What is the Best Mountain Bike Light? – 2017 (COMPARISON & ADVICE)

Add to your mountain bike experience by adding a headlight for nighttime riding. There is no need to limit your riding to daylight hours. Headlights give you the freedom to ride anytime, safely.

There are such a large number of mtb lights on the market, you probably wonder which is the best mountain bike headlight. Don’t despair! The Best Mountain Bike Lights Review compares the top products and helps you find the one that best meets your needs.

In this article, we will compare 4 Mountain Bike Lights below:

**You'll find detailed comparison below, but you can also check the prices or read Amazon Customer Reviews by click the links above.

Finding the Right Headlight for You

For a new rider, the technical terms used by the biking industry can be a bit confusing. What it boils down to is this: the only thing you need to ride your mountain bike at night is some sort of light.

It could be a helmet light, or one that is mounted directly on the bike. Even the basic commuting light found on most street bikes will work, but you will discover quickly, that not having the proper amount of light on a rough trail can be dangerous.

What is the Proper Amount of Light?

In today’s world, the school of thought is “bigger is better.” Powerful headlights are good, but you need to balance output with required input.

If you meander your way up a hill for the thrill of the race down, you may not need maximum power for the climb up, but you will definitely want it for the ride down. If you are cruising along a mixed trail, you need good light consistently, so that you aren’t surprised by hazards across the trail.

Mountain Bike With Head Light

It’s also possible to have too much light. Wet and foggy conditions produce glare and bounce-back. Too much light will only blind you. If you are riding with others, then you must be careful about casting shadows on the trail. Your position in line determines the amount of light needed.

A 1500 lumen light that runs at 50 percent produces less light than a 1000 lumen that can run at 100 percent. Take into consideration both the battery power and maximum output of light. Weigh this against your trail needs, and you will know which headlight is right for you.

Output and Battery Usage

The Vision II Headlight

The Vision II Headlight has separate intensity settings, allowing for good battery conservation. The lumen output ranges from 90 lumens to 860 lumens. At its lowest setting, the headlight will stay charged for 25 hours, but at its highest setting, you will need to recharge after only 1.5 hours.

Keeping your light at 400 lumens, ensures about 3 hours of battery life. The Vision II comes with an extra battery pack, so you can do a quick swap, out on the trail. 

The NiteRider Lumina 750 Bike Light

The NiteRider Lumina 750 Bike Light ranges from 200 lumens on its low setting to 750 lumens at its highest. The light needed for most applications is about 350 lumens.

The NiteRider stays charged about 3 hours at 350 lumens and about 5 hours at 200 lumens. The headlight is rechargeable but does not come with an extra battery.

The Bright Eyes 1200 Lumen Light

The Bright Eyes 1200 Lumen Light boasts 3000 feet of visibility. At its highest output, of 1200 lumens, the battery lasts just over 3 hours. The Bright Eyes light puts out over 4 times the light of the NiteRider and Vision II, with the same battery drain.

Keep in mind, though, too much light, can be a hindrance. You need to consider where you will be riding your mountain bike. The lowest level of output for the Bright Eyes is 350 lumens, about what the average rider needs. The battery lasts over 24 hours, when the light is set at its lowest setting.

The Cygolite Expilion 800 USB Bicycle Headlight

The Cygolite Expilion 800 USB Bicycle Headlight boasts several intensity settings, and maxes out at 800 lumens. The Cygolite comes with a second battery, for swapping on the fly, and the average life of each battery unit is 9 hours.

The width of the beam appears to be a bit narrow, but the output is more than sufficient to light the road ahead, as long as you don’t need to see to much on the periphery.

Installing Your Mountain Bike Headlight

The first thing to check when buying a mtb headlight is that the light and any external batteries actually fit on your bike. The newer 35mm handlebars don’t work well with some headlights and if your bike has a compact, or curvy frame, the headlamp might not seat properly.

A headlamp needs to fit securely, with no wobble. You want the beam of light to be steady, and point the right direction, or it just becomes a distraction.

If your desired headlamp does not mount well on your mountain bike, consider whether or not the light can be mounted on your helmet instead.

How Much are They?

The Best Mountain Bike Lights Review finds that moutain bike headlights range in price from a mere 3 dollars to over 1000 dollars. A good bike light, with plenty of lumens and battery life, can be had for about 100 dollars.

The Bright Eyes light was the least expensive, and priced out under 50 dollars. All three of the other lights reviewed are priced right at the 100 dollar mark.

Consider the special features, and the versatility of each of the lights. The balance between cost and performance, seems to be perfectly balanced in each of the lights reviewed in the Best Mountain Bike Lights Review.

Which One is Right for You?

The Best Mountain Bike Lights Review concludes that the balance between light and power goes to the Bright Eyes 1200 Lumen Light.

If you are looking for the brightest light, it wins hands down. The battery life may not be overly impressive, but it keeps up with the competition and will meet the needs of most riders.

If you are planning a longer ride, the Cygolite Expilion is the recommendation of The Best Mountain Bike Lights Review. With its combined 18 hours of battery life, and 800 lumens of light, the Cygolite, ensures the most light for the longest amount of time.

The inclusion of both a headlight and two taillights makes the Vision II an excellent buy for the cost. Even though there is not an alternate helmet mount available, the one-fit design that takes into account oversized handlebars, makes this headlight perfect for all applications.

Headlight

When you consider all things: intensity, battery life, cost, and fit; the NiteRider Lumina does not take first place in any one category, but it does place high in all of them. Overall, the NiteRider makes the best choice for all-around performance. There are a lot of positives, and very few negatives, in regards to this particular headlamp.

Each of these mountain bike headlights performs well, and offers a great deal for the money involved. Depending on your specific needs, the best choice could be any one of them. You can purchase any of the mtb headlights mentioned in this "Best Mountain Bike Headlights Review" with confidence! Or you can take a look at some mountain bike lights below: