Helmet light recommendations
 

I am looking to supplement my current Magicshine 900 lumen handlebar mounted headlight and Bontrager Flare rear light with a helmet light. My riding consists of 75% commuting on local paved trails with a short stretch along a paved shoulder and 25% mountain biking. My main focus is for a helmet light so I can see better when I am mountain biking, but I would like to be more visible on my commute as well, though I don't often deal with a lot of traffic. I would prefer it to have a front and rear light in one and I would like it to stay around $100 or less.

A few I have seen that I like the designs are the VIS360 from Light & Motion Vis 360 - Light & Motion and the Lezyne Macro Duo Lezyne - Engineered Design - Products - LED Lights - Macro Duo

Any other recommendations would be greatly appreciated. I'm not sure what to look for as far as Lumens.

Zebralight H600 up front and dedicated rear light (cateye rapid micro works well for me).
H600w Mk III XHP35 Neutral White 18650 Headlamp
Review: Cateye Rapid Micro Rear | road.cc

I own a Light & Motion Vis 360+. On sale at REI right now for $109.This is the 250 Lumen + model.

I use it exactly as described, to supplement higher power bar mounted lights on both road and trail. It is very light weight and burn time advertised on the L&M website is accurate - 3 hours on high, 6 hours on medium.


-Tim-

I use a Magicshine with a wide angle lens on the handebars with a Viz 360 and a C8 on the helmet. The 360+ would probably allow me to only use 1 light on the helmet. I've been waiting for a few years for the battery to die in the 360, but it sill keeps working and I'll probably replace the battery when it does go.

The wide angle lens on the Magicshine does a great job of illuminating things up close, and the C8 on medium lights up things farther away. The 360 blends in with the others at night, and I use it on flash during the day while appreciating the blinking tail light that runs when the front light is on.

I ordered the VIS 360+ through REI. I try to use my lbs for purchases, but that discount was too much to pass up. Thanks for the help! I'll post comments after I try it.

Be careful with the coiled wire where it enters the rear light. The insulation can pull out from the grommet so don't let the light dangle from the wire. Just be gentle with it, that's all. Save your receipt from REI and you will have the right to lifetime return if this should ever happen.

Fitting the rear light to the helmet was a challenge at first but once I had it figured out I have not had to fiddle with the mount at all. The mount for the rear light stays on my helmet even when the light is not used and has been there for over a year except for cleaning.

The velcro strap goes through a vent at the back of my Giro Aeon as pictured.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/6zbbq1cqyl...s.001.jpg?dl=1

I tried the L&M Vis 360+ at REI after buying my Urban 500 there. They have a great display board and give you plenty of time to play with the toys.

It's not any brighter than my very inexpensive Vivo Bike Illuminati helmet light (prices range from $10-$20 on Amazon, depending on the vendor and product name). But the Vis 360+ projects a much more even beam. The inexpensive helmet lights are great to-be-seen lights, but the beams are oddly shaped and uneven. They tried to emulate the focused beam shape of the Busch & Muller lights, using an LED that aims upward into a forward facing mirror, but the low priced lights use a scallop shaped mirror that casts an odd pattern. Again, a great to-be-seen helmet light and somewhat useful for lighting up where I look in really dark areas, but you get what you pay for with the L&M Vis 360+.

We have the Lezyne macro duo and have stopped using it. The light is ok, but the extra weight on the helmet is unpleasant. I still have very small and lightweight "turtle LEDs" on my helmet.

Was using a NiteRider Lumina Flare for a while. Decent output at the front; decent rear light.
But I lost it with my last move. Will probably replace it a more powerful(& more expensive) headlight.
https://www.amazon.com/NiteRider-Lum.../dp/B00SLRPXPQ
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8178/...1cf11bbd_z.jpgRear lites test, East River path NYC by 1nterceptor, on Flickr
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8728/...da24c66a_z.jpgWe're Turned On by 1nterceptor, on Flickr

I just love that bike!

I think theres going to be compromises when choosing a helmet light with integral rear light. If your magicshine is an mj-808, or mj-900, it may work out better to get a battery extention wire and helmet mount. Could get both under $20, and get a new bar lamp. If your primary intended new use is mountain biking. For the $80 left you could get a nice bar lamp. The magicshine should have a strobe, and is likely better suited for helmet anyways.

It can go pretty much anywhere. :)
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/539/1...751d509d_z.jpgNY-NJ Pathtrain by 1nterceptor, on Flickr

Tonight I'm burning the early morning hours so I might as well kick in some thoughts...
It's hard to recommend helmet set-ups to other people because so many helmets nowadays have very little mounting options. I see you use a MS on the bars so I'm thinking that the L & M Vis 360 you bought is going to be a waste of money. My reasons for saying that is because the MS is simply a brighter lamp. The 250 lumen that the L&M has will barely be noticed except perhaps when making turns. I know you wanted an all-in-one rear and front lamp but truthfully that is not a good idea.

For a rear helmet lamp you might have some problems finding something that will mount on back of your helmet and still be at an angle that will make the output viewable from behind. My helmet rear lamp mounts perfectly on the lowest part of my helmet so I'm lucky that my old helmet allows such an option. Others may not have the same options but with so many types of rear lights nowadays you should be able to find something that works.

For a helmet front lamp I'm going to recommend the Gemini Duo ( duel emitter lamp ) and I recommend ordering it with two spot optics and two cell battery. The Duo should compliment your bar mounted MS right nice and give you tons of throw. Not to mention the newest versions come with a wireless remote so you can control the lamp from the bars. If you chose to buy with a two cell battery you can mount the whole sha'bang on the helmet. ... That said I use all different brands of bike lights including Gloworm and ITUO. Most of those I bought with my own money. I love the Duo on my road bike because of the "two button" wireless remote. One button gives you momentary press/hold high beam while the other is for basic on/off /mode selection...not to mention all modes are programmable.

Order it through Jim at ActionLED and mention CAt-man-do and he might give you a discount....also Action is having a sale on refurbished Gloworm X2's so lot's of options if you buy from Action.

Edit: If the Duo is too expensive you might buy one of the all-in-one Niterider Lumina flares.. It won't be as bright or as wide a beam pattern as the Duo but the Lumina Flare has a rear light built into the lamp and looks to mount very easily to a helmet ( as long as your helmet has the right vent hole arrangement ) At 650 lumen on high it should be brighter than the L&M you just bought. The rear light won't be so bright but that's what you get with an all in one. BTW, REI is very good on taking stuff back...if you should choose to do so. ;)