Lights. Helmet, bar or both?

Teach

Ok, before you all tell me to read the sticky, this is something a bit different I hope (as I didn't see it in the sticky)

The lights in particular I am looking at are by Ay-UP, but that is a bit irrelevant.
As a roadie :shock: I would have just a set of lights on the handlebars. I am new to mountain biking. I have used some lumicycle lights on the handlebars and they were really good. If I was to buy new lights would you just buy handlebar mounted lights, just helmet mounted or both? I suspect if money is no object (but it is for most of us) you would buy both.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Teach

I suppose I am also wondering if the ayup v2 is sufficient or whether I really need (not want) the v4?

dastrass

V4 all the way mate. They are the muts nuts. Wide angle on the bars and spots on ur lid. Job sorted. The burn time is awesome for both large and small batteries

bartimaeus

Both... if you have bar lights only and your view of the trail will be limited by obvious shadows. A helmet light will fill these in for you, so you'll be able to tell a 10cm drop from a 1m drop.

Bar lights show you where you are headed now, not where you want to be headed next... so if you are riding on a twisting trail it's a major advantage to have a light that you can point for yourself.

Whatever people think of the price-performance of Ay-UPs, they certainly look like a great helmet light... compact, pretty powerful, and with a great gecko mount.

tsenior

what bartimaus said: floody on th ebars, less so (but not spot) on the head

supersonic

For the money, Ay Ups lag far behind on sheer output. They are well made, and adjustable, but the runtime is so long because the relative output is poor.

Have a look at the Deal Extreme XML bike lights, or magicshine uk. Never rule out the torch option. For the money here, you can have bar, and helmet lights, and still have change.

Pudseyp

Agree with SS.....I bought a 900 lumen magicshine from dealextreme for £50 posted, it's the UK version with the UK plug and waterproof battery.
http://www.dealextreme.com/p/ha-iii-cre ... uded-30864

And then buy this for around £28 for your helmet....again 900 lumen (but us plug so you will need a shaver adaptor)

http://www.dealextreme.com/p/ssc-p7-3-m ... 8650-50947

Bargain

Teach

Thank you pudsey and ss.
I think I may go down the magicshine route.
Just out of interest the bike lights that are selling for £400 are they significantly better and do people still need head torches. Based on a previous post I would guess you still need a head torch.

Teach

What methods do you use for attaching lights (torches) to your helmet?

Pudseyp

I use both and recomend this to anyone, as Bartythingy says you bar lamp floods the area in which your wheel is pointing, as you know your head is not always in the same direction as you will be picking lines, therefore a headlamp is also a good idea.

Headtorches have a plate and strap, the plate attactches to the lamp and fits on top of your helmet, the velcro straps then go through the vents to hold the lamp in place.

bartimaeus

diy posted his elastic and velcro set-up somewhere - pics here and here.

I'm using on of the lockblock type attachments from DX with a velcro strap to adjust the angle... but this is not so good if you ride under low branches.:

cloudynights

both
vision 4 and a new r4 fantasticle

snotty badger

Personally I only use a light on my lid. I've tried a light on the bars too but 2 beams didn't work for me.

Maybe I could get away with it bridal-ways but on techincal stuff it was just annoying.

just my 2p.

tenfoot

Teach wrote:

Just out of interest the bike lights that are selling for £400 are they significantly better and do people still need head torches. Based on a previous post I would guess you still need a head torch.

I have an Exposure Maxx-D, that I bought cheap off a colleague, as my bar light and a Hope Vision 1 being used as a helmet light.

The Maxx-D is a flood, and is great, but I wouldn't want to use it on it's own.