MTB lights

[Stockman14]

Has anyone bought any decent lights that they would recommend? Spent a lot of time looking at different options and price points.
It seems to be a fair split of "go for cheap Chinese version" & "invest in a decent set that'll last"

[bagusbagus]

I will save you days of research:
BLF A6 ( 1600 REAL Lumens in turbo with good high discharge battery such as q30 ),
has a special Bike mode as well ( constant light+strobe all together)
Excellent quality. around £20

+ Samsung q30 18650 cells ( around £4 each - buy from UK from a good store!)
+ liitokala lii cell charger ( search around its around $2-$3 from china, very good quality)


Seems like someone has got them even in UK now so don't have to wait a month from china
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BLF-A6-XPL-1600LM-EDC-R...


Best light you can get for this price or up to £100 ( try to find something similar under the UK branded stuff - you won't be able to )
indestructible and the light amount is insane + runtimes are sick as well!
Have mine for over a year and I researched this for days as needed something actually decent.


Btw, don't fall for the ebay fake Chinese lumens where they say they got 1000 or 5000 lumens and cost $5 - they got around 100lumens in reality if you are lucky good example: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1000LM-ZOOM-Q5-LED-1Mod... those lights have around 50-100lumens in reality.

[bagusbagus]

If you want something cheaper you can also get Convoy lights:
https://www.gearbest.com/led-flashlights/pp_44144....

Just as good quality, does not have the bike mode and around 1k REAL lumens ( that's still mega-super-duper crazy bright)

[lickatysplit]

I recently bought Magicshine MJ-906, 3250 Lumens, great for off road trails in the dark.

[sjg]

The majority that I night ride with (including me) are on Exposure. Some of the lights are several years old now (I still use a mk7 Joystick, the mk13 is now out) and going fine, any issues have been quickly dealt with.

I've had cheap Chinese stuff before, was using one as a main light but batteries seem to die quickly - cheap (probably reject) cells, and I'd always worry about them charging (loads of examples of battery fires out there).

https://www.mtbbatteries.co.uk/mountain-bike-light... are a good middle ground - decent batteries/chargers but for a bit more money than the cheap low end ones.

[moanthebairns]

bagusbagus said:

I will save you days of research:
BLF A6 ( 1600 REAL Lumens in turbo with good high discharge battery such as q30 ),
has a special Bike mode as well ( constant light+strobe all together)
Excellent quality. around £20

+ Samsung q30 18650 cells ( around £4 each - buy from UK from a good store!)
+ liitokala lii cell charger ( search around its around $2-$3 from china, very good quality)


Seems like someone has got them even in UK now so don't have to wait a month from china
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BLF-A6-XPL-1600LM-EDC-R...


Best light you can get for this price or up to £100 ( try to find something similar under the UK branded stuff - you won't be able to )
indestructible and the light amount is insane + runtimes are sick as well!
Have mine for over a year and I researched this for days as needed something actually decent.


Btw, don't fall for the ebay fake Chinese lumens where they say they got 1000 or 5000 lumens and cost $5 - they got around 100lumens in reality if you are lucky good example: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1000LM-ZOOM-Q5-LED-1Mod... those lights have around 50-100lumens in reality.

how are you mounting the BLF A6 XPL onto the bike?

I too am on the look out for a decent light for trails as its starting to get dark earlier during the week. Something that isn't st, will last and doesn't fall off over jumps.

[Gareth79]

bagusbagus said:

Btw, don't fall for the ebay fake Chinese lumens where they say they got 1000 or 5000 lumens and cost $5 - they got around 100lumens in reality if you are lucky good example: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1000LM-ZOOM-Q5-LED-1Mod... those lights have around 50-100lumens in reality.

Although that style of light is excellent value for money in general - very solid and kick out a decent light for the size/price, especially with a 14500 rather than an AA. They are ideal as a backup light.

[bagusbagus]

Gareth79 said:

Although that style of light is excellent value for money in general - very solid and kick out a decent light for the size/price, especially with a 14500 rather than an AA. They are ideal as a backup light.

I mean I had several of them before decent lights were available... compared to decent light they are utter junk and should be thrown out!
btw the runtime from the same 18650 battery is more or less =same even tho the light output is like 20x more.

[bagusbagus]

moanthebairns said:

how are you mounting the BLF A6 XPL onto the bike?

I too am on the look out for a decent light for trails as its starting to get dark earlier during the week. Something that isn't st, will last and doesn't fall off over jumps.

80cents.. Very decent holder. got 3 of them across various bikes, all seem to last pretty gut and keeps the light in very nice and snug, also very easy to put it in/take it out.



https://www.aliexpress.com/item/New-Universal-Blac...

[ReverendCounter]

bagusbagus said:

80cents.. Very decent holder. got 3 of them across various bikes, all seem to last pretty gut and keeps the light in very nice and snug, also very easy to put it in/take it out.



https://www.aliexpress.com/item/New-Universal-Blac...

Hmm, I bought that exact combo from eBay and I bought an extra mount, all from the same seller. On mine the mount plastic is really soft and has no rigidity - to the extent I've had to line the inside of the lamp mount surface with foam tape and some double sided adhesive and mount the LED mini torch in permanently, otherwise I've had the torch drop out on a ride. Prior to this the beam was bouncing all over the place.

