headlight for MTB
 

With the days getting shorter, I'm not able to get in some trail riding after work. I need a light. I ride tight trails with a lot of steep drops and jumps. I would like to have lights on both my handlebars and my helmet.

Anyone have any suggestions? I've done some initial reading, and anything decent seems to be over $300. Can I make my own for cheaper? Maybe using some of the Hobbyking LiFePO4 packs?

Get several of the 3W LEDs, wire up the appropriate current-limiting resistors (better yet, use transistors configured as a constant current source), and run it on your battery. The voltage/capacity of the battery needed will depend on if the LEDs are run in series or parallel.

Regular high brightness LEDs probably wouldn't be a good option because they aren't bright enough for decent distance and their light dispersion pattern is too narrow.

some of those add on bullet driving lights like you see at an auto parts store, a little homemade bracket, and a 4s lifepo would light up the country side.

I used to have a pair on my wheelchair and it was like car headlights. I think the lights were $20-30.

They're 12v lights, you wouldn't need any resistors/transistors/thermal couplers/flux capacitors or anything out of the ordinary.

They are expensive but I use the Ay-ups lights. They are very small and tidy which you don't get when you make your own. I was considering making my own for a long time but eventually just went with the ayups as I couldn't make anything any where near as simple.

The Ay-ups aren't perfect though. They could be a bit brighter and I have seen issues with the bulbs drooping on their own. Their size though is awesome. They don't get hung up on branches and the gecko mounting systems works really well. I have an old halogen head lamp which used to stick up about 2.5" from the top of my helmet and I was always catching it on branches.