Artificial Daylight - Mountain Bike Lighting Systems
By Jon Sharp and Cori Jones

It never fails. You’ve spent the whole year getting into race shape. You were even competitive in your last few races. Now, with the onset of winter, which brings Daylight Savings and shorter days, your daylight training time is drastically reduced. So you’re faced with either spinning in the gym or riding the sofa.

Or, how about this? You’ve just spent the last 14 hours trekking through the first few legs of your race. You’ve arrived at the current PC in the dark feeling strong. You’re in second place and that semi-pro team with their sponsorships is just an hour ahead of you. They left the PC 20 minutes ago, confident that they will extend their lead. It’s raining and you’re looking at 40 miles of night riding on your mountain bike with only that headlamp that you borrowed from your cousin to give you light.

Sound all too familiar? Well this year things are going to be different. Light systems for cycling can make all the difference in the world. Instead of getting out of cycling shape over the winter or losing precious minutes to fumbling around in the dark, night riding systems will let you continue in the dark with confidence.

Lighting systems of today are packed full of features. In general, NiMH batteries are lighter for the same power, and they don’t have any "memory". If you can afford it, it’s nice to have both a helmet light (so you can always see where you look) and a handlebar light. Systems that have different output settings or multiple lamps which allow you to dim the light to conserve battery at times when you don’t need it as much, such as a slow uphill. Make sure and either get a spare battery, or look for a system that has a burn time (battery life) at least equivalent to the time you plan to spend on your bike. Once a battery is dead… it’s dead. Most batteries are made to fit in a water bottle cage, but some are smaller so they stow easily in a hydration pack for helmet mounts.

In this article we review some products from some of the industry leaders in cycling lighting system. From each company we reviewed the top of the line product and more economical model. From Specialized, the Fireballs Comp and Sport. From NiteRider, we review the BlowTorch H.I.D. and the Evolution. From Marwi USA, the Pro Elite and the Expert.

Specialized Fireballs Comp and Sport
Specialized has long been known for it’s quality products. Their Fireballs series of lights is no exception. The Fireballs Comp is their top-of-the-line light. It’s a 32-watt Halogen system with a NiMH battery. The Comp has a 12W bulb and a 20W bulb. Output settings include 6W, 12W, 20W, and 32W. The Fireballs Sport is a low-cost system—though the Comp isn’t really expensive ($199 and $99 for the Comp and Sport respectively)—with many of the same features of the Comp. The Sport’s battery is NiCad. It also is a dual lamp system with 6W, 12W, and 18W settings.

Although both lights feature remote switches, the Comp’s is wireless. The range of the wireless switch on the Comp is such that you can mount the lights on your helmet and still control them from the switch on your handlebars. Both systems come with handlebar and helmet mounts. One problem we found with the Sport arises when you mount it on the helmet: Where are you supposed to put the remote (wired) switch? There is no way to use the light without the switch right by, so I ended up mounting that to my helmet as well. Both lights are a little on the heavy side, so make sure your helmet is secure before heading down that bumpy descent.

The adjustability of the Fireballs systems set them apart from the others. The eyeball-in-eye-socket mounting of the lamps allows completely separate adjustability between the two bulbs. In other words, you can point one light close in front of you, and the other further down the trail. You can also point them both outward slightly to get a wide angle of light. This is helpful for tight switchbacks or fast singletrack.

The most outstanding feature of the Fireballs Comp is the battery. It weighs about the same as any other water bottle battery, but has the fuel gauge on it. The charger is incredibly simple, and when combined with the gauge on the battery, lets you know where you stand charge wise at a glance. I like the test button on the battery as well. You can pull it out of a pack and check the charge right away. No more guess work. Unfortunately, this feature isn’t available in the Sport.

Burn times for the Comp are as follows: 6W - 12hrs, 12W - 4:30hrs, 20W - 2:45hrs, 32W - 1:30hrs. For the Sport, expect these burn times: 6W - 6:30hrs, 12W - 1:45hrs, 18W - 1:10hrs. This seems to be about par with the rest of the industry. One thing that isn’t standard is the large number of different wattage settings. The Fireballs Sport especially, shines above the other low-to-mid-end offerings. It’s nice to know that in an emergency, you could go 6:30 hrs on the economy 6W setting.

