Conclusion
Trickle-down technology is a marvellous thing, and it’s amazing that the Lifeline Pavo Motion 900 has stop/start technology in a light costing less the £60. The problem with this unit is that it sits really high on top of the helmet, so when riding you can feel it more than the other lights and it does catch on branches and vegetation.
The Cateye AMPP800 is similar in price on its own, but lacks the smart tech, although it has a better beam, longer burn time and is brighter. It also works really well with the AMPP1100 bar light, making the Cateye 1900 Lumen Light Kit our pick for any first-time night riders.
The Exposure Diabolo MK12 is twice the price of either of these lights but it has the best head mount on the market. It’s also super powerful and has a tight, focused beam for picking out trail features. It also allows you to mix and match settings to your heart’s content. Add in Tap Technology and the excellent build quality and the expense is easier to justify.
Having a powerful handlebar light is a good idea if you want to ride fast, and with the Night Rider Pro 4200 Enduro on board we could really get a shift on. However, the rim shadow really hurt the slow-speed performance. This light is also heavy, and on full power lacks the run time of the rest. We’re also not fans of the complicated mount and basic fuel gauge.
The Hope R2 Epic, Knog PWR Mountain
Kit, Lifeline Pavo Motion 2400 and Lumicycle Commute S all get the same mark but they’re all different when it comes to performance.
The R2 Epic is excellent quality and has some nice features but it falls between two stools
– it needs a more pronounced spot beam for helmet use or more power for bar use.
The modular PWR Mountain is great value and really versatile, but the construction and light quality are not quite as good as its rivals.
Like its baby brother, the Lifeline Pavo Motion 2400 is an amazing light for the money. The smart technology really makes this a standout performer, but the battery indicator is a waste of time and it really should come with a proper charger.
The Lumicycle Commute S looks amazing and the unit has a finish to rival Hope and
Magicshine. The clamp isn’t great but to be fair it’s on Lumicycle’s wish list of things to improve. Also on this list should be a new switch system, because we found the current one fiddly and confusing.
There are three lights in this test all vying for top honours, and it was really hard to separate them. What stopped the Light and Motion Seca Enduro retaining its crown is the price rise in the last year. Also the fuel gauge (just a different-coloured lamp) is too basic and that cable needs a coil in it. We don’t want to say the Magicshine Monteer 6500 Zeus is a copy of the Seca, but it does have a very similar profile and beam pattern. The lumen output is pretty similar too, despite Magicshine claiming this light has a whopping 6,500 lumens – it’s clearly not twice as bright. We like the bayonet fitting and centralised mount but it’s a little flimsy.
So to the winner, and yet again Lupine has made the best light for mountain biking. The attention to detail, build quality and programmability really set the Wilma R7 apart. There are so many options when it comes to mounting, lumens, sequencing and run times that it’s easily the most versatile handlebar light out there. Yes it’s not cheap, but it’s built to last – we are still using Lupine lights that are seven years old – which makes it an excellent investment as well as our best-in-test.