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Recommended Riding Gear - Headlamp


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I was looking for recommendations for a headlamp that would fit well on my helmet (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00O5E72KI/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s02?ie=UTF8&psc=1).  
Ideally the headlamp would be rechargeable, have different light modes (like strobe effect) and also a rear light for added visibility.  Here's one I've found on Amazon, but before purchasing I wanted to try and get some feedback from the forum to see what others may be using or have for input.  Thanks!
https://www.amazon.com/Mifine-Waterproof-hands-free-headlight-Rechargeable/dp/B016Q8G9OU/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1495632717&sr=8-4&keywords=headlamp+biking

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I bought two each of these as they can both be rotated in any direction in 90 degree increments. Lights designed for bike handlebars are almost always pointed to the side instead of towards the front or rear.

Bodyguard Bike Tail Light-USB Charging,(Red, Blue, Pink)3 Color Changing, 6 Modes, Waterproof & Lightweight.High Intensity Bike Rear Helmet Light Fits on any Bicycles https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N7FVTU0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_RWCjzb7Y8W720

 

BLITZU Gator 390 Lumens USB Rechargeable Bike Light (Blue) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01HR7RYHK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_MXCjzb00GZAJA

 

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5 minutes ago, LanghamP said:

I bought two each of these as they can both be rotated in any direction in 90 degree increments. Lights designed for bike handlebars are almost always pointed to the side instead of towards the front or rear.

Bodyguard Bike Tail Light-USB Charging,(Red, Blue, Pink)3 Color Changing, 6 Modes, Waterproof & Lightweight.High Intensity Bike Rear Helmet Light Fits on any Bicycles https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N7FVTU0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_RWCjzb7Y8W720

 

BLITZU Gator 390 Lumens USB Rechargeable Bike Light (Blue) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01HR7RYHK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_MXCjzb00GZAJA

 

These look pretty sweet!  Any chance you could post a pic of how you have them mounted on your wheel?  Would love to get a look at where you have them mounted and how they work with trolley or hand placement for lifting wheel.  Thanks @LanghamP!

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They both use notched rubber bands so they are easy to install; they won't come off unless you crash.

I put them both on the trolley of the Inmotion V5; they actually fit perfectly and appropriately. They are both USB rechargeable. Neither gets in the way when opening and closing the trolley; I did occasionally knock one off-kilter during wheel handling (or crashing).

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  • 2 months later...
  • 1 month later...

For dark places (like late fall in Sweden) I can really recommend the 'Piko R4 helmet Light' by Lupine. You will get a shining 1800 lumen which puts it on par with the main beam of a car, enabling a good pace along those bumpy forest trails. Also, having the light on top instead of down by your feet offers a tremendous gain in visibility, the way I see it. The lamp is rather pricey if you only intend to use it for EUC but you can attach it to a headband, handlebar or GoPro mount if needed which makes it useful for other activities. I opted for the version with a remote control button that you can strap to your finger, making it easy to dim the light or turn it on and off. The battery is Velcro-strapped to the back of the helmet and can also be used as a USB charger (and rear light if you choose the LED indicator battery version).

I believe it is of German making but here is the American link:
http://www.lupinenorthamerica.com/bike_light_sets.asp

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I have been using this as a handheld. I like it a lot because it's not a tactical light and hence doesn't have sharp edges. It's a wonderful light. 

It uses the 18000 whatever it's called battery cell. The cells in our EUCs...

ThorFire TK15S XPL2 Led Flashlight 1050 lumen Ultra Bright Pocket Light With Bike Blink for Cycling Camping Emergency, Powered By One 18650 Rechargeable Battery Not Included https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07331GXT2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fkc1zbSX9F330

Be sure to use the coupon.

 

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14 minutes ago, LanghamP said:

I have been using this as a handheld. I like it a lot because it's not a tactical light and hence doesn't have sharp edges. It's a wonderful light. 

It uses the 18000 whatever it's called battery cell. The cells in our EUCs...

ThorFire TK15S XPL2 Led Flashlight 1050 lumen Ultra Bright Pocket Light With Bike Blink for Cycling Camping Emergency, Powered By One 18650 Rechargeable Battery Not Included https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07331GXT2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fkc1zbSX9F330

Be sure to use the coupon.

 

That's the first time I read of a flashlight that uses the 18650 battery.  Interesting that it is being used in flashlights now.

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46 minutes ago, Snurre said:

For dark places (like late fall in Sweden) I can really recommend the 'Piko R4 helmet Light' by Lupine. You will get a shining 1800 lumen which puts it on par with the main beam of a car, enabling a good pace along those bumpy forest trails. Also, having the light on top instead of down by your feet offers a tremendous gain in visibility, the way I see it. The lamp is rather pricey if you only intend to use it for EUC but you can attach it to a headband, handlebar or GoPro mount if needed which makes it useful for other activities. I opted for the version with a remote control button that you can strap to your finger, making it easy to dim the light or turn it on and off. The battery is Velcro-strapped to the back of the helmet and can also be used as a USB charger (and rear light if you choose the LED indicator battery version).

I believe it is of German making but here is the American link:
http://www.lupinenorthamerica.com/bike_light_sets.asp

The Betty looks better than the Wilma, but they are a little expensive.

