Review of the Magicshine MJ-838 Cycling Light

For many years I have been an avid cyclist, not competitively, just for leisure.  I enjoy being out in the countryside, the fresh air and the scenery.  I never cycled much in wintertime, because work commitments meant that the only times I could cycle would be at night.  That was until last October when I got my hands on a Magicshine MJ-838 cycle light.  The Light itself it quite small,( see the picture showing it attached on the bike handlebars).   Don’t be discouraged by the small size however as the modest body contains a serious light, and I was delighted to have a whole new outlook on being able to see clearly while cycling.  In the past, having lights on your bicycle was merely about being seen as opposed to being able to see. With the advent of LED lighting, and the MJ-838 is proof of this, now you can see as well as being seen while cycling.

Magicshine MJ838 on Handlebar

The light is attached to the handlebars by a sturdy o-ring, making it very easy to attach and remove as required; no wrenches, screwdrivers or hex keys required.
The battery pack is a separate unit which can be attached by velcro and strap to the bike frame.
The MJ-838 comes with two different sized O-Rings which should accommodate most handlebar diameters.

Features:    3 operating modes; Full power 200 Lumens, Medium Power, and Flashing.
The power button includes a light which changes colour as the battery power reduces, giving the cyclist useful information as they cycle.
The light is waterproof to IP64, so no need to worry about inclement weather conditions.

Just to give some idea of how well the light works, I donned my cycling gear and we took some pictures one evening last week before I headed off for a cycle.  The first shows the powerful beam from this light:

Beam from the MJ-838 LED cycle light

As you can see, the white van which is about 80 metres away is clearly lit up.  Note also, the green light from the handlebars. This is the battery indicator light, which changes from Green to Blue at 75%, Blue to Yellow at 50% and Yellow to Red at 25%.

From experience, it is worth noting that this light is so bright and if aimed too high can dazzle approaching drivers.  My advice is to aim it reasonably low, so while not impeding your own visibility, you are not impeding anyone elses either.

This second pic we took for some fun, it’s a long exposure with me cycling towards the camera:

This pic doesn’t tell a lot about the MJ-838, but it looks cool!

If you have any questions about this light, you can contact us, all our details are here and we’d be delighted to assist you.

Thanks for taking the time to have a read, and we’ll be reviewing more of the LED torches available from LED Powerhouse in the very near future.