Are Expensive Bike Lights a Rip Off?!

[@RobRidesEMTB]

Use code EMTB10 at magicshineuk.com for 10% off your lights. This is not a paid or sponsored video and this is not an affiliate link, just a genuine discount for viewers! Also, see them all at once for the full 20000 lumens 😂 kzbin.infoo3Waubtr8OY?feature=share

[@justlikeyouful]

I purchased MagicShine back around 2011. Good stuff. But make sure replacement batteries are available with the right connections.

[@justlikeyouful]

Have you raced at night? You need one on the helmet and one on the handle bars. Period. No discussion. Don't miss the most basic of things. Look up parallax vision.

[@kc3718]

had a magic shine, the wet killed it and the importers told me to do one...better off with the cheapo aliexpress than a pseudo respectable company.

[@richardsmith8035]

The exposure light has a reflex setting that adjusts to your riding after approx 20mins. You won’t get the full lumens unless you run it in this mode. Standard highest output is 3600 lumen.

[@Andy-kd1kb]

Hahaha. They gave you the light for free? Seriously unimpressed with this video- you've not covered any of the features on the Exposure light programmability or the display screen etc etc etc.

[@paulmartin5529]

Hi Rob great video. Good to see all the lights compared. I have a Magicshine Monteer but put the battery in an old water bottle in my cage. You can tuck the excess cable inside. Cut down a sponge to stop it rattling. Works great. 👍🏻

[@andrewjanes2887]

I'm never dissapointed with your video's Rob and delivered with no bias and proffesionally. Keep it coming, everything and anything emtb👍

[@RobRidesEMTB]

Cheers Andrew 👍

[@andrewjanes2887]

@@RobRidesEMTB my pleasure.

[@tlouie32]

Hey Rob, great video. I actually use the Amazon light atop my helmet to take care of any “spread” issues. Wherever I turn my head, the light follows so it’s less of an issue. I also have another mounted on my bars. The two in combo work brilliantly for budget minded people. Cheers.

[@Trocheros]

This!

[@bustatron]

This is what I have - medium light on the bars, strong light on my head. Ceco Amazon lights are cheap enough to double up.

[@Rondawwg]

That’s sounds like the best option and budget too!!

[@andrewince8824]

A helmet light is an absolute godsend. Nothing better than being able to spot your line through corners, can't do that with bar lights.

[@jamieokane989]

@@andrewince8824 what helmet light do you have/ recommend please?

[@jonah13ij]

Thought this was a really good effort as a light comparison video based on others. I’ve had an exposure 6 pack for about 5 years and works very well. I think this missed the mark a little in not comparing battery life, features and issues such as heat management and recharge times for example. Brightest lights that can only run for 30 mins doesn’t hit the mark. Warranty and other services such as the very good model that exposure have should also factor, that is part why the cost is high. I didn’t want additional cables and batteries which influenced my decision. But overall well done rob,

[@paulcass6484]

Hi Rob,I have the six pack and it has an accelerometer built in.when stopped the light I think drops to 3600 lumen and only when you move does it increase to 5000 lumen.i could be wrong though. Also the battery life is unreal.

[@Mluisgr81]

Same I have the six pack and Diablo for the helmet. The six pack also has reflex mode which brightens up on faster descents and dims down when you are stopped. Like you said, the battery lasts forever! No other light has an accelerometer built in. I admit the spread isn’t the best there is out there but even so it’s still more than enough.

[@danielforward8218]

I believe mode 4 avoids the reflex and puts out the full 5000. Wonder if he did the test with reflex on or off :/

[@mokewest]

Great vid Rob and nice to see you’ve included a cheap light as a comparison as every other test I’ve seen or read tends to overlook these cheapies. I’ve tried loads of different lights and the one I use and thoroughly recommend is the Moon Meteor Storm Pro, plenty of lumens for technical riding and an amazing battery life (internal battery). It also has a remote switch which is superb for changing modes on the go and best of all you can pick them up for under £90

[@mikldude9376]

I have/had a Moon brand light as well , its probably 4 or 5 years old now , but mine also came with the remote hi low beam switch( cool feature ) , it came in an alloy like camera case with all the bits and pieces , i cant remember how many lumens it was , but at the time it was a high end model ( and cost about $400 Australian ) , and on low beam it was a nice beam with good width that i happily used on the road and it did not dazzle oncoming drivers , on high beam it was a very good flood light for night riding with enough penetration to safely ride at a fair clip. On high beam it would go for about an hour , and of course would run longer on low beam alone , and it had different flashing modes as well . I dont think it had quite the power of the brightest one Rob just showed us , but it was still quite good , and i would still be happy to use it . I donated my mountain bike to my young brother 20 years my junior as age is getting to me , and diamond frames kill me now , im looking to get a recumbent trike down the track before i cark it :) , and i will set up again. I liked the moon product , i would buy another .

