The Magicshine HORI 1300 is the most powerful light in Magicshine’s new HORI series of compact bike lights. These lights combine a dual top and bottom mounting design with a compact form factor that is optimized for road cyclists. Retail price on the HORI 1300 is an affordable $79.99 which includes a FTR LightSync remote. As the name implies, the light is capable of 1300 lumens of output with a dual LED design that combines a sharp-beam cutoff lens and a standard cone lens. Runtimes range from 2-9.5 hours depending on which mode is used with a fast charging USB-C port and 3200 mAh internal battery. The HORI 1300 has a Garmin mount that can be bolted onto the top or bottom of the light to support different mounting configurations.
The Magicshine HORI 1300 is a surprisingly bright and compact bike headlight with dual mount and lens design.
| Rating | 9.4 / 10 |
| Retail Price | $79.99 |
| Measured Weight (in g) | 151 (light), 14 (remote) |
| Likes | + Compact form factor for the output and battery size + Bright output for day and nighttime riding + FTR LightSync lets you power on / off the headlight and a taillight with single button |
| Dislikes | – No side visibility with inset lens |
| Where to Buy (US) | Magicshine 15% OFF coupon code: “TheSweetCyclists” |
UNBOXING
The Magicshine HORI 1300 comes in a compact cardboard box with Magicshine’s distinctive black and orange color scheme printed on it. Inside the box you’ll find:
- Hori 1300 headlight
- Decorative cover
- GoPro to Garmin adapter
- FTR LightSync remote w/ mounting o-ring
- USB-C charging cable
- Allen key
- User manual
The FTR LightSync remote is the same remote that is included with other Magicshine FTR compatible lights like the Allty 1200.
MOUNTING
One of the unique features of the Magicshine HORI lights is the dual-sided mounts. There is a Garmin mount on the top of the light that can be unbolted and moved to the bottom side. That means you can mount the light below an out-front mount or on top of an out front mount. Unlike the HORI 900 which offers a female Garmin or Wahoo top mount for mounting a computer on top of it, the HORI 1300 is only designed to be under or top mounted with no computer above it. We’d highly recommend an out front mount such as Magicshine’s own mounts or something like the Topeak UTF mount for a clean installation. If you mount the light underneath an out front mount you’ll likely need to use the included GoPro to Garmin adapter which adds a bit of height but lets you adjust the angle of the light. With the relatively light weight of the HORI 1300, the light has a secure and rattle free mounting that stays in place regardless of what type of roads you ride.
FIT & FINISH
Visually, the Magicshine HORI 1300 has a compact all-in-one form factor with a compact battery integrated into it. It’s one of the more compact headlights that Magicshine has which makes it perfect for road cyclists or commuters as it won’t clutter your handlebars. The size is approximately 60 x 57 x 37 mm which is only slightly larger than the HORI 900 at 58 x 50 x 32 mm. It is a nearly square light with beveled edges and a rounded rear section for additional clearance. Magicshine has added glossy black accent lines along the sides along with simple HORI 13000 branding on the sides. There is an illuminated power button on the left side that shows the current battery status along with a matching rectangular rubber cover on the other side to protect the USB-C port.
With this higher power HORI 1300, Magicshine has incorporated what they call a dual-zone beam that has a low and high beam. The low beam mode has a sharp beam cutoff with an aspherical lens that has a droplet-like inner lens behind an outer flat lens that creates a trapezoidal shaped beam pattern. While this isn’t an StVZO certified light, the sharp-beam cutoff has the anti-glare properties you want and focuses all the light on the ground. In the low beam mode the HORI 1300 puts out the same 900 lumens as the HORI 900. To achieve the full 1300 lumen output you have to activate the high beam mode which turns an additional spot beam. This is a standard cone beam which has glare so we’d recommend only using this mode where there is no oncoming traffic. The combination of the two beams gives you a flood and spot beam to help illuminate everything around you.
USER INTERFACE
As far as the user interface, you have a single illuminated button to directly control the light. Holding the button turns the light on and off while holding it for 3 seconds with the light off toggles the lockout mode. There is a two mode menu where a single press toggles between the available output levels while a double press toggles between low beam and high beam modes. In the high beam mode you have a combination of both LEDs and only one 1300 lumen high mode. The low beam mode offers a range of low, medium and high beam modes which you can cycle through. Magicshine has also incorporated their FTR LightSync which lets you control this headlight and a compatible taillight with their remote.
Magicshine includes the remote with this light which has a two button design and a slick center LED indicator. Once you pair it you can power the HORI 1300 and a taillight on and off with a single button press. The remote also unlocks two additional flash modes by tapping the top square button to switch between a special day flash and night flash mode which cannot be accessed from the button on the headlight. With the under mount design of the headlight, the remote makes it a lot easier to control the light directly from the handle bars which is more convenient.
LIGHT OUTPUT
Magicshine has programmed the HORI 1300 with six modes by default with four constant modes and two flash modes. The low beam mode utilizes the sharp beam cutoff lens and has three constant intensity options: low (200 lumen / 6.5 hr), medium (400 lumen / 3.5 hr) and high (900 lumen / 2.5 hr). The full 1300 lumen output is achieved in the high beam mode which has 2 hour runtime and uses both LEDs. Utilizing the remote, there are also two flash modes: day flash (800 lumen / 9.5 hr) and night flash (1000 lumen / 4.5 hr). The day flash mode flashes the standard lens LED on and off to ensure you are visible during the day while the night time holds the sharp beam cutoff lens LED on while flashing the other LED.
The anti-glare low beam is very similar to the Magicshine EVO 1300 shape with a distinct trapezoid and some minor artifacts at the edges. On the road, the a brighter top section adds more light further down the road to help you see what is coming up. Medium or high low beam mode are enough for normal riding or dark trails and help you see the entire width of the road. Turning on the full 1300 lumen high beam mode adds glare for oncoming traffic but adds a bright spot beam on top of the anti-glare trapezoidal beam. It’s a great combination for fast and windy roads as the spot beam has a cone beam that lights up the road. We also liked the bright daytime flash mode which ensures you’re highly visible even during the day with its 800 lumen output.
THE VERDICT
Overall, we found the Magicshine HORI 1300 to be a well designed and compact light. As the brightest light in the HORI lineup, the HORI 1300’s dual beam ensures you have an anti-glare lens for city riding and a bright spot beam for off-road or rural roads. We were impressed with the compact size of the light and bright output. The included FTR LightSync remote also lets you power on and off compatible Magicshine taillights with a single button press. We also liked the dual sided mounting which gives you more options for mounting location without sacrificing the anti-glare lens. The only negative we’d point out with the light is that it lacks side visibility with its inset lens. That said, the Magicshine HORI 1300 is a surprisingly compact and bright all-in-one bike headlight.
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.