MAGICSHINE MONTEER 8000S GALAXY V2.0 MOUNTAIN BIKE LIGHT REVIEW

Tech features:

Magicshine doesn’t mess around when it comes to illumination. The Monteer 8000S Galaxy V2.0 MTB light is proof of that. This light boasts an impressive 8000 lumens using five Cree LEDs. The light attaches to the handlebars using the same mount as Garmin computers. With a double tap on the head unit, you can switch among using just the flood, just the spot or both at the same time in any brightness setting, including strobe. The hybrid setting at full power takes roughly 1.5 hours to drain the battery, while the other various power modes can be configured so the battery will last up to a claimed 16 hours. Up to 12 hours of ride time is claimed at the 10-percent or 1000LM power mode in the hybrid setting. We found this setting was sufficient for most of the trail riding we were doing with this light. A green or red light emanating from the power button always indicates the battery level while the light is on. Velcro straps attach the battery pack to the bike.

The battery itself is a 10,000MAH lithium-ion pack that can also be used via the USB-C port as a battery pack for charging phones or other electronic devices when not in use with the headlamp. From empty, the battery pack takes about nine hours to charge.

Field test results:

Though on most of our rides we used the light in the lower-to-mid brightness settings, we did spend a couple of our night rides under the guidance of the full 8000 lumens. It opened our eyes to things we may not have seen otherwise, including a scorpion, a tarantula and a small snake. To say it did a good job lighting the path for us would be an understatement. Normally, we would be wearing a helmet light to give a bit more definition to the trail, but with this light, that hardly seemed necessary.

The light is mounted using a Garmin mount forward of the stem. We typically don’t like lights that have external battery packs because they tend to be heavier and cumbersome, but the sleek, narrow design made this relatively lightweight battery almost unnoticeable. The cable connecting the two is long enough for multiple mounting options. The 32-degree floodlights at the top of the light sometimes shone brightly into our eyes when hitting jumps or sharp inclines. Turning the floodlights off and just operating on the spots could be a solution to the problem.

At one point, we did two rides at full power without charging the battery to see just how long it would last. The combined time of the two rides was around an hour and 45 minutes. The light in the power button showed red by the time we got back from the second ride, but it never quit on us. Certainly, 8000 lumens is a lot of light, and at $419, it’s definitely an investment, but if you take night riding seriously, it just might be worth it. We have enjoyed every mile of riding this light has enabled us to safely complete, and can’t wait to put in even more miles with it to guide us.

HITS:

• A wide variety of brightness settings to cater to whichever trail or distance you’re riding.

• A long-lasting battery you can also charge a Garmin or phone with.

MISSES:

• Shines in eyes when you are too far forward in the cockpit.

STAR RATING:★★★★½

Weight: 599g

Price: $419

Contact: https://magicshine.com