LED Light Review

Not everyone has $800 to spend on super-high-end lights, so we tested a selection of good quality lights in the $200 to $400 price range—you don’t need a bank loan to hit the trails with confidence at night.

These photos were taken using the same camera settings as the bike lights and should help to put everything in context. First up we have a $20 Dolphin torch, as purchased from the local hardware store (yes, that's the dim one). Then we have some halogen car headlights on high-beam - that's two 130-watt H4 globes with aftermarket IPF reflectors and upgraded wiring looms. Now check out how the tiny little LED bike lights compare...

Cateye Volt 1200       $230

Sheppard Cycles 1300 883 305 / www.cateye.com 

Based on appearance alone we expected the Cateye Volt 1200 to be more of a commuter light than a serious off-road retina-burner. Once on the trail it’s apparent that the twin LED setup produces plenty of light for MTB applications. The beam isn’t super wide but it’s quite bright with an even spread.

As a self-contained light with a fast tool-free mounting system, it is very convenient, easy to use and you don’t need to muck around with wires and battery mounting. The only potential glitch in this area lies with the clamping mechanism; while it easily held the weight of the light, the thumbwheel is a loose part that could easily get lost.

The Volt has a mode that flickers from dim to bright located between the low and high beams; this semi-flashing mode isn’t as annoying as some flashers but it’s still not what you want when you’re frantically searching for full power at the start of a descent.

While it’s only supplied with a handlebar mount, Cateye does make a helmet fitting. We feel that the 240g weight (including mount) makes it a little too heavy for helmet mounting but the option is available.

USB charging (from your PC or phone charger) isn’t the fastest but the burntimes are good for a bright all-in-one light. Cateye also makes replacement battery cartridges, so this isn’t a disposable unit. The Volt proved worthy as an off-road light; it mounts solidly, functioned reliably and produced enough light to do the job.

Magicshine MJ-880U            $230

Giro Australia 0402 091 242 / www.magicshineaustralia.com.au

This is the latest rendition of the Magicshine MJ-880; with updated emitters the claimed lumen output has gone from 2,000 up to 2,200. As we’ve stated previously, manufacturers use different methods to calculate the light output and whatever they claim shouldn’t be taken on face value. Based on our observations, the MJ-880U is comparable in brightness to lights in the 1,200-1,400 lumen range. There’s no denying it’s a really bright light; it’s just not as bright as the claimed output may have you believe (compare the beam photo to the 1,800 lumen Niterider on page XX if you want an example).

Boastful claims aside, the MJ-880U is a very bright MTB light and it’s easy to use too. It’s quick to mount with rubber straps used for both the battery and light head. The battery is on the bulky side but the thick rubber pads keep it secure and rattle free. It’s supplied with a rather long cable for helmet mounting, so there’s a lot of excess wire to secure if you mount it to the bars. The standard bar mount is quite wide and lacks any angle adjustment; this could have the beam pointing off to one side if your bars sweep back abruptly after leaving the stem—other than that, the mount worked well.

The mode button is well designed; one side makes the light brighter, the other makes it dimmer with five power levels in total. There’s no flashing mode which may be a negative point for commuters. The button also changes colour to serve as an easy to view fuel gauge.

While the 2,000 lumen MJ-880 that we reviewed last year exceeded the claimed burntime, the newer and 10% brighter model didn’t go for as long; Magicshine claims 2.3 hours but we got just on two hours on full power.

The beam pattern has a distinct central spot that makes it perform better on high speed fire trails. There is a reasonable amount of spill to the sides, it’s just that your eyes adjust for the brighter middle section which gives you that sense of tunnel vision. Get the optional helmet mount if night time singletrack is more your thing. It mightn’t be perfect but it’s a totally functional off-road light and for the price it represents excellent value.

Gemini Duo   $280

Bike Sportz 1800 808 181 / www.gemini-lights.com

The Duo is impressively compact for a 1,500 lumen light and the twin LED head weighs just 60g (78g with the helmet mount). It’s supplied with handlebar and helmet mounts, as well as a headband that lets you use the Duo as a super-powerful camping head torch.

