Magicshine 3w Rear Bike Lamp - MJ-818 REVIEW

[Davidc]

I largely agree with what Tynan has said.

I normally have 3 lights at the back, on both bikes. 2 Smart 1/2 watt ones and a dynamo one, Smart on one, B&M toplight on the other.

I have only seen one of them from a car, didn't know it was my bike borrowed by one of the family 'til I got close. I saw it on a non lit road which became lit before I caught up. As a result I don't want anything brighter on a bike at night, that setup is annoyingly bright as it is and dazzling drivers doesn't strike me as a good idea. At night if I'm on the A38 north of Bridgwater, a nasty dual carriageway but straight, cars approaching from behind pull over to the right well before they get near which tells me they've seen me and they can't tell I'm on a bike.

Where I like the idea of going for a brighter back light is in daylight. I nearly always run daytime lights, and I know that the present setup doesn't show up well in sunlight, especially at low angles. I've just broken one of my Smarts on a parking rack, so need a new light. I was going to buy a Blackburn Mars 4 because of its better side visibility, but will now think about the Magicshine. The drawbacks though are using a non-standard battery type, and not being able to turn it down at night.

 

[totallyfixed]

The new rear light that is setting the standard for LED's is the "Flare" from exposure, it only weighs 40g, pumps out 80 lumens and can be seen over a wide angle range. The downside is the price tag of £40, even so as of today most places have sold out.
If you have ever done a time trial you will want the brightest, lightest rear light available, you want the dozy motorist to who is texting, half asleep, whatever, to get a wake up call and this little beast will do it.
I've watched my better half do a TT with a brighter light than others and in daylight in the rain I could see her easily better than others with lesser lights - not rocket science really. As for irritating motorists, rather that than be squished. I predict this light will sell like the proverbial hot cake.

 

[Norm]

The new rear light that is setting the standard for LED's is the "Flare" from exposure, it only weighs 40g, pumps out 80 lumens and can be seen over a wide angle range. The downside is the price tag of £40, even so as of today most places have sold out.

Coincidentally, I ordered one of them about 2 hours ago.

 

[fossyant]

The new rear light that is setting the standard for LED's is the "Flare" from exposure, it only weighs 40g, pumps out 80 lumens and can be seen over a wide angle range. The downside is the price tag of £40, even so as of today most places have sold out.
If you have ever done a time trial you will want the brightest, lightest rear light available, you want the dozy motorist to who is texting, half asleep, whatever, to get a wake up call and this little beast will do it.
I've watched my better half do a TT with a brighter light than others and in daylight in the rain I could see her easily better than others with lesser lights - not rocket science really. As for irritating motorists, rather that than be squished. I predict this light will sell like the proverbial hot cake.

I've a couple of colleagues that have mentioned the 'recommendation' for a rear light now - too many folk TT'ing getting run over...... TBH, it's no worse than when I did TT's...... The Exposure is very neat for a TT bike.

The Magicshine is too bulky for a TT bike.

 

[MajorMantra]

The problem is, a little LED will be "visible from half mile" but manufacters still hark on about this making lights sound like they are some kind of magic glowing fairy when in fact a £2 light will do the same.

There are some great value lights out there like the Smart 1/2 watt but they pale in comparison to a Dinotte. The 'half mile' comment was based on seeing the light in broad daylight. None of the wee blinkers running on AAAs come close to being visible under these conditions.

I haven't used one myself but I won't dismiss the idea of a much brighter rear light til I've tried it. I certainly don't think I'd be endangering anyone by using one as long is its positioned appropriately and not aimed at people's eyes and as far as I'm concerned, it's hard to have too much lighting.

 

[fossyant]

I have a 'collection of lights'..... as you can see from my OP. Got about 4 Smart 1/2 watts as there was an offer at PBK 12 months ago - selling off stock for £2.50 so bought 3 for the kids/wife's bike. TBH they are very good, but suffer from water ingress..

Tonight's 'hissing' rain and dull conditions made me value good lights...oh and more importantly, had 'tonight's dinner' in my panniers - M&S 2 dine for £10 - can't go dropping food...........

 

[DrSquirrel]

There are some great value lights out there like the Smart 1/2 watt but they pale in comparison to a Dinotte. The 'half mile' comment was based on seeing the light in broad daylight. None of the wee blinkers running on AAAs come close to being visible under these conditions.

I haven't used one myself but I won't dismiss the idea of a much brighter rear light til I've tried it. I certainly don't think I'd be endangering anyone by using one as long is its positioned appropriately and not aimed at people's eyes and as far as I'm concerned, it's hard to have too much lighting.

I'm not trying to say how bright such lights are at X distance - I am saying that its easy even for the "wee blinkers" to be visible from a distance.

There are LEDs (as I have explained) that come in above even the Dinotte 400L - yet no one sells them in a comercial package - generally because people don't require/want/want to spend on any more on such. Dinotte 400L is around $250 right? For a $30 LED and a $40 set of cells in a housing...

 

[Davidc]

Got about 4 Smart 1/2 watts as there was an offer at PBK 12 months ago TBH they are very good, but suffer from water ingress..

