Front light suggestions

[RoadRider400]

Please can I have suggestions for a new front light. Criteria as follows:

- My rides will be a mximum of 30 minutes
- Does not need to light up the whole world as I will mostly be on cycle paths
- Sub £35 preferably
- Not a Cateye product. My first was brilliant but the last two I had the battery life seemed to shorten quickly over the months.

 

[HLaB]

For my 20min commute I run a Niterider Swift 500, I like its versatility with having an integrated bracket/strap.

https://road.cc/content/review/252199-niterider-swift-500-front-light

 

[Drago]

Cheap. Effective performance. Quality.

Choose any two.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Just go any online bike retailer and choose your poison

 

[RoadRider400]

Cheap. Effective performance. Quality.

Choose any two.

That's what I used to think. However as previously alluded to each of my previous Cateyes were circa £60-£80 and lasted barely more than a year. I then somewhat reluctantly went for a random unkown to me brand from Amazon for £25. It was a brillaint bit of kit and lasted many years. Regrettably and foolishly I left it on the bike last night and it was pinched.

Sure there is a lot of cheap rubbish out there but there is also some great kit reasonably priced. You just need to know which ones...hence the post.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

I use cheap rechargeable ones - front and back

Alway at least 2 in case one runs out of charge on the ride - and because 2 lights are easier to notice than a single light

Personally I have a thried light that is brighter and more directional - I only use it in dark places to light up the path/track

 

[Drago]

That's what I used to think. However as previously alluded to each of my previous Cateyes were circa £60-£80 and lasted barely more than a year.

In 2026 I would regard anything under three figures as not merely inexpensive, but cheap.

 

[siadwell]

Ravemen and Magic Shine are Chinese brands that are pretty much market leaders for quality and value.
This one for example could meet your needs: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09PHDT...UTF8&pd_rd_plhdr=t&aref=uV97Zogtm0&th=1&psc=1

 

[Sharky]

If you don't need a super bright light, consider ones with standard AA batteries. Easy to carry spares or to pop into a local shop/garage to get a replacement if one fails on your journey.

Re Cateye, I've never had a problem and extra brackets easy to source, enabling lights to be switched from bike to bike.

 

[a.twiddler]

It's getting on for the time of year when you start needing those lights. It's comforting to have a light that has served you well and is reliable but it's as well to regard any light as disposable -even the most reliable light can suddenly die on you, never to shine again. Or, as in the OP's case become so much a part of your routine that you forget to take it off and get it nicked. It's always good to carry a spare out of sight. Aldi has bike stuff from Sunday, and their £9.99 lights get good reviews, cheap enough to use as a back up in any case. I've got a few cheapies for that purpose.

I've never spent a vast amount on lights. I've had a Lezyne 2W headlight used on and off for years, and despite the OP's experience with Cat Eye, have had a few over the years. They have reliable mounts that are common to many of their lights. I've had an AMPP400 for a few years too which seems a good compromise between battery life and output, and relatively commonly available and cheapish (also seem to be deals from time to time). If you ask for advice from this forum, everyone will have different ideas and experiences. I was resistant to rechargeable battery lights for a long time, but it's Hobsons's Choice nowadays.

 

[N0bodyOfTheGoat]

Magicshine RN1200 dropped at least twice over last winter to under £30 on Amazon.

 

[oxoman]

If its likely to get pinched then just get 2 amazon specials as a wear and spare. Over the years I've used a fair few different ones at different price points. I've got Moon xpower 300s, lezyne, niterider, moon lumina? , exposure joystick varying between 5 to 12yrs aold and all still used regularly on various bikes in winter. I've also got some cheap cree 3000 lumen ones for mtb that still work all be it with replacement battery packs. Good luck on digging your way way through everyone's advice.

 

[N0bodyOfTheGoat]

Another option is look out for bike gear specials at Lidl and Aldi.

My Lidl set was ~£8 in March 2020, for a Strzo compliant front light and a shield shaped rear, plus I have some Moon (Meteor?) clones from Aldi from ~2015, both of which I still regularly use today.

Lidl did a bike gear thing at end of June, so it might be a while for their next one.