BIKE ACCESSORIES
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Advancements in LED designs and battery capacity mean that modern bike lights are capable of high lumen output while still retaining small form factors.The new Magicshine Monteer 8000S bike light is an excellent example of this trend as it incorporates an updated battery and LED setup into the previous generation Monteer 6500 bike light to achieve an impressive 8000 lumen output. Now a 8000 lumen Magicshine sounds familiar, that’s because the Magicshine MJ-908 also carried that claim. However, while the MJ-908 had a theoretical 8000 lumen output (each of the 8 LEDs is capable of 1000 lumen output) the Monteer…
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Perhaps one of the most useful modern bicycle accessories is the cycling GPS computer. Unlike a traditional cycling computer that simply shows real-time data, with a GPS equipped cycling computer you’re able to log full sensor and positional data. While most cycling computer companies have focused on the high-end GPS computer market with integration features and retail prices that warrant payment plans, Bryton has successfully offered a full lineup of affordable and feature filled options. In this review, we will be looking at Bryton Rider 320 GPS cycling computer that offers high-end features at a budget price point. The Rider…
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Since their introduction in 1994, Polar’s innovative insulated cycling bottles have been popular among cyclists worldwide. With a distinctive multi-layer design with visible insulation layer, the original Polar bottles were developed specifically for the unique challenges of cycling. The Polar Breakaway Insulated bottle reviewed here are the latest iteration of their cycling bottles that modernizes the design and improves the usability. Designed and produced in Colorado, the Breakaway bottles feature an easy to squeeze design with the self-sealing Surge Cap. Available in both insulated and non-insulated variations, the bottles offer unique designs at affordable prices. The Polar Breakaway bottles combine…
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When it comes to bike lights, they generally fall into two bins: the compact ‘be seen’ type and the powerful ‘to see’ type. As the name implies, the ‘be seen’ lights ensure you are visible to others on the road but don’t provide enough illumination to see with. The benefit of these style lights is that they are lightweight, compact, and offer versatile mounting. In this review we’ll be looking at the Magicshine Seemee 30, their latest ‘be seen’ light combo set. With a low retail price, the headlight and tail light offers an impressive 30 lumen output along with…
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The RN 1200 is Magicshine’s latest commuter bike headlight that provides an affordable option for a high-lumen and compact bike light. Designed around an integrated 21700 Lithium battery, the RN 1200 has a familiar and sleek rounded rectangular design. With a retail price of $74.99 the RN 1200 is more affordable than the Ally 1000 light while offering a brighter 1200 lumen output. Magicshine has also carried forward many of the popular features of the Allty series of lights into these RN lights which include the standardized Garmin quarter-turn mount and intuitive user interface with three level battery indicator. The…
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Elite’s water bottles are popular among recreational and professional cyclists worldwide. With bottle collections ranging from the race-proven featherweight bottles all the way to stainless steel thermal bottles, Elite has a bottle for nearly every type of occasion. However, what is consistent with Elite’s bottles is that they combine lightweight, high flow nozzle designs. Elite’s latest bottle, the JET brings something new to the table – sustainability. In this review, we’ll be taking a closer look at the JET bottles which are constructed of biodegradable plastic material. They are currently offered in three sizes at affordable prices: 550ml ($7.99), 750ml…
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Even as bike lights become smarter and brighter, they all share one major weakness… the battery. Whether you’re using traditional AAA batteries or the latest high capacity rechargeable Lithium Ion cells, batteries either need to regularly be recharged or replaced. For a more permanent solution to bike lighting, the primary option has typically been dynohub powered lights. However, these use friction to generate electricity and are often bulky in size. Reelight has developed a variety of magnetically powered non-contact lights that offer an alternative solution. Today we’ll be looking at the Reelight CIO lightset which includes a headlight and tail…
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Magicshine has recently released a number of new Seemee taillights that combine smart features with impressive output. In this review, we’ll be looking specifically at the Magicshine Seemee 100 one of the more affordable variations that has dual element LED design. The Seemee 100 is quite affordable at only $34.99 for the features, and also boasts a maximum of 100 lumens of output. With this latest generation of tail lights, Magicshine has incorporated both an ambient light sensor as well as a brake sensor. These two sensors allow the taillight to automatically adjust the output based on the current conditions…
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Magicshine has recently released a number of new Seemee taillights that combine smart features with impressive output. In this review, we’ll be looking specifically at the Magicshine Seemee 180, one of the higher output variations that has a unique LED design. The Seemee 180 is well priced at $39.99 for the features, and also boasts a maximum of 180 lumens of output. With this latest generation of tail lights, Magicshine has incorporated both an ambient light sensor as well as a brake sensor. These two sensors allow the taillight to automatically adjust the output based on the current conditions as…