Z
Zonic Man
Guest
Helmet mounted or Bar Mounted with only one light?
R
RideMonkey
Guest
I've used both and I prefer bar mount. Its unerving to turn your head a little and have the trail thrown into complete darkness.
Both is better, but bar mount for a single.
Both is better, but bar mount for a single.
R
RideMonkey
Guest
Oh yeah, ride with a mag light. If you only have one light, and you need to fix it for some reason, its quite an ironic situation to be in that you need to fix the one spot you can't point the light at.
I agree with Tammy. Both is better, but if you have to pick one, probably helmet. With the helmet light you can see around corners where with the bar mount, you can only see where the front of your bike is pointing - not around singletrack corners.
Bar before helmet.
I have one of each (NR Digital Pro 12-E on the bar and Digital Headtrip on the head) and I started with the bar mount only. I liked it but thought it would be better if I could see where my head turned (that's the most compelling reason to get a helmet light over a bar light right?). I was able to get a helmet light cheap so I bought one.
The first few rides out I loved it in conjunction with my bar light and didn't see how I could ever ride without it. Well, it started malfunctioning so i sent it back to NR. While it was there I obvioulsy only could use my bar light. I got the helmet light back after a while (took my own time sending it in so the total time was probably 4 months) and now I didn't like it at all.
Why? I did like it for turns and such but I began focusing too much on the bright spot that the helmet light would create and not actually on the trail. Also, in Southern CA most of the trails are dusty and wehn you aren't the lead rider so much dust gets kicked up and the helmet light acts like high beams in fog. You can't see anything!
I started using the helmet light only on faster descents or sections of trail where there were tight turns and I would simply turn it off the rest of the time. I've had occasion to use it exclusively when my bar light ran out of juice and I don't see how anybody ever rides with just a helmet light. While it does illuminate where your head is looking, it also bounces around every time you hit something and I find that very distracting while riding. I find that I ride much slower with just the helmet light as opposed to just the bar light. Even though the bar light is bouncing around, it isn't as noticable as when the light is strapped to your head.
Just my $.02 worth, but I find the bar light much more valuable until it's time to change a flat in which case I love the helmet light!
Michael
I have one of each (NR Digital Pro 12-E on the bar and Digital Headtrip on the head) and I started with the bar mount only. I liked it but thought it would be better if I could see where my head turned (that's the most compelling reason to get a helmet light over a bar light right?). I was able to get a helmet light cheap so I bought one.
The first few rides out I loved it in conjunction with my bar light and didn't see how I could ever ride without it. Well, it started malfunctioning so i sent it back to NR. While it was there I obvioulsy only could use my bar light. I got the helmet light back after a while (took my own time sending it in so the total time was probably 4 months) and now I didn't like it at all.
Why? I did like it for turns and such but I began focusing too much on the bright spot that the helmet light would create and not actually on the trail. Also, in Southern CA most of the trails are dusty and wehn you aren't the lead rider so much dust gets kicked up and the helmet light acts like high beams in fog. You can't see anything!
I started using the helmet light only on faster descents or sections of trail where there were tight turns and I would simply turn it off the rest of the time. I've had occasion to use it exclusively when my bar light ran out of juice and I don't see how anybody ever rides with just a helmet light. While it does illuminate where your head is looking, it also bounces around every time you hit something and I find that very distracting while riding. I find that I ride much slower with just the helmet light as opposed to just the bar light. Even though the bar light is bouncing around, it isn't as noticable as when the light is strapped to your head.
Just my $.02 worth, but I find the bar light much more valuable until it's time to change a flat in which case I love the helmet light!
Michael