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  • 4 weeks later...

I use this one for riding the forest trails at night.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XRF146C/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It's 5000 lumens and has a very focused bright beam that shoots 200ft ahead of you

letting you easily scan trails and sidewalks in pitch black.

 

index2.jpg

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  • 2 months later...
  • 3 weeks later...

I've had some time now with the headlamp and find it's ease of use and brightness to be very good.  I like having the additional light at head-level because it increases my visibility to others, like a lighthouse for a vertical wheeler.  I like the idea of wearing a lighted helmet with EUCs and may look into getting a taillight come summer or possibly an integrated solution.  I know we're always trying to come up with ways to make our riding safer; helmet lighting should be more popular with how safe and cheap it is.    

In the future I'll get something brighter, but it does a better job than my KS18S or V8 headlight.  It just stays on my helmet and turns on/off by a switch designed to be usable with gloves on the top of the unit that I'm happy to say works reliably and easily.  

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A lot of varied recommendations here, I'd like to share some of my thoughts...

Most of the head-mounted light options that fit most (or all) of your criteria tend to look something like this...

7113n57HINL._SL1000_.jpg.3180e1254f79d8a07e1e08f1cd6b0a47.jpg61B1PY0b1XL._SL1000_.jpg.078a678031da281e1682269aaf34d6eb.jpg

These have powerful Cree 'T6' LEDs and (usually) some extra lights to drain your battery quicker. These can mount on your head or helmet, have several light modes, are rechargeable (if using 18650's) and sometimes have a rear light over the battery housing. Almost all are plenty bright (ignore the lumen claims), but can have cheap or useless Chinese batteries. (Prices vary wildly on Amazon, read the reviews carefully or just buy the batteries separately.)

5a7783f3bea87_61WqMWHbDL._SL1200_.jpg.19cc077d6492facf7bbe664d75eceb6f.jpg

Dedicated bike lights can be a good option. Not as powerful (in general) as the typical headlamp style above, but the built-in batteries are usually more reliable. (The trick is finding a decent one small enough to attach to a helmet.)

71Zb2PkAeaL._SL1200_.jpg.a781dcb91a801a4c7ca04d5cadf63ff7.jpg5a7785f482707_81MxRc4BeL._SL1500_.jpg.b96b6815e66b4cef9b33e0818b03989b.jpg71A2ZOslgQL._SL1500_.jpg.52e4f217f3acc009b2200dcb9060c1d6.jpg

Smaller head mounted lights tend to use less powerful LEDs to conserve battery. Some are more effective than others (employing numerous low drain COB LEDs) and are about as effective as your wheel's light (in general). Often sold with an extra rear-light (same as bike lights), these are much more convenient for their light weight. (Try to find the brightest one you can...)

7100s50rqpL._SL1000_.jpg.dd7fe3c82aa80721e48bfccff1739394.jpg51wz3ZP9acL.jpg.602c47ba811c65bfd675c6475b4d4725.jpg61l7WXNciKL._SL1500_.jpg.16baeec586bfb0e7d75d6e3f5d7df0b7.jpg

Mini handheld torch lights (aka bullet lights, tactical flashlights, etc.) are actually a good option since they tend to carry the same type of LED as heavier headlamps. However, you can only fit one or two batteries and beware again of Chinese 18650 knock-offs. There are plenty of helmet mounting options sold separately (most designed for bikes) but you should be able to find something much cheaper than any of the name brand solutions...

Blika_headband%20crop.jpg

As far as spending on a known trustworthy brand, always a good option (but costly for the brightest lights). The Chinese made Cree LEDs are good and cheap (their batteries are not good). The better brands use much higher quality optics (good), real 'non-fake' batteries (very good), and top-dollar LEDs ($$$). :(

5a7785f482707_81MxRc4BeL._SL1500_.jpg.b96b6815e66b4cef9b33e0818b03989b.jpg

I think the main considerations are:

  1. Will the light be bright enough?
  2. How big is the light? (Extra weight not always necessary.)
  3. Will the batteries last?

If you have money to spend, almost any of these solutions could work... (All have various light modes and can be mounted on a helmet one-way-or-another). However, wearing multiple lights or one big flood light on your head (plus batteries) can be cumbersome. Off-brand merchandise can save money or just be cheap rip-off.

61B1PY0b1XL._SL1000_.jpg

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  • 3 months later...
  • 2 weeks later...

I should note: I buy lot's of cheapo lights (fake Cree's), but they break easy and you have to consider them expendable.

Problems usually include:

  • Bad buttons
  • Lousy lenses
  • Corrupt circuitry
  • Etc.

Anything under $50 (or even $80) tends to be a crap copy of a well designed light from a reputable manufacturer. The lights are usually very bright, but they tend to burn-out or develop other issues... I am getting tired of buying replacements, but unfortunately, it takes a lot of research to separate the junk from the half-way decent.

BTW: If you spend under $25 and you get a light with '18650' batteries... Yeah, don't even test those batteries, just throw them away. (LOL.) :roflmao:

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  • 1 month later...

As a flashlight aficionado, nothing on the market has the quality/cost/ease of use as zebralight.com offerings.  I'm not affiliated with them in any way, but have been using their products for many years.  So low profile as well.

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  • 4 weeks later...

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