Exposure Link DayBright MK2

The Exposure Link DayBright MK2 is a very well made helmet light that lives up to the company's reputation for quality. Output is great and battery life is decent, though the mounting system is a little awkward to set up.

We haven't reviewed many helmet lights, but check out our guide to the best bike lights for more options you can attach to your bike, front and rear.

Exposure is a brand synonymous with construction quality, and this light is no different. You can see the machining lines where the housing has been cut from a single piece of metal, and it's likely to last for a long time, helped by the thick rubber seal that has to be moved out of the way in order to access the charging port.

The idea behind the Link DayBright MK2 is to make a rider as visible as possible in a busy city environment. It's a front and rear light combined into one, with a bright output that'll get you noticed, mounted as high as possible so you can be seen by all road users.

Wearing this on my helmet, lighting up wherever I turned my head, I really felt confident that my visibility was increased.

Output and modes

The maximum output is 200 lumens at the front and 40 at the rear, with a lot of different options for modes, front and rear, including both constant or pulsing, one pulsing with the other constant, or one pulsing or constant while the other is off.

You also get three different settings, effectively high, medium and low. To set these, when the light is off you hold down the power button and it begins flashing; if you release the button after the first flash it will be in the brightest mode, two flashes for medium, and if you let go after the third flash it will be the low mode.

My favourite output is the pulse front and rear, in either medium or low, which gives run-times of 7 and 15 hours respectively.

If you've ever used an Exposure light before, or seen someone using one, chances are you'll understand how good this mode is. It's almost a jarring flash with specifically designed gaps between flashes to ensure that the light draws the attention of all road users. It certainly isn't one of those fade in and fade out pulses that some brands offer.

Mounting

Using this light for the first time, I was a little confused by how to mount it. The mount unscrews to fit through a vent hole and then sandwiching the helmet. But when I tried to do up the 5mm hex bolt from the inside of the helmet, I wasn't able to get the non-ball end of a hex key in because of the curvature of the helmet, and the plastic flexed and bent if I used the ball-end... to the point I wasn't able to tighten it. I finally resorted to a multi-tool and that did the job, but I can't help thinking Exposure could devise a better method.

Once the light was done up, I had absolutely no issues with the mount. It hasn't come loose once, and has held the light nice and tightly no matter what kind of riding I've done, even some super bumpy mountain biking.

I was also pleasantly surprised with how little I could feel it when it was on my head. I expected it to cause some discomfort, but for the most part I couldn't even tell it was there. At 47g it really causes very little difference to how your head feels, which is great.

Battery life & charging

Run-times range from one hour in the brightest constant, to 23 hours for a low pulse from the front or rear only. That's not hugely impressive, but given that the battery is effectively powering two lights, it's not that surprising. You might end up having to recharge after every ride, but that'll depend on which modes you're using.

It's pretty easy to tell how much power is remaining – when you turn the light off it will light up between red and green to give you an indication of how long you have before it needs to be charged. I wish there was a way to know the level while the light is on, but as it sits on your head it would be quite a challenge.

Exposure gives a claimed charge time of three hours, which seemed about right, but I was super annoyed to find out that the light has a micro-USB charging port. I wish all cycling manufacturers would embrace USB-C and only design products with it. If these super small lights from Knog can use USB-C, I don't see why the Link Daybright can't...

Value

At £70, this isn't a budget option, but you are getting Exposure quality.

You can spend more – for another £20 you could get the 450-lumen Link+ Mk3 Front and Rear Combo with DayBright, which Nick reviewed earlier this year. It's a little heavier, at 90g, but it's one for seeing with as well as being seen.

For just being seen, though, you can spend a lot less: Siobhan was very impressed with the Brightside Topside Helmet Light she reviewed in 2017 – it's still £29.99, a little heavier than the Exposure at 66g, but it's rechargeable, and puts out up to 100 lumens at the front, 30 at the rear.

Or there's the very slightly cheaper Lezyne Femto Drive Duo at £28, which weighs 51g and takes two CR2032 batteries either end. Stu described it as 'quite punchy' in 2021, but it's a very different animal to the Exposure.

Conclusion

Overall, if you ride in busy built-up areas in the dark or dusky daylight, the Link DayBright MK2 will be a real benefit. The output is up there with the best I've seen in a small light, it has a solid feeling mount, and the quality is excellent. Yes, you have to pay for that, but it justifies it. I'd recommend it to anyone who wants just that little more visibility.

Verdict

A little pricey, but a great quality helmet light with bright output and decent battery life