Magicshine’s previous Allty 2000 headlight was one of our favorite bike lights as it had a multi-element light design along with an OLED screen to display battery information. After listening to customer feedback, Magicshine has updated the light and introduced the new Allty 2500S. With a retail price of $159.99, the updated Allty 2500S offers a brighter 2500 lumen output, a wireless remote and USB-C charging. The Allty 2500S retains the unique multi-element lens with two LEDs and a DRL strip to handle nearly any type of riding. Magicshine has also simplified the number of modes and added their wireless remote to easily control the light.
The Magicshine Allty 2500S combines an informative OLED display screen with unique features such as a removable cartridge battery.
| Rating | 8.9 / 10 |
| Retail Price | $159.99 ($79.99 replacement battery) |
| Measured Weight (in g) | 192 (headlight), 16 (mount), 17 (remote) |
| Likes | + OLED display screen + Simplified number of modes improve usability + Multi-element lighting design offers versatility |
| Dislikes | – No DRL only mode – Uses a proprietary cartridge battery instead of generic cells |
| Where to Buy (US) | Magicshine 15% OFF coupon code: “TheSweetCyclists” |
UNBOXING
The Magicshine Monteer Allty 2500S comes in a compact black cardboard box with crisp orange graphics printed onto it. Inside the box you should expect to find:
- Allty 2500S headlight
- Wireless remote + Velcro mounting strap
- USB-C charging cable
- Handlebar mount + 3x mounting straps
- Allen key
- User manual
The rigid cardboard box and foam cutout holder give the packaging a premium look and feel. It’s also perfect for storing the light and keeping all the accessories in one place.
MOUNTING
The Magicshine Allty 2500S uses a standard quarter-turn style Garmin mount that is molded into the body of the headlight. Magicshine includes their standard strap style handlebar mount that is shared across their lineup. It’s a simple mount that uses a plastic base combined with a strap that bolts onto the base and hooks into the front of the mount. We aren’t fans of the design as it requires a tool to install and can be frustrating as you have to align the strap with a slot. However, Magicshine does include multiple strap lengths to accommodate different handlebar shapes which means this can even work with aero bars. As always, we’d recommend using an out-front mount instead like the Magicshine TTA or the Topeak UTF for a cleaner installation.
FIT & FINISH
Visually, the Magicshine Allty 2500S is nearly identical to the previous Magicshine Allty 2000 we reviewed a few years ago. The headlight retains its unusual L-shape with extended lens design and metal housing. It’s a fairly compact headlight with a rounded rectangle profile that conceals the battery. The OLED screen is mounted on the top of the light with a single button interface below it. Branding is limited to Magicshine and Allty 2500S printed on the top surface Magicshine has used a three element lens design that combines two LEDs with a DRL strip along the top. One of the LEDs is a spot light with 18 degree spread while the other LED has diffusers to spread the light to 25 degrees and act more as a flood light. What makes this light unique is the top mounted DRL which combines multiple COB LED strips to provide additional illumination and ensure you’re visible during the day or night.
Magicshine has also extended the lens slightly outward on the sides to improve the side visibility which is important if you ride in the city. The headlight uses a simple one button interface to navigate between output modes and intensities. Compared to the Allty 2000S which had an excessive 17 different modes to choose from, the Allty 2500S has been simplified to only 8 modes. A long hold on the button turns the light on and off, a double press toggled between modes and a single press cycles through intensities. There is also a lock out mode which can be activated by holding the button for about 5 seconds which ensures the light won’t accidentally be turned on in a backpack or while traveling. The light can be operated using only the floodlight + DRL, hybrid mode with all three elements and flashing modes.
One of the notable features of the Allty 2500S is that it has a removable cartridge style battery. That means you can replace the battery and continue to use it for years to come or purchase a second one to bring as a backup. You do have to buy the battery from Magicshine, which retails for $79.99, as it does not use generic battery cells like some other lights or flashlights (e.g. Fenix BC21R or Reelight Lux). The battery is locked into place using a quarter turn mechanism which can be operated with a coin. The USB-C charging port is actually part of the battery end cap which means you can charge the battery with it installed or removed from the light. Thanks to the modern interface, the headlight can also be charged and used at the same time which means you could use an external battery pack to extend the runtime.
LIGHT OUTPUT
The Magicshine Allty 2500S features three different lighting configurations with a total of 8 different modes to choose from. It’s significantly simpler to use and switch between compared to the 17 modes the previous Allty 2000 offered. The first mode is a flood mode which only illuminates the DRL and a single flood LED. Within this mode you can choose from low (300 lumen / 4.5 hr runtime), medium (600 lm / 3.5 hr) and high (2500 lm / 1.5 hr). For more illumination there is also a hybrid mode that uses both LEDs and the DRL. Again, there is a low (600 lm / 3.5 hr), medium (1200 lm / 2.5 hr) and high (2500 lm / 1.5 hr) intensities to choose from. Finally, there are two flash modes that activate everything and flashes on LED for additional visibility. There is a slow flash (1200 lm / 4.5 hr) and a fast flash (600 lm / 6.5 hr) mode.
The dual LED design of the Magicshine Allty 2500S creates an interesting dual beam pattern on the ground. Unlike the Magicshine EVO 1700 or EVO 1300 the beam pattern is a non-directional standard cone shape which also creates glare for oncoming traffic. The standard single LED mode is enough for commuting or dark trails as it illuminates the ground in front of the bike and further down the road. We preferred using the hybrid mode which provides more illumination and a combination beam with the spot and flood LEDs illuimnated together. Unfortunately, there is no more DRL only mode which was a nice feature of the Allty 2000 and could be used for commuting or daytime riding.
THE VERDICT
Overall, we found the Magicshine Allty 2500S offers modern updates and improved usability over the original Allty 2000. Magicshine has retained the unique OLED display screen and cartridge style battery which make it easy to check the battery status and replace the battery. The Allty 2500S can be operated using the DRL + flood LED or in hybrid and flash modes with both LEDs and the DRL activated using an intuitive single button interface. Thanks to the high-contrast OLED display screen you can always see the current battery status and even the lumen count for the current mode. The main downsides of the light is that you can’t use the light in a DRL only mode and that the removable battery uses a proprietary cartridge style instead of generic battery cells. That said, if you’re looking for a bright and full-featured headlight then the updated Allty 2500S has a lot to offer.
Disclaimer: The product for this review was provided by Magicshine. The views expressed on this website are solely those of the authors and are here to help people make an informed choice before a purchase. The authors or the blog itself does not get any monetary compensation from the product manufacturer or third-party websites/vendor links that are posted here.