What features do you seek for in bike lights?

It’s a mercy on ecosystem and on your health too if you prefer cycling for mobility. You don’t burn fuel, but your calories like you do during regular exercise. Bike lighting also makes an essential part of a bike if you use it daily, especially after it gets dark in the evening. Also, in some parts of Europe or in nations where bikes are heavily used for commuting purpose, bike lightning is defined very specifically so as to ensure visibility standards, thus, making roads safer for cyclists.In countries like Netherland and Scandinavia, the law enforcement is very strict regarding bicycle head and tail lighting irrespective of the availability of sufficient of insufficient street lighting. Even otherwise, need of amplified visibility is a matter of common sense if a rider shares road with other motor vehicles during the dark.

The visibility of a cyclist can be enhanced with accessories and huge variety of such products in the market. Bike lights are most common amongst them. The question is which one to buy for your bike. Fancy lights on online stores look really cool in the photographs and review videos where it hardly gets any experience with actual, routine use. Not just lifespan, but luminescence, battery life, indicators etc. are essential things to look for while picking one. There are number of products in the market like MagicShine bike lights, which aren’t the best but still you can count on them. User reviews do make some occasional complains, but when compared with other products, it’ll impress you.

Magicshine lights are sophisticated and easy to mount onto your bike. Most of the products with negative reviews complained of low battery backup, especially in winters. Batteries do discharge quickly in winters, of course, but still there is a standard time period which a battery must provide. Most common headache mentioned in reviews is that the batteries didn’t last more than half-an hour. Well, the life of the battery is also co-related to energy-efficiency of the lights. You might get high luminicesne, but that’ll suck the batteries fast. LED lights, on the other hand are proving to be much better in that sense.

It’s won’t be an odd topic to introduce here if we say that high-energy consuming accessories like bike lights adds more dead batteries to already full landfills or say their components are lethal when it comes to disposing them off. You need to grab some basic concepts regarding specifications given about a particular light. That’ll give some idea which one is softer on Mother Nature. Next issue that troubles users often is the absence of warning indicators for low battery levels. Bike lights that shut down suddenly, without any warning poses a sort of risk of a surprise black out. That isn’t fair. It’s a basic requirement that the accessories do include indicators to keep the rider aware of is functional status.

There was this review on a online bike light store recalling rather a painful encounter with a big piece of rock that happened to be in the way while the cyclist experience a total black out due to sudden shut down of lights. That might not sound so serious, but you while you are on the road. There is a user who had lost a tooth and was very angry when this happened. That’s a permanent loss.

Anyway, we were discussing most common user complaints regarding bike lights. Some of the other common troubles talked about bike lights is their weight, mounting options, endurance, easy on-off switching and various options like high and low power modes. Not all reviews are reliable, but clearly, it would be helpful not to miss them and make your decision.

Choosing Reliable Bike Lights for winters from The Right Provider

Reliable bike lights for winters from Magicshine accessories are going to last longer than any other lights. Lights aren’t just for night time riding! Even during the day, good lights will enable you to be seen earlier, and will cause drivers to slow down and drive around more carefully. Bike lights serve three main purposes, the most important of them being to improve the visibility of the bicycle and its rider to other road users, especially under poor illumination during the winter months. Illuminating the roadway for the rider and finally to light up reflective materials such as traffic signs serves as the other two purposes.

Different lights of varied luminous flux and power ratings are utilized to serve these purposes. Bike lights have seen tremendous advancement from their initial days when carbide lamps powered by acetylene gas were used to serve as bike lights. Nowadays with advances in LED technology, bright, affordable, rechargeable lights with good battery life are available.  Batteries, magnetic lights and dynamo systems are usually employed as mechanisms to operate the lighting needs of a bicycle.

It is very important to choose a reliable bike light from the right provider so as not to find yourself on the road of a wintery night with faulty bike lights. This can endanger not only your safety, but that of others too. One of the most reliable providers of these lights is Bikelights UK, a leading seller of bike lights across the UK and Europe. Offering their customers the best quality products and the best prices, Bike Lights UK promises 100% customer satisfaction. Their most reliable and popular product includes Magicshine accessories. Front bike lights form Magicshine accessories are the most sought after lights with Bike Lights UK. Let’s take a look at a few of them  

Magicshine MJ-880 2000 Lumens XM-L2 LED'S 2014 – This is Magicshine’s brightest light, yet being small and compact, offers a colossal 2000 lumens, which can turn the night into day. It has a V shaped mount, which is easy to mount to both bars and helmet and a lot more secure for those riding off road. It offers 5 settings of 10%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% intensity with a circuit protection board. The battery is water resistant and the 6X18650 Li-ion batteries have an impressive run time of 2.3 hours on maximum output.

Magicshine MJ-816E 1800 Lumen Bike Light – With its iconic Mickey Mouse design, it is the most versatile light of the Magicshine accessories range. The centre lens is made from a high quality orange peel reflector, which increases the distance beam. It produces a max output of 1800 lumens, but the rider can easily change the settings to use either the 2 flood lights for dispersed and short beam or the larger centre lens for longer and more intense light.