[@marius666]

I just watched a video on that Moon Meteor. It's fucking terrible. Can barely see anything in front. It's worse than the Amazon one displayed in this video.

[@captainslow4184]

I've the magic shine 906 with external battery and it's plenty powerful at a relatively low price. When connected to the ebike battery it really depends on the power system output since it changes the light output accordingly. But the Monteer was just WOW!! Unbelievably powerful and super wide spread. Magic indeed! It puts the exposure unit in the shadow. literally... Excellent review, super informative and honest

[@jamesherd9132]

Dear Rob I would like to thankyou . After watching your video I ordered a Majicshine Monteer 650. I got it on a black friday deal It came up in us $ dollars which confused me it also took over3 weeks to arrive. I gave it to my son for christmas . We had a night out on the local trails and it was fantastic no it was better than that .so thanks again.

[@keith1277]

One of the best light comparison videos I've seen, good job! I'm a Lupine fan (have Lupine Wilma), but have been looking at the Magicshine lights lately, as they seem to do some really bright lights for much less than Lupine.

[@Mapantz1]

Magicshine make up their lumen numbers.

[@EndoLynxBC]

You can quite easily fit a diffuser on the chep light. I've done that and it is a massive difference. Takes away the bright spot in the middle. Add another light on your helmet without diffuser and you get a decent light set up at a very nice price.

[@charliecroker7005]

The only post to show any initiative. Top marks.

[@thelethalmoo]

what diffuser did you use? ive been thinking about that

[@EndoLynxBC]

@@thelethalmoo I replaced the glass with a piece of the plastic casing from a garage roof lamp. It's full of smal kind of prisms and spreads the light nice without too much damping. Just unscrew the front of the lamp and cut out a piece that fits..

[@_MJ07_]

As a photographer, any form of diffusion will lower light output. Even tracing paper can decrease light output by a stop (50%) or more.

[@dadsy]

Run time is important, would have been good to just leave them on and let us know how that went

[@agent5995]

I agree. There are also limitations to how long lights can sustain a high lumen rating due to overheating.

[@mattipesu]

This. And also other features such as controls, the possibility of adjusting modes, heat management, reliability etc.

[@UnDoDGeAbLe]

Many thanks for the great review. Your reviews are consistently some of the best out there and so helpful when trying to decide on a purchase. I've just purchased a Magicshine Monteer 6500S using your discount code, thank you for this. Keep doing what you do, all the best...

[@NottherealRobWarner]

Great video and non-biased as ever, I have had both the Magicshines and Exposures over the past 8 years, the Maginshines I had were the older versions but were still great lights, and if I'm honest still work to this day (6 years old) although the battery life has dropped from 2 hours to about 1 hour now but still a good light all the same - I now run though an Exposure Maxx-D on the bars and Diablo on the helmet - 2 lights for around £500 5 years ago, both still operate at 100% battery life and output - also Exposure warranty is second to none - £25 for a fix-up and bulb warranty is excellent - I'm not saying not to buy the Magicshine but for £100 more and no battery or cables or attachments etc and full warranty I would go exposure all day long!

[@appealinbanana]

Fantastic vid as ever Rob. Ya know what, every time you turned that light off and back in again, I was expecting to see a dark figure stood in the trees. I’d have hit the roof I did. Winter gear advice would be a great idea this time of year. 👍🏽

[@willv198412]

I have an exposure MaxxD, it has an intelligent mode that saves battery by dimming when stationary, ascending or going slower, it takes a while to calibrate. I think you might get better results from the Exposure after a longer test with different modes. Its a great light but would be improved with usb-c and a simpler mode selection method. I have to read the manual every time I turn it off. Also the rubber bung that seals the charge port takes about 10 attempts to close, very annoying.

[@davidmaskew]

Yes, I think it calibrates while you ride for something like the first ten minutes but I can't remember. I have the Six pack MK10 which has the same thing. It tends to only pump out something like 3000 lumens unless it thinks you need really need more and as you say less if going slow or climbing. The rubber bung can be a fiddle 😂👍

[@willperry9722]

Will a bit of silicon spray on the plug and it's easier to do up. Also top tip is make sure that the green light is on your charger before you plug into charge to keep your mode settings.

[@mathieulemonnyer8714]

Bonjour Rob I bought Lupine lighting. It's expensive but worth it. And some products don't need batteries because you connect it to the battery of your bike. It works fine with Brose, Bosch and Yamaha motors. And great quality. Thanks again for your videos. They are f... great. Mathieu d'Aix en Provence (south of France) 🤟🤟😉

[@ChrisTopher-xj3df]

Good video Rob. Thanks for pointing out that you were only getting 1800 Lumens from your MagicShine MJ906SE in your tests, instead of the 4500 Lumens that this light can output on a higher output power source. It’s pretty cool how this light will automatically adjust it’s light output to match the power that the Ebike system provides it. Eliminates the math required to figure out if the light will be compatible with your ebike. Great work Magicshine. I will be upgrading my Bosch ebike light to the Magicshine ME 2000 soon.

