Helmet torch for MTBing for a tight git

[gazzarose]

Evening,

In the spirit of being a tight git, I need some lights for my MTB helmet and my dirt bike helmet but they need to be cheap!!! I've currently got custody (I think my FIL has forgotten he lent it to me) of an Exposure bar mounted light on my MTB and my dirt bike has got a pair of 18W LED spots but neither is much use when pointing skyward or in really twisty stuff so I'm looking for some budget end lights to put on my helmets.

What are my options on spending less than £50ish. That can be either one or 2 lights (having the redundancy factor of 2 lights would be good). There are loads of these https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2400-Lumens-Cree-XML-LE... and these https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2000-Lumen-CREE-XMLT6-L... types on ebay and the more I look the more I find and for the price they may be worth a try, but has anyone got/tried any of the cheap stuff and point me in the right direction. The other factor I'm looking at is how to mount them to my helmet, especially on my dirt bike helmet, so something that either uses or can be made to use a go pro mount would be cool.

Thanks in advance

Gareth

[Camoradi]

I picked up a Lezyne 450XL from Halfords as an emergency replacement light a few weeks back and have to say I was impressed with the light it gave. Rode 3 hours in the dark in a 12 hour with just this on my helmet. £30

https://www.halfords.com/cycling/bike-lights/bike-...

[Mr Ted]

High power Cree LEDs are just the ticket, I bought something similar off eBay and while the light unit itself was brilliant the battery capacity was about half what they claimed, the one you are looking at uses industry standard 18650 lithium cells so if the ones supplied are naff quality you could always buy some branded top notch ones. (A Tesla car uses 7000 18650 cells in it's battery pack!!)

[Mr Ted]

Camoradi said:

I picked up a Lezyne 450XL from Halfords as an emergency replacement light a few weeks back and have to say I was impressed with the light it gave. Rode 3 hours in the dark in a 12 hour with just this on my helmet. £30

https://www.halfords.com/cycling/bike-lights/bike-...

Needs lots more light than that for night MTB riding!!! Bring on the mega lumens!!!

[QuantumTokoloshi]

Costco did 2 x Coast head-torches (435 Lumens) for £18, a few months back. Used them for MTB and cycling at night, works well for me, even at £40 they would be worth it.

https://www.gaelforcemarine.co.uk/en/GB/Coast-FL75...

[syko89]

Solarstorm - Very bright with a good spread of light.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SolarStorm-5000LM-2xCR-...

ETA: I usually have one of these on my bars and pair it up with the single CREE light on my lid.

[Mr Ted]

syko89 said:

Solarstorm - Very bright with a good spread of light.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SolarStorm-5000LM-2xCR-...

That's more like the lumens needed!! Plus I reckon that external battery pack is 2 X 18650 cells so rebuildable if the cells aren't 100%, plus you can build your own pack if a different shape would be easier to carry. Double plus there are plenty of 18650 and bigger capacity cells and holders on eBay.

It's going to scare the c**p out of the squirrels LOL

[louiebaby]

It would appear that 32,000 Chinese Lumens is the level we're playing at this year.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/282723486888

Not sure what the exchange rate is between Chinese and Normal Lumens, but you'll be able to blind a deer at 50 metres, so who cares!

[gazzarose]

Yeah that's the kind of thing I'm looking at. For 15quid or so I think it's worth a punt. When I have chance I'll flip a coin and choose one of the super special chinese lumen lights. If any one has more experience it will be added to the pot of knowledge. I shall report back with what I buy and how it performs.

[louiebaby]

syko89 said:

Solarstorm - Very bright with a good spread of light.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/161266055315

ETA: I usually have one of these on my bars and pair it up with the single CREE light on my lid.

I have one of these for normal commuting duties, and use it on the 1st setting for normal roads, 2nd for dark country lanes, and the third for really obnoxious car drivers who seem to want to blind me with their headlights.

[Fluffsri]

louiebaby said:

syko89 said:

Solarstorm - Very bright with a good spread of light.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/161266055315

ETA: I usually have one of these on my bars and pair it up with the single CREE light on my lid.

I have one of these for normal commuting duties, and use it on the 1st setting for normal roads, 2nd for dark country lanes, and the third for really obnoxious car drivers who seem to want to blind me with their headlights.

Louiebaby, the problem with cycle lights is they can be extremely bright, to be fair, brighter than some car headlights . I used to get flashed all the time when I was riding home from nightshift even though I was on min setting. I pointed the beam down and can run it on a higher setting and not be flashed anymore. Might be worth a bash?

[Mr2Mike]

Mr Ted said:

That's more like the lumens needed!! Plus I reckon that external battery pack is 2 X 18650 cells so rebuildable if the cells aren't 100%, plus you can build your own pack if a different shape would be easier to carry. Double plus there are plenty of 18650 and bigger capacity cells and holders on eBay.

It's going to scare the c**p out of the squirrels LOL

The battery packs on the majority of these Chinese made lights use four 18650s. The downside is they don't tend to be very well sealed so water ingress is a risk.

[louiebaby]

Fluffsri said:

Louiebaby, the problem with cycle lights is they can be extremely bright, to be fair, brighter than some car headlights . I used to get flashed all the time when I was riding home from nightshift even though I was on min setting. I pointed the beam down and can run it on a higher setting and not be flashed anymore. Might be worth a bash?

Valid comment, and made in a polite and considerate way, thank you.

I had it mounted on a bar that made it angled slightly at the verge, and purposely chose to angle it down a little to replicate dipped headlights in a car. This meant I had a good (enough) view of the road, without dazzling folk.

My comment about setting three didn't state how often it would be used. It might only have been once a week or once a fortnight. Just like you get people who are numpties when you're in the car.

Valid point though, bon weekend!

[vwsurfbum]

https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Izone-ARC-850-Rechargeabl...
I have one of these and the 600 version, no battery packs.