Magicshine SEEMEE 508/Magene L508 (co-branded) Radar Review

[@piotrkol91]

Been using the Magene L508 for a bit over a month and it's pretty amazing. Absolutely no difference to the Garmin in terms of radar functionality or reliability. I used to be sceptical about radars on bikes but god damn I love having that thing, feel a lot more relaxed knowing I have an additional pair of eyes in the back. Also I love how the Magene light works (a bit different to the Garmin) - I run with the light off (I use a bontrager Flare RT which is loads better than the Varia or Magene light) but when the Magene detects a car it starts blinking the light very rapidly anyway - I noticed a significant change in car behaviour with that effect. A lot more drivers started overtaking me in a much safer manner than before. Not all of them of course, there are still plenty of shitheads out there, but there is a noticable improvement. So a bit of a bonus feature with that rapid light blinking in addition to my Flare rt light :)

[@seanPar]

Sadly my seemed is horrible. It doesn’t even pick up half of the cars behind me. I had a black car following me yesterday and my 830 didn’t alert me at all. Such a bad purchase. Should have stuck with garmin.

[@salsalawyer]

Magene updated its firmware to stay blinking longer as cars go by. I am very happy with the unit. Both it and the Garmin are great.

[@shanestarita3807]

I vouch 100% for the Varia.. I was involved with the initial design by the small tech company in here in South Africa that was later bought out by Garmin (it really is the best)

[@frankstrobel4350]

I can watch Clint do reviews on paper plates......and still find it enjoyable

[@JogBird]

the light on the magishine is so poor, i wouldnt use it just because of that.. the garmin has more lumens, but also a lens on it that is better for daytime running

[@seanPar]

Mine sucks overall. Unlike my garmin which is amazing,

[@thedownunderverse]

How much garmin paying u?

[@tonyhanemaayer6407]

That was a decent review and I thank you as I have been considering the Magene L508. The only negative that I can see is the light not being as bright.

[@hantelmann810]

I was hit head on by a car a few years back (girl was on her phone) its changed my training and race strategy I was mainly a road racer now really trying MTB. with most of my road miles inside on a trainer and 2 to 3 times out doors. Great channel keep up the great work.

[@sherylballou4886]

Thank you! I’m looking to buy a rear radar and your review was very helpful!

[@hellonovembersun1539]

Considering a lot then this video help me to decide to go with Magicshine. Work as I expected with Garmin watch & Magene C406 Pro at the same time. Thanks for your video.

[@jjn232]

Glad to see other manufacturers getting in on this. Have ridden with the Varia for 2 years and wouldn't ride without it. Does the magene allow other riders to connect to it as well? I have a ride buddy that connects to my Varia

[@davidwargin1766]

Nice review - I think it’s time to finally pick up one of these gadgets.

[@robertthomson4042]

I like the lens of the Garmin better. Perhaps competition from others will bring the price down a bit

[@artoutlawphoto]

I use Magene sensors and they work very good with the garmin head unit. The sensors can be switch to speed or cadence just by removing the battery and installing it again. As for the light i'm interested in buying one. I can see the function to switch the radar off betewen modes very handy, example: I can use my gravel bike for activity/fun but also as a work vehicle for delivering food in the city, so i can choose flashing without radar to maximize battery as i don't think the radar will be good in traffic, i think intuition and experience will do much more then radar and another mode with radar just for big rides in the weekend. By working 4 days in the evening sometimes you forget to charge the back light and you remain without battery and then you get a fine from the police. One more think i want to say, now that we have so many devices you have to find a ritual just for charging them, garmin head unit, garmin watch, front light and back light, phone, headphones....Also i will like to see this devices spare parts like batteries.

[@jmounce50]

Nice to see Garmin having some competition - that Garmin has a lot brighter light! It is very Noticeable in the video. the best thing about buying Garmin is everything Garmin works perfectly. Sometimes I have some issues with my non Garmin products with my 530. My biggest frustration is often my Bontrager Ion lights. The Bontrager Garmin app only works on the higher end units 😡. My Bontrager DuoTrap works very well with the Garmin so I can’t knock it. Anyway great video!