Mounting couldn’t be simpler; it uses a tacky rubber O-ring to grip the bars and the side-to-side beam angle can be adjusted to cater for different handlebar sweeps. For helmet mounting, the same O-ring straps it to a bracket which in turn fits though the vents. My only gripe is that the hard plastic battery pack doesn’t have any rubber padding to protect your bike—it just straps straight on. Still, it’s easy to improvise and stick a piece of rubber to the battery; as an added bonus it’ll be less likely to slip around.

The Duo produces a healthy amount of light for its size. The beam is moderately wide, quite smooth and free from spots or rings, and it filters out gradually towards the outside. It’s equally at home on your head or handlebars, although helmet mounting is the go if this is to be your only light.

There’s no silly flashing mode in the main beam sequence and the outputs for each of the three settings can be customised as required. The programing procedure is very simple and the manual explains it well. There is a flashing commuter mode, you just need to hold the button down to access it. It too can be customised for brightness but the flash speed is pretty slow which isn’t as eye-catching as some.

The mode button is backlit which makes it easy to locate and it changes colour to indicate four different levels of battery health. If you don’t need the three hour burntime of the four-cell battery that we reviewed, the Duo can be ordered with a two-cell battery; it’s lighter, costs $30 less and halves the run time.

Gloworm X2  $299

Bicycle Peddler (03) 9763 1007 / www.bicyclepeddler.com.au

At a glance, the Gloworm X2 looks a lot like some other twin LED light. Look a bit closer and you’ll find this compact New Zealand designed light has its own unique style.

First up, the mounting hardware is alloy and the bolts are stainless steel. It’s waterproof too, so wet and muddy MTB rides certainly won’t phase it. The battery pack has a handy built-in fuel gauge (note that it comes with an adhesive backed rubber pad that you should fit if you’re going to strap it to your frame). Gloworm offers interchangeable optics that let you to change the beam angle to suit your needs. To top it off, the X2 has a range of programmable modes that go well beyond what most lights offer. Be warned however; programming the special modes is best done with the manual in hand and minimal distractions, as it’s not the most intuitive.

The X2 runs a remote power switch to cycle through the power settings. In theory this should place the mode button close at hand, but the 17cm-long stretch of wire won’t make it to your grips if you run wide bars (around 710mm and up). You also need to stick a velcro patch to the bars to mount the button—personally I’d rather have a simple velcro strap to sticking velcro dots on my handlebars.

Opt for helmet mounting and you’ll need to velcro-dot your lid for the remote. While a remote places the light function close at hand when bar mounted, I didn’t find it easier to locate the little switch when it was up on my head. If you don’t like the remote switch, just place a velcro dot on the back of the light head and stick the switch there—job done.

It’s very compact and svelte, which makes it ideal for helmet mounting. The beam quality is excellent, with a bright and even spread of light that dissipates gradually around the edge. With the customisable modes and lens optics, the X2 will appeal to the tinkerer; it’s great for someone who’s willing to spend time optimising their setup. For the rest of us the Gloworm is a robust, high quality compact light.

Lezyne Mega Drive   $299

Monza Imports (03) 8327 8080 / www.lezyne.com

When we last looked at the Mega Drive, we tested the basic $230 light-only kit. While we were impressed with the light output, we weren’t so happy with the nylon mounting bracket; it struggled to hold the light over rough ground. This time around we’ve got the $299 ‘Loaded Box’ kit. For the extra dollars you get a plastic hardcase, a spare battery and it comes standard with an alloy handlebar bracket.

The alloy bracket is far sturdier and held the 288g weight of the light head when barrelling down the trails at night—if you’re using this light off-road it’s really worth getting the alloy mount. The bracket itself is hinged and tightens with a simple thumbwheel bolt. My only issue was that the supplied rubber pads are on the short side. As a result, half of the alloy bracket will be in direct contact with your bars and the hinged clamp doesn’t look like it’d be overly kind to lightweight bars if it was over tightened—just take care in that regard.

