Best Mountain Bike Lights Reviewed

There’s nothing quite like the thrill of mountain biking at night—feeling the rush of cool air, the quiet of the trails, and the challenge of navigating terrain by headlamp.

To make the most of your after-dark adventures, equipping yourself with the best mountain bike lights is crucial.

Whether you’re riding local trails or tackling technical descents in the dark, the right lights will give you the visibility and confidence needed for a safe and exhilarating ride.

In this article, our team reviews and rates the top mountain bike lights of 2024, covering everything from powerful front lights to high-quality rear options that will help you stay visible and safe.

Why Use Mountain Bike Lights?

Mountain bike lights are essential if you plan on riding in low-light or dark conditions. They not only allow you to see obstacles and navigate the trails safely but also make you more visible to others, ensuring your safety.

As technology advances, mountain bike lights are getting brighter, more efficient, and packed with smart features. From high-lumen outputs to impressive battery life and convenient features like app connectivity, modern lights are designed to enhance every aspect of your ride.

The list below highlights the best front and rear bike lights available today, each tested for brightness, battery life, mounting, and ease of use.

We’ve got recommendations for every type of rider, from those looking for a budget-friendly option to those wanting the most powerful lights money can buy.

Best Mountain Bike Lights

Below, we’ve compiled detailed reviews of the best mountain bike lights available this year, each carefully tested to help you make the most informed decision for your riding needs.

1. Best Front Light Overall: Exposure Six Pack

• Reasons to Buy: Incredible brightness, innovative Reflex+ technology, durable design
• Reasons to Avoid: Premium price, complex settings

The Exposure Six Pack is our top pick for the best front light overall, boasting an impressive 5,800 lumens of light output. Designed with six powerful LEDs and a 20,000 mAH battery, this light can keep the trails illuminated for up to 36 hours depending on the setting you use.

Exposure’s Reflex+ technology intelligently adjusts brightness based on your speed, which means you get maximum illumination for high-speed descents and save battery on slower climbs.

During our testing, we found the light to be incredibly easy to mount, with a versatile handlebar bracket that works with various sizes. The beam pattern is broad and bright, providing up to 25 meters of clear illumination, ensuring no feature on the trail is missed.

Though it’s certainly not cheap, the Six Pack is well worth the investment for serious night riders.

2. Best for Powerful Beam: Magicshine Monteer 12000

• Reasons to Buy: Unparalleled brightness, fully customizable light modes, sturdy mount
• Reasons to Avoid: Not as bright as claimed, fiddly to adjust

For riders seeking maximum brightness, the Magicshine Monteer 12000 is a true powerhouse. It boasts an unmatched 12,000 lumens, making it one of the brightest lights on the market.

During testing, we used the 6,000 lumen mode for most trail riding because the full 12,000 lumen setting could be overwhelming in certain conditions, reflecting off nearby objects and making visibility trickier.

The Monteer also comes with a handlebar mount that feels very sturdy, although the angle adjustment could be improved.

For those seeking a bright light to tackle open trails and dark descents, the Monteer 12000 is ideal, even though it falls a bit short of the full brightness claims.

The customizable app-tuned light settings are also a bonus for those who want precise control over their lighting.

3. Best Value: Magicshine RN3000

• Reasons to Buy: Affordable price, powerful beam, excellent battery life
• Reasons to Avoid: Limited low battery indication

The Magicshine RN3000 stands out as the best value option. It offers 3,000 lumens of output, which is more than enough for most trail rides.

Despite its budget-friendly price, the RN3000 doesn’t compromise on quality—it has a full metal body, USB-C compatibility for charging, and even acts as a power bank for your other devices.

The light’s broad beam is perfect for navigating through technical trails, and it offers a solid two hours and 19 minutes of runtime on the highest setting.

While we would have appreciated a more informative battery indicator, the RN3000’s balance of performance and price makes it a go-to pick for riders looking for quality without breaking the bank.

4. Best App Tuning: Gloworm XSV G2.0

• Reasons to Buy: Customizable via app, durable build, versatile mounting
• Reasons to Avoid: Some prefer self-contained lights

The Gloworm XSV G2.0 is all about customization. With three high-power LEDs offering up to 3,600 lumens, the Gloworm XSV gives you the versatility to adjust the beam output via the Gloworm Link app.

This allows riders to fine-tune their light for every ride, maximizing battery efficiency and lighting performance.

The interchangeable lenses give you the flexibility to choose between spot and wide-angle beams, which is great for different trail types. We also liked the sturdy mounting options, which included a bar and helmet mount for versatile positioning.

Overall, this light delivers excellent power and build quality, making it a solid choice for any serious rider.

5. Best Helmet Light: Exposure Zenith

• Reasons to Buy: Powerful, lightweight, Tap technology for easy mode changes
• Reasons to Avoid: Shorter run time compared to less powerful models

The Exposure Zenith is our favorite pick for helmet-mounted lighting, delivering 2,100 lumens in a lightweight, all-in-one package. The compact stainless steel design is both robust and well-balanced, making it perfect for wearing on your helmet.

Tap technology lets you easily change modes by tapping the light body, which proved especially useful during challenging rides.

The Zenith also has built-in accelerometers to automatically adjust brightness based on your speed, though this can be a bit annoying in slower technical sections where you may need more light.

Despite this minor downside, the Zenith provides a broad, consistent beam that is ideal for use on tight and twisty trails.

6. Best Combo Light Set: Cateye AMPP 1100 / AMPP 800 Combo

• Reasons to Buy: Wide beam pattern, excellent battery indication, versatile mounting
• Reasons to Avoid: Tall helmet mount, misaligned GoPro shoe

The Cateye AMPP combo set is an excellent choice for riders looking for both a helmet and handlebar light. With one light pushing out 1,100 lumens and the other 800 lumens, this combo is more than adequate for most riding conditions.

The AMPP series stands out for its broad beam pattern and side illumination, making you visible to others while lighting up the trail ahead.

Battery status is communicated via a simple three-color system, and switching between modes is easy with the large power button.

While the helmet mount is a bit tall, and the GoPro mount isn’t perfect, the value and versatility offered by this combo make it a great package for both beginner and experienced night riders.

How to Choose the Best Mountain Bike Lights

When it comes to selecting the best mountain bike lights, the key factors to consider include brightness (lumens), battery life, mounting system, and the type of riding you plan to do.

For trail riding, a bright front light (1,500 lumens or more) and a reliable rear light are essential for visibility and safety.

For riders who want to push their limits at night, having both a powerful handlebar light and a helmet light ensures that every corner and obstacle is illuminated.

Battery life is also a key consideration—make sure the light you choose can last for the duration of your ride, especially during longer winter rides when it gets dark early.

How We Test

Our team of mountain biking experts has decades of combined experience, testing products in real-world conditions across a variety of trails and terrains.

We put each light through rigorous testing, evaluating not only brightness and beam pattern but also ease of use, mounting stability, and battery performance.

The right light can make your night rides safer and much more enjoyable, allowing you to explore new trails or extend your rides beyond sunset.