[@ShamanMick]

I feel you on Bontrager-Garmin compatibility. It never reads the battery level properly and frequently struggles to form a network front and back. I will probably gradually switch to all Garmin lights for my road bike and use the Ions with my commuter which has a Bontrager head unit.

[@jimbob-nz24]

Lucky. I just have trouble with my 530.

[@zmkpower]

nice review, I wonder what hardware they use inside how much it is similar to varia. Ruch as radar chip and battery used in manufacturing the product.

[@Quasimodosbelfry71]

I don't have a head unit. Will the 508 work with an app on the iPhone?

[@wasupwitdat1mofiki94]

OMG! You are lucky you didn't die when you rode your bike without a helmet. 😁 I have the Garmin 515 and I'm waiting for Garmin to improve the stabilization on the 517 before I make that purchase. The Magene needs to be a lot brighter because it didn't look like it was very visible when you was in the vehicle. Still a great device to have for those cheap folks who are using mirrors.

[@dennishughes721]

I like to stick with the originator especially one with reputation like Garmin’s.

[@74_Green]

✔ Max runtime: 16 hours for the seemee 508, on their website.

[@jefferycampbell2243]

I believe that is with the light switched off.

[@74_Green]

@@jefferycampbell2243 hahahahaha

[@ellerybice3787]

Keep your gear🦨🦨🦨

[@dirkhunt9425]

I wonder when the Bryton Gardia R300 is going to be released. Is is supposed to have all the lighting frills and performance of the Magene L508 but at 65 lumens.

[@nukeelec]

Thanks for the great review. Does the Magene indicate multiple vehicles like the Garmin does?

[@ClintGibbs]

Yes

[@mjf1975]

It does but its light only alerts for the first car it detects. Any cars directly after that won’t see any flashing light alert. The Garmin’s light alerts until the last car has passed A much better safety feature

[@thedownunderverse]

@@mjf1975Magene’s latest firmware has updated this, now it works like the Garmins

[@hellonovembersun1539]

So far I can see up to 4 of objects behind

[@davidwarner6755]

I would like to get one of these but the added expense of the head units is whats stopping me.

[@edvilleangol3279]

Can the magic shine radar camera work with the Garmin edge 1030 and 1040?

[@masaakiando8795]

Can you check if l508 is compatible with Garmin Vivoactive 4?

[@DDGreyduck]

Do you know if the wahoo bolt or roam have the ability to work with these?

[@ClintGibbs]

I do not know.

[@happyhusband312]

Ouch, that 20lm is invisible until the last millisecond. I'm going to return it without unpacking. At this rate of not understanding the light should be fast strobe rather than slow flash, i would much rather buy a Seeme model without light.

[@manmikey65]

I wonder if these alternatives are comparable with the Garmin Radar Display Unit (RDU)

[@ClintGibbs]

Have not tried that, but my gut feeling says they are

[@JeffBurns]

I could barely see the Magene until you were right on top of the bike, and even then it was iffy. Kinda like a Garmin RTL500 in that respect. It'll give you the details on a car approaching, but the car still won't see you until it's on top of you. My close calls pretty much ended when I upgraded from a 500 to the much brighter RTL510. Definitely wouldn't feel safe with the Magene 508. If the light flash doesn't JUMP OUT and grab a (distracted) drivers attention, it's a potential game over event.

[@SingaporeUntold]

I like that there is a competitor but i trust my life on the garmin. They are marginally better for much more but that marginal better I’m ok paying as i imagine these devices are going to last for years

[@NVYOUTUBE01]

508 Moving car at your speed behind you is not detected and then if it speeds then suddenly it will show on your screen almost passing you. If an oncoming car passes you (esp on a turn) on a turn, it may block the radar & the display of the vehicles behind you. Speed of the vehicles approaching you at a high speed can never be accurate.

