samkl 

Anyone have a relatively cheap recommendation? It’d just be for illuminating cue sheet and road signs, a supplement to my regular headlight.

Nothing too powerful required or wanted. Non-rechargeable batteries preferred.

clasher

I've thought about buying this topeak one but I've only ever played with it at the LBS but it seems pretty decent to me. I've just been using a headband lamp that is tiny and it's still one original batteries since I don't use it much at night.

atwl77

What about a basic Cateye HL-EL135 plus their helmet mount accessory?

siebengang

The Petzl Tikka fits many helmets very well if you modify the strap so that it goes through the front ventilation holes. Lightweight, not too bright, 3 x AAA, water resistant, good run time, not very expensive.

UniChris

My primary light for urban settings is just a little flashlight I put on my helmet that takes either a 14500 lithium or single AA alkaline or NiMH. It's probably almost too bright for what you want, but it's compact and dirt cheap and I keep one in the saddle bag as a backup even on rural trails where I intend to use its 18650 big brother or that plus a bar light. I basically always have it, which means that should a "daytime" ride extend after dusk, I have something to get home on.

Pattern on a helmet light is less critical; I tend to keep it zoomed in fairly tight and aimed down at what I'm about to ride over. When I see someone coming the other way I shake it in their direction a couple of times at distance for recognition, then point it down and right and watch them with my eyes rather than head position.

Saw a blacked out pedestrian on the trail the other night - for lack of anything better in the moment I announced "I see you" and then looked away.

For cue sheet only, you might almost want some little coin cell keychain LED squeeze thing.

Spoonrobot 

Is this a constant on light or are you planning to turn on as needed and adjust brightness? What kind of primaries are you planning to use? Alkalines are pointless so it's lithium in AA/AAA form factor (L91/L92) or CR123A cells IMO.

Illuminating a road sign so you can read it while moving isn't the most hefty requirement but it's more demanding than lighting up a cuesheet. Personally I think the Fenix HL50 is pretty great. You can use NiMH, Alkaline, or Lithium and it also includes a small tube to allow you to run AA or CR123A so if you get stuck buying batteries on the road you're covered for commonly available AA but can use the better CR123A when you start out and have them as your spares. Low is good for cuesheets and depending on the conditions med or hi works great for road signs. I've probably 100 hours or so on mine, mostly running high with NiMH AA but often with CR123A - it's a good light.

For longer rides or more demanding conditions I use a Zebralight H600w MkIV but that's a 18650 light most likely not of interest.

kingston 

I use one of these little hatclip lights on my helmet visor for the cue sheet. It's not as good for street signs obviously.

samkl 

Thanks everyone. I nearly forgot that I have one of those Petzl headlamps, so I’ll figure out a way to attach it to my helmet. If not I’ll pick up one of Kingston’s cool clip-on lights.

Richard Cranium

I suggest you rethink your bicycling lighting needs. Using cheap equipment is always a bad idea - and using cheap lights can be dangerous.

There are excellent lights under $50. These are lights that are good enough to focus on the name of a road sign at 50 feet - or to shine in motorist's eye as he rolls toward you from a driveway or a road your right or left.

Cyclist's have always needed more than just forward facing head lamp that goes unnoticed from all but oncoming traffic. Either use a head-mounted light or get a couple of blinking lights for attention on your right and left.

fietsbob

So more be seen than see by? on your head won't light the road much ,

your petzel was for walking speed after all . but they are handy for fixing your bike at night...



https://www.lightandmotion.com/shop/...-pro-adventure

would be a bit brighter,,

unterhausen

let me do some advanced calculations. The relative speed between a cyclist and his cue sheet under normal conditions is .... zero. Been a while since I have used my helmet light for anything like illuminating the road, I just use it to look at my cue sheet. I could never get my little petzl to sit right on my helmet, so I am using a low-end Cygolite. I wish there was something lighter.

kingston 

Confirmed Saturday night/Sunday morning that the hatclip light is definitely waterproof.