Some riders didn’t like the mounting system. It works well, and is simple, but it takes up a lot of space. If you have cramped handlebars, it might be hard to fit a light and a computer--let alone the remote switch. The thumb-wheels that secure the mounts aren’t as easy to use as the quick-release levers of the others, but they do work. The cable connectors are a little weak (especially compared to the NiteRider), but we never had any problems with them coming apart unintentionally.

At $199 for the Comp and $99 for the Sport, these are great lights for the money. The Fireballs Sport is especially good for those riders on a smaller budget or who don’t ride at night as often. Both Fireballs systems are a little heavier overall than the others we tested, something you might consider if you have a long race ahead of you. Both the Comp and the Sport come with a harness to hold the battery on your back (when using the helmet mount) if you aren’t using a hydration pack. Charge time for both the Comp and Sport is approximately 13 hrs.

NiteRider BlowTorch H.I.D. and Evolution
Although many companies produce an H.I.D. bike light, this is the only one in the test. The BlowTorch uses a metal halide bulb, which uses less wattage, but produces a larger amount of light than halogens. In fact, the BlowTorch is so bright that it casts vivid shadows in the light cast by both the Specialized and the Marwi systems. The light is a blue-tinted light that floods a fairly large area. By its nature, the H.I.D. system has to ‘warm up’ and cannot be turned on and off rapidly.

Because the metal halide bulb of the H.I.D. uses less wattage, NiteRider (as well as other companies that produce H.I.D. lights) can milk 4 hours out of a somewhat industry standard NiMH battery. Also, by nature of the bulb, there is no low-watt setting. It’s either on or off.

The Evolution uses a more traditional 10W halogen bulb. One thing we noticed right away with the Evolution was that the beam is very focused. This gave the illusion that it was brighter than many of the other systems. The drawback to this focused beam is that you don’t get the large field of vision offered by the wider floods of some of the other lights we tested.

The Evolution also uses a NiMH battery, but instead of mounting it in a water-bottle cage, this one is much smaller in size and mounts directly to the frame. The small size is especially nice when the Evolution is mounted on a helmet and you’re looking for room in your hydration pack for the battery. Burn time for the Evolution is 2.20 hrs.

The helmet mount is great on the Evolution. The light itself isn’t as heavy as the Fireballs, so over-weighting your helmet isn’t as much of an issue. Also, the focused beam doesn’t pose any drawbacks when the light is always pointed right where you’re looking.

The cable connectors on both the BlowTorch and the Evolution (as well as all NiteRiders) are very strong. This makes sure the cables are always secure and also keeps out the elements. The mounting of both systems is very simple with a nice quick-release mechanism. The base seems quite sturdy and secure. Overall quality of these systems is very high.

Even though we loved the tremendous light and great burn time of the H.I.D., there are some drawbacks. First, don’t follow anyone on a trail if you have the BlowTorch. It’s actually too bright for the guy in front of you. We also noticed that it was so bright that it ruined your night vision more than the more subdued light cast by the meager halogens. If you look to the side of the trail after using the BlowTorch, you might have a hard time seeing anything. The real drawback to the BlowTorch H.I.D. (as with all H.I.D. systems) is the price: a whopping $389.

The BlowTorch comes with NiteRider’s MicroBrute charger. This prevents over charging of the batter as well as allowing a speedy 5 hr recharge time.

We loved the Evolution. Although it lacks some of the features (such as different watt levels) of the other lights, $149 isn’t a lot for the quality and compact size of this light. At 567g, it’s the lightest weight light in this test. It makes a great helmet light or commuter light. Charge time for the Evolution is around 9 hrs.

MarwiUSA Pro Elite and Expert System
MarwiUSA, also known as Nightpro, produces a wide range of lights. Though the names might not give it away, the Pro Elite is their most expensive light, while the Expert is one of their low-end models. The Pro Elite is a dual beam system that uses a 15W bulb and a 20W bulb to produce a total maximum output of 35W. The Expert is also a dual beam light with two 12W bulbs to produce 24W total.

