Magicshine launches first Shimano Di2-compatible front light

Wireless bike light systems have been around for years, and even wireless gear shifting has been in existence for a fair while. But bike light innovator Magicshine has recently launched something truly innovative – with the all-new Evo 1700SD these twin wireless technologies have been seamlessly married, meaning you can now adjust your front light functions using your Di2 controls. 

The benefit of this - especially for road riders - is clear, particularly as we head into autumn with darker evenings and earlier nights. Without moving your hands from your bike’s controls, you can now switch your lights on, select high beam or low beam, adjust brightness and even switch on flash mode. 

> Buy the Magicshine EVO 1700SD from Magicshine for £79.99

There are other benefits, too. Your bike’s cockpit is free from clutter with any extra lighting controls unnecessary, and when you use the Evo 1700SD together with a Garmin and GoPro adapter, you can keep your handlebar clean.

But it’s the safety aspects of being able to adjust your lighting quickly and easily that are most obvious, not least the fact that you can have your light set to high beam and full power knowing that a simple press of a button will prevent on-coming drivers from being blinded. If you do need some extra power for unlit trails or paths though, Magcicshine have you covered with a whopping 1700 lumens possible on the light's highest beam setting. 

Set-up and use

So how does it all work? Set-up is super straightforward. All you have to do is turn on your Di2 system by clicking any buttons on the shifters. Then the 1700SD has to be put in paring mode by pressing the power button on the side until the blue ‘paring mode’ light starts blinking. Hold the Evo 1700SD within 30cm of the Di2 rear derailleur and when the blue light stays solid for three seconds, it’s been successfully pared with the Di2 set-up.

In default mode, the Evo 1700SD will use both the left and the right Di2 buttons on your brake hoods to activate different functions, although – to turn the light on and off – either left or right button can be pressed and held. 

Once the Evo 1700SD is on, clicking the left button toggles between brightness modes, while double-clicking on the left will change between high and low beam. If you want full lighting power – all 1700 lumens of it – a click on the right Di2 button will go from any setting to maximum brightness, while a double click on the right will instigate day or night flash mode.

And if you already have your Di2 buttons assigned to some other function, it’s not a problem: use Shimano’s E-TUBE app and define which buttons you want to activate the Evo 1700SD.

Other features

The Di2 integration is the obvious unique selling point of the Evo 1700SD, but quite aside from that innovative functionality, the Evo 1700SD has a jam-packed features and specification list.

Using a dual lens system, the Evo 1700SD provides a low beam with a distinct cut-off line, resulting in a glare-free experience for oncoming road users. Meanwhile, the high beam increases coverage and distance, enough for dark path, trails or fast riders.

The Evo 1700SD is housed in an aluminium and plastic body that's capable of both dissipating heat and resisting the elements. In fact, the light body is rated IPX6 waterproof, meaning it’ll shrug off even the worst winter weather.

It’s not only the light body that’s hardy – the tough 4000mAh capacity battery is good for up to 11 hours of runtime, with a USB-C charging port making recharges straightforward. You can keep your eye on remaining charge with a simple and an easy-to-read power indicator on the light body itself: green means 100-21% of charge remaining, red means 20-11% and flashing red means 10-1%.

Full specification

• Max output : 1700 lumens
• Max runtime: 11 hours
• Max throw: 205 metres
• Light source: high-efficiency LED
• Battery source: 4000mAh Battery
• Charging time: 5 hours
• Light body construction: aluminium and plastic
• Waterproof rating: IPX6
• Weight: 151g
• Warranty: 2 years
• Compatibility: Shimano Di2 wireless units: RD-R9250; RD-R8150; RD-R7150; RD-RX825
• Light settings: customisable for different cycling scenarios through Magicshine App
• Lens: TIR optical lens offering unique combination of up-close low beam and far-reaching high beam
• Cut-off low beam, glare-free for oncoming road users
• Lock function
• Memory function
• (Note: The Evo 1700SD is not compatible with Shimano e-bike systems STEPS) 

And there’s more…

The Evo 1700SD isn’t the only exciting launch coming from Magicshine this autumn. The lighting experts have a raft of new kit ready to shine, including the Seemee100AD rear light, the MK150 and the Evo1100, all being released in September. We also had a look at the brand’s exciting Allty 1200U and Seemee 50V2.0 combo in this video.

For more information about any of Magicshine’s lights, visit magicshine.com.