Review – Magicshine Monteer 8000 Galaxy you’re never going to need more light!

Magicshine’s latest 8000 lumen Monteer is less of a light and more like your very own personal solar flare for the trail! Winter might bring cold weat …

By singletrackandi

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gives me enough full power light to get a couple of runs in on the local at night, around 1 hour, but knocking it down to the Mid power setting can easily extend that to 2 hours, and honestly, I wouldn’t really need more.

This is really odd almost 400 quid for a light that runs for 2 hours?

Nope.

This is really odd almost 400 quid for a light that runs for 2 hours?

Nope.

That’s what put me off a Moon light I was considering. The “useful” settings didn’t go beyond about 3 hours and the next mode down was a 90hr emergency setting, it’s a shame as I usually criticise lights for having too many modes! 🤣

It is weird isn’t it that lights in general seem to be optimised for really short rides.
I’ve mitigated this somewhat by getting an adaptor which means my two Hope batteries work with my Moon light, and buying a 4 cell support for my Exposure.

#BuyBatteriesFromSmudgeRatherThanNewLights 🙂

completely sealed to an IPX standard

IPX what? The second digit is missing, which is the relevant one for water ingress; the first digit being X just means it hasn’t been tested for mechanical protection.

It is weird isn’t it that lights in general seem to be optimised for really short rides.

Not really. Unless you are uplifting in the Alps then you won’t spend that long hammering down hill. You don’t need that much light when you are climbing and you can put it in a mid setting for cruising.

I watched an informative YouTube on this light comparing it to an exposure and an eBay special. It was pretty impressive and put them both in the shade (pun intended)

Unless you are uplifting in the Alps then you won’t spend that long hammering down hill. You don’t need that much light when you are climbing and you can put it in a mid setting for cruising.

This. Also, I use lights to go for an evening 2h ride. I don’t need more burn time than that. If I was doing 24 hr events then obviously I’d want something else.

you can put it in a mid setting for cruising.

That is the mid setting 😆

It only lasts an hour in high.

This is really odd almost 400 quid for a light that runs for 2 hours?

Nope.

TBH, they don’t work like that in real life.

The 8000s has the same battery as my 6500s. Frankly the 6500s is insanely powerful, I can’t imagine needing more.

You don’t use the high settings on anything but really technical bits, you just don’t need too, you’re given loads of flexibility, you can run the floods only, which is fine for winching up fire roads and such, or just the spots if want, and low/med/high of each. The lowest setting, just using the floods is equivalent to max power on my old Halfords 1600 light.

Having all the lights on max on my 6500 is incredible, past good enough for technical riding at night. When some other, even very bright expensive lights will cast big shadows on roots and stuff making them look a lot bigger than they are, it manages to fill a lot of that in, you just don’t need it most of the time, in fact, if you’re out with friends, it can be a bit blinding if you’re not the one behind them.

If you want to find reasons to knock it, the external battery is large and bulky and unless it’s a cool night (and you keep moving) its surprisingly easy to overheat them, causing them to dim.

I personally, have never used more than half the battery capacity on a night ride.

which is fine for winching up fire roads

WTF would I want to cycle up a fire road? 😉

Anyway, I’m clearly in the minority, so it appears the manufacturers are correct in thinking most people do short night rides.

It only lasts an hour in high.

I think the point was that even if your night ride was to sneak into BPW after dark, then an hour of descending is probably a 6 hour ride? Or if you’re riding more natural singletrack then even then you don’t want 8000 lumens* all the time. 8000 lumens is about the same as 16x car main beams (or 8 car’s depending on how you look at it). Which in itself will start to be problematic as trees nearby are going to be lit up much brighter than the trail ahead. So unless your riding is constant high altitude, above the treeline flat out descending for over an hour, you don’t need more battery than that!

Efficiency has only improved 65% between the P7 and the XHP50 LEDs, and batteries have got denser by about the same amount, so if you want 10x the power we had 10 years ago with those P7 lights, you’re going to also get about a third of the battery life.

*real world lumens, not chinese lumens.

Anyway, I’m clearly in the minority, so it appears the manufacturers are correct in thinking most people do short night rides.

Ha ha, no honestly, it will do 3/4/5/6 hour night rides if you like, but it won’t do it on full power, which is insanely powerful.

Think of it like a Tesla car, it could do 0-60 in 2.8 seconds and 150mph or whatever, that performance is there, if you want it, but it would mean a greatly reduced range. Most of the time you don’t need all the power.

I have an RN3000 on the bars. I never run it on full all the time, there’s no need. Only use it for tech and fast stuff. I can easily get 4+ hours out of it.

The 8000 must be mental, but i prefer self-contained lights.

It is weird isn’t it that lights in general seem to be optimised for really short rides.

Hmmm… not really (x2)
My exposure 6 pack stays in the 6 hour reflex setting…
plenty usable enough for a 3-4 hour night ride..

DrP

Yep. According to MS’s website, there’s 100, 50, 25 and 10% settings. 10% is still, presumably, 800lm (or maybe more if LED efficiency is non-linear). Which is what my main light produced 10 years ago, so more than enough for the uphill and/or none technical bits of a longer ride. I can’t imagine ever wanting more than 50% TBH.

at the other end of the price scale I just ordered one of the from amazon for 25 quid.

