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So, it looks like I won't be able to avoid being dragged out for some night ride adventures.
I am lacking in any type of lights, apart from a Petzl headlamp or two.
Without breaking the bank, what should I look for in a night riding light set-up? I don't want to invest in ££££'s of lights yet, as it might not be for me. Just enough to get me out for a couple of hours and back home safely.
Read the 2 threads below maybe
We run the local council health rides. We have a stock of Halfords 1600/1800 lights to encourage folk to try riding at night, and a surprising number go on to buy them.
I do a fair amount of 2-3 hour night rides during winter - any "genre" really but mostly it's XC style laps or little trips down to GT / Inners. For anything off road above straightforward gravel you'll want a bar light and a helmet light. Night riding is actually amazing if it's dry - feels like you have entered another world. It can be a bit eerie at times too!
I use the Halfords 1800 Lumen bar light, which tbh is absolutely fine for my purposes provided I use the bolt-on mount supplied. Takes ages to charge but I just plug it in once I'm home and it's ready for the next time. I did have a Lezyne Macro Drive 1300XL which was actually better, but I lost it.
I have a chilli-tech helmet light - This one. It's very good again for the price, battery lasts plenty long enough and I bought a spare too. Very fast charging.
With these two, I never really find myself wanting much more and can see plenty well enough. But at night time I ride easier black trails at the very top end; mostly just ride easier stuff where it's never a problem. If you're looking to go full send down some enduro stuff you might appreciate the more pricey ones.
I'd check facebook marketplace, ebay, vinted for some 2nd hand exposure lights. If you decide you like it you'll not need any other lights and if you don't you should get your money back when you sell them on.
Plenty of options on ebay offering 2 billion lumens for not much coin. They work well but dont tend to last more than a year. Worth a punt to get you going and far better than better quality lower output kit. Riding at night with poor illumination is annoying. If you like it you can get a good set and keep the ebay stuff as back up.
I ride packless, but always carry a spare tube.
In the same manner, I highly recommend 2 lights : bar and lid. Not only does it make everything much more enjoyable, it gives redundancy in case of failure, flat battery etc.
We run the local council health rides.
Is that like a council haircut type thing? 🤣
I ride packless, but always carry a spare tube.
In the same manner, I highly recommend 2 lights : bar and lid. Not only does it make everything much more enjoyable, it gives redundancy in case of failure, flat battery etc.
And, when you have the inevitable mechanical/puncture, a helmet light/head torch is so much nicer than holding your bar light in your aching jaw and dribbling all over it as you try to fix the problem
I recommend two things:
1 - a lightweight helmet lamp as riding round with a lump on top of your head can give you neck ache
2 - get the brightest light in your group, or ride back in the line - it can be confusing when someone behind you has a brighter light.
Thanks for the ideas, the Halford options, or second hand on Ebay FB Mkt probably the sensible option for now.
2 - get the brightest light in your group, or ride back in the line - it can be confusing when someone behind you has a brighter light.
I used to have this problem in my Fiat Panda. Some giant SUV would come up behind me with their modern headlights, lighting up the whole world, and I'd be stuck in front driving into a black void.
Anyway, my cheapo Halfords 1600 lumen thing is great. It's at least as good as lights 2 or 3 times the price. I did luckily have an old Hope bar mount which is essential because the standard rubber band is crap off-road.
I'd buy whatever the current equivalent of that it. Probably this one...
Night rides are magical, especially in this weather. My daughter wants to ride every day if possible so I’ve started taking her out at night as she’s frequently not finished school / work / clubs until after dark… she has a cheap Brite R light on the bars and a very old Exposure on the lid and she was hitting all the local gap jumps last night as well as techie stuff, you don’t have to spend a fortune to have a lot of fun 🙂
Also have the halfords one and its great, but the older model with the USB port and it died there
very impressed with offbondage stuff from aliexpress or Amazon, 2 hrs at full brightness, I have one helmet and one bar and its brilliant, mine are on their 3rd winter
This one I have on my helmet and its excellent, has a gopro mount
this one has garmin mount