Maybe the materials have been upgraded since.

[jcborden]

I’ve been using one of thrpese for the past 18months (actually the te-tech version, which isn’t currently available on Amazon) https://www.amazon.co.uk/AUOPLUS-Headlight-Recharg...

It is actually about 1200 Luke’s when compared to some of my equivalent torches, has an excellent handlebar Mount with great battery life. Absolute bargain.

[Celtic Dragon]

Seems on the other side of the fence! I would wholeheartedly recommend USE / Exposure. I have a Mk10 Race and a Mk10 Joystick, and they are lovely and I wouldn't change them.

When the screen failed on the Race, Exposure replaced it FOC even though it was out of warranty.

[opieoilman]

I use one of these on the handlebars.

https://www.gearbest.com/bike-lights/pp_632586.htm...

It has a USB, so I just plug it into a powerbank and use a rubber strap to hold the powerbank to the handlebars. I haven't ridden anything silly at night, but it stays put where I ride. The power bank has 2x18650 batteries inside and I reckon it would probably last about 5 hours before needing a charge with the light on full beam. It's very bright, much brighter than expected as it is so small (4.50 x 3.40 x 2.50 cm).

If I was riding on the road, that would be plenty, but as the place I ride is riddled with rabbit (and larger) holes, I also have one of these on the peak of my helmet.

https://www.gearbest.com/headlights/pp_491410.html...

Took a bit of modification (fitted a GoPro mount to the peak of the helmet and one on the back of the light), but it works really well. I've used the head torch and front light together for about a year and it's all been working fine for that time.

With the Gearbest offers at the time, the bike light was about £4, the headtorch about £4, about £3 for the powerbank housing and a couple of old 18650 batteries I had lying about, so works out as a bargain. Their deliveries take about 3 weeks at the moment, or a week for priority.

[moanthebairns]

bagusbagus said:

moanthebairns said:

how are you mounting the BLF A6 XPL onto the bike?

I too am on the look out for a decent light for trails as its starting to get dark earlier during the week. Something that isn't st, will last and doesn't fall off over jumps.

80cents.. Very decent holder. got 3 of them across various bikes, all seem to last pretty gut and keeps the light in very nice and snug, also very easy to put it in/take it out.



https://www.aliexpress.com/item/New-Universal-Blac...

Thanks for the effort of posting that, I looked at buying your setup, seems very good. Only downside is I need one for this weekend kinda thing, ordering it all seemed like it could take weeks and if i bought via the uk it all added up cost wise.

ended up getting a little Magicshine MJ-900 1200 lumen thingy. £43, I'll see how it is, just to get me out in the trails at the back of my house during winter, probably end up sticking a second light on my helmet but I am very wary of this.

[Stockman14]

sjg said:

.

https://www.mtbbatteries.co.uk/mountain-bike-light... are a good middle ground - decent batteries/chargers but for a bit more money than the cheap low end ones.

I ended up going for these! Perfect for what I needed, good solid beam, battery lasts ages even on highest setting. Highly recommended if anyone is looking.

[MarkJS]

sjg said:

The majority that I night ride with (including me) are on Exposure. Some of the lights are several years old now (I still use a mk7 Joystick, the mk13 is now out) and going fine, any issues have been quickly dealt with.

I've had cheap Chinese stuff before, was using one as a main light but batteries seem to die quickly - cheap (probably reject) cells, and I'd always worry about them charging (loads of examples of battery fires out there).

https://www.mtbbatteries.co.uk/mountain-bike-light... are a good middle ground - decent batteries/chargers but for a bit more money than the cheap low end ones.

Another firm vote for Exposure. They’re not cheap, but if you want robust reliability with brilliant performance, they’re worth every penny.

[Tempest_5]

I got a Bikehut 500 lumens front light for £25 from Halfords last week. I've been running my old Dual Cateye set up I got back in 2001 whilst out on the MTB at night. I thought they were good until I got this one. I have to remember to reduce the brightness/point it down more when I get back on the road as I had some drivers looking dazzle the first time out.

[Minnsy]

https://www.lumicycle.com/

Not the cheapest, but last really well...

[Craikeybaby]

Stockman14 said:

sjg said:

.

https://www.mtbbatteries.co.uk/mountain-bike-light... are a good middle ground - decent batteries/chargers but for a bit more money than the cheap low end ones.

I ended up going for these! Perfect for what I needed, good solid beam, battery lasts ages even on highest setting. Highly recommended if anyone is looking.

Which one did you go for?

[Stockman14]

Craikeybaby said:

Stockman14 said:

sjg said:

.

https://www.mtbbatteries.co.uk/mountain-bike-light... are a good middle ground - decent batteries/chargers but for a bit more money than the cheap low end ones.

I ended up going for these! Perfect for what I needed, good solid beam, battery lasts ages even on highest setting. Highly recommended if anyone is looking.

Which one did you go for?

I went for the Lumenator 17, although they are dispatching the Lumenator 18. Cannot recommend it enough.
Different brightness settings, including flash and SOS. The on light changes to red when battery is getting low. Does everything I need.