Helmet lamp in the test: Lezyne Helmet Hecto Drive 500XL – the small one

TEST: The Lezyne Helmet Hecto Drive 500XL is a compact helmet lamp with an integrated battery. With 500 lm, it is the weakest model in the test field. You can find out here in the test whether the light output is sufficient on the trail.

Test of the Lezyne Helmet Hecto Drive 500XL – all information and data about the helmet lamp at a glance

The most compact helmet lamp with an integrated battery comes from Lezyne. The young company from the USA is taking a different approach than the competition with the Lezyne Helmet Hecto Drive 500XL. For example, a USB-A charging plug is permanently installed on the housing - this eliminates the need for any cables. Lezyne also does not use a quick-release fastener on the helmet mount, which in turn keeps the weight lower. The aluminum housing and the plastic helmet holder are cleanly processed - everything appears to be of high quality, as you would expect from Lezyne products. With its comparatively low output (500 lm), the helmet lamp is primarily aimed at occasional riders and leisurely night riders who don't want to set best times on narrow trails.

data sheet

What's in the box

The Lezyne Helmet Hecto Drive 500XL comes in packaging made of thin, recycled bamboo cardboard with the following scope of delivery:

• Lezyne Helmet Hecto Drive 500XL helmet lamp on holder

If necessary, an operating manual can be found as a PDF www.lezyne.com. At this point we would like to praise Lezyne, because less packaging waste is hardly possible - especially in comparison to some of the competition.

Accessories & Extension

Lezyne offers a replacement rubber cap for the charging plug and a replacement helmet mount for €3,95 each. There is also an LED GoPro adapter with which you can convert some bicycle lights from Lezyne to the GoPro mount and thus make them compatible with the helmet mount. This also costs €3,95. However, there is no replacement battery.

Test: The Lezyne Helmet Hecto Drive 500XL in trail use

assembly and fastening

The assembly of the Lezyne Helmet Hecto Drive 500XL is quickly explained: The lamp body is screwed to the helmet holder and therefore cannot be removed without tools. On tour, the only thing left to do is attach the helmet holder and lamp, or remove the Allen screw each time. Practically, Lezyne uses the GoPro mount for the helmet mount - so if you have an action camera or something similar, you can simply switch to the knurled screw, which can be screwed on by hand. Otherwise, installing the helmet holder with the firmly attached Velcro strap is easy. A rubber pad under the helmet holder gives it a firm fit.

Service

The operation of the Lezyne Helmet Hecto Drivo 500XL is simple, but still impractical. If the small button is pressed for about a second, the helmet lamp switches on. By briefly pressing the button you can switch between the different brightness levels. However, once you have reached the lowest light level, you have to switch through four different flashing modes to get back to full power. On the trail or in general, this is quite annoying and not without danger in some situations. A flashing mode as an emergency signal may still be obvious, but who needs four of them remains a mystery to us.

battery & runtime

Lezyne has given the Helmet Hecto Drive a permanently installed USB-A plug. On the one hand, this is practical and uncomplicated because it eliminates the hassle of fiddling with cables or chargers - on the other hand, corresponding power dispensers must have enough space to be able to plug in the entire lamp. The plug itself is well protected by a large rubber cap. The 650 mAh battery is fully charged again in 3 to 4 hours, depending on the power source.
In terms of running time, the helmet lamp with the relatively small battery does not set any records: it only lasts 1 hour at full power with 500 lm. For the weaker modes, at 200 lm it takes 2 hours and at 100 lm it takes 4 hours. In absolute economy mode with 15 lm it has a runtime of 20 hours. For ambitious night riders who like to go on a longer tour, the running times could be too short - especially in the cold season, when all helmet lights run for less time. The illuminated button provides information about the battery level: above 50% it lights up green, up to 10% it lights up yellow, below that it lights up red. Below 5% it then flashes red.

Weight & Trail Use

Thanks to its low weight, the Lezyne Helmet Hecto Drive 500XL is hardly noticeable. It sits firmly and securely on the helmet. The offset of the lamp on the holder to the rear turns out to be a bit disadvantageous: the visor of our test helmet (Uvex Finale) casts a shadow. This is small enough not to be a nuisance. However, if you have a larger visor, you could run into problems here. While the actual operation via the button works well, the four flashing modes are negative. The last mode in particular is a very slow pulsation - at first you might confuse it with the full power mode. And then suddenly it gets dark...
When it comes to light output, you shouldn't expect too much from the 500 lm, but you won't necessarily feel uncomfortable up to around 20 km/h. Not much more is necessary, because that's not what the Helmet Hecto Drive 500LX is intended for.

The light field of the Lezyne Helmet Hecto Drive 500XL

The light field of the Lezyne Helmet Hecto Drive 500XL is characterized by a wider spot in the middle with soft transitions to the edge area. Trails and roads are well lit and there is no tunnel vision. For narrow trails, a more selective spot would provide a little more contrast - but we don't see these trails as the primary area of ​​application for the helmet lamp.
The gradation of the four constant lighting modes is chosen quite well. Downhill there is no way around the full power of 500 lm. The second stage with 200 lm is well suited for transfers on forest roads. With 100 lm, the third level is suitable for uphill. In the fourth level, the helmet lamp only offers 15 lm - that is already very dark and strains the eyes. This mode is more suitable for saving battery charge or for use outside of night riding; for example as a reading lamp when camping.

The light levels in direct comparison

Lezyne on the web

www.lezyne.com