MagicShine Bike Light Review
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Quality
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Performance
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Value
Summary
This is the best-built brightest biking light currently available on the market. Its mix of a flood light and spot light with options to control the output in 15 different configurations makes it one of the best bike lights money can buy.
This is the absolute brightest light I have ever used to mountain bike, and I couldn’t recommend a better bike light than the MagicShine Monteer 8000s. There are many considerations to take when purchasing a bike light. Will you be riding on or off-road, or maybe both? Will you be riding in traffic with other vehicles or cyclists? Do you plan to mount the light to your helmet or handlebars? How much does the bike light cost? How bright of light do you think you need to ride at night? How long of rides do you plan on doing in the dark? These are all considerations to think about when buying a bike light. I’ll answer all these questions and why I believe the MagicShine Monteer 8000S is the best bike light money can buy.
MagicShine Monteer 8000S Specifications
The MagicShine Monteer 8000s version 2 comes with the light handlebar mount battery pack nylon battery straps the USB charging cable a 3 mm hex key and the remote if you purchase it in the optional package.
The light is delivered via CREE XHP-50 LED’s from a 7.2 V 10000mAh battery. So happy this battery charges via USB-C.
| BOX WEIGHT | 34.56 OZ |
|---|---|
| BOX DIMENSIONS | 8 × 5.2 × 3.5 IN |
| LED | 5X CREE XHP-50.2 LEDS, 21° & 31° SPREAD |
| POWER MODES AND RUNTIME | HYBRID BEAM 100% 8000LM 1:30 HRS 50% 4400LM 3:25 HRS 25% 2400LM 6:30 HRS 10% 1000LM 12 HRS FLASH 0~2400LM 7 HRSFLOOD BEAM 100% 4800LM 2:10 HRS 50% 2600LM 5:30 HRS 25% 1400LM 11HRS 10% 600LM 22HRS FLASH 0~1400LM 11:30 HRSSPOT BEAM 100% 3200LM 4HRS 50% 1700LM 9HRS 25% 900LM 15HRS 10% 400LM 32HRS FLASH 0~900LM 16HRS |
| BEAM SPREAD | 32° +21° |
| CHARGING TIME | 9 HRS (5V/2A) |
| IP RATING | IP65 |
| DIMENSIONS | 64*43.5*45MM |
| NET WEIGHT | LIGHTHEAD: 150.4G BATTERY: 367G |
| CHARGING POWER AND TIME | 9 HRS (5V/2A) MAX 18W (9V/2A PD3.0/QC3.0) |
| MAX BEAM DISTANCE | 315M |
| LIGHT INTENSITY | 25,000CD |
| BATTERY | HYBRID BEAM 100% 8000LM 1:30 HRS 50% 4400LM 3:25 HRS 25% 2400LM 6:30 HRS 10% 1000LM 12 HRS FLASH 0~2400LM 7 HRSFLOOD BEAM 100% 4800LM 2:10 HRS 50% 2600LM 5:30 HRS 25% 1400LM 11HRS 10% 600LM 22HRS FLASH 0~1400LM 11:30 HRSSPOT BEAM 100% 3200LM 4HRS 50% 1700LM 9HRS 25% 900LM 15HRS 10% 400LM 32HRS FLASH 0~900LM 16HRS |
Magicshine Monteer 8000s Operation
There are many different options when using the Monteer for balancing brightness and battery usage.
The light has three different modes with five different settings in each mode for a total of 15 different lighting options. each mode has Eco, low, mid, high, and flash mode settings.
- The first mode uses the two bottom lights only
- The second mode uses the top three lights only
- The third mode uses the top and bottom row of lights
Battery
The battery contains 421700 lithium-ion battery cells 7.2 volts 10 a power. there is built-in circuit protection for safety as well as a fireproof PC shell. the battery charges with a USB C charger.
on top of the light is a battery indicator as well as inside the light next to the charging port. the light on top of the light changes from green to red and red 2 flashes to indicate the amount of battery power remaining.
the battery indicator on the battery itself has 3 green LED lights that indicate 100% less than 70% and less than 30%.
The battery can be attached to the bike frame or carried in a separate pack it’s connected to the cable with a detachable plug. That plug then connects to the light cable.
there are additional parts that can be purchased such as helmet mounts remotes and front mounts.
