In the past, when you were shopping for a bicycle headlight you had to choose between a high powered light with external battery pack or a more expensive lower output all-in-one. With the Magicshine Monteer 1400, you have the opportunity to buy an all-in-one LED light with 1400 lumens. Designed with an all aluminium body and two Cree XM-L2 LEDs the Monteer 1400 is a compelling package with a premium feel at only $99.99.

CategoryBicycle Head Light
Rating9/10
Retail Price$99.99
Likes+ All-in-one design
+ Replacement Li-ion batteries
+ 1400 lumen output
Dislikes– Heavy weight
– The Spot beam pattern is too focused
Where to Buy (US) Magicshine
15% OFF coupon code: “TheSweetCyclists”

The 1400 lumen Magicshine Monteer 1400 is a compelling light with a premium feel at a competitive price. The light is a great secondary handlebar light for night riding or as a primary light in strobe mode for urban riding.

The Monteer also has two interesting features that set it apart from other lights in the market. First, the light is designed with an open-able rear panel to allow the two 18650 lithium ion batteries to be removed. This means you can easily source replacement lights in the future instead of having to replace the entire light due to battery failure. The light is also designed to run with only a single battery, although it’s not clear why you would do that (perhaps one battery would fail?)  The second feature is the eagle style mount (also works with the Eagle F3 mount) and secure plastic/rubberized straps. I prefer these over the more traditional rubber band straps some of the other Magicshine lights use.

UNBOXING

The Monteer 1400 comes in a basic plastic box with::

  • Light head unit
  • 2x 18650 Magicshine branded rechargeable Lithium ion batteries
  • USB charging cable
  • Handlebar mount
  • 3x different length straps

All the parts feel premium and well constructed. As mentioned earlier, the aluminium bodied light is on the heavier side especially with the batteries installed. You also don’t get the fancy carrying case, which isn’t unexpected at this price point.

Monteer 1400 Batteries
Batteries

MOUNTING

The Monteer 1400 is paired with an Eagle/Monteer style handlebar mount.  Similar to the Eagle F3, this is a mount that requires a simple allen key to tighten down onto round handle bars. Multiple length rubberized straps are provided to accommodate different size handlebar diameters. The first setup requires a little fiddling, as you have to get the straps to sit into the channels before you can tighten it in place. Compared to the more traditional rubber straps offered in the other Magicshine lights (MJ-908/MJ-906), I find this mount more secure and easy to use.

The light itself is attached to the mount with a simple snap-in connection, allowing you to easily install and remove the light head. The mount itself does require an allen key to install/remove, but is low-profile so shouldn’t be an issue unless you have larger computers mounted in the same area.

FIT & FINISH

To operate the Monteer 1400, there is a single top mounted rubber button.  Holding the button down will power the light on and off. Once the light is on, a short press of the button cycles through the different output modes. There are only four modes (the Magicshine Eagle F3 has an impressive 15 unique modes), with three constant modes and a blinking modes. The three constant modes are low/medium and high, while the blinking mode appears to cycle through the medium setting for a strobe effect.

Monteer 1400 Top view
Top View

Unlike the higher-end Magicshine products, the Monteer does not feature any screens with run-time or mode indicators. Instead, the single button is illuminated either green or red (blinking red at very low battery remaining) to indicate the battery status. With only two colors, the battery status is vague and you may find yourself riding with a low battery mid-ride. The claimed run-times are 1.5 (high) to 5.5 hours (low) and over 6 hours for flashing mode. In my experience I’ve found these accurate, and typically only charge the light once a week or less.

LIGHT OUTPUT

In terms of beam pattern, the Monteer 1400 is highly focused in the center making it more of a spot light than a flood light. This means if you are riding at night, you’ll see further ahead and less side-to-side. The three constant modes have claimed outputs of 370, 750 and 1400 lumens respectively. These translate to visually distinct light output between the different modes.

I’ve found the low setting insufficient for dark riding, but great for dusk/sunset riding if you just need to be seen. The flash mode uses the 750 lumen medium output and is a little higher frequency (shorter off time between bursts) than I’ve seen in other lights. With the focused beam, I find the Monteer 1400 is a better secondary or backup light when I’m riding in the dark and on unlit roads. For urban riding with lit roads, I think the light output of the Monteer is a great way to improve your visibility.

Magicshine Monteer 1400 Output
Output Comparison

With the removable batteries, you could purchase additional batteries and swap them out for longer rides or as a backup.  The micro USB port on the bottom of the light allows you to charge the batteries through the light itself, or you could purchase a separate 18650 lithium ion charger. Charge times are fast enough that you can easily recharge them at work or leave them overnight.

THE VERDICT

All-in-all, the Magicshine Monteer 1400 is an excellent high output and compact all-in-one light.  You don’t have to worry about attaching external battery packs, or routing wires with the Monteer. With a maximum of 1400 lumens, the Monteer also has enough power to ensure people see you and you can see the road.  The removable batteries are a great perk as well, ensuring you can cheaply replace the Lithium ions and continue to use the light.

Disclaimer: 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 compensation from the product manufacturer or third-party websites/vendor links that are posted here.

2 Replies to “Magicshine Monteer 1400”

Leave a Reply