QUICK ANSWER: MY BEST MOUNTAIN BIKE LIGHTS
- NITERIDER PRO 1800 RACE– Best lightweight lamp for mountain biking
- TEAMOBSIDIAN– Best for the urban or mountainous environment
- NITERIDER PRO 3600–Best for some of the darkest conditions
- BLITZU USB RECHARGEABLE – Best for all-round use
- CYCLE TORCH SHARL 500–Best for all types of bikes
- Bright Eyes Aircraft – Best LED lighting equipped with both headlight and taillight for all-round use
- BRIGHT EYES 1600– Best for long-distance adventure
- NITERIDER LUMINA 950– Best for road and rainy rides
MY BEST MOUNTAIN BIKE LIGHTS COMPARISON :
NITERIDER PRO 1800 RACE
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-Lumens: 1800 Lumens -Battery: Lithium-Ion -Run time: 1.5 hours |
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TEAMOBSIDIAN BIKE LIGHT SET |
-Lumens: 200 lumens -Battery: AAA -Run time: 8 hours |
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NITERIDER PRO 3600
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-Lumens: 3,600 Lumens -Battery: Lithium-Ion -Run time: 1.5 hours |
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BLITZU USB RECHARGEABLE
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-Lumens: 320 lumens -Battery: AAA batteries -Run time: 2+ hours |
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CYCLE TORCH SHARL 500
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-Lumens: 500 Lumens -Battery: 2200 mAh -Run time: 1housr, 30 mins |
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BLITZU USB RECHARGEABLE LED
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-Lumens: 390 Lumens -Battery: AAA batteries -Run time: 2+ hour |
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BRIGHT EYES 1600
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-Lumens: 1600 LUMENS -Battery: 6400mAh -Run time: 4 hours on high, 6 hours on medium and over 16 hours on low |
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NITERIDER LUMINA 950
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-Lumens: 950 LUMES -Battery: Lithium-Ion -Run time: 13.5 hours |
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MY BEST MOUNTAIN BIKE LIGHTS REVIEWS :
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- Lumens: 1800 Lumens
- Battery: Lithium-Ion
- Run time: 1.5 hours
- Pros: Super bright, extremely light, sturdy design, battery level indicator
- Cons: Quite pricey
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- Lumens: 200 lumens
- Battery: AAA
- Run time: 8 hours
- Pros: Affordable, water-resistant, versatile, suits different bike types
- Cons: Cannot be recharged
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- Lumens: 3,600 Lumens
- Battery: Lithium-Ion
- Run time: 1.5 hours
- Pros: Super bright, lightweight, equipped with battery level indicator, durable
- Cons: Pricey
BLITZU USB RECHARGEABLE BIKE LIGHT SET
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- Lumens: 320 lumens
- Battery: AAA batteries
- Run time: 2+ hours
- Pros: reliable performance, USB rechargeable, easy installation
- Cons: Pricey
- Lumens: 500 Lumens
- Battery: 2200 mAh
- Run time: 1housr, 30 mins
- Pros: USB rechargeable, water-resistant, tail light, best for all bikes
- Cons: no battery indicator,
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- Lumens: 390 Lumens
- Battery: AAA batteries
- Run time: 2+ hour
- Pros: USB rechargeable batteries, easy to mount, water-resistant
- Cons: Mounts are not very secure
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- Lumens: 1600 LUMENS
- Battery: 6400mAh
- Run time: 4 hours on high, 6 hours on medium and over 16 hours on low
- Pros: Ridiculously long battery life, waterproof, super-bright light
- Cons: Expensive
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- Lumens: 950 LUMES
- Battery: Lithium-Ion
- Run time: 13.5 hours
- Pros: Versatile, water-resistant, USB rechargeable, battery level indicator
- Cons: low quality rear light
HOW TO CHOOSE THE BEST MOUNTAIN BIKE LIGHTS
Terrain and Trail Speed
These two, obviously, are the first things you need to consider before any other thing when choosing the best mountain bike lights. The terrain and how fast you will be moving through to meandering trails will dictate exactly what you need. For example, if you are a technical rider and you might be forced to ride at night sometime, you will need great level of brightness than if you will be riding on wide and clear paths.
In other cases, if you are one of those riders who go at top speed, you need something that can give you light with more range. In this case, we are talking about power. It should be powerful and shine its light a couple of miles from where you are.
Mounting Type
How do you need it mounted? This will also come into play during the selection process. The choice you go for will depend on a number of factors. We have two main mounting styles; helmet mount and bar mount.
- Helmet mounted lights
This is one of the most popular mounting options. It is preferred by most riders because it does a great job when it comes to rough trails. However, since it is mounted on the head, the weight can leave you feeling very uncomfortable. A mountain bike light mounted this way will shine down on the trail. Although this can in a way eliminates shadows, it usually shortens the distance the light can reach. It can disadvantage you if you are a fast rider.