[@ChefIan73]

Currently using a combo from a tiny company here in the States called Outbound Lighting. Fully self-contained, amazing optics, and the option for pass through charging.

[@philadams9254]

Thanks. You just helped me with my decision. I was going to get the Magicshine (maybe even the new 8000 version) but have decided to get the Exposure one because I'm mainly doing road riding and the spotlight effect is actually better in a lot of cases, although have that exact £26 one and the spot is too harsh but also weak at the same time. However, once I get my MTB back in action and a few more paychecks in the bank I'll be going for the Magicshine for some off-roading as that wide field looks awesome.

[@redhunter1535]

It's think the Exposure is a bit overkill for road cycling isn't it, even if you're super fast.

[@markchapman1366]

Great video for the spread and brightness of lights. I have always gone with Hope or Exposure because they last year after year through really messy winters and salty roads. It's all about how many years they last.

[@davidmaskew]

Yes and I think Exposure are pretty good at being able to repair or replace parts and things like batteries on their lights and have a great warranty. They keep spares for older models and try to get you going again if something eventually fails. Not sure about Hope lights but they are a brand I've always liked and would trust.

[@lisarobertson5165]

So while I agree exposures are expensive however the company back their kit so if anything happens they help. We had to have one rebuilt and they did it for about £40 out of warranty. They are brilliant to deal with and the mode and trail tracking makes a huge difference on our inclosed trails.

[@gteaz]

£440 for a rebuilt bike light?

[@lisarobertson5165]

No, husband had damaged it in a serious off. The cabling had taken alot of the shock. The company were brilliant to deal with, they also support our mtb races up here.

[@bencole4272]

£50 at Halfords got me a 1600 lumen light. I have never needed more. I do a lot of riding in the dark, over dunes and through forests. Run time is good, modes are good. It can be used as a power bank. It's a little bit heavy and takes a while to charge but the best endorsement I can give is that if I lost it now, I wouldn't even research I'd go straight to Halfords and buy another. I also have a "Moon" front light that I paid around £100 for and the Halford one beats it easily. I have heard the Halfords unit was made by Garmin but I've never verified that. Hope this helps.

[@lisarobertson5165]

Ben, I'm confused was this reply meant for myself? Exposure do lights for the puffer race so anything happens they are on site which is really good for the racers. Halfords can be useful but I'm also married to a local bike shops senior mechanic so buying lights means I go to them. Same as bike computers 🙂

[@dingbattoast7446]

The battery is probably the most important and most expensive component in any light setup. Would have been useful to show max power run time vs charge time (which makes your eBike light crazy expensive as there's no battery or charger🙈) Personally I prefer the bar mount light to be as wide as possible and have a lid mount to light wherever I'm actually looking

[@KlimChugunkin888]

Достаточно иметь качественную фару(светодиоды,правильную температуру света и оптимальный угол вторичной оптики)с разъёмом Type C и подключение кабелем к Power Bank(например Xiaomi НА 20000 mAh)....It is enough to have a high-quality headlight (LEDs, the correct light temperature and the optimal angle of the secondary optics) with a Type C connector and a cable connection to the Power Bank (for example, Xiaomi ON 20000 mAh) ....

[@allpal3077]

@@KlimChugunkin888 Would Xiaomi or similar work for a bike light voltage range of my is 5Volt - 8.4Volt?

[@KlimChugunkin888]

@@allpal3077 5V/9V/12V/15V/20V

[@fahed2000]

Nice reviews that everyone can relate to. Would love to have a video of your thoughts/comparison between different bike alarms for those commuting on an ebike. Thanks

[@jamesherd9132]

The Amazon light has larger batteries available for £10 each the ones i bought are in a plastic cover and are almost water proof .a bit of blue tack on the handle bars is a good idea to stop the light moveing .thanks for a great video.

[@rosspickburn4726]

Very good video. I was about to purchase the Sixpack and this changed my mind. Now ordered and £264 after discount so thanks very much Rob!

[@pigshed]

Enlightening ! Nice Job Rob, best comparison I've seen - really nicely put together video.

[@jailbreakoverlander]

Well done Rob, Ive been doing same testing here in northeast USA

[@jjdtv7428]

Great video! I really don't think the Exposures are beatable.Even though this video leans more toward the magic shine light.. The exposure has reflex technology which is insane as it drops the lumens at slower speeds! I run an Exposure Toro on my bar and an Exposure Diablo on my helmet. Plenty of light for the techiest of tracks!

