Best MTB Lights of 2024

Are you a long-distance mountain biker? Or do you simply want to use your mountain bike to commute to and from work in the morning and evening? If you are, you definitely want to get a pair of good lights for your bike. So, what are the best MTB lights?

The Adventure Junkies will help you on your quest to find the right bike lights for your specific needs. In this article, we’ve listed the ten best MTB lights. We discuss them in great detail and look at their features and at what makes them so good. On top of that, we’ll also talk about a number of things you should consider when searching for the right pair of MTB lights for you.

For more of our top mountain biking gear recommendations, check out the Best Mountain Bike GPS.

Reviews - The Best Lights for Mountain Bikes

NiteRider Lumina 1000

Specs

• Max. Brightness: 1000 Lumens
• Battery: Lithium Ion

BEST FOR: RAINY RIDES ON TRAILS AND ON THE ROAD

PROS: Includes rear light, water resistant, USB rechargeable, quick-release system, low battery indicator

CONS: Rear light quality is lower than main front light

USE AS FLASHLIGHT: Yes

View at REI

View at Jenson USA

NiteRider Pro 2200 Race

Specs

• Max. Brightness: 2,200 Lumens
• Battery: Lithium Ion

BEST FOR: LIGHTWEIGHT MOUNTAIN BIKING

PROS: Very light, bright, mountable on handlebar or helmet, battery level indicator, sturdy design and materials

CONS: Expensive

USE AS FLASHLIGHT: No

View at Backcountry

NiteRider Swift 500

Specs

• Max. Brightness: 500 Lumens
• Battery: Lithium Ion

BEST FOR: BUDGET-CONSCIOUS MOUNTAIN BIKING

PROS: Affordable, water resistant, removable, USB rechargeable, battery level indicator

CONS: None that we could find

USE AS FLASHLIGHT: Yes

View at REI

View at Backcountry

Cygolite Dash Pro 600 / Hotrod 50

Specs

• Max. Brightness: 600 Lumens
• Battery: Lithium Ion

BEST FOR: LONG RIDES IN RAINY WEATHER

PROS: Affordable, low battery indicator, USB rechargeable, comes with tail light, 8 modes on head light and 6 modes on tail light, water resistant

CONS: May take a long time to charge

USE AS FLASHLIGHT: Yes

View at REI

View at Jenson USA

Bright Eyes 1600

Specs

• Max. Brightness: 1200 Lumens
• Battery: 6400 mAh

BEST FOR: LONG-DISTANCE OUTINGS

PROS: Long battery life (even on high), rechargeable battery, waterproof, includes helmet accessory, very bright light

CONS: Pricey

USE AS FLASHLIGHT: No

View at Amazon

NiteRider PRO 3600

Specs

• Max. Brightness: 3,600 Lumens
• Battery: Lithium Ion

BEST FOR: BIKING IN VERY DARK CONDITIONS

PROS: Very light, one of the brightest bike lights ever made, battery level indicator, mountable on handlebar or helmet, durable material

CONS: Expensive

USE AS FLASHLIGHT: No

View at Amazon

Cycle Torch Shark 500

Specs

• Max. Brightness: 500 Lumens
• Battery: 2200 mAh

BEST FOR: USE ON ALL TYPES OF BICYCLES

PROS: USB rechargeable, runs for 2 hours on high, no-tool installation, suits all bikes, water resistant, includes tail light

CONS: Mounting mechanism seems weak, no indication that battery runs low, expensive

USE AS FLASHLIGHT: Yes

View at Amazon

TeamObsidian

Specs

• Max. Brightness: 200 Lumens
• Battery: AAA

BEST FOR: BASIC LIGHTING FOR VARIOUS BICYCLE TYPES

PROS: Affordable, doubles as flashlight, water resistant, includes tail light, suits different bike types

CONS: Not rechargeable, tail light not as bright

USE AS FLASHLIGHT: Yes

View at Amazon

HOW TO CHOOSE THE BEST MTB LIGHTS

There’s more to buying new mountain bike lights than simply walking into a store and grabbing some. There are a number of things you should consider beforehand. The following seven are the most important ones.

OUTPUT

The output of a mountain bike light is measured in lumens. The higher the lumens, the brighter the light. It’s also good to know that “measured lumens”, which is what manufacturers put in their product descriptions, are measured in perfect conditions. In the real world, you can expect less actual brightness.

Output is an important consideration if you want to go downhill mountain biking in dark conditions. The faster you go, the more output you’ll want. If you’re slower, it’s okay that your beam strength is weaker.

BEAM TYPE

A second thing to consider with regards to the beam is the beam type. To paraphrase BikeRadar, a high output is no use if the light is in the wrong place. It’s important to think about the terrain and the style of mountain biking you’ll be doing.

Slow, technical terrain requires a wider beam, says Single Tracks. A narrow beam, on the other hand, is best for fast terrains, wide trails and helmet lights.

BATTERY LIFE

Battery life is an essential feature of all outdoor equipment, from hiking GPS devices to scuba dive computers and, in this case, mountain bike lights. You need a battery that lasts at least the entire duration of your ride. Ideally, it’ll last longer, in case of an emergency. If you’re biking in winter, remember that cold temperatures reduce your battery life.

If you’re going on longer rides, it’s a good idea to get lights with a battery indicator so you can ration your power if need be.

FIT

All the other considerations listed here won’t even matter if your light doesn’t fit on your mountain bike. Therefore, make absolutely sure that the light fits on your handlebar, frame, helmet or wherever you’d like to put it. All mountain bike lights indicate the diameter on which they can be mounted.

Especially if you’ve purchased a bike with a narrow carbon frame or one of the newest 35mm-diameter handlebars, you’ll want to double-check whether the lights will fit.

WATER RESISTANCE

While most modern mountain bike lights are water resistant, it’s still a good idea to verify that. As mountain biking is a sport that often involves getting dirty and wet, a light that can handle water is definitely useful.

RECHARGEABILITY

In addition to checking the battery life of the light, it’s also wise to consider how long it takes to recharge that battery. Or if it’s rechargeable in the first place. The obvious benefit of rechargeable mountain bike lights is that you won’t need to spend more money on new batteries every once in a while. This makes their higher purchasing price totally worth it.

OTHER USES

When buying a new mountain bike light, you can hit two birds with one stone. If you’re not mountain biking all that often, and even if you are, it can be super-convenient if your mountain light is also a flashlight. Many of the best mtb lights are detachable and can double as a handheld flashlight.