I dont expect its anywhere near the 5000 lumens they claim it to be, I wanted to give it a try on the handlebars and see whether its better than my halfords advanced 1600 light that I normally use on the bars in conjunction with another cheapo led light on the helmet

If you want to find reasons to knock it, the external battery is large and bulky

I think the battery looks by far the best bit of that light. Would be thoroughly excellent paired with a 2kl light. Just the job.

Hmmm… not really (x2)
My exposure 6 pack stays in the 6 hour reflex setting…
plenty usable enough for a 3-4 hour night ride..

The exceptional light that pretty much proves the rule.

teethgrinder
Full Member
I have an RN3000

Be interested in your thoughts on this – beam pattern/spread? I’m looking for a decent spread of light rather than the hot spot of twin LED cheap chinese lights.

Night riding is awesome because familiar trails become a new challenge

Not with 8000 lumens they don’t…

I’m pretty happy with the couple of sets of lights I picked up from PX.  The Strix and Strix Pro.  The Pro is on the Bars and the other one on the lid.

Nominally 700 and 800 lumens but compared to lights that claim 1000 lumens+ they compare favorably.

@cp

Happy new light day

Has a nice spread compared to the X8 (which has LEDs on a “solarstorm” PCB).

Used it loads since I got it, and really like it. Not seeing the need for the Monteer 8000 or even 6500.

If you’re referring to the same video I saw the chap didn’t test the exposure light correctly. Was it this one?: https://youtu.be/ZdC7vZRYleI

Lasted a full 60km night ride in this video – as others have said, you don’t need to run it at full power all ride. I’ve got one and it’s monstrously powerful in full beam so I only use that for descending.

@teethgrinder

Has a nice spread compared to the X8 (which has LEDs on a “solarstorm” PCB).

Used it loads since I got it, and really like it. Not seeing the need for the Monteer 8000 or even 6500.

Thanks! I currently have the X8 and am after brighter and better spread. looks like it might be just the ticket 🙂

I still run an X8 on the helmet

You are not along thegeneralist – that does not seem to be making the most of the battery to me either. I really like the Exposure programmable modes concept. Riding a long night (or multiple without ability to recharge) the ability to tune it down from a 100% (techie), 50 (JRA) and 25% (slow uphill) to say 80/40/20 and increasing your burn times is great.

Thing is about night riding for me, I want it to be different.

Me, the bike, a good light and the dark is what I am looking for.

If I wanted high, high illumination, then I will just wait for the sun to come up and provide all the illumination that I need.

Is it just me?

Yes
I night ride all year round, with only 6-8 weeks over summer not needing lights. Different times of the year, weather etc. need different lighting. Sometimes you need all the lumens, sometimes not as many

Is it just me?

Nope. I want it to be different too, and now I’m slowly getting back into it, with ‘old’ lights that ‘only’ top out at 1000lm, I’m slightly worried I’m going to be outgunned lights-wise by anyone I happen to ride with; riding in your own shadow, cast by someone’s bar-mounted portable sun behind you, is horrible.

It is weird isn’t it that lights in general seem to be optimised for really short rides.

They aren’t LED’s are increasingly inefficient as they ramp up. I can’t even imagine the “requirement” for the 8000 unless you’re landing a large plane. In reality most riding will be below 50% light and hence 65% (or so battery)

I watched the same video as NickB and got the 10% off… bought a 6500 and 1/2 power is almost enough to ruin a night ride and make it feel like a day ride. 4 hrs at 100% so at least 8 hours if required on 50%… and still throws out A LOT more usable light than an exposure

The same video has the £25 Chinese light… these also work fine though batteries can suck but I use one on the HT rather than swapping lights over. Just follow someone with a bigger light if doing gaps and drops. (Good excuse IMHO)

It is weird isn’t it that lights in general seem to be optimised for really short rides.

They aren’t LED’s are increasingly inefficient as they ramp up. I can’t even imagine the “requirement” for the 8000 unless you’re landing a large plane. In reality most riding will be below 50% light and hence 65% (or so battery)

Eh?
My point was: Why have they put together this combo of huge battery and far too many powerful LEDs to come up with a light that only last a short time on anything 50% brightness or above and hence will almost never be used on max power.

And you’ve said: Can’t believe they have produced this light that puts out so many stupid lumens. Most of the riding will be fine at 50-60%.

We’re saying pretty much exactly the same thing.

To take the point further:
Why don’t they just pair this amazing battery with a 2-3kl light, reduce the cost by 100 quid, use up less of the earth’s resources, save 70grammes on your handlebar and have one less intermediate power output that you have to skip through whilst looping between the output levels that you actually use.

Two eBay specials with new batteries I made myself and a borrowed Magicshine MJ-880 will have to do me for now. I’ll find out on Thursday how they fair. My riding buddy has a Monteer 6500 and a Diablo, so he can go in front…

Why don’t they just pair this amazing battery with a 2-3kl light, reduce the cost by 100 quid,

They do. The RN3000

They do. The RN3000

Gnomm. 🙂

Now all I need to get my head round is how the company that used to be known for bargain basement cheapness is now charging on a par with Exposure.