[@MikeTheBike2010]

A big thumbs up from me on this set up (Toro and Diablo) plenty good enough for me and Exposure is great quality with excellent back up and reasonable repair costs.

[@Mluisgr81]

Agreed! I have the six pack and diablo… amazing lights. I also have bontrager ion pro rt which is great for rail trails but the exposure lights imo are too notch best in the industry. Maybe not best spread beam but more than adequate for any trail.

[@PghMtbRides]

Exposures are over priced for a basic beam pattern (round, not shaped) Not hard to find a cheap light with same crappy pattern.

[@Howling-Mad-Murdock]

Gotta lol at the people claiming you can’t beat Exposure. Yes you can, I’ve just watched a vid were one was absolutely trounced by a much cheaper light.

[@PghMtbRides]

@@Howling-Mad-Murdock its about the same as any night rider light..and they're over priced at 80-120 Infun GT 200 , novsight 1600 and xhp70 are 3 lights that are better at 50 abd under

[@xmateinc]

for mtb I can see having lights this bright, I have the ion 1300 from bontrager, perfect for commuting. you'd blind drivers with some of those lights, that 650 is a great light.

[@markbradshaw4960]

I am still running an Exposure Toro from 2012, and an Exposure Joystick from 2010. No faults, no maintenance, they both still work after thousands and thousands of miles of commuting nearly 40 miles a day. Expensive yes, but worth every penny.

[@davidmaskew]

Great video, I agree the 6500 model was very impressive. I have the Exposure six pack MK10 (previous model) and it's always been enough for my rides in the woods etc. but I have it paired with a Diablo on my helmet for looking into corners etc. I think some of the cost of the bigger Exposure lights is the built in system that can adjust the output automatically depending on speed, how bumpy the terrain is and if you are climbing or descending. I bought this because I hate having packs and wires all over the place and it's built like a tank. It's chunky but if you keep it reasonably close to the centre (stem) you don't really feel it.

[@TheMikeDudley]

More good news - the Magic is rechargeable from a solar panel. Would have been good to know how long at full beam and also, can it be switched between different intensity levels. Off to Google to do the extra info legwork, I guess but yeah. I agree Rob. The Magic is seriously impressive.

[@markjaye8182]

Great video Rob! I've bent doing some night riding in the Utah desert where I live and I've been thinking of a light upgrade. Looks like a massive improvement over what I currently have. Again, thanks! BTW, night riding is such a different experience. Hard to explain but it took me a while to get comfortable doing it, even though I was on trails I knew really well. It's just so different...

[@londonmtbknights898]

Tnx for sharing Rob! Helped me a lot in choosing which light works best

[@jamespaterson6550]

Great vid Rob,when I saw all the lights on the bar at the same time it reminded me of my days on my Grifter with a full compliment of 4 ever ready front lights and 2 rear lights Rallye stylee lol🤣

[@bimmerfan729]

I've been using some of those Amazon cheapo lights. Batteries are definitely their low point but are cheap enough to replace. Also the ones I have offer different filters to adjust the beam pattern. So I have a Bontrager Ion 1300 on the helmet and the cheapo with a wide pattern filter on the bars and its a pretty great combo for the money.

[@ericmcfarlin4272]

Have you tested any Outbound lights? Has a beam cutoff to avoid blinding others.

[@rosswatson7636]

Good video. You should try Glow worm. Triple bar light 2800 lumens, double head light 1750 lumens. So easy to operate, one press for on, one press to change intensity, 3 levels. Great lightweight strong mounting brackets. Fast charging & compact. Just above average price.

[@470danadidas]

Great review Rob. Need a new light so I've just ordered a magic shine Monteer with your discount code so thanks . Look forward t trying it out.

[@yvindjrgensen7599]

Hi Rob, great ebike channel. I have the ms 8000s and its superb. At full brightness it lasts about 1,5 h and at 50% it lasts abaout 3h and 15min. Even at the lowest output the light is good. I usaly use 50% output, but when i ride downhill I use 75% output. 100% output is some times too much:) I don`t feel the nead fore a helmet mount light anny more! But i misses some side visability lightning fore transport riding . Since I innvested in an ebike that costs . . . . .€, a 350€ light investment is worth it. Then I can ride the bike 365 days a year :) ( I sometimes wishes a little bit more in depth reviews of the products you preferred) Enjoy your ebike riding , and keep up with great e bike videos

[@renegadeflyer2]

The benefits of a separate battery, is the light by it self doesn't shift or move when riding over ruff trails. I have just bought the magic shine light. I had it out for the first time last night. Definitely not disappointed. It all so has different light settings. It will, also work well as a road light with out blinding the on coming traffic. The only beef I have is, the one button has to do all the settings and it will take me alittle longer to get use to it.