I've posted this before - get some electrical/ electronic silicone grease (MS4 equivalent) and when you change batteries smear some sparingly around the joint in the plastic. Don't get it on the rubber seal inside the joint though or the light falls off the backplate.

I do that for all my lights and never (yet) have any water problems. I used to do it with the old Ever Ready lights as well, and never had the rust problems others had with them.

I bought my Smart 1/2 watt lights in a sell off at £4.50 each. Bought 5 but now down to 3 so looking for another light to go on the tourer. I'd like something which will give a very bright daytime light but turn down in the pitch darkness.

The magicshine and Flare mentioned on this thread both look good but both use non-standard batteries which is a drawback and don't appear to be variable output. Overall I'm inclined to the Mars 4, but am open to suggestions.

 

[DrSquirrel]

I've posted this before - get some electrical/ electronic silicone grease (MS4 equivalent) and when you change batteries smear some sparingly around the joint in the plastic. Don't get it on the rubber seal inside the joint though or the light falls off the backplate.

I do that for all my lights and never (yet) have any water problems. I used to do it with the old Ever Ready lights as well, and never had the rust problems others had with them.

I bought my Smart 1/2 watt lights in a sell off at £4.50 each. Bought 5 but now down to 3 so looking for another light to go on the tourer. I'd like something which will give a very bright daytime light but turn down in the pitch darkness.

The magicshine and Flare mentioned on this thread both look good but both use non-standard batteries which is a drawback and don't appear to be variable output. Overall I'm inclined to the Mars 4, but am open to suggestions.

Problem is - "standard" batteries like AA and AAA suck - primaries are a waste of money and NiMH are a bit behind times

Li-ion is where it is at - at least the magicshine uses "standard" 18650 cells in its pack and replacements are available for the £20 mark unlike other branded competitors etc.

If you use the torches many can mix your choice with AA / 14500 and AAA / 10440 etc so you have that "omg pop into shop..." flexibility that no one in the world ever does but seems to want (unless you're touring of course).

 

[CopperBrompton]

Problem is - "standard" batteries like AA and AAA suck

I disagree: the flexibility of having a standard set of batteries to power all kinds of things is great. All other things being equal, I'll choose one gadget over another because it uses AAs while the competing product uses something else.

I have a huge bag of AA Eneloops and a 12-battery smart-charger. The same batteries power my lights, GPS, flashguns, labeller ... all sorts of things. And yes, in the very unlikely event of running out of power unexpectedly, the opportunity to nip into any shop and get back in action is a worthwhile bonus. Though I agree with you that's more of a peace-of-mind thing than a common scenario.

 

[fossyant]

I've been a big user of AA/AAA batteries............. Hope 1's - why ............ easy battery availability, and TBH, the hybrids do the business - been using Panasonic hybrids for 18 months - no charge/discharge issues at all............ very happy - hold charge, don't suffer partial discharge - charge..........

Rear lights are all AAA - very happy too...Mars 4.0/ RSP Astrum, Smart superflash........... etc............etc............

BUT.....................

I've followed the Magicshine stuff for a long time.... doesn't suit ME at the front as their lights are too bright for roads and additional battery packs ......... but the rear is very promising....and I'm now using a pannier.....

I have loads of issues mounting lights now...... the light's that did sit on the seat post are obscured by the pannier and rack... so a new solution was needed .............

I've had fibreflares...they are ace, but mine failed within a year due to corrosion of the switch....... and I'm a paranoid with my kit.........

Managed to easily fit the Magicshines to the pannier, so they come off with the unit as a whole ! - So no messing..............

 

[Davidc]

I disagree: the flexibility of having a standard set of batteries to power all kinds of things is great. All other things being equal, I'll choose one gadget over another because it uses AAs while the competing product uses something else.

I have a huge bag of AA Eneloops and a 12-battery smart-charger. The same batteries power my lights, GPS, flashguns, labeller ... all sorts of things. And yes, in the very unlikely event of running out of power unexpectedly, the opportunity to nip into any shop and get back in action is a worthwhile bonus. Though I agree with you that's more of a peace-of-mind thing than a common scenario.

I may not be agreeing with you on another thread, but that's spot on for this one.

I have loads of good AA and AAA NiMH cells, including now a goodly number of the hybrid type. I run everything on the standard ones, with a weekly/ 2 weekly changeover régime, with the hybrid types in the tool kit as standby spares. I have no problem with this, but the peace of mind knowing that standard batteries will work if needed is seriously worthwhile. Don't know why because the shops will probably be closed if the NiMH ones do all go flat.

That apart I don't really want to have to start carrying another type of battery around, AA plus AAA is quite enough. That's one of the things drawing me towards the Blackburn Mars 4. It'll run on the batteries I already have.

I'm still not persuaded that it's worthwhile going over to the Magicshine or Flare, but still deciding.

 

[gaz]

I have a carradice saddle bag and thus most of my seat post is covered, so to get this working in a way that i could place the light in a reasonable position below my saddle bag and have the right angle i used a rear reflector attachment, removed the reflector and attached the light to it. It looks like so...