My point was: Why have they put together this combo of huge battery and far too many powerful LEDs to come up with a light that only last a short time on anything 50% brightness or above and hence will almost never be used on max power.

Hero product. Lots of media attention. Raises brand profile. And they probably don’t ride bikes themselves anyway.

Why don’t they just pair this amazing battery with a 2-3kl light, reduce the cost by 100 quid,

They do. The RN3000

Got to be careful on quoted battery capacity. The monteer 8000 comes with a 7.4v 10,000mah (74Whr) battery consisting of (I guess) 4x 21700 cells whereas the rn3000 comes with 3.7v 10,000mah (37Whr) consisting of 2x 21700 cells. I.e. the monteer has twice the capacity of the rn3000.

That’s fair on the batteries. Though the RN is less than half the lumens of both the 8000 & 6500.

There not perfect, but on for the money they’re pretty decent and way less outlay than Exposure. I get that Exposure are good and hold their value, good backup etc., but we can’t all afford £350+ for them. The RN fills that gap for me.

Eh?
My point was: Why have they put together this combo of huge battery and far too many powerful LEDs to come up with a light that only last a short time on anything 50% brightness or above and hence will almost never be used on max power.

And you’ve said: Can’t believe they have produced this light that puts out so many stupid lumens. Most of the riding will be fine at 50-60%.

We’re saying pretty much exactly the same thing.

To take the point further:
Why don’t they just pair this amazing battery with a 2-3kl light, reduce the cost by 100 quid, use up less of the earth’s resources, save 70grammes on your handlebar and have one less intermediate power output that you have to skip through whilst looping between the output levels that you actually use.

The 6500 has the same battery .. battery prices for W/h are the same as MTB batteries… (£99 for the 10kWh)

But its more efficient* to run the LED’s at lower power. (*for light output not heat)

And you’ve said: Can’t believe they have produced this light that puts out so many stupid lumens. Most of the riding will be fine at 50-60%.

Most of my riding is fine at 50% on the 6500 but if you want to do big unmaintained gaps or hammer down rock chutes in dark woods more is better. (We were doing this last week and TBF “as much as possible was best” at least for whoever went first – if they hit a hidden tree then you knew to avoid it) So the 5% of the time you step it up to full is actually useful (when you need it).

I guess its like saying 160mm rotors and resin pads on 2 pots stop you… which is mostly true but the 5% when they don’t is significant.

far too many powerful LEDs

The LED’s are in 2 banks … one wide and one long. You can control the power to both banks independently (through annoying clicks) …
On the 6500 Both on MID gives 3600 claimed lumens of the claimed 6500 for 1/2 the time (4hrs vs 8hrs) so its about 55% but you could do 3h50m on this and have lights at the 300 lumen get home mode until well past sunup. (40hrs on eco from full)

use up less of the earth’s resources

Not sure it will though … running the LED’s on 55% will not only extend their life but also the batteries.

Now all I need to get my head round is how the company that used to be known for bargain basement cheapness is now charging on a par with Exposure.

Well they aren’t quite there the 6500 is way more powerful than the exposure 5000 (and a better quality light) … but as above batteries cost the same as MTB Batteries .. considerably less weight on the bars than exposure… not exactly cheap but if you see the same video the “mid range” £140 light tested was about the same as the £25 ebay light for light… and doesn’t include batteries (eBike specific) so in a way you can also look at it as what do you get per £ above £25…

I’ve got the same £25 ebay chinese light.. I made a bar mount as the one came with it is pants when doing drops, it ends up pointing directly down when you land) and I still use this though… I’d be gutted however if I’d spent say £150 on a light that didn’t give any extra light… so a bit of diminishing returns really.

I was going to make a new battery (if only because the chinese one goes through 3 batteries in 4 hours on mostly 1/2 power) but it was going to cost me the best part of £100 and I’d have to empty the garage to get to the spot welder… so I sorta went OTT perhaps but with the 10% discount (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZdC7vZRYleI&t=10s) it cost slightly more (taking £100 off for the battery) than the £140 mid range light in the test which was about the same as the £25 Chinese one???

an IPX standard

That’s not massively helpful without saying which one. Technically that statement would be true if it was IPX0.

Now all I need to get my head round is how the company that used to be known for bargain basement cheapness is now charging on a par with Exposure.

Same way as Honda improved product brand perception, or Skoda too. Not uncommon for a consumer brand to reposition themselves when market opportunities present themselves, and the test results across lots of MTB media would suggest uts been a good strategy.

Nope. I want it to be different too, and now I’m slowly getting back into it, with ‘old’ lights that ‘only’ top out at 1000lm, I’m slightly worried I’m going to be outgunned lights-wise by anyone I happen to ride with; riding in your own shadow, cast by someone’s bar-mounted portable sun behind you, is horrible.

This is why I bought the 6500S, my riding mate uses an Exposure Six pack, having him follow me with my old Halfords 1600 meant I was riding in a shadow and as you say, horrible.

We’re more closely matched now so it’s no problem.