[@dalehankinson9049]

Hi Rob good review mate, just to add to your review exposure may be the most expensive but their customer service is legendary 👌 sometimes thats worth the extra I have 4 exposure light that have been bounced down countless runs and they never miss a beat 😀 if you want to get a cheaper 6 pack go to their factory seconds page. I nabbed a 6 pack for just over 300 squidlies 👍👊

[@chrisjones6699]

Thanks for the discount code Rob! I’ve been looking to get an ebike specific light and after having a look on the magic shine site, I’ve gone for the 906SE. 4500lm. £142 for the light and cable (+shipping) including discount. Had a quick look on KZbin for the light and it looks brilliant. Cheers 👍🏻

[@alteredshape7611]

Great vlog Rob as I've been thinking about purchasing a light.. I especially liked the bit where you coming out of the forest saying don't be like me..made me laugh that lol..

[@MajorinDC]

Rob, you had a strong review of the lights, but the aspect that is missing is the difference between a road light and a mtb light. The spread is actually detrimental on road lights, especially when passing cars coming in the other direction. Whereas, on the mtb, the spread allows for greater visual range for the multiple corners and objects. The difference is the spot light effect that you want for the road bike, versus the spread needed for the woods. But as you said, the review was "for you" not roadies like me. I actually like (and bought) the cheap light because it better suited my need for a front spot light and it was cheap. I don't need to see 1/2 a mile ahead so the brighter lenses would be overkill. Again, great review! But, the 3 "losing" products reviewed were generally for road use.

[@davidbierbaum4881]

I was going to comment that anyone Rob meets on the trail with that "mega" light, is going to hate him for life. Edit: It would have been fun just to see him light up all those lights at the same time, though! 😎

[@danselas]

Isn’t this an mtb channel(?), so think this review is very much fit for purpose. My priority on road versus mtb is that on road I want to be seen, whereas mtb I want to see. I just run an old Hope R1 on the lowest setting for road and then bump it up if I need to see on any unlit roads or trails.

[@MajorinDC]

@@danselas My point was that if this is a MTB channel, would it not be prudent to review mtb lights (with the purposeful spread)? The winning light didn't win because it was brightest. it won because it better suited the need of a mtn biker. Its like putting apples in the best orange competition and expecting an upset. Rob's review of the capabilities was spot on. But the items reviewed had less specialties.

[@mrbadger9920]

The exposure didn't seem as good as I was expecting it to be. Are you sure it was set up correctly? I thought some of their lights had a terrain tracking system where they get brighter when you start flying downhill and dim down to save power when you stop or climb/go a bit slower. The magicshine beam pattern is superb, I have just got the 3500 but not used it yet, I can't wait.

[@phantombigballs8165]

Won't be at full power stationary. Poor testing

[@adamduncan6172]

This video couldn't have come at a better time for me as I'm looking to upgrade my light set up. Thanks for the information 👍

[@scottfox6271]

Really appropriate as I’ve been struggling with lack on light on the trail and will heed your advice.

[@Pipsicle330]

I’ve just taken up night riding this year and love it. I’d really like to upgrade the built on light on the front of my Specialized Ebike for minimum hassle. Must speak to my dealer and see what can be done.

[@andrewturnbull9304]

Thanks Rob. great comparison test. and thanks for the 10% code just ordered the monteer and saved £29,

[@lfcwilson]

I have been through a couple of chaeapo lights so I just bought the exposure mk11 for a great price £325. It has many different settings which you didn't seem mention including reflex, a timer display, premium build quality, UK made and great customer service so I'm not sure your verdict is completely accurate. Enjoying the vids though nice one 🙂

[@ryangreen6494]

Great video, I have the cheapo light and have just bought the 906se and I completely agree with your comments. I do feel a little disappointed that the 906se wasn't a bigger improvement, but it's still better and safer than the cheapo. A point to consider is the cost of getting the bosch dealer to unlock the light setting (£15) and also you will lose a little battery capacity as the system has to make a reserve so there is alway power for the lights. Well that's what I was told anyway, I'm yet to find out if this is correct, maybe someone can confirm?

[@mcplutt]

I just ordered a 1000 lumen (1150 lumen measured) Bosch compatible light kit for less than for €100. The 2000 lumen version isn't compatible with the Bosch CX Gen 4 motor. The light uses 12 Watts at the full lumen setting. But you can select 400 or 100 lumen too. A 625 Wh battery should be able to power the light at 400 lumen (5 Watts) for 125 hours.

