The mount is the part I like the least, it doesn't look very sturdy at all.

It's been many years since I was a daily bike commuter. (San Rafael <=> San Francisco.) Obviously, technology is MUCH better today.

However, I came to realize that it was a necessity for me to have two headlights at night, one on my handlebars and one on my helmet. When I left the well-lit urban areas, I was on curvy unlit roads. When I went into a corner, the road went one way and my handlebars (and the light on them) went the other way. It's a bit sphincter-tightening to be descending in a corner and not being able to see the road at all.

With another headlight on my helmet, I could look into the turn and see where I was going.

I also realized another benefit from this. When going straight even in well-lit areas, when I would look at drivers approaching on side streets, I could instantly tell that they saw me when my light lit up their faces.

I use the Knog Blinder MOB Mr Chips V since 2015, the year in which it has been released.

Yeah, I use previous variants of the same idea.

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...1b20f57852.png
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...fb5741a15c.png

Two words: Cateye Volt. I would suggest the 800 due to full time night riding you want light. I no longer use the 800 as my primary light but it is still mounted to my helmet. :)
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...7cba3fa839.jpg

the cheap one. Nice idea, but it doesn't look very sturdy

i use a cygolite explilion 850 (850 luments on high) with an Orphos FLare pro (980 on high) on the front. I would not mind adding a light to my helmet but i switch back and forth depending on the temps.

Thanks [MENTION=21724]cyccommute[/MENTION] i think that the mounts you listed are great. I tend to switch back and forth between helmets depending on the temps and don't have to have to switch the light as well. I have thought about a cygolite Dart 350. i know a guy who put one that size on his helmet. It looked like it would mount pretty easy and doesn't weigh much.

Whatever light you use, please don't point it up into the faces of fellow riders passing you in the opposite direction...

I use Monkeylectric on the spokes. They do consume batteries but they illuminate well and stand up to the conditions.

I use 2 Cycle Torch "night owl" headlights, which each came with a rear light. The advantage to Cycle Torch lights is that they are charged by USB port on computers (or your USB-supporting surge protector).

I never understood how non-standard batteries are an "advantage". To me, having to take the light (or whatever device) out of service to charge the battery is a major disadvantage. That's why I find, for example, the spoke-mounted MonkeyLights to be at an advantage. It takes standard AAs. I run all NiMH rechargeables, so when the batteries are getting weak, I swap in a charged up set and charge the weak set. I even have several little two-up AA/AAA USB chargers, keep one in each desk drawer and each pannier/bag/pack/etc, so I can charge two at a time almost anywhere. In a pinch, I can go to any store and get a set of Alkalines.

18640 batteries (commonly used in powerful LED flashlights) are not hard to find online (although I've never seen them in a brick&mortar store), and hold many many more mAh. The flashlight I use on my bike requires one 18650, I keep two in rotation, as you describe. For my usage, I charge at most weekly in the winter. My light also can take three AAAs next to each other in a triangle, if it comes to that. The light had a plastic adapter shell to hold them, I've never tried to use it, and it is surely long lost now.

Some LED lights take CR150 batteries, which are also commonly used in cameras, and I have found them in drug stores before.

Now this ^^^^^^ kind of flexibilty makes sense, especially if the device itself doesn't have to be used as the charger. Def. worth looking into.

I guess I never had a problem popping the light off my bike to plug it into the work computer. I don't see how that's any better or worse than popping it off the bike to change a battery, be it rechargeable or not.

My headlight has an 18650 in it but it hasn't needed replacement yet.

I really liked my Lezyne megadrive. Great design, very bright at 1200 lumen, but it would just not fit in my cockpit with hydraulic brake cables etc. And their newer designs do not have the dame features (field replaceable lithium batteries and clever mechanism of waterproofing of the battery. They are still good I am sure,.

No I use a garmin varia Ut800. At 800 lumen it is not as bright as the Lezyne. Also the battery has a limited duration and is not field replaceable - but good enough for my 30 mi RT commute ( a good part on unlit paths and through woods in Chicagoland). Most important, It has a go pro mount and mounts under my garmin 520 mount. An added feature is it can be controlled by the 520 and has a number of different modes (including based on speed) and it has a good flashing mode for visibility that lasts a long time. The light can be taken off or attached easily with just a twist of the mounting ring (which you can see in the attached photo - the knurled ring above the light).. I can also mount it in my k-edge garmin mount on my road bike. You can mount it on any bar accessory that has the correct orientation go pro undermount.

Not sure if you are looking for anything like this, but thought I'd trow it in.

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...4a0a8bf44c.jpg

With a removable battery, you can pop in a fresh set and be up and running again with no downtime while the other batteries charge. If you've ever left a light on all day (or overnight) and come out to a light with flat batteries, you appreciate the option to swap batteries and go.

Here's a picture and a link for the record. These lights have gotten crazy cheap, I paid like $10-15 a few years ago, now the light is even cheaper than a decent battery (I bought my pair of 18650 batteries separately from batteryjunction.com for like $7 each)

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/KQQAA...zc/s-l1600.jpg


https://www.ebay.com/itm/CREE-T6-LED...szc:rk:32:pf:0

My local Fry's brick&mortar stocks 'em. My Fenix BC21R bike headlamp (with its shaped beam) uses one.

OK, that's not surprising, but if you're out riding who knows where and desperate for batteries, you're much more likely to come across a convenience, drug, or grocery store.

My Fenix BC21R will accept 2X CR123A in place of the 1X 18650. I see CR123A in the ubiquitous CVS corner drug stores in my area. Since I carry a spare charged 3400mAh Panasonic 18650, it's just a theoretical issue for me. YMMV.

Is that a standard thing, that 2x CR123A can take the place of 1X 18650? I assume the size is right, so they can sneak right in like a tower of minions in a trench coat sneaking into the movies with one ticket. But does the electronics work out right (volts? watts? amps? ohms? currents? resistances? other electric words?)

^^^^ Current, power, resistance are functions of the LOAD. Voltage would vary with how the batteries are arranged. Your old high school physics info still applies. If the tw CR123As are stacked in series, the voltage would be the sum of the voltages of the two batteries. An 18650 is 3.7V; I'd have to look up a CR123A.

If you work sitting at a computer or near a power outlet*, a USB recharged battery light would be practical as long as you trip does not exceed the battery run time

and if close get 2..

*Plug in USB power converter like your Phone Charger?





....

Yeah I do not have access to my old high school physics info. That part of my brain has long since calcified.

If 2 CR123As are filling the space of 1 18650, then they would be stacked in series (like a tower of minions in a trench coat (why does the internet have no picture like this? I could have sworn they did this gag in at least one of the Despicable Me movies!))

the webz does say it's in there, but not giving me pictures...
https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.p...otemPoleTrench

The LOAD or light in this case, regulates the power. A good load incorporates a good regulator or power converter for safe operation. A cheap load produces grief.


I like the 18650 cell. Long life and rechargeable. The high current capability of the 18650 must be respected though. Throw a fully charged cell into your pocket with keys and you'll have something like this ..,

Fenix recommends non-rechargeable CR123A only so really just an emergency solution. Voltage will be roughly double so you would need to turn down the brightness or it wouldn't last as long.

i have two lights front and two rear. Last week on my ride in my rechargeable Cyglolite had died. I forgot to charge after a week of riding last week. luckily I had my charged 5000mAh battery pack running my Orphos Flare PRo Red. i might drop one of the lights/ batteries when it is warmer but in the dark ages of winter i like having the extra light and redundancy.