- Bar mounted lights
These lights come with different arrangements. You will find others are better at the job than others. In this case, people are always advised to go for one that comes equipped with rubber straps or a clamp. Light mounted this way, unlike helmet-mounted lights, will shine farther down the trail. However, they tend to produce a lot of shadows, especially on uneven terrain.
So when it comes to the two options, we really can’t single out the best from the two. You can choose to go for any of the two depending on what you really want. However, if you are a serious biker and you just want the best of both worlds; if you can afford, it will make a lot of sense to go with both of them.
Fit
Once you have a model in mind, now the next question you need to ask is; does it fit. Usually, both the light and the battery must fit on your bike, especially if your bike comes with the latest 35mm diameter handlebar or carbon fiber frame. Ideally, it must be able to be mounted securely on the bike. This is important for a great lamp would be completely useless if it cannot fit your bar. Additionally, make sure you can easily position the lamp to where you want it. This will allow you to shine the light in where you really need it.
In the end really, if you can get a design that can fit on the curve of your bike’s handlebar without being forced to sit in a very awkward position, that would be really great.
How Many Lumens Do You Need
The amount of light you can get from your mountain bike light is usually measured in lumens. Although most people say, that is not actually the best way to determine how bright the light is, it can come truly in handy if you are a mountain rider.
In the market today, most mountain bike lights come with different lumens, the highest going as high as over 3500 lumens and the minimum coming in at around 200 lumens. A light that comes with 200 lumens ideally isn’t a bad choice after all. It can do a great job in most situations. However, if you want better depth perception and you just want to see further, you might need to go up in the lumens. Usually, the higher the better.
Beam Type
Most of these lights often come with a different lens and so when making a pick; you need to decide if you need a more focused on or a wide beam. The choice to go for can be determined by a few things. For example, if you are a fast rider, a more focused beam is all you need. It can shine its light a few miles farther from where you are. You can now see what is ahead of you well in advance. In other cases, if you are riding at night, a wide beam will be more practical. It allows you to see what is around you.
Number of Lights
While most options we have in the market today come as one single headlight, we have seen designers take things a notch higher and throw in one taillight as a bonus. Interestingly, we see most offer an additional light for the price of one. So when sieving through that long list of lights in the market: if you can get one with this extra feature that will be super great.
Battery Life
Like mountain bike GPS, battery life is an essential feature. For this, you may also want to consider the amount of battery life your mountain bike light does come with before you can make that final decision.
Some things will come into play during the selection process. For example, just like any other outdoor enthusiast, you need a battery that can last the entire time you will be riding.
There are a number of things you need to know also. First, the battery life of your battery can be reduced by cold temperatures. So as a precaution measure, it will make sense if you get a light that comes with a battery indicator. This will tell you how much battery you are left with.
Integrated or separate battery
While you could choose to go for any one of these, riders are advised to go for one that comes fully intergraded with its battery. This option usually gives you a neater all in one lighting unit. However, it comes with one major limitation. Those units that come integrated with their batteries are not helmet-compatible. It means you will not be able to use it while it is mounted on your helmet.
Rechargeability
Once you are done on the battery life, the next thing you need to check is its rechargeability. Can it be recharged? How long does it really take to be fully charged? There are those that don’t need any recharging while others can be recharged once you have depleted the battery. However, buyers are always advised to go for a rechargeable battery as that will save you a lot of money.
Controls and ease of use
These types of mountain bike lamps come with sort of controls. Like the bike handlebars, ensure you can easily control the light. We have seen designers include controls you can use to regulate the amount of power you get. With this, you can easily reduce or increase its brightness depending largely on what you need. Plus, this can actually save you a lot of battery power and increase its life. After all, you can reduce the light if you don’t need so much light. Although you will need to dig dipper into your pocket from those extra useful features, they are worth every single penny you spent on them.
Water Resistance
As when you are buying any other outdoor gadget, how your mountain bike light unit is able to resist water is important and must be considered at all times. If you will be out there in the wilderness for some days, chances of being hit with rainy weather are practically high. That is not even all; if you love mountain biking, you know how this can get really crazy. You might be forced to get wet and dirt. With all that, a light that can withstand such conditions is definitely going to be useful.
For this, you need a gadget that can resist any water. Although most modern lighting units come with this great feature, it will make sense if you at least take your time to verify.
Versatility
It is for a fact, we all need a source of light we can use in a number of situations. So when buying your mountain bike light, ensure you get one you can use as a flashlight. You need something you can detach with ease and use as a handheld source of light. At no point should you be tied to only one use? You need a unit you can use as a flashlight when you are not using it on your bike.
Updated on January 20, 2021 by Ben
My name is Ben, a passionate hiker, I created this blog to share with you my hiking experiences. I also want to help you make your adventure dreams come true.
