Magicshine front lights with remote control (and possible alternatives)

[Aeo]

https://www.lupinenorthamerica.com/prod ... ad-safety/ Still untouchable when it comes to road bike lights
EU shop here, ships worldwide https://www.lupine-shop.com/en/LED-Ligh ... ke-Lights/

Their range has become a little bit complicated lately, you have to order the GoPro mount extra etc.
No idea why their marketing department has not cracked the code of getting into the English speaking cycling world and beyond Europe

This is the secret ingredient if you are running an aero handlebar: https://www.lupine-shop.com/en/Aero-GoPro-Adapter/i570

[spdntrxi]

I have the lupine SL AX head.. it's very capable light, but I did order the outbound detour light and should have that soon. It gets very good reviews, so I shall see for myself.

[Aeo]

Thermally Conductive Nylon (CoolPoly) upper shell
High Strength polycarbonate lower substrate

Would be impressive if they manage to get good thermal characteristics with these materials. A Lupine SL AX head is heavier than the whole Outbound Detour.
If I had to give a prediction, the Outbound will be throttling heavily.
The 18 Wh battery should represent 75 of those grams, if not more

[Agent041]

Thanks for both options.
Price-wise and lumen output is still out of range.
Looking for something in range to max 200eur and power at least 2000 lumens. And with remote control (if possible wireless).
So Magicshine still comes first. I need at least 1h on full mode. So with combining lower light on climbs, and full light on descents, I still get about 2h of light time.
Alternative is Raveman.

[Spurdo]

Maybe I am really unlucky but I had bad time with Magicshine batteries. First battery died in less than a year and replacement lasted a bit more before it died too. Ordered Lupine Pico after riding for more than 20km in complete darkness with phone in one hand.

[Tifosiphil]

Thanks for both options.
Price-wise and lumen output is still out of range.
Looking for something in range to max 200eur and power at least 2000 lumens. And with remote control (if possible wireless).
So Magicshine still comes first. I need at least 1h on full mode. So with combining lower light on climbs, and full light on descents, I still get about 2h of light time.
Alternative is Raveman.

I would say 2000 lumens if probably uneccessary for your use case, that is super bright and more than most would even use for mountain biking.

You are much better getting a lower power light 500-1000 lumens which has a better beam shape to help you see ahead

[Agent041]

I would say 2000 lumens if probably uneccessary for your use case, that is super bright and more than most would even use for mountain biking.

You are much better getting a lower power light 500-1000 lumens which has a better beam shape to help you see ahead

At least with this light I can then also ride on 1.200 lumens and double the duration time. Or pre-set custom max output on the Magicshine app. Lots of options to play with, and can then easelly just toggle between the highest and lower output. I heard and saw videos that the app is not exactly good, but you need to set it up only once.

[alanyu]

Magicshine doesn't hold up to the claimed lumens after several minutes, which is not uncommon in the chinese light brands, even western brands.

For example CBL1600/evo1700, claimed as 1600 or 1700 lm, but from several lab tests, it only outputs 1500-1600 lm in the first 5 min, and then gradually reduces to 900 lm in the duration of 1 hr. After that, it sharply cuts down to only 100 lm to reach the claimed 2 hrs.

The true averaged lumens can be easily calculated by battery size and battery life. Simply physics, no voodoo.

I recommend checking https://fahrradbeleuchtung-info.de/ for the beam pattern, output and battery life, if you are based in EU.

[Agent041]

For example CBL1600/evo1700, claimed as 1600 or 1700 lm, but from several lab tests, it only outputs 1500-1600 lm in the first 5 min, and then gradually reduces to 900 lm in the duration of 1 hr. After that, it sharply cuts down to only 100 lm to reach the claimed 2 hrs.

Maybe that is why, all my lights do not hold anywhere near the claimed run time?
As said Magicshine Allty 2500S was about 30min for the highest setting. Lezyne 1300XXL+ was also about half time as specified. Sigma Buster 700 also less than half time. I always thought that was because of the slow speed on steep climbs (althought high speed on descends). But I do these night rides around zero degrees or even below in freezing ranges.
Maybe it is because I constantly switch high mode and then back low mode, and when back on high mode, I again have that full lumens for couple of minutes?, and therefore less battery life? What do you think?

[alanyu]

For example CBL1600/evo1700, claimed as 1600 or 1700 lm, but from several lab tests, it only outputs 1500-1600 lm in the first 5 min, and then gradually reduces to 900 lm in the duration of 1 hr. After that, it sharply cuts down to only 100 lm to reach the claimed 2 hrs.

