Magicshine 3w Rear Bike Lamp - MJ-818 REVIEW

[fossyant]

There speaks a man who's never seen a Dinotte :-)

Wrong....... DrSquirrel has a MJ-818.......... he was being constructive............(ish)

 

[Tynan]

visible at half a mile is visible at half a mile

dazzling drivers is completely counter productive, I'd imagine car rear lights have a standard to work to

 

[fossyant]

visible at half a mile is visible at half a mile

dazzling drivers is completely counter productive, I'd imagine car rear lights have a standard to work to

The Magicshine light spreads the light all over...... rather brightly..hence some of the pics show the RSP Astrum almost as bright......... don't forget Smart/Mars and RSP have a SPOT lense..i.e. get in it's focus and it's as bright.

The magicshine is diffused.........look at the pics and you will see the RSP's spot lense looking as bright as the magicshine.........

 

[Origamist]

I thought that until I saw a Dinotte (IIRC) on a CC Ecosse ride. At one point the group split and his rear light was visible from a good half mile away. Something like that seems to make drivers take notice because it's unfamiliar.

I've previously talked about the potential shock and awe effect of uber powerful rear/front lights (I have them myself), but I think the safety benefit is minimal.

 

[sheddy]

And while we are on a 3W thread, Aldi had a nice 3W torch for £10 today, 2hr fixed or 4hr flashing modes.

Crappy switch could be better, but has a 3yr warranty. http://www.aldi.co.uk/uk/html/offers/special_buys3_15768.htm

 

[CopperBrompton]

I've previously talked about the potential shock and awe effect of uber powerful rear/front lights (I have them myself), but I think the safety benefit is minimal.

I don't. On my LEJOG, we decided to take the A30 out on the basis of avoiding constant hills and hairpins, and that a fast road with excellent visibility was safer than a slow one with constant blind bends.

With the Dinotte amber daylight flasher on, I could see cars in my mirrors changing lanes for the overtake a good half a mile or more back.

 

[DrSquirrel]

If you want bright SST are building a red LED package from their SST-90-W(hite) LED...

High Output – 800+ lumens in Red, 1900+ lumens in Green and 450+ lumens in Blue

(White being 1000 max efficeny 2250 high output).

/edit - forgetting about the CBT-120-R,G,B
High Output – 1225+ lumens in Red, 2000+ lumens in Green and 470+ lumens in Blue

There speaks a man who's never seen a Dinotte :-)

This is my point - yes a "Dinotte" (which is just a brand at the end of the day - they never made the LED) would/could be visible from 1/2 mile - but so can a Smart 7 LED (etc) in the same conditions (them little LEDs are pretty focused).

 

[BSRU]

As someone who has smart flashers, a blackburn, an astrum and a Dinotte, they all can look very bright from certain angles, the advantage of the Dinotte is it is bright from a far larger angle and even in bright sunshine the Dinotte is clearly visible.
It seems to me the darker it is outside the less difference there is between my lights.

 

[Origamist]

I don't. On my LEJOG, we decided to take the A30 out on the basis of avoiding constant hills and hairpins, and that a fast road with excellent visibility was safer than a slow one with constant blind bends.

With the Dinotte amber daylight flasher on, I could see cars in my mirrors changing lanes for the overtake a good half a mile or more back.

Were you on your trike? Were you part of a group? What were the traffic conditions ? What was your road position etc? These variables can also affect overtaking behaviour - how can you know the Dinotte was the key causative factor?

As I said, I think there is a benefit, but it's very small (that's why I have bespoke rear lights that outshine a Dinotte). It simply appear that we disagree with regard to the significance of the benefit - no problem.

 

[CopperBrompton]

how can you know the Dinotte was the key causative factor?

I've ridden the trike on the same roads with and without the Dinotte (and with/without a Smart) and seen quite a difference in driver behaviour. My experience is a light bright enough to be clearly seen from a distance in daylight makes you significantly safer. (I also think the rather urgent flashing pattern of the Dinotte adds to the WTF Factor, causing drivers to exercise additional caution.)

 

[Tynan]

of course you'll be seen earlier with a brighter rear light but it's surely only about being seen early enough?

and again, if cyclists complain about riding behind cyclist with too bright rear lights then they're going to irritate drivers too

 

[DrSquirrel]

of course you'll be seen earlier with a brighter rear light but it's surely only about being seen early enough?

and again, if cyclists complain about riding behind cyclist with too bright rear lights then they're going to irritate drivers too

Part of the difference is the distance cyclists (in groups) will follow and the position they are and being behind for a longer length of time unlike a car which will take max a few minutes to pass, be further away, further to the side when passing, and have their windscreen and higher angle to contend with the retina burning properties

 

[CopperBrompton]

I agree it would be anti-social to use very bright lights when riding in groups of cyclists, as a constant bright light is indeed a distraction. I have a B&M dynamo lighting system as backup, and use that on its own on group rides.

 

[Origamist]

I've ridden the trike on the same roads with and without the Dinotte (and with/without a Smart) and seen quite a difference in driver behaviour. My experience is a light bright enough to be clearly seen from a distance in daylight makes you significantly safer. (I also think the rather urgent flashing pattern of the Dinotte adds to the WTF Factor, causing drivers to exercise additional caution.)

That's what I want to believe (but don't), but I hope you're right and I'm wrong.

 

[HJ]

I've ridden the trike on the same roads with and without the Dinotte (and with/without a Smart) and seen quite a difference in driver behaviour. My experience is a light bright enough to be clearly seen from a distance in daylight makes you significantly safer. (I also think the rather urgent flashing pattern of the Dinotte adds to the WTF Factor, causing drivers to exercise additional caution.)

This has also been my experience...