Magicshine Ray 2600 Smart Remote Bike Light

The Magicshine Ray 2600 is a very capable light, pumping out – as its name suggests – a maximum of 2,600 lumens. It also has some innovative and genuinely clever features, though I'm not overly sold on the mount which doesn't feel the most robust, but thankfully any Garmin type will host.

It's a dual lens design – one flood, one spot, with collimators to project those beams precisely – and that headline output is achieved with both lenses on and firing out 1,300 lumens apiece.

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Build quality is impressive, too: its neatly executed aluminium body serves as a heat sink and is designed to withstand drops of up to a metre. It also meets IPX6 for waterproofing; it wouldn't survive being pitched into a canal, or bog snorkelling, but covers most bases and has passed my garden hose test with flying colours.

Modes and output

Essentially, you get four steady modes – Eco, Low, Mid and High – when using either lens in isolation or together (so 12 in total), plus (dual lens) flashing and pulsing.

The output for each mode using either lens singly goes: Eco (170lm), Low (330lm), Mid (650lm) and High (1,300lm). Use both lenses in combination and the output roughly doubles (330, 650, 1,300 and 2,600lm) while the run-times are near enough halved.

You also get 'smart' or ambient mode, where the output is automatically adjusted (from its default 50 lumens in dual mode when first selected) to suit the conditions. Even at 50 lumens it has some presence when starting off, and once I'd gained confidence in its ability to increase power, it brought a smile to my face. It isn't quite seamless, and is possibly best used when light slowly fades, say at dusk, but did okay when I suddenly whizzed through an underpass or a shady overgrown section of trail.

As for the set modes, my benchmark for back-of-beyond road blasting is 1,300 lumens and I wasn't disappointed. I could cruise along at 20mph in the flood-and-spot combination Mid mode with ample warning of mud, holes, sharps and a variety of wildlife.

A switch to the full 2,600lm High and I could hit 35mph on some descents with an excellent view of conditions ahead, flicking down to the 1,300-lumen spot at the first sign of oncoming traffic – situations where the wired remote comes into its own.

Lower down the orders, the 650lm (Mid) flood mode was more useful than I was expecting; used atop a helmet, it cast a useful arc of light, giving a good snapshot of conditions ahead for speeds of 17-18mph (though the lack of a wireless remote does make mode changes tricky).

The Mid spot is just about enough for unlit roads – 14-17mph – and useful if reserves are running low or you need to conserve some power on a longer ride. A better bet for semi-rural stuff, I'd say.

The 330-lumen dual-beam Eco is more than adequate for the suburbs without being aggressive, giving a good sweep of conditions ahead, while dropping down to just a single lens (170lm) is a good bet for shared paths and well-lit streets in town, especially if you were wanting to conserve battery life.

As for the 330-lumen flashing/pulsing modes, these are a nice tempo and very extrovert – certainly good enough for daylight running duties.

Operation

The main switch is a rubbery, top-mounted affair. It's quite squishy and requires a definite prod, so accidental engagements are unlikely. It also has a locking mode, denoted by a red outline. Selecting this and the blue (smart) mode is a question of sustained one-second presses of both buttons.

Releasing the light from locked requires a five-second press, then it's just a question of pressing the up/down arrow depending on whether you want more or fewer lumens – no having to course through them all and, crucially, hit the flashing modes, which can be very disorientating.

There's also a memory function, so you can just switch on and go.

The kit also includes that wired remote I mentioned earlier, similar to that employed in the Ravemen PR range. It plugs into the USB C port and attaches via a sturdy rubber o-ring, though the cable is on the short side.

It's user-friendly, even at 20-odd mph, if slightly remote in full-finger, winter weight gloves.

That blue smart mode also denotes an auto stop-start function, which is essentially a motion/vibration sensor that switches the light off after three minutes of inactivity and re-engages when you move again.

In common with many, the switch also acts as a traffic-light-style battery life indicator, so you can check in a glance.

Battery life and charging

Given the light's compact dimensions, I was impressed Magicshine was able to shoehorn a 3.6V 6700mAh lithium-ion cell inside.

Run-times have proved very faithful – within 5 minutes – of those cited (from 1.5 to 22.5 hours), and the charge light indicator also seems reliable, so all things being equal you'd be going some to get plunged into darkness.

As for charging, ours has gone from zero to hero in 2hrs 40mins from the mains, 3hrs from a laptop or similar third-party device.

Mount

The light attaches via a Garmin type platform, so fitting and removal is just a matter of turning the lamp 180 degrees, and you get several straps to suit a variety of bar diameters and shapes, held taut with a hex screw.

It's undeniably versatile, but doesn't feel the most robust.

Value

The Ray 2600 is hard to beat on value, given the asking price and specification.

Probably its closest comparator, specification-wise, is the Ravemen PR2400 which, in my view, has a much nicer main switch and an OLED display for pinpoint accuracy. However, it's getting on for twice the Magicshine's price.

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It also looks better value than the excellent Giant Recon HL 1800, which is a few quid more at £119.99. The Recon also has an ambient light sensor, but 'only' puts out 1,800 lumens.

There are cheaper options if you're happy with a lower max output: Oxford's Ultratorch Headlight CL1600 is £69.99, and as well as offering 1,600 lumens in its highest mode has an LCD run-time and mode indicator, and acts as a power bank facility.

Conclusion

Ultimately, I've been seriously impressed by the Magicshine Ray 2600. It offers modes for pretty much every occasion and some impressive features. I found the rubbery switch an acquired taste, and though serviceable enough, the mount felt a little insubstantial. However, there are a wealth of other options, and these are very minor points.

Verdict

Capable and very tuneable light at a great price