Headlamp biking top 10
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Table of contents:
We are not professional bikers, but we have done hundreds of flashlights tests, including some interesting bike lights, and bike headlamps. And we ride bikes. We hope to provide you with enough details and information to decide whether these are good for your application or not.
Some of the following recommended headlamp can only be used with bike helmets, and not as a normal headlamp. Make sure you know what type of bike light you need.
Brightest bike headlamp
Olight H67
The brightest bike headlamp on the planet
| Specification: | Specified: |
|---|---|
| Max. brightness: | 12,000 lumens (We measured 14,322 lumens at turn on) |
| Battery type: | battery pack 7000mAh 14.4V |
| Charging: | USB-C |
| Best for: | All sorts of biking areas |
| Extra: |
If a bike light uses a built-in fan, you know that it must be bright, right? The Olight H67 has is one of those. It has a built in fan, because it is extremely powerful, and to maximize its sustained output. Without the built in fan, the headlamp would be way less, even during a bike ride that cools down the lamp.
We thoroughly tested it, and during our test were surprised that the claimed 12,000 could easily be reached, even indoors, without any extra cooling. At turn on, we measured 14,332 lumens, and after 30 seconds was still 13,371, which is unheard of.
Besides the built in fan, it also helps to have the battery pack connected via a cable, and not have the battery close to the headlamp itself. And lastly, the the lamp compartment has lots of cooling fins, for it to keep cool.
The other thing I liked was the use of a GoPro mount. This means that you can attach the headlamp to anything with this mount, include a bike handlebar, bike helmet, or even motorcycle helmet. And that is a great features. The only thing that was missing was a frame attachment for the battery pack.
Something else I enjoyed was the extremely large switch, that covers most of the top part of the lamp itself, so no small switches etc…
For more information, check out our in-depth Olight H67 review.
This is why we would recommend this bike headlamp:
- Most powerful bike headlamp you can get
- Long runtimes, with 4,000 lumens for almost 3 hours straight, without extra cooling
- Low mode is almost 500 lumens and runs for 30.5 hours straight, without a hiccup
- Comes with GoPro mount, so you can use it for many other purposes
- Weight on the head is minimal because of the external battery pack
- Lockout switch
Interested? Unfortunately, this one is not available outside the EU.
Best bike helmet lamp
Magicshine Monteer 12000
Extremely bright bikelight, for helmet and handlebars
| Specification: | Specified: |
|---|---|
| Max. brightness: | 12,000 lumens (We measured 11,333 lumens at turn on) |
| Battery type: | Battery pack 10,000mAh 14.4V |
| Charging: | USB-C |
| Best for: | Long rides |
| Extra: | can only be attached to bike helmets and handlebars. So no weight on your body/head |
Unlike some of the other recommended bike lights, the Monteer 12000 can not be used as a normal headlamp. Instead, it gives you the option to attaching it to the handlebar or your bike helmet.
And that’s done on purpose, because of the nature of this beast. The batterypack has an aluminum housing, weighs about 1,000 grams, and can only be attached to your bike frame.
This is such a unique (but pricey) bike light, because of some of its features. First of all, it uses a bluetooth remote control that you attach you to your handles. But this is not required because the light unit itself also has a clear switch, just next to the extremely helpful battery level indicator.
But the most fascinating feature in my opinion is the programmable UI via the Magicshine App. This means that you can decide the exact kind of modes you want. I really enjoyed this, since you decide what to use and what not to use. A standard UI can be good enough, but this is just a step up.
Definitely check out the full Magicshine Monteer 12000 review, we’ve done.
During our test we noticed that its performance is already really good without any cooling (wind), and that the passive cooling mechanism really helps sustaining a higher brightness when riding. The wind cools down the lamp unit, and increases its brightness. The fast you ride, or the cooler the wind, the higher the output.
Even without any cooling we measured over 6 hours of runtime at around 2500 lumens. That is just insane. If you have are riding your bike, and use the windflow, you can be sure to have about 5,000 lumen output for 2 hours at full power.
This is why we would recommend this bike light:
- High quality flashlight with great lumen output
- Bluetooth remote control, as well as control via normal switch on the head unit
- Passive cooling mechanism really helps sustain its high output while riding
- Programmable UI via phone App (Android and IOS)
- Beam can reach up to 400 meters in highest mode.. which is kind of unnecessary, but great for riding in the mountains.
Interested? Check it out at the following stores. You can get 15% off at Magicshine with our exclusive coupon code: 1lumen15off
Best versatile headlamp for biking
Armytek Wizard C2 Pro Max
Versatile flashlight, bike light and headlamp in one.
| Specification: | Specified: |
|---|---|
| Max. brightness: | 4,000 lumens (We measured 3,499 lumens at turn on) |
| Battery type: | 21700 battery |
| Charging: | Magnetic USB |
| Best for: | Short-medium rides |
| Extra: | Versatile, l-shape flashlight, bike light, headlamp, etc. |
This is one of those headlamps that can be used for so many situations. Even though it looks like your average headlamp, it has so much more to offer. This is great for long bike touring trips (bikepacking).
First of all, you can just use it as a normal l-shaped flashlight, so you don’t really need a secondary light for special tasks where you can’t remove the bike light. Secondly, you can use the built in magnet to attachto metal.. which is great for if you are do camping and other occasions. Then you have the bike clamp that lets you attach it to your handlebars or tube/stem.
The package also includes a rechargeable 21700 lithium-ion battery that can be charged with the included magnetic charging cable. You can also take some spare batteries with you, to keep everything lightweight, unlike the Magicshine Monteer 12000 we mentioned earlier.
In our testing we noticed that the specified output of 4,000lm couldn’t be reached, but we measured 3499 lumens after 30 seconds, and 800 lumens after 10 minutes. If you look at the runtimes in our review, you see that you basically get about 800 lumens for 3 hours straight, or 380 lumens for more than 7 hours. This is good for normal roads and urban riding.
This is why we would recommend this bike light:
- Versatile with 3-4 ways to use/carry, with a magnetic tailcap, headband, and bike mount. Great for bike camping, bike tours etc.
- Removable battery, so you can replace it at anytime, without the need for recharging
- High quality rechargeable battery and magnetic charging cable are included in the package
Interested? Check out the following stores:
FAQ: bike lights
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What is the difference between a bike headlamp and bike light?
A normal bike light attaches to your bike, usually at the handlebars. And a bike headlamp is a light that sits on your head, or on a bike helmet.
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What is better to use, a bike headlamp or bike light?
It really depends on the trail or route you take. But generally speaking a combination would be the best. The reason for having a bike headlamp is that you can see things in every direction you look, while a normal bike light can only see the direction your ride in. Also, keep in mind that you have a second head strap that goes over your head, so it stays in place at all times.
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How many lumens do you need for night bike riding
This depends on the route, speed and surroundings. If you just ride a bike on a normal road, you could do with anything between 500-1,000 lumens, and have plenty of light to see. If you go a bit faster, or biking on trails, you would definitely like to have a bit more lumens. But I don’t think you really need anything above 3,000 except for short bursts. If you merely want to be seen by other people in traffic, a small 100-200 lumens would be enough.
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Can you wear a headlamp with a helmet?
Not all headlamps can be used in combination with a bike helmet. So you should make sure if the headlamp is adjustable, or perhaps has some dedicated helmet attachment.