Cycling UK Forum

I am looking for a good head torch. It must have a good beam.
Any ideas please.

Can't beat Alpkit Gamma for value for money.
http://www.alpkit.com/shop/cart.php?tar ... ory_id=253

What are you using it for? mtb singletrack night riding, commuting at night on tarmac, reading the gas meter under the stairs?

I like my old cateye doubleshots for mtb night riding, got a cheap aldi headtorch for camping and reading the gas meter.

...and check how the battery compartment opens before purchase, my son bought one this year and it needs a fine x-head screw driver to open it!

You want a beam. I have one of these which has a powerful beam:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B003 ... 142WSARX86

I bought mine even cheaper than that from good old TKMaxx. It's similar in construction to the Aldi torch which was the subject of a thread on here, but not quite as bright. ie the head can be slid in or out to change frm a concentrated beam to a flood. It also has 1/2 power and flashing. Battery comparment is opened by pressing a button.

Much too bright for shining in people's eyes.

As a general point, if you want a beam, go for a single LED with a true lens, rather than anything with a cluster of LED's.

Well-made, bit heavy but v. bright...
http://www.princetontec.com/?q=eos-bike

I'm assuming that you are looking for one to use for cycling on roads not mountain biking in woods and off road.

I use one of these :-

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... tAodSjwA9w

You also need to buy the separate helmet bracket.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=86322

Personally I wouldn't use a helmet mounted light as my main light because anything strapped onto an everyday helmet could adversely affect the performance of the helmet in the event of a fall or other impact.
From a nightime road safety point of view, the one time when a helmet light is of use is for attracting driver attention at roundabouts and junctions. The smallest, lightest weight flashing light is all that's needed for this purpose.

pedalsheep wrote:Can't beat Alpkit Gamma for value for money.
http://www.alpkit.com/shop/cart.php?tar ... ory_id=253

Agreed. Fantastic piece of kit at a silly price. Wouldn't leave home without it.

I'm another one for the Alpkit Gamma, great torch.

Petzl Tikka XP, expensive but a great performing head torch. It has both white and red light so can stand in for front or rear bike lamp failure.

I bought one of these http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... :MERFB:IID to replace my miners lamp that was 10years old. Superb! incredible beam. it does tend to rattle about one the bracket but I'm not too bothered about that. It might however annoy when it's on your head and wobbles a bit, I doubt it would take too much to dampen it.

bogmyrtle wrote:Personally I wouldn't use a helmet mounted light as my main light because anything strapped onto an everyday helmet could adversely affect the performance of the helmet in the event of a fall or other impact.
From a nightime road safety point of view, the one time when a helmet light is of use is for attracting driver attention at roundabouts and junctions. The smallest, lightest weight flashing light is all that's needed for this purpose.

you have a point, but for mtb applications at least, NOT having it on the helmet increases the chance of falling off.

when the light is on the helmet, it's 'aimable', the beam goes where you're looking, not at where the front wheel is pointing.

I have gone through a variety of head torches - I use them for running in the forests at night, rather than biking. When the last one was starting to show the signs of encroaching senility this summer, I decided to push the boat out and get something that would work on the bike as well. I picked up a Hope Vision R4 - ostensibly the "runner's" version, but as well as a head harness it comes with helmet and handlebar mounts. Even on low setting, it is amazing and has a nice wide beam as well as having the reach (the previous Silva LED headtorch felt a bit like tunnel vision at times). Not cheap but it's far more solid than the previous head torches I've used, and Hope do seem to have a good reputation for spares. Probably a bit too indiscriminate in its beam pattern for road riding, but I hope to add in some early morning rides in the woods on my MTB to my repertoire this winter.

http://dx.com/p/universal-adjustable-bi ... eter-31871
http://dx.com/p/ultrafire-wf-501b-mc-e- ... 8650-39360

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.44091
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.29031

these point to a massively bright torch that you can mount on bars or helmet. a bit heavy on the helmet, so some people get a smaller AA torch for that.
look at bike lights and helmet lights on dealextreme also.
The quality may not be all you expect of Fenix etc., but they are a fraction of the price and they do work.