The battery on the Pro Elite is a NiMH as is common. What isn’t common is that it is an 8-amp hour battery as opposed to the more common 4-amp hr batteries used by other manufacturers. Because of this, Nightpro is able to have a relatively long burn time (1.4 hrs) with a bright 35W light.

The Expert uses a heavy lead acid battery to cut costs. This brings the total system weight of the Expert to a hefty 1048g. Charge time isn’t that different with the lead acid battery; about 14 hrs. Burn time is 2.5 hrs at 12W and 1.3 hrs at 24W. These are great times for this price range.

Both lights use coiled wires (like standard telephones) to connect the light to the battery. Each battery also comes with extra wire stored inside that is accessible simply by loosening the connector at the battery. These two features, combined with the simple mounting release lever, made for easy installation. One rider commented that he wished all companies would run coiled wires because it allows you one less strap holding the excess wire to your frame. The coil, by nature, takes up what slack there is.

Both lights have remote (wired) switches to activate the high beam. Like the Fireballs, we liked this feature. Unfortunately not like the Fireballs, though, was that the switch only activated one of the two beams—the high beam. While you could argue that completely turning both lights off isn’t necessary while riding, fewer switches just make a light easier to use.

Good batteries, competitive burn times and wattages, and low prices—though not as low as Specialized—make both of these systems attractive. If you’re worried about weight, shy away from the Expert. We like the different light settings both the Pro Elite and the Expert had to offer, as well as their better-than-average burn times. The Pro Elite retails for $259 and the Expert retails for $139.

Summary:
If cost isn’t an issue, the NiteRider BlowTorch H.I.D. is the clear leader. It is by far the brightest, yet has a very long burn time of 4 hours. Unfortunately, for the vast majority of us, cost is an issue. So, for value as well as features, we’d pick the Specialized Fireballs Comp. The greatest single feature the Fireballs Comp had to offer was the battery meter. When you’re outside in the middle of the wilderness with only your light guiding you, it’s nice to know how much time you have left. At $199 for a 32W system, it’s a bargain. Even though the Marwi Pro Elite came in third, it is a good light at a good price.

In the penny-pincher category, the Specialized Fireballs Sport came in first. The Fireballs Sport has three output settings, independently adjustable beams, and comes with both the helmet and handlebar mount. For $99, this light is our top choice for inexpensive systems. Coming in a close second is the NiteRider Evolution. We liked this light because it’s light-weight, well built, and bright. It seems like $149 might be a bit expensive for 10W with only one setting, though. We also loved the small battery and the helmet mount--In fact, of all the lights we tried (in both categories); we think that the Evolution makes the best helmet light. The Marwi Expert is reasonably priced, but we found it a bit heavy with its lead-acid battery.

All of these lights do what they claim, which is buying you some time on your bike. Whichever light you choose, you’re going to have a light that will keep you biking in the dark. It’s up to you to make sure you have enough juice to keep your body going.

Budget Lights	Price	Output	Battery	Pros	Cons
MarwiUSA Expert	$139	12W, 24 W	Lead Acid – Water Bottle	Good, Standard Performer	Heavy, Lead Acid Battery
Specialized Fireballs Sport	$99	6W, 12W, 18W	NiCad – Water Bottle	Very Adjustable, Great Price	Kind of bulky for Helmet use
NiteRider Evolution	$149	10W	NiMH – Small Frame Mount	Small, light, great helmet light	Only one setting, low wattage for price

 

High-End Lights	Price	Output	Battery	Pros	Cons
MarwiUSA Pro Elite	$259	15W, 20W, 35W	NiMH	Long lasting battery	More expensive than the Specialized
Specialized Fireballs Comp	$199	6W, 12W, 20W, 32W	NiMH	Battery meter, Great Value	Not as bright as an H.I.D.
NiteRider BlowTorch H.I.D.	$389	10W (Metal Halide H.I.D. bulb)	NiMH	The brightest, long 4hr burn time	expensive

Jon Sharp is a Contributing Editor to GearReview.com specializing in mountain biking

Cori Jones is a Contributing Editor to GearReview.com and specializes in snownboarding, mountain biking and adventure racing.

For more information, contact:

Specialized USA
www.specialized.com
1-800-245-3462

MarwiUSA
www.marwiusa.com
618-392-2000

NiteRider
www.niterider.com
858-268-9316