Which is best? Both are best. That’s to say, if you can afford to double-up then it’s well worth it for ultimate trail illumination.
Helmet or handlebar lights?
Even an easy trail becomes a challenge in the dark
© Colin Stewart/Lupine
If you’re going for one or the other, the toss up is whether you’d prefer the weight of a light and battery on your head, with a light source that follows your gaze (and leaves less of a ‘blank’ spot behind jumps/features than a light mountain lower down might); or whether you’d like that weight on your handlebars (and bike for separate battery packs), with perhaps a less practical light source that doesn’t follow your gaze.
Understanding lumens
Next, to lumens. This is the unit of measurement for light output. More lumens means brighter light. Anything much below 1000 lumens probably isn’t worth dabbling with; indeed most serious lights exceed that by multiples.
While there are many bike light manufacturers out there, it really is worth investing in the tried, tested and trusted brands who specialise in mountain bike lights. Cheap alternatives can be found online, and while some people swear by them, fittings sometimes need regularly replacing, wiring can be temperamental, and batteries can fail.
Here are some of the best mountain bike night lights available.
Best for Versatility: Gloworm X2 2018 – €269 / £225
Gloworm X2 2018
© Gloworm
Kiwi company Gloworm have been on the scene for a number of years now, and this latest X2 is a solid performer. Puts out clear, bright light and is reasonably priced for a quality 1700-lumens light. A wireless remote lets you easily switch between modes and Gloworm claim a three-hour run time. Run it on the handlebars or helmet.
Best for Lightweight Helmet Light: Exposure Axis MK6 – £190
Exposure Axis MK7
© Exposure
Exposure are the undisputed kings of helmet-mounted MTB lights. The Axis is super-light at 102 grams, the battery is internal (as opposed to a separate battery pack that attaches to the rear of helmet), meaning no wires to get tangled up in, and it puts out a decent 1500 lumens for 1.5 hours (the battery will last longer if you change settings for the climbs/connections).
Best for No-fuss Handlebar Light: Exposure Six Pack MK9 – £435
Exposure Six Pack MK10
© Exposure
For massive handlebar-mounted output, the Six Pack from Exposure is a safe bet. A monstrous 4,750 lumens will light up the trail ahead (and more or less everything around it!) for up to three hours on the intelligent Reflex+ power setting that automatically dims the light when you stop or ride slowly (uphill) – long enough to well and truly knacker oneself out.
Best for Two-part Helmet Light: Hope R8+ LED – £239
Hopetech R8+ LED
© Hopetech
Hope offer a range of tried and trusted lights, with this R8+ handlebar-mounted version delivering 4000 lumens output via its eight LEDs. A separate battery pack means the light unit is less bulky than Exposure’s Six Pack, but there are more wires to deal with. Total system weight is 690 grams and you’ll get one hour run time on full power – switch through settings for longer rides.
Best for Ultimate Output: Lupine Alpha – £1,070
Lupine Alpha
© Lupine
For absolute performance output from a helmet-mounted bike light, the Alpha is in a class of its own. The light produces a staggering 7,200 lumens from its six LEDs and will run for 1hr 20mins on full power (and even at 1500 lumens it will run for a claimed 10 hours). It comes with a big separate battery pack and system weight is just under 700 grams. The catch? It sure doesn’t come cheap.
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