Maybe that is why, all my lights do not hold anywhere near the claimed run time?
As said Magicshine Allty 2500S was about 30min for the highest setting. Lezyne 1300XXL+ was also about half time as specified. Sigma Buster 700 also less than half time. I always thought that was because of the slow speed on steep climbs (althought high speed on descends). But I do these night rides around zero degrees or even below in freezing ranges.
Maybe it is because I constantly switch high mode and then back low mode, and when back on high mode, I again have that full lumens for couple of minutes?, and therefore less battery life? What do you think?

Low temperature is a battery killer. E.g., my edge 830 and 840 only got 60% duration around 0 C compared to summer time at the same setup. Also battery has cyclic degradation.

Whether switching between different levels will bring back to the claimed maximum lumens is not tested from what I have read ( different testers), but imo it usually won't.

[Agent041]

Low temperature is a battery killer. E.g., my edge 830 and 840 only got 60% duration around 0 C compared to summer time at the same setup. Also battery has cyclic degradation.

Whether switching between different levels will bring back to the claimed maximum lumens is not tested from what I have read ( different testers), but imo it usually won't.

Interestingly when I had Garmin Edge 1000, it was the same way. In winter, duration was way lower. But on Edge 1030+, I do not see any differance. It is even better. Probable due to less sun, as I have auto brightness.
As for lights, one would even think, that in lower temperature, the cooling of the light would be better (no overheating), and therefore the duration should be even longer. Or am I thinking wrong?

And forgot to mention earlier. I think it is normal for all brands, that the lumen output drops a lot after few minutes. Some brands drop more, some less. Was watching testing on YouTube couple of years ago, and all lights tested (mostly western brands) had big drop in lumen output. Some more, some less. If I remember correctly, it was one light from AliExpress that had the least drop.

[Aeo]

Heat management is the number one problem. If you ride in cold temperatures at a high speed and the lamp head is well constructed, the ambient air will extract enough heat that the LEDs can run at full power.

Like alanyu said, the manufacturers know and use this fact to fudge their runtime numbers.
Bike magazines are oblivious and test lamps by setting them up in a room and waiting until the battery runs out, with zero cooling and unrealistic ambient temperatures.

Consumers demand one-piece lamps and if a manufacturer wants to sell product, they have to satisfy this.

But, for example, if you buy aftermarket LED upgrades for your car, they will have a small fan attached to the end.

There is no way around the physics:
A battery with enough stored power will have a certain weight
You do not want to have this weight attached to the light and then mounted to your handlebars or bike computer mount
You do not want the battery to be attached to a very hot lamp head
You want the lamp head to be made of a material with good thermal conduction and a big surface area

My suggestion would be to look around for a used Lupine SL AF lamp head and to get a third party battery to save some cost. Lupine is using a standard connector, here is an example of an alternative battery: https://enerprof.de/en/ENERpower-Reinic ... olex/10646

[alanyu]

Low temperature is a battery killer. E.g., my edge 830 and 840 only got 60% duration around 0 C compared to summer time at the same setup. Also battery has cyclic degradation.

Whether switching between different levels will bring back to the claimed maximum lumens is not tested from what I have read ( different testers), but imo it usually won't.

Interestingly when I had Garmin Edge 1000, it was the same way. In winter, duration was way lower. But on Edge 1030+, I do not see any differance. It is even better. Probable due to less sun, as I have auto brightness.
As for lights, one would even think, that in lower temperature, the cooling of the light would be better (no overheating), and therefore the duration should be even longer. Or am I thinking wrong?

And forgot to mention earlier. I think it is normal for all brands, that the lumen output drops a lot after few minutes. Some brands drop more, some less. Was watching testing on YouTube couple of years ago, and all lights tested (mostly western brands) had big drop in lumen output. Some more, some less. If I remember correctly, it was one light from AliExpress that had the least drop.

The output will be lowered if overheating, and many bike light brands consider the airflow cooling at 15-25 km/h during the design of their housing. Hot but not overheating will give you more juice.

Quite a bit German brand lights only drop lumens a little by less than 10% in the beginning.

[spdntrxi]

Maybe I am really unlucky but I had bad time with Magicshine batteries. First battery died in less than a year and replacement lasted a bit more before it died too. Ordered Lupine Pico after riding for more than 20km in complete darkness with phone in one hand.

this is where I trust Lupine.. I have an old Betty which is more then a decade old. Can still run on high for ~2.5hours. Yeah the battery is on the heavy side.

[poulhansen]

Yes the remote function discharges the battery. It has to.

I didn't know about "holding the button" and Magicshine never told me, so I installed a switch in the battery lead.

The lamp was the Eagle something. It was really good but the original battery soon lost capacity, mostly from just being stored and the bigger battery I then bought, suffered the same fate.