Magicshine Eagle 600 OLED Display Bike Light - Magicshine Eagle 600 is the first bike light with OLED display system to show accurate run-time and beam pattern. It has two ultra bright LEDs to produce 600 actual lumens output. Built with a USB rechargeable 3100 mAh battery and a 360 degree rotatable mount, it has a 1.5 hours run time on high beam. Its 2 LED’S have 3 setting high beam, Low Beam and a flash setting and the OLED display tells you the accurate run time left.

Magicshine Mj-872: Rechargeable LED Front Bike Lights with an Output of 1600 Lumens

It can be said without doubt that the MJ-872 is worth every penny you spend on it. This well designed and engineered light will definitely add value your overall biking experience. Its beam pattern and extremely high output ensures that the biker feels fully confident when out on the roads. The versatility of the settings makes it the best front bike light. The value it offers is very difficult to beat.

Let’s read more in detail about the Magicshine Mj-872: Rechargeable Led Front Bike Light.

 

1. A Very Popular Light

The Magicshine front bike light set MJ-872 is a very popular light amongst the bikers. With an output of 1600 lumens, it sure packs a power house inside it. This light can light up your way in a very effective manner.

2. The Design

This light form Magicshine comes with a 4.4 Ah Li-Ion battery and is packed superbly. The lamp unit has Cree XP-G LED’S in aluminum shells that are four in number. The battery is placed safely in a rubber casing and the overall build of the light is very solid. Bikers can also replace the original battery with bigger units that can keep it powered for up to 8 hours, like the 5.8Ah battery.

3. The Light

The Magicshine mj-872 front light is the best front bicycle light in the market. The light comes with a light clamp and has the famous O-ring system for mounting the light. The light can also be mounted on a helmet with the fittings that come with the light. The light can be carried in a jersey or a pocket with the help of an extension lead.

4. The Mechanism

Switching on the MJ-872 is very easy and user friendly. The biker just needs to click any of the two illuminated buttons found on the back of the light. If the biker hits the bottom the light is switched on in the low mode and the top button lights it up in the full beam. The toggle switch gives the biker four settings in the range of 30% to 100%. The rider can continue to ride confidently as the color of the button will also change according to the settings and indicate to him the level of the battery.

5. The Lumen Capacity

The MJ-872 has a capacity of 1600 lumens which is almost comparable to the beam of the front lights of a car. The light manages to light up the way even when the biker is at a speed of 20mph. Even on the low beam he can be rest assured that he IS visible to the traffic at all times.

6. Great for Outdoors

The MJ-872 surprisingly is a popular choice for bikers who like to be out in the wild. It works very well in woods, or muddy terrains. The MJ-872 is the perfect light for all kinds of terrains and conditions.

 

Magicshine Helmet Mount for Magicshine Bike Lights

Magicshine bike lights are the leaders of the bike lights and related accessories in the market. The Magicshine house has now come out with a helmet mount that can help you mount any of its light units on your helmet. 

Magicshine has been for some time producing the best-in-class bike lights in the UK. Revered by its loyal customers and adopted by newcomers consistently, the brand has grown over the years. Credited for this impressive growth is the even more impressive line of products which includes front rear bike lights. The brand has grown owing to its delivery on performance and durability. For all the excellent collection of lights Magicshine regularly designs, one of key features of each unit is the flexibility with mounting options.

The frame, the handlebars or even your helmet, Magicshine lights go everywhere. But for each of these, there are a few handy accessories that a bike must have. In case you want to mount the Magicshine light on the helmet, you will need the Magicshine helmet mount.

MJ-6058 Helmet Mount

Originally the MJ-6058 was designed for the MJ-880 light only. But the people at Magicshine realized its flexibility with use and remodeled it to the MJ-6058 .The new and improved helmet mount goes along with all bike lights. A larger attachment means you have the ability to change the focus of the light beam and more options in terms of the directions you want to throw light in. You can therefore, use the light for other activities than bike riding in the night alone. The Velcro strap supporting the attachment makes it extremely easy to mount and dismount the light unit from the helmet. So, there is no wasting time in getting done the unnecessary fittings along the way.

While some people may prefer mounting lights mostly to the frame of the cycle, there are reasons why you should go for helmet mounts. Firstly, if you are going to use more than one bicycle, it is only understandable and perhaps time saving that you mount the light units to the helmet. This way you don’t have to undo the fittings on one frame and redo them on the other. Secondly, if you usually take to tougher trails, by which we mean there are more turns, leaps, and bends, you are likely to be focusing the beam in different directions pretty often and quickly. For a light unit which is mounted on the frame itself, it is quite difficult to shift focus immediately. A light mounted on the helmet makes it easier to do so and therefore is a better choice. Thirdly, for riding in higher traffic areas it is always beneficial to have the light coming in from an elevated position as it allows the oncoming traffic to have a better view of you than the frame strapped lights that get lost in the maze of automobiles.

As far as bike lights go, Magicshine champions the market, and as far as mounting the light on your helmet goes the Magicshine MJ-6058 is the ideal companion for any light you may buy.