Previously we’ve been impressed with the light output of the Mega Drive, and since then it has gained 20% more power to be rated a 1,200 lumens. Lezyne lights seem very bright for their claimed outputs. The beam pattern is quite distinct; there’s a bright central area that gives a long distance throw for faster trails but there’s also a very useable spill of light that helps at lower speeds. While it’s not the smoothest or most even beam, it works very well on the trail.

Lezyne claims a burntime of 1:20 on full power but we didn’t manage to reach that figure with our test sample. We also found that the light got pretty hot if you left it on high beam for too long when riding—it would power down to protect itself. Just use full power when you really need it on the descents ad all will be well. Select the ‘Race’ mode for MTB use and you get a simple two-beam sequence; full power and a five hour low beam for climbing. And if you need to ride for longer, just pop in the spare battery cartridge—easy!

Cygolite Trion           $319

Bikecorp www.bicorp.com.au

The Trion is far from a new light, in fact it still looks the same as the Trion that I tested around five years ago. Only preceded by the offerings from UK brand Exposure, the Cygolite Trion was one of the first all-in-one LED lights that was genuinely bright enough for mountain biking. Back when it was first released, Cygolite rated it as a 600 lumen light, now the claimed output is up to 1,300 lumens.

The lumen rating has gone up substantially but the beam pattern remains similar. It has a moderately broad beam that’s very consistent and free from distracting hot spots. Rather than relying on complex button pressing sequences to access different modes, the Trion uses two buttons. One serves as a simple on/off switch while the other lets you scroll between the power levels. It’s easy to use and there’s no need to constantly refer back to the manual when changing the settings. The secondary switch also doubles a power output indicator and a fuel gauge.

Many other self-contained lights charge via a USB port but the Trion has a dedicated charger. This mightn’t be as convenient but it does deliver a reasonably speedy four-hour recharge time. If you want to extend the maximum burntime, you can hook the headlight up to an external Cygolite battery pack.

The nylon handlebar bracket fits to the bars without tools and holds the light securely. Unfortunately the adhesive rubber pad doesn’t stick very well and falls off—you’ll either wind up gluing it back or adding your own rubber pad to help the bracket stay securely in place. On the positive side, the mount allows side-to-side adjustment of the light so you’ll always be able to get the beam pointing straight ahead.

The Trion is a great example of how far self-contained handlebar lights have come. They can deliver plenty of light and the burntimes are quite reasonable if you make use of the mid-beam modes; you’ll get between 2.5 and five hours from the middle settings on the Trion. And once you’ve tried an easy to use all-in-one light, it’s pretty hard to go back to the tangled wires and separate battery packs.

Exposure Diablo        $350

Bike Box (03) 9555 5800 / www.bikebox.com.au

As we’ve mentioned before, self-contained lights are tidy, easy to use and fit virtually any bike regardless of frame style—they’ll even double as a handy torch around the house. However, the combined weight of the battery and light makes typically makes them too heavy for helmet mounting. In this regard the Exposure Diablo is a clear exception. Sure, it comes with a handlebar mount but more than anything this light was designed to go on your head.

I really appreciated the lack of cables when helmet mounted. You could remove your pack to get clothing or tools without the battery and cable trying to yank the helmet off your head—it just seems less restrictive than a traditional set-up. The helmet mount is one of the best that I’ve used—it just bolts in place through a helmet vent and allows a broad range of adjustment via a ball joint.

All up it weighs just 122g including the mounting bracket and Exposure claims a substantial 1,100 lumen output on high beam. It will only produce that amount of light for just over an hour, but the middle setting is still totally usable and it provides a three-hour plus burntime. If you need to extend the high-beam run time, Exposure makes external ‘piggyback’ battery packs that just plug in—it won’t be wire free any more but the option is there if it’s needed.

