Review: Lezyne LED Helmet Mount

Well there I was thinking I could simply mount the Lezyne Hecto Drive 500XL straight to my helmet when I realized I couldn’t. After countless calls to all the local bike shops, I resorted to ordering a Lezyne LED Helmet Mount to add to an Oakley ARO5 helmet and ultimately, the nighttime riding experience.

Last year I made the leap to nighttime riding by purchasing a handlebar mounted light. As the miles added up, I felt I needed more illumination for safe riding. At the outset of the light purchasing journey, it was advised to get a large (not largest) handlebar mounted light while complementing the lumens with a helmet light. This year saw the addition of the helmet light but unfortunately, it required an extra accessory to get things moving.

Lezyne’s LED Helmet Mount as it appears on an Oakley ARO5 helmet.

Here at creakybottombracket.com I have reviewed the Lezyne Hecto Drive 500XL light. The modest 500 lumens is meant to support the main handlebar light. Lezyne states that the Hecto Drive 500XL can stand alone as a headlamp, but I felt safer using it in tandem with the Lezyne Macro Drive 1300XXL. All I had to do was find the Lezyne LED Helmet Mount to complete the setup.

This was no easy task. I started with the nearest bike shop. They chorused the response that there were no Lezyne helmet mounts in stock but could be ordered. Gambling on farther shops having them, the offer was turned down while the perimeter was widened. Unfortunately the same response was recited. They did not stock them. They could order them. They would have them by such-and-such a time. Eventually the Lezyne site was tapped and the helmet mount was on its way.

To install the Lezyne LED Helmet Mount is quite simple. All it takes is a choice of placement on the helmet and the desired length of the velcro strap. With an anti-slip rubber strap, the LED Helmet Mount went on easily, though not unsightly extra velcro strapping. The whole thing was cinched simply while the extra velcro was stowed smartly instead of cut off. Once installed, the Hecto Drive 500XL was mounted and the outdoor off-season nighttime riding experience was engaged. 

The Lezyne LED Helmet Mount plus the Hecto Drive 500XL affixed to an Oakley ARO5 helmet.

Immediately apparent was the ease of which the light could be tilted up and down, depending on rider preference. This came in handy when the helmet angle was taken into consideration alongside the handlebar light. Fast downhills benefited from distance lighting; slow uphills were aided by close illumination. Each setting was made simply by the angling of the light via the LED Helmet Mount. One area of improvement could be the stack height of the mount. It sits exceedingly high on the helmet. Perhaps it is an attempt to accommodate every possible helmet variation, but it is a lofty apparatus for a small lighting solution.Further, the velcro strap does not cinch down stoutly, leaving the possibility for the mount to slide around depending on the helmet construction.

While many cyclists buy headlights for nighttime riding, it might be a better trade-off for Lezyne to raise the price of its units and bundle each medium lumen light with a helmet mount. The difficulty locating the mount as well as unexpectedly needing an extra purchase could be solved via this approach. Further, Lezyne’s website makes it appear as if the mount comes with the light. Either way, this plastic device mounted to a rubber and velcro strap is necessary to add to the nighttime riding experience. While it was difficult to track one down, the after hours riding experience has become more enjoyable as the peripheral field has become larger. With easy install, easy light attachment, and minimal hassle all around, the Lezyne LED Helmet Mount is a must-have for the dark season of cycling. If only it weren’t so difficult to track down.