[@justanothernoobe]

Bloody awesome review - such a clear difference between the 4 models. There's a LOT of time that goes into making these reviews so thanks for taking the time to post this: you've just made my decision clear: I reckon 2 of those cheap Amazon lights ANGLED on the handlebars PLUS one on the helmet would fix the spread issues ... although not as great distance for throw. That said, I'm lucky enough to be able to afford it so ... Magicshine Monteer is the way for me - well worth it just to have a single unit - even without your discount (and thanks for arranging that too!). I'm actually riding with a Topeak Moonshine from wayyyyyyy y back in the day ... it still rocks. But the new light is for my son so he's gonna get the technology improvements. Thanks for your review.

[@wockhardt6242]

I hope to buy a bicycle light that is just right, if the light is too bright, it will illuminate other people's eyes, and if it is too dark, the road conditions will be bad.

[@TheBatteryDoctor]

You have amazing video quality! May i ask what camera you are using?

[@phillrobinson9795]

Great review, with the added bonus of not being one of the masses who place Exposure lights first because they’re mega expensive and trendy. Exposure has great after sales support but call me old fashioned, I kind of want a light that is made works well, not one that is easy to send off, wait for a replacement if it breaks down (not that they do very often to be fair). The internal battery is good aesthetically, but it renders your light useless when it fails, the external battery gives more options for replacement and/or temp replacements/extras too (with the weight stored away from the turning mass)

[@Andy-co6pn]

Didn't realise exposure lights were trendy ? Bought mine years ago and they've lasted well.

[@이호남-z8m]

I've used wasaga, Monteer 6500, and now I'm using Magic Shine's MOH55 and MJ906S together. Wasaga is similar to MJ906S at first, but after about three months of use, the brightness decreases. The Monte 6500 is so hot that it is not in use now. I am using MOH55 for handlebar and MJ906S for helmet, and I am very satisfied.

[@bluestraycat]

Interesting comparison, Rob, but you didn't mention what mode you had the Exposure light in. That light will only deliver its brightest beam of 5000 lumens in Reflex mode, otherwise 3600 is the max. The ability to program the Exposure is also one of its strengths, it can automatically adjust the brightness to save battery when you're not bombing downhill. To ride properly at night you really need a helmet light too, so the smaller spread of the Exposure compared to the Magicshine is less of an issue. You're wanting to light up the trail in front of you, not the whole forest. Burn time is also a factor to consider when buying.

[@kodakflashman1252]

Completely agree - reliability is also a major issue. Magicshine were great value for money, until you get through 3 in 2 years. Bought the Exposure 6 pack 4 years ago and never looked back, its amazing

[@jouhanon]

Bought two Magicshine 6500, one for the handlebar and one for the helmet. Let there be light!! 😁

[@tomg224]

in will be a bit heavy for helmet you will feel it .. MJ-906S this is one perfect for helmet 4500lumens small light beast :D

[@MrWilfAdventures]

I commute along a dirt track all winter and was using a specialized flux expert light for dipped beam I picked up 2nd hand, not a bad light but wanted to augment it with a decent main beam. Ended up buying a £30 xhp7.2 based torch and making a simple bracket to attach it to an existing handlebar mount. Works really well, I'm sure it's not as good as a £260 light but it's a lot of light output for the money and has decent battery life

[@johnpeter4184]

State side of the pond here. In 2015 I bought two of the cheap type at $24 each. Cree one 1200lm LED and one diffuser lens. Powered by a water tight plastic box holding 6 18640 batteries a Y cable to feed both lights. Still seems satisfactory. For in town a quality one inch diameter flashlight/torch is bar mounted in a Wuben bar bracket.. I ride paved bike trails not the woods. Most of my Country is still lost in the woods.. Cheers!!

[@rustynuts4426]

Owned the magic shine for a year now. Had to do a warrenty claim on the battery. Very very powerful as you see, 2hrs max run time on full power and its something like 2 days run time on low setting. It now c9mes with a Bluetooth controller. I would recommend

[@jhogg73]

Just had the MagicShine 6500 zeus delivered, and shone it in the garden! its more powerful than the 50W LED security light i've got! cant wait to go out with it on!

[@masonictruth]

I bought a cheap light from ebay, similar to the one from amazon, and then added a fresnell-lens, that took care of the spread. Big improvement.

[@rupedog]

I use 2 cheapo lights on the bars... angled slightly outward, plus a helmet light. You can control the bar light spread etc yourself then by angle, they're not so bright it effects rider in front with shadows, but gives a good 2000+lumens on the bar. And on mellow parts u can turn both down or one off to save power but still good light + spread.

[@allanhetherington4224]

Something to bear in mind if you're going to ride your ebike at night on roads with other traffic. The more powerful lights are easily capable of dazzling an oncoming driver if either the angle they're mounted at is too high or the vertical spread they produce is too great. I fitted a Supernova M99 to my Bosch powered bike, a bit expensive but has a 'dip-switch' and is permanently wired in so hassle free.

[@nigelnightmare4160]

None of the lights shown were suitable for road use. The best road lights come from Germany.

