Magicshine Bike Light

[Corey]

Comparison video of my Airbike P7 light and the MagicShine P7.
Video was shot with my new GoPro HD cam at 1280x960 as seen in this post.
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=504735#post504735

* 1080p: 1920x1080 True HD featuring a 127º angle of view, 30 fps, and 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio
* 960p: 1280x960 Ultra Wide and Tall HD featuring a 170º angle of view, 30 fps, and 4:3 aspect ratio. See more of the action above and below than widescreen16:9 resolutions can show.
* 720p: 1280x720 Ultra Wide HD featuring a 170º angle of view, both 30 and 60 fps, and 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio

Video:
http://www.vimeo.com/7610189

 

[Seth Kendall]

Video was shot with my new GoPro HD cam at 1280x960 as seen in this post.
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=504735#post504735

Video:
http://www.vimeo.com/7610189

Well, now you are just showing off.:wings::victory::bike_rider: I want one of those cameras so badly.

 

[Corey]

He he, thanks.
Having bad luck though with software.
Got a few MP4 to AVI converters, but they are crashing Windows Movie Maker, so I can not edit these GoPro MP4 (H.264 vids) with Movie Maker to add titles, transitions, ect. like you can do with Movie Maker.

For now all I can do is upload the raw file with no text or special effects in the video to Vimeo or YouTube.

I put my MagicShine light and battery on my helmet last night, and it is heavy!
I may have to use the extension cord to put the battery down to a pocket or hydration pack.
I would not want to ride with the light and battery on the helmet together.

 

[davegonz]

I got my new MagicShine today and took it on a 5 mile night ride. Man, this thing is SWEET! Great light output and high quality construction. My 15W NiteRider was pathetic compared to this light. I was able to mount the light on my Giro helmet using the supplied o-ring and it worked great. I might have to put the NiteRider up for sale and order another MS!!!

 

[Corey]

Glad you like it.
I did not order the helmet mount with mine, and I find just the O ring worked out great for the helmet.

Here is a comparison too of the MagicShine and my Airbike P7 which was more than double the money of the MS unit.

http://vimeo.com/7610189

Some are modding the MS lights with a strip of scotchtape over the center to get rid of the huge tight spot in the center, and it spreads the beam out more much like my Airbike light.

Over on mtbr.com in the light section they explain how to do that.

 

[Corey]

Posted another video just now.
http://expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=512875#post512875

Was testing out the GoPro HD camera more than just testing the lights out.
Just heard back from Geo too, the head units only will be arriving later this week.
Will be ordering one so I will then have two MagicShines on the bars, and the Airbike P7 on my noggin'.

 

[Corey]

The founder of mtbr.com has a review on a lot of bike lights, here is the one with a YouTube video too on the MagicShine.
http://reviews.mtbr.com/blog/magicshine-mj-808/

 

[Seth Kendall]

MagicShine at JensonUSA

First off, let me say that I do work at JensonUSA so I am a fan of the company and this is a bit of a shameless plug. And, by no means is this a jab at other suppliers. My first MagicShine was GeoMan, and he has been great to deal with. Just passing on the information of where one might get a light.

With that being said, we just got the MagicShine lights in. Our kit includes headlamp, helmet mount, rechargeable battery, charger, handlebar mount, and extension cable for $85. Here's the link.

 

[Corey]

I just read today over on MTBR that you are including the helmet mount with them.

I have two MS lights on the handlebar with one battery pack now, and the AirBike P7 from Geoman on the helmet.
Lets just say night riding is a lot of fun now.

 

[Seth Kendall]

I just read today over on MTBR that you are including the helmet mount with them.

I have two MS lights on the handlebar with one battery pack now, and the AirBike P7 from Geoman on the helmet.
Lets just say night riding is a lot of fun now.

Yes, it's true and the extender cable.

I am about to be running two on the bars, one helmet, and a GoPro HD sitting in the middle.

 

[Mtn Mike]

I've been using the Magicshine for about 8 (edit, weeks) now. My initial impressions are good. The beam pattern is excellent, the color temperature is good, and the battery life is true to what they claim (about 3 hours on high).

The negatives: The quality of the construction and the connections are not as good as a more expensive light, such as NiteRider or Light and Motion. But for the $85 I paid for it, I am NOT complaining. If it lasts me a few seasons I'll be happy. I might even by a second light to dedicate to my commuter. :victory:

 

[Corey]

and a GoPro HD sitting in the middle.

I have the chesty mount for my GoPro HD, and also the helmet mount.
I will have to try and shoot a vid again with all three lights on.
I did shoot one a few months back with just one MS on the bars, and the Airbike on the helmet, or the other way around.

For the little money that these cost and the light output, I am glad I read about them over on MTBR and saved a bundle over the NiteRider.
I was looking at the 1200, and that puppy goes for $600 or more.

When we start getting better weather here, I will bring my bike into work and ride our nature trail around our lakes here.
There are coyote, rabbits, blue heron, and more out early before the sun is up.
It would be cool to capture them in the dark on video with the lights.

 

[Verde Rat]

DiNotte

I haven’t had any experience with Magicshine, but I have had a good experience with my 400L-LI light from DiNotte. I use it to commute to work in the mornings, and I used it on the 24hr in Old Pueblo race last year and I have no complaints.:victory:

One of my favorite things about the light is that for a couple of bucks more I bought a headlamp adapter. So, not only do I use the light for riding, I also use it for camping & backpacking.

http://www.dinottelighting.com/Products.htm

 

[fonarevka]

Hello

Many of you already know our interactive database tests flashlight on fonarevka.lux-rc.com

Now we run it on a new domain - http://fonarevka.ru.

What we can find?

- More than a hundred models of flashlight of various functions
- Different scene: a night road (dry and wet), ravine wall, underground river Neglinka, cable collector
- An interactive selection of exposure modes and exposure flashlight brightness

And now the most important thing. We have launched a forum - http://forum.fonarevka.ru!

Our project is independent!

 

[DaveInDenver]

I got my new MagicShine today and took it on a 5 mile night ride. Man, this thing is SWEET! Great light output and high quality construction. My 15W NiteRider was pathetic compared to this light. I was able to mount the light on my Giro helmet using the supplied o-ring and it worked great. I might have to put the NiteRider up for sale and order another MS!!!

If your Niterider is an MR11-based one, don't get rid of it. Cutter Electronics down in Australia sells a pretty slick MR11 conversion kit that works well. I modified one of my commuter lights with one, at 12V it runs about 600mA at 350 lumen. I mounted the voltage regulator they include onto an aluminum slug that fit snugly inside the housing and makes the whole housing (which is aluminum) into a heat sink. Might have to in a Niterider housing run it a bit lower power since they are plastic. But I'm happy with it now going on a year or so.

http://www.cutter.com.au/proddetail.php?prod=cut947

All that said I still race with a pair of Niterider HID lamps. Been solid reliable friends for too long to give them up now even though I think LED tech has once and for all made them obsolete. But back in 2003 and 2004 when I started using them having a pair of 500 lumen+ lamps was awesome and they never stopped being nice lights. What I have done is converted all my lights so that they use the same connectors and voltages as the Niterider HIDs I have, so 13.2V with common plugs. I have four 5A-hr battery packs that are interchangeable and at least four different types of lamp heads that I can shuffle around.