[@blooptastic]

I was undecided between those 2, until I realized the garmin uses micro-USB. C'mon garmin, get into the 21st century - I'm done fiddling with that Neanderthal tech!

[@bwidio]

Does Magene alert for cyclists ? (Who can be as aggressive as a driver)

[@ClintGibbs]

Yes

[@MrLeovdmeer]

the big problem is aftersales service.

[@MikeKlarich]

Maybe if my Garmin Varia dies... probably not.

[@MrIanD1]

Would not ride without my varia

[@christerohlsson9034]

So tired of Garmin support after all there crap

[@ellerybice3787]

.

[@markreams3192]

I’m not really sure of the application of a rear radar with a rare exception. Do I really want to be notified of every car coming up from behind in heavy traffic. The efficacy of the radar assumes you have an escape route to avoid being hit. I’m not impressed with the brightness of either light. 20 is certainly not enough and the Garmin I wouldn’t even consider marginal as far as brightness. I run a 200 lumen night rider on flash in the daytime. I want to be seen from the next county!😂 I was hit from behind in April 2020 with a real ugly open lower leg fracture. It was 14 months before I could walk without crutches or a cane and 16 months before I took my first bike ride. It’s a miracle that I still have that leg attached to my body. I was on a remote mountain road with a slope up on my right and a slope down on my left. No escape at all. A radar would not have prevented anything! It may have given me time to kiss my behind goodbye! The driver never saw me. I was lit up like a Christmas tree. Texting is my guess! I just don’t see how having a radar would prevent much of anything except in rare circumstances. Please! Shed some light 😂 on the subject.

[@ClintGibbs]

Where I ride, the radar is invaluable. Most of the roads I ride have grass shoulders where I can pull off. On rare occasions, I do pull off into the grass when I look at my mirror and see that a car is not giving me enough space. As I mentioned in one of my full reviews of the Garmin Varia, it allows me to relax more on the road. When I hear the signal, I’ll check my mirror and watch the car. On that rare occasion where the car is not giving me enough space, I will pull off into the grass. But yes, you are right, there are roads where you may have a guard rail or the slope where pulling off would not be possible. Feedback that I’ve seen from other, people tells me that there are a lot of people all over the world that rely on the radar and swear by it. On a personal note, I’m really sorry to hear about your accident. That sounds absolutely terrible, but I am glad you are making a recovery. I lost a buddy of mine a few years ago on a road where there was a grass shoulder. He did not have a radar or a mirror.

[@wasupwitdat1mofiki94]

You say you don't know how having a radar unit would prevent much of anything but you don't know and nobody can really say because we never talk to the drivers and ask them what it was that alerted them to react. I'm guessing and I feel that I am seen much better and sooner with the radar now, but it's just a feeling. I didn't mind spending the money when it makes me feel better, sort of the same when people go to a bar and spend money on booze.

[@arbjful]

I think if there is very heavy traffic, then there is going to be a lot of beeping and flashing, if course in a high traffic situation you are going to be alert to vehicles, especially those who come up from behind you

[@BikesBlades]

These radar taillights really do work well. You're right, it won't stop a drunk or distracted driver from hitting you, but they absolutely improve your awareness of what's coming up from behind. Plus, the Varia actually changes light mode to alert drivers when a car is detected behind you. Finally, in heavy traffic, you don't get a beep for every new car that comes up behind - there's only a notification if the radar goes from "no cars" to "one or more cars." For me, the Varia often keeps me from making a left in front of an impatient driver trying to overtake me.

[@cubeamspro1003]

Both are crappy gizmos mainly because of the ridiculously low lumens. Magene is useless. You are always in the mercy of each crazy driver who is texting on his dumphone no matter if you now that he is approaching or not. It is far safer to have an extremely bright tail light instead of these. Bontrager flare is an example but you need more than 150 lumens for day riding and good blinking patterns. While magicshine lights are not bad, they have the worst blinking patterns. These are waste of money.