[@jabbarismadi5607]

Great video! Would love to see some durability factor tests in the future like battery life, water, dust and shock resistance etc.

[@brendan1]

Excellent video. I have a cheap Amazon light and a more expensive Bontrager and NiteRider. The cheap $35 Amazon light is actually pretty good and great value for the money. But what I find is that I don't need to use them in the brightest settings very often. Your eyes adapt to lower light and I also usually ride with other people so there's light from the other bikes too. One thing for sure, night riding is super fun!

[@niczoom]

Ive got the Magicshine 902S with 3000 lumens, since the bosch only outputs (from memory) 18v through the light output the max you get out the Magicshine is 1500 lumens. If u try to use the 3000 lumen mode the bosch errors out and cuts power to the light as the current draw is too much. I know its got an ebike mode but I find it a hassle to use as the process to activate it is cumbersome.

[@hindesite]

Wow, the Monteer looks great, but how are all of these lights for overheating? There are many flashlights that will run at decent outputs, but only for short times; you don't want that for a bike light.

[@jspoons6619]

Not all lights are road legal depending , what you traffic laws are especially in these hi powered lights , when you face on coming traffic . most cycling lights are required to have some sort of light showing from the side , so you can be seen from the side by Cars or other cyclist's . I would advise anyone using trail lights like these unless marked as road legal to have a 2nd Light on there bike or helmut. I am not sure what the current UK laws are on street legal cycling lights but since I have been living in Germany for 12 years and sure you have these super Hi-powered lights here after all there are a lot of woods here , but most packaging states if a light meets the required road laws for public roads . This is something I have to keep in mind when looking for new lights to save getting a fine later down the line . But a great video again proving that just because it is the most expensive it will be the best . thanks.

[@MrSergioRosario]

Hello Rob. nice video. thank you!!, I think you forgot to mention the magicShine MJ906S when connected to the battery pack can give 4500Lumens, I have that light and when I connect to my specialized Kenevo I can only put in mid power( I think around 1200L / 1800L), but with the battery pack I can use in full power mode 4500L. :). cheers and keep up the good work 🙏🙏🙏

[@johnshellenberg1383]

I have a cheap bike light for urban commuting and they work great. I've gone out for nearly two hours on full brightness and had some juice left using the Wastou small bar mount light. Ignore their wild lumen claims, lol. But for $30CDN, they're a steal for what you get. For trail riding, it's not enough light, but for city paths, works great.

[@jonnywalker169]

Hi Rob iv been night riding 25 years tried lots even made my own EXPOSURE are the best big group ov us some had them 6 years + British and u can send em back 4 service cheep second 2non HOPE lights next best again British also if u use E bike battery think it keeps 10% back 4 the lights great and informative videos youth👍

[@GeoffreyCapes]

Currently what I’m after is a system where all the lights you have on your bike are connected to 1 battery, the front / rear / flashing type. I have no problem with them being wired, I just want to worry about charging 1 battery and a couple of helmet batteries. Great video.

[@schutztruppe]

I've used the cheepy light for about 6 years in a city setting. About 5 to 7 thousand miles ...YES that much. Daylight going to work and 9PM drive home for 11 miles. They work great but the bigger batteries are getting hard to find. I recommend the 8 battery pack type.

[@jatissimo]

I just installed my own light and wondered why it didn't work. You need your dealer to activate it, because it reserves some watts (at least 3) for the bikelight after the battery runs out of watts, which lowers your reach a bit

[@johnmckeeman1794]

Have an ebuy fire off Aliexpress and been using 2 yrs. Brilliant light only downside is take a long time to charge. Plus rechargeable batteries are replaceable. Excellent quality and performance

[@computerbob06]

Got red and white pound shop lights in my saddle bag in case I get caught out on the way home. The front light does shed an okay amount of light and I've always thought how it would look with as many lights as the free space on my bars would allow!? I could maybe get 6 lights on it, so that would be £6 then!

[@cvigo]

Hi Rob, I am somehow surprised by your upside down setup of the magic shine. I assumed that decent lights use optics to conform the light beam in the most efficient way. If you mount the light upside down you might be getting the opposite effects than those expected, am I right? I have a inexpensive but good Fenix BC30 and if invert it, the beam becomes excessively bright in the short distance and quite scarce in the long distance. Thanks for the video!!

[@BackpackersRomania]

Hey Rob . Until this year a had different types of lights ( 1000/2000..4000) lumens on my e-bike (Amazon/AliExpress/eBay). Now, on the new one I have a Lezyne E115 ( 310 lumens) but is by far the most perfect light to ride in pitch black forest . I think is not only about the lumens , but also how the light is displayed. I ordered now the most powerful E-bike light from them( 1000 lumens) to see if it's better , and for an e-bike light I think the price is very good.