Mounting the Light
The battery pack can be velcroed to a bike frame or placed in a backpack or hip pack.
The light can be mounted to a helmet or the handlebars using the included aluminum handlebar mount. The mount is compatible with Garmin mounts and if rotated Wahoo mounts. Magicshine offers a number of mounting options on its website.
Light Output
This light is extremely bright when used at full power. The nice part about the light is that there are 15 output options to use for just the right occasion. I tested the light next to my Ford F150 Headlights and you can see just how much brighter the light is that a truck headlight on highbeam.
The maximum output of the light is 8000 lumens with a beam distance of 315 m the peak beam intensity is 25,000 CD. the light has an impact rating of 1 M and is weather resistant.
Other Mountain Bike Light Options
- Monteer 8000S Galaxy V2.0 (8000 Lumens) $420 USD
- Monteer 6500S Zeus V2.0 (6500 Lumens) $370 USD
- Monteer 6500S Enduro V2.0 (6500 Lumens) $300 USD
- Monteer 5000S Storm (5000 Lumens) $200 USD
- Monteer 3500S Nebula MTB (3500 Lumens) $160 USD
MagicShine vs. RN3500
Light Warranty
Magicshine offers a warranty for 24 months from the date of purchase if you register with their website you receive a bonus 6-month warranty the warranty is limited to defects in material and workmanship on the lighting system and battery pack
FAQ’s
Are Magicshine lights waterproof?
The Monteer 8000s is IP65-rated for light weather and dust resistance. The light can’t be submerged in water.
Can you charge your phone from the battery pack?
Yes, the battery pack can connect to other devices and charge them via the USB-C plug.
How hot does the Magicshine Monteer 8000s get?
With the light on full power, it gets very hot. Avoid touching it with bare hands.
Is the Magicshine really 8000 lumens?
I don’t have a lumen measuring device, but when compared to other lights that I have ranging from 2000 lumens to 8000 lumens and comparing it to my truck headlights I believe on high power the amount of light both flood and spot would equal 8000 lumens.
My Experience Using the Monteer 8000
I prefer to mount to light to my helmet because it is so bright I don’t need to worry about running an additional light on my handlebars and it’s always facing the direction I’m looking. When carrying the light on my head I store the battery pack in a hip pack or backpack the cord is just barely long enough to reach from a hip pack to my head. I like to ride uphill with the light in and eco mode to save battery. Once I start descending the remote control on the handlebar is convenient to quickly increase the brightness of the light much like using a dropper post on a mountain bike you can quickly change the light to save battery when pedaling uphill or increase the brightness when heading downhill.
The top row of lights acts as a flood light projecting light over 180 degrees in your field of view. The lower set of lights acts as a spotlight which makes them nice for road use and uphill climbing. For charging downhill at top speed you can use both the top and bottom row of lights turned all the way up will last about an hour and a half at 8000 lumens. There have been occasions when I found this much light to be too much light when focusing on the ground right in front of me. The Shadows seem to get washed out so I like to aim the light higher up which makes it feel more similar to riding in the daylight with the surrounding area illuminated.
This bike light needs to be used with caution on the road. When running the bike light at the max output it is two to three times brighter than a car headlight. I typically just use the spot mode and aim it about 15 to 20 ft in front of me this makes the bike light very versatile for use on road with cars and off-road. The bike light also has a strobe feature to make yourself more visible when riding on the road the strobe feature is available in all three output modes.
When mountain biking in the pitch black I love turning the light all the way up and staring across the valleys seeing how bright the light is with little sign reflectors. I like hearing friends say how bright the light is as well as providing additional flood light for them when riding in groups.
One downside to the powerful Monteer 8000 bike light is that it’s a little heavier than other external battery-mounted lights. It tends to move around on my helmet more than other less powerful and lighter lights. I need to try a few different mounting options with different helmets. I’d like to rig a GoPro-style mount to secure it to my helmet more rather than using velcro straps.
So is this light right for you? If you have a lot of money and are looking for one light to do it all this is the light for you. Honestly, I haven’t ridden with a more capable bike light. I can use it for road, gravel, and mountain biking, the battery last for hours. it’s not too heavy or cumbersome. Check the link below for discounts and sales that MagicShine.com is always having.