The Magicshine Allty 800 front light shows how useful a quarter-turn mount can be for front lights. The Allty 800 is bright enough for unlit roads, very easy to operate and boasts decent battery life too.
When looking for a front light for my road bike, I generally want something that is quite compact so it won't take up too much space on the bar, is bright enough to light unlit roads for those times when I stay out for too long after work, attaches easily so I can put it on when I'm in a hurry, and doesn't weigh too much. That's pretty much the Magicshine Allty 800 in a nutshell.
> Buy this online here
The quarter-turn mount system is the same as that used by Garmin for its GPS computers, so you can pop this onto an out-front mount if you're not using a computer. Even with the supplied bar mount, attaching the light to your bike is the simplest system I've used, and it is very secure too.
As the name suggests, the light boasts a maximum output of 800 lumens and that, for me, is enough to light the way on a decently surfaced road with no street lighting. For country lanes or unfamiliar roads where potholes could surprise me, I'd prefer something stronger, but for my usual post-work training roads, the Allty 800 has been perfect.
Magicshine claims that the 800-lumen constant mode will run for an hour and 40 minutes. One post-work ride ran over a bit and I got home with an hour and a half on the clock. The light had been running at full power for the entire ride, so Magicshine's claim is pretty accurate.
When it comes to recharging, many of you will be pleased to find that Magicshine has opted for USB-C fast charging. Personally, I always recharge overnight, but it is nice to be able to add juice quickly if you're on the go. The 4000mAh battery can also can be used as a power bank if needed.
Magicshine says that it has used an anti-glare lens to help prevent the light from dazzling oncoming road users. In reality, the thing that is going to help most with this is the way you angle the light, but what I did find was that the concentration of light that hits the road is very good.
One thing I have missed is a feature like Lezyne's Race Mode which gives you just two options: full beam and a dipped beam. One press of the function button flicks between the two and makes switching between the two brightness settings as you go from lit to unlit roads much easier.
> Buyer’s Guide: The best 2021 front lights for cycling
Magicshine has three brightness settings to cycle through, making it just a bit more of a faff to change when riding through a town. Why does this even matter? Well, the more you can switch down to a lower brightness setting, the longer the battery is going to last. I just found that I was less likely to bother switching down a brightness level for a short time because getting back to full took more time.
When it comes to using the light on daytime rides to add visibility, I'm surprised to see the flash modes only using half of the available brightness. On dull or foggy days, especially through recent months when I have been riding alone, I want all the brightness I can get, so a brighter flash mode would have been nice.
> Buyer’s Guide: 19 of the best rear lights for cycling
In terms of price, $59.99 (currently converting to £43) is quite good for the power of the light, especially when you throw in the excellent mount system. Compared to the Lezyne Classic Drive 700XL that I also had on test this winter, it seems like a good deal. The big drawback with this Magicshine light – for UK riders – is that it's no longer available through official Magicshine dealers, so users outside of the States are going to find additional costs associated with a purchase.
Verdict
Strong, well-focused beam is enough for unlit roads, and the mount is great too
If you're thinking of buying this product using a cashback deal why not use the road.cc Top Cashback page and get some top cashback while helping to support your favourite independent cycling website
Make and model: Magicshine Allty 800
Tell us what the light is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?
Magicshine says: 'Magicshine Allty 800 is a specially designed road cycling light with anti-glare lens design and supports USB-C fast charging/discharging.'
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the light?
Magicshine lists:
Lumen: 800 Lumens
Runtime: 1:40 - 11:00 Hours
Waterproof: IPX7
Weight:172g
Rate the light for quality of construction:
8/10
Rate the light for design and ease of use. How simple was the light to use?
7/10
Rate the light for the design and usability of the clamping system/s
10/10
Rate the light for waterproofing. How did it stand up to the elements?
8/10
Rate the light for battery life. How long did it last? How long did it take to recharge?
7/10
Rate the light for performance:
8/10
Rate the light for durability:
8/10
Rate the light for weight:
8/10
Rate the light for value:
7/10
Tell us how the light performed overall when used for its designed purpose
Very well. It is easy to pop on when you're in a rush and it is bright enough for unlit roads.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the light
The beam is very strong and I found it good enough for unlit roads.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the light
Flicking between full power and dipped took a little longer than Lezyne's lights with Race Mode.
How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?
It is quite good for the strength of the beam, but if you're in the UK, ordering will likely involve extra costs.
Did you enjoy using the light? Yes
Would you consider buying the light? Not from America...
Would you recommend the light to a friend? Yes
Use this box to explain your overall score
A strong light that uses a quarter-turn mount system very effectively. Quicker switching between full power and dipped mode would be nice.
Age: 24 Height: 177cm Weight: 62kg
I usually ride: Cannondale Supersix Di2 My best bike is:
I've been riding for: 5-10 years I ride: Most days I would class myself as: Expert
I regularly do the following types of riding: road racing, time trialling, cyclo cross, commuting, club rides, general fitness riding, I specialise in the Cafe Ride!
I know! I've mentioned this before on here but in firearms training one of the first thing's one's told is that if you make an error that could...
Bike jackings -was rife in South Africa when i left and probably still is. Sad state of affairs, I hope the rider heals up quickly and suffers no...
Yup, 1080p. Latest firmware too. Whilst I can see some difference there, that's likely down to screengrab software. Certainly it's not like my...
Dogma from 2013. Maybe these are like Porsches, all look the same but some are more classic than others?
Ah the old Bradley Terry model. An improvement to the Bradley Wiggins one. I'm not sure I really follow the methodology or if it is reliable.
Isn't that to show how rugged and manly the devices are though?
What about Miguel Indurain?
Wow! I dream of getting 6,000km out of a chain! My bike has only just cleared 5,000km...
Maybe we need to take a note out of the drivists playbook and label the lack of secure bike storage as discriminatory against the disabled
Well, I passed this lot yesterday and they seemed to be enjoying the ride... (apparently it was the national chopper convention or something!).