Best Valued Bike Accessories You Should Own

Choosing bike light accessories isn’t an easy job. You should be aware of your priorities, and therefore make the right choice as they can often be more than just an accessory. Bicycle accessories are just as important to have, as the bike itself. Here is a list of few accessories you should have:

Lights

One of the most important accessories to go with your bike is bike lights. Bike light accessories are often undervalued because they come with the adage of being an accessory, but really, they are somewhat a necessity.

For regular riders, there is no differentiating between day and night. It is therefore essential that one must have accessories that ensure the comfort and security of day travel in the night as well. Magicshine accessories for example have been a leader for bicycle accessories in UK, and are top-notch suppliers of quality lights.

Helmets 

Your safety is in your hands. Wearing a helmet be it on a motorbike or a comparatively slower bicycle, is a must. 

Most unfortunate bike accidents result in loss of life due to ignorance of riders. While bicycle injuries may not be so severe or fatal, they can come hauntingly close at times. A helmet, therefore, should be on the top of your to-buy lists.

Bottle holders/Mounts

You can’t stop and unzip luggage to get your water supplies out. Since you will be dehydrating quite a lot on longer trips, it is a waste of time to have to stop and then consume water.

It is therefore always better to have bottle holders mounted on the frame, where they can easily be reached and therefore utilized without blocking the rhythm of a good ride. And speaking of mounting, there a number of other things that you may want to or simply feel are required to be mounted on. For any such purposes, mounts have to be acquired so you can do it yourself.

Bike Pump/Extra tube

Flat tyres are a common occurrence, especially when you undertake tougher trails. To be left with a flat tyre in the middle of nowhere would really be inconvenient to your plans.

There is no point in having to carry your ride rather than riding it yourself. It is therefore essential that you have a bike pump with you, and at least one extra tube in case you need to change and continue with the journey.

Repair Kit

Mending any tricky situation be it a flat tyre, a problem with the chains or any other mechanical issue will be impossible to do without a repair kit. Rather than being left helpless in some place, where assistance is hard to come by, it is better to have a repair kit and do it yourself. A repair kit should be one of your top priorities.

Lock/Security

 

You need security and locks everywhere. You may think that cycling in little traversed routes and trails does not endanger you with theft of any kind, but there are incidents, more than you may think. It is therefore important to have appropriate locks and other security equipment with you.

Video cameras/Computers

For enthusiasts who want to capture their rides, or just evaluate figures like, speed, distance, elevation etc, video cameras and other biking computers are an essential buy. Not only do these accessories provide valuable information they make the ride that more engaging and enjoyable.

Accessories for Mountain Bikers – What Do You Really Need?

Mountain bikers live off the edge and push their bodies and their bikes to the limit. In this post, we will list out a handful of important accessories that you will need to keep that adrenaline pumping and the journey unending. Bikers, who have a habit of venturing into uncharted farther territories as they push their own physical limits to the extreme, require a spate of bicycle accessories to help them last the thrilling ordeal. While some bikers may not consider them as essential, it is still helpful to have along with you the following:

Hydration packs – Several companies in the market offer hydration packs. When you choose to do some serious mountain riding, it is essential you remain hydrated and therefore choose a pack that enables that. Most packs today exist in the range of 70 oz to 100 oz. For longer and tougher rides, it is suggested you carry the 100 oz model. 

Spare tubes – Consider yourself in the middle of nowhere, having to sit by the side of the track until help comes through, with a flat tyre. This situations can arise anywhere, when least expected, and an extra tube is therefore essential to keep along the journey at least to a point where the other can be taken care of. 

Levers for use – A tube is no good without the tools to carry out a stitch-up on your puncture. It is impossible to carry out a patch-up on your wheels without having the appropriate levers to assist with the mechanics. Always keep some handy. 

Mini-Pump – Once you are done with your patch-up jobs, you need to refill the tubes, and that is when you need a mini-pump. In any case, a mini-pump is essential for long journeys. 

Multi-tool – A do-it-all gadget is important as you never know when you may have to unscrew something or cut into something. 

Bike Lights – Your bike must have good quality front and rear lights. Magicshine is the leader for bicycle lights in the UK. Coming from the house of trustable brand like Magicshine, their bike light accessories are essential when your riding adventures are set to extend into the darker hours of day. Some riders take upon the challenges of riding in the night, while some may end up having to deal with it circumstantially. In any case, bike lights are a must-have. 

PowerLinks – The risks of your chain breaking out there in the open grow severe as the terrain becomes difficult. It is important that you have a couple of powerLinks handy, to be installed with the help of a multi-tool kit. So whenever your chain breaks, you don’t have to carry the cycle on your shoulders; you can just install a new powerLink to reconnect the chains. 

First-Aid Kit and Nutritional supplements - When you are cycling for hours, you will naturally lose a big chunk of calories. While the whole objective of the cycling mission may be knock off calories, the body requires a re-supply to keep the energy level going and power in your legs. It is therefore essential that you pack in nutritious food packets, fruits, energy drinks and just about everything that can help you keep going. A first-aid kit is also essential to mend any injuries or bruises that you might suffer on the trail.