We had the ‘Mk-5’ Diablo on test. With their new ‘Optimised Beam Selection’ feature, you can now select from a range of mode sequences. You can opt for a dimmer high beam to extend the burntime or change the default three beam sequence to a simple high/low setting. This is easy enough to do and the sequence options are laser etched onto the light so you don’t need to refer back to the manual—nice!

The Diablo’s helmet mounted intent is also reflected in the beam pattern. It’s more centrally focused than the other lights that we had on review. This would produce a bit of tunnel vision when bar mounted. As a helmet light, the beam is pointed where you are looking, so the narrower beam can work well. Combine it with a wide flood beam on your bars and you’ll have a killer setup.

Serfas TSL-1000       $385

Velo Vita (02) 9700 7977 / www.velovita.net.au

While we’d undoubtedly prefer to be railing berms after dark, chances are that most of us will be commuting at night more frequently than we’re surfing the dirt. With this reality in mind, the TSL-1000 packs a range of neat commuter-oriented features.

First up, it has a powerful red LED flasher built into the battery pack. With this you’ll always have a taillight on hand and never get caught out if an off-road jaunt gets aborted, forcing you to ride home on the blacktop. When commuting it means you only need to charge a single battery and no longer need to feed AAA batteries to your rear flasher.

The battery itself features rubber padded ends to protect your frame and this also keeps it secure and rattle-free. A long extension lead lets you mount the battery to the seatpost when using the taillight feature, and without the extension lead the cable is quite short; this keeps the system tidy when the battery is mounted to the front of the frame.

Another unique feature is the USB charging port on the battery. This isn’t for charging the light; it allows you to charge other items such as mobile phones—a handy feature when bike packing perhaps.

However you configure the light, it all mounts without tools and the light head offers side-to-side adjustment for different bars, just be careful not to lose the stretchy rubber light mounting band as it pops off the bracket a little too easily. Serfas supplies the light with an optional remote button that plugs into the light head. It proved easy to use and was equally suited to road and off-road use. As you’d expect from a commuter oriented light, there is a flashing mode. It is easily accessed by holding the mode button down for three seconds. This leaves the main beam sequence free from strobe modes when you are mountain biking.

As helpful as the commuter features were, we were happy to find the actual light output was suitable for off-road use and better than you might expect for a 1,000 lumen light. The beam is wide enough for singletrack riding and the helmet mount worked just fine. Despite the integrated LEDs, battery remains light and compact enough to carry in your back pocket. Yes it is a good urban light, and thankfully it’s equally at home in the dirt.

Niterider Pro 1800 Race       $399

JetBlack Products (02) 4560 1200 / www.jetblackproducts.com

Compared to all the miniaturised lights that are included in these pages, the Niterider stands out as being comparatively big and chunky (despite it being the smallest from their ‘Pro’ series). It also sits on the upper edge of our $200 to $400 price bracket.

With that observation out of the way, skip to the beam photo and you can see why the weight and expense is justified. This 1,800 lumen light is clearly brighter and broader than the others that we had on test. The outer fringe of the beam has a less than optimal ring where it cuts out, but the main circle of light is so big and bright that it really doesn’t matter.

The beam is well and truly wide enough for handlebar mounting, providing plenty of peripheral vision. Put it on your head and you’ll probably never need a supplementary handlebar light. Nightrider could label it as a 2,800 lumen light and their claim would still appear realistic.

While the light may be chunky, it’s certainly functional, solid and easy enough to mount. The tool-free bar mount uses an oversized thumbwheel that’s easy to handle with full-finger gloves. It also offers a broad range of angle adjustment and the helmet mount is equally functional. The battery is bigger than most but it has two velcro straps and a large, full-length rubber pad, so it’s not going anywhere. It may be a bit weighty for your back pocket but the elongated shape tends to sit neatly into a hydration pack.

Niterider claims a 1:30 burntime on full power but ours easily exceeded that. The 700 lumen middle setting is still surprisingly bright and extends the burntime to over three hours. While there is a flashing mode, it’s separate from the main four beam sequence.

This is a serious and very functional off-road light and a good example of the old ‘you get what you pay for’ proverb.