At less than 100g, the Exposure Joystick is the lightest helmet light on test, and that also includes the mount.

• The best MTB helmet lights

The Joystick has been around longer than most in the world of mountain bike lighting, but there is barely a year gone by that it hasn’t been tweaked and improved in that time. These days it is just as small, light and unobtrusive as ever, but the Mark 12 now pushes out a thoroughly impressive 1000 lumens for an hour and a half. Amazing when you handle this feathery light, but absolutely solid unit.

At 104g the aluminium Joystick is a good 40g lighter than its nearest competition and, while that may not sound like a lot, every gram counts when you are wearing it on your helmet. The cable free, all-in-one design hammers this advantage home, and it all adds up to a very bright light you barely know is there. Except, of course, you have a buttery smooth pool of 1000 lumens following your every move – just the right blend of focussed centre spot and diffuse peripheral light.

An hour and a half isn’t quite enough for most night rides but, equally, 1000 lumens is largely overkill for most situations, so we find ourselves regularly making use of the lower power outputs and easily get more than three hours. Programming the power outputs is a doddle, with all the relevant information handily etched on the side of the light.

The innovative through-vent bracket is excellent, solid and easy to fit too with just enough friction in the ball and socket joint to allow accurate pointing of the light without letting it slip even through the gnarliest of trails. If you have the cash, this wee beauty is worth every penny.