[Closed] Magicshine / DX lights experience?

I believe many ppl don't trust those charger much, with scare stories of houses burning down*, so they tend to only use them for the minium time necessary.
*This isn't to say there hasn't been issues with the chargers, but then so has every other electric manufacturer yet no-one stopped buy apple, dell, sony, etc...

Personnally I always found the P7 LED lack of reach to be the limitation with these units, and prefer the better reach of the XML LED. Though I have a MTB Batteries XML not a DX XML, which apparently are very narrowly focused (other reflector/lenses help).

a) not appreciably, though I almost always leave mine to charge overnight.
b) about 5-10 minutes. Much longer if you drop it to low power.

OK.

So I should be good for 2 x nightime laps at SITS on full power, but could drop it to low through the "event area" / double track perhaps to make sure.

Obviously I have a backup as well 🙂

I've got one. Good lights but quite a concentrated beam so best as a helmet light. I always charge it at work, on my desk so I can keep an eye on it. I'd never leave it plugged in overnight at home.
My night rides never last long enough to deplete the battery, even when on 100% all the time.

Is that the original P7? If so IIRC there were better ones now (one involved 4 LEDs and a bit more dosh IIRC).

I've got that one anyway.

Charge time, no idea, plug it in and leave it. Always charged overnight or whilst I'm at work.

Battery life is good, I can turn it on, go for a night ride and not worry about dimming to save battery, just dim it for road sections or faffing sessions (it's too bright to use as a helemet light whislt faffing). So easily 2+ hours on full. Usualy I can do 2 group night rides in a week without it turning red, although I might drop it to medium for the 2nd ride and only use high on technical bits just to be sure, but it's not run out mid-ride yet.

Here's the XML version - it's a bit brighter than the P7 and lasts a little longer. I changed the reflector in mine to make it a little more floody.

[url= http://www.dealextreme.com/p/t6-waterproof-xml-t6-3-mode-1200-lumen-white-led-bike-light-with-battery-pack-set-844082510 ]http://www.dealextreme.com/p/t6-waterproof-xml-t6-3-mode-1200-lumen-white-led-bike-light-with-battery-pack-set-844082510[/url]

I've been using 2 of those (with the earlier type of battery) for the last 3 winters , the battery was good for about 3 1/2 hours on full power and although it is a narrow beam have found no problem riding at daytime speeds through trees in my local loop. With 2 on full power I'm upsetting mates with more expensive setups when they ride in front.

The batteries are starting to show their age now though and I get about an hour less than I used to , but as thats still plenty for local rides I won't be upgrading them this year. When I bought mine they worked out at about £50 each , the price they are now is a no-brainer.

Yeah I paid a massive £28 delivered for mine last year and have only used it twice for a 2hr ride.

I've just drained / charged / drained and am charging it again for the weekend. Just wanted to make sure I wasn't going to be flailing in the dark at SITS for too long.....

TO be honest, I ended up having purchased some very nice cree torches and several types of mounts, going down the more robust bike light route. I just found they werent quite as good as the hype with the permanent risk of burning your house down and dodgy electrics.

I ended up buying a couple of exposure lights that never get too hot, can be left on charging for hours or even days on end. The pluses in the end were:

1. All in one design. No need for battery packs which are a right pain to be honest.
2. Can last for 3 hours on full power (both joystick and MaxD)so no need for carrying extra batteries.
3. Lower risk of burning your house down
4. 2 year warranty (really handy as they are 15mins down the road from me)
5. Mounting brackets are excellent with no need to faf about
6. Brighter than the average magicshine and equivalent

Although they are 3-4 times the price, when you take the risk and the time/effort factor into it, they are worth it and you can concentrate more on your riding and bike than a frigging light. Mine get used at least twice a week for 2 hours min all year round. The only problem so far is a failed charger and that was replaced without even showing a receipt.

Anyway, each to their own.

Have fun with whatever you do.

Over winter I leave mine permanently on the chargers between rides (days and occasionally weeks), fire brigade not called yet and battery life was as expected last time I used them

I've had a couple... I didn't rate the XML one, it was excessively spotlighty- bright but not all that useful, very chase-the-dot and staring at the bright spot took away all my night vision too. P7 isn't particularily bright by today's standards it does have a very nice beam spread- I still use one as a spare/fil light. They both felt cheap but functional- plasticwrapped batteries aren't pretty but they work, frinstance.

The MJ-872 is superb though. Bit more expensive, but came with a better sealed battery, a higher quality charger, generally better made. it's the first light I've used that I didn't go, "it's good, but"- only slight criticism is that the mounting hardware was fiddly.

There might be better lights now- I don't care, until they can make something that's just as effective but enclosed in a small package or with miles more run time, anyway, it doesn't matter if there's brighter.