Magicshine Monteer 12000 front light review

Magicshine’s newest Monteer 12000 front light boasts a whopping 12,000-lumen output, up 4,000 lumens from the previous range-topping and test-winning Monteer 8000S Galaxy V2.

Retailing for £449.99 / $549.99 / €529.99, this mountain bike light is relatively affordable for the performance on offer.

That immense power is created by five forward-facing Luminus SST70 LEDs, each with its own lens to generate the excellent beam pattern. Magicshine claims the beam’s range is 360m.

A separate battery pack is required to produce all that power. The 294g head unit’s twin bar clamp (compatible with 31.8 and 35mm handlebars) mount straddles the bike’s stem and has separate tool-free angle adjustment. A helmet mount, fixed using straps, is also included.

The 10,000mAH battery pack weighs a hefty 900g and attaches to your bike’s frame using two Velcro straps.

The hard plastic armour has in-moulded rubberised sections to help protect the frame and the battery.

The light and battery are impact resistant rated to one meter and have an IPX6 waterproof rating.

Magicshine’s newly developed iOS and Android-compatible smartphone app permits light output adjustment, adding new modes and stock mode customisation.

The app and the 17g two-button remote connect via Bluetooth.

The light has 10 standard modes with run times ranging from 85 hours to 2.5 hours at the maximum 12,000-lumen output.

There is a USB-C port for charging – it’s claimed to take three hours from empty using a 60W fast charger, although a wall plug isn’t included.

Four rear-facing LED charge indicators sit on the head unit – and are replicated on the battery – while the remote’s buttons also indicate the remaining charge. However, there isn’t a mode indicator.

Magicshine Monteer 12000 performance

Straddling the stem, the dual-sided mount provides a stable and secure anchor for the head unit. Plus it’s easy to fit, thanks to the top-loading bolts and supplied rubber shims.

Tool-free angle adjustment – via a small tab where the head unit and mount attach – is a neat touch and can be tightened enough to stop the light from moving.

The central, over-the-stem mounting point keeps things looking sleek and means the light doesn’t take up too much room on the handlebar. However, the twin-clamp design might pose issues for electric mountain bikes with bar-mounted displays.

Equally, the gap between the two clamps – that I measured at 51mm – wasn't wide enough for all stems.

Since testing, Magicshine has made a wider clamp. With a 70mm gap between the two clamps, it should now be compatible with more stems. However, before buying the Monteer 12000, take care the mount will fit your bike.

Despite the battery’s weight and size, securing it to the bike’s frame is simple. The Velcro straps tighten easily, and the rubberised, curved portion on the battery helps it to sit snugly against frame tubes.

Its size might pose issues on some frames, taking up space usually reserved for water bottles or accessories, so it’s worth checking your bike has enough room for the battery prior to purchase.

The remote’s Velco strap is very long, but secure bar fitment is still possible. Button functionality is logical, but a cursory read of the instruction manual is recommended to make sure you know how to access all the Monteer’s 12,000 lumens.

On the trail

Unsurprisingly the Monteer 12000’s light throw is utterly immense, illuminating the trail ahead way further than you’ll ever need or want to see.

This makes it perfect for picking lines, riding technical sections, or hooning about on the hardest trails.

Not only is its light cast forwards, but it’s also spread broadly, highlighting the sides of the trail and around corners well.

Even the exits to tight-radius switchbacks are proficiently illuminated. Riding trails like this is akin to doing so in the daytime, the illumination inspiring loads of confidence and speed.

While the beam spread is commendable, it’s no wider than the lower-powered Monteer 8000. Being very critical, Magicshine could have extended the beam’s width even further with the extra lumens on tap, taking the Monteer 8000’s shape as a starting point.

The beam’s shape is also interesting. In spot mode – accessed by double-pushing the O remote button – the light is cast in a defined V shape, emanating at the light source.

Switch to the flood mode – also by double-pressing the O remote button – and the V shape is added to by the flood portion of the beam, extending its spread.

While the spot function is nice to have, I couldn’t figure out where it could be used when mountain biking; it’s not wide enough for use on the trails, and the flood mode is so good there’s no incentive to use the other settings.

Even with all that power on tap, there are no overly bleached spots in the beam. It creates an evenly spread power that leaves no detail in the dark.

The light emitted isn’t overwhelming, either. It’s very usable and doesn’t reflect into your eyes from lighter objects on the trail.

The LED hue is also impressive. Its colour is quite hard to describe, spanning the green, blue, purple and white spectrums, creating a gentle and soft blend that’s incredibly easy on the eyes.

Although it’s relatively intuitive to use, a quick read of the instruction manual is needed to fully understand the Monteer’s functions, and how to access the light’s highest output mode.

My test sample’s remote needed Bluetooth pairing with the system each time I disconnected the battery and head unit. While not a difficult task, doing so increases setup time prior to riding, which is a shame given how easy the battery and head unit are to mount.

How long does the Magicshine Monteer 12000’s battery last?

Set to its full-power 12,000-lumen output, the Monteer 12000 lasted for 2.18 hours, slightly less than Magicshine’s 2.5-hour claimed run time.

If that’s not long enough for your rides, the lower-powered modes offer more than enough illumination and will extend battery life considerably.

Magicshine Monteer 12000 bottom line

The Monteer 12000 lives up to its maximum output figure, pumping out an incredible amount of well-used light both ahead of you and to the sides, creating brilliant on-trail context and rider confidence.

In this respect, the latest iteration of Monteer is, once again, in a league of its own.

Remote pairing and mount bracket width niggles aside, there’s little to dislike.

If you’re in the market for the most powerful bike light currently available from a mainstream manufacturer, look no further.

• Buy the Monteer 12000 direct from Magicshine