[@lawrencehoward4958]

Thanks for this Rob. Can you do a helmet light version?

[@4926marko]

Do you have a video showing the wiring install to the e-bike? I have an orbea rise, hoping to install to that….thanks.

[@cgmoody1]

Here in Australia it is still light later coming into summer but definitely wayyyyy cooler to ride at night. Am currently in the process of looking at lights to put in my jam2 and this video helps heaps. Thanks. I’m definitely steering towards integrated system as I am the type to forget to charge and mount a light other wise. More info please!!!

[@Jiglo71]

Great review. I bought a Magicshine Monteer 8000 a while back and the brightness is unreal, but i've since paired it with a Magicshine RN3000 on the helmet. It's expensive, can be a bit of a faff strapping it to the bike each time and the bracket isn't great for attaching to the bars (mine came loose on the second ride). The helmet light is pretty heavy too, so needs a little extra tightening on the rear helmet adjuster, but I can ride flat out at night and see all the wildlife making the spooky noises, so it's well worth it to me. I had considered the Exposure lights, but now I think I made the right decision.

[@curtno5665]

I have the same setup on my Spesialized and I love it :-)

[@eeb-tv8970]

I use one of the amazon cheapies attached to my helmet, you can get 3d printed brackets for them to fit go pro mounts cheap enough.

[@MilatovichFamily]

I have Mounteer 6500S for half a year and I just love it. Paired with 1200 lumens helmet light from Magicshine is great.

[@shaunjohn4591]

I run the magicshine 6500 on my bar and a 920 magicshine on lid, and I can ride the whole of the Wall at Afan at full power with no issues. The light they give off are phenomenal, I don't think you can beat them. Great content again Rob👍👍

[@jay8miller]

Great video Rob and really informative.

[@RobRidesEMTB]

Cheers Jay!

[@jay8miller]

@@RobRidesEMTB the effort and production involved to bring us this great content would put some tv companies to shame. Keep up the great work 👌🏻

[@smtkelly]

I'm curious do the light on have an effect filming during the day? You always see film crews use tons of lighting.

[@andrew87C]

bright lights are great if your the only one there, but if you are blinding everyone then you can easily cause accidents. I would be interested in bike lights that have a shaped beam like a car dipped beam. I use a 450lumen bike light and point it down so I can just see far enough for safety but still get alot of car drivers flashing their high beam as the light spill to them is still a problem

[@SG-cx9fn]

Fair comparison of the lights initial performance but it’s more about long term reliability. I’ve had numerous cheap lights including magic shine and they just don’t last. Moved to exposure a few years ago and still going strong False economy buying cheap…buy twice…or more

[@chrisbailey459]

You are missing a point here of where each of those lights are best suited for,ie. The light or lights on the bike need to be of a flood light nature which can be vastly different in there angle of coverage whereas the first of your test lights was definitely of the spot light and a fairly narrow beam. So a bit of research to do. Prior to getting some lights with on board battery power,I utilised a powerful wide angle spread flood light on the bike and helmet mounted medium angle spot light. I set them up to give a large fan of light from the flood/s light and the helmet light to sit slightly at the front of the flood light beam and with two flood lights I positioned my helmet light to fill in the dark spots at each of the lights pattern,which gives great trail coverage and the helmet light to shine and illuminate where your head is looking( and hopefully going). Certainly the cheaper China lights don’t last forever however mine lasted for 10 winters before they were retired. Regards

[@johnpart8229]

SON dynamo hub coupled to an Edelux is the way to go. No noticeable drag, very bright, always there, never ever needs to be recharged. Perfect for audax etc. Plus the hub can also recharge your phone and/or GPS.

[@rolfklevgaard6346]

Just to say: once you get the magicshine batterypack you can use a multitude of different lights, as long as the connect in the same way. My magicshine light died on my, but still use the batterypack with a diffenrent light.

[@alasdairmclean1655]

Hi Rob I have been debating the magjicshine 8000 monster for a while now. The video and the discount code have confirmed my decision - purchased - and thanks for the discount.

[@joneaton3366]

Great video thanks. I'm after a helmet light please can you recommend a few.

[@DonTheBlackGuy]

Thank you for the video. Wish the viewpoint was from behind the bike at the beginning, so we could have a better understanding of how the lights are thrown.

[@xinaesthetic]

One thing I wish people using these mega bright lights would be a bit better about dipping them for oncoming traffic. My off-road activities are mostly limited to fair-weather and daylight, I certainly see the appeal of having a big light for getting out on the trails at night, but when I ride on roads at night (with a not particularly bright light, but fine for being able to see on-road while letting eyes be somewhat adjusted to see stars etc as well) I don’t appreciate being blinded by MTB riders. Maybe turn down the power in general when you’re not actually on the trail, and definitely when there are other people oncoming.