>> Notice: battery pack upgraded to MJ 6116C
>> Notice: battery pack upgraded to MJ 6116C
With a theoretical maximum output of 5000 lumens from the 5 ultra bright CREE XM-L2 LEDs, Magicshine MJ-906 bike light combo produces a 20 degree wide angle beam designed specifically for off road, MTB and trail riding, on full power there is no hot spot, center is detailed and far reaching, solid and broad peripherals, ideally paired with a helmet light for off road use.
MJ-906 does come with a rear light and lower output modes optionally controlled by the 2.4g remote for your travels to and from the trails. For smaller size, weight and cost, please check out the single and double LED versions of this light more suitable for road and urban cycling.
4 constant power modes and a flash mode, powered by 7.8Ah super high capacity Li-ion battery pack.
| DIMENSIONS | 8.661 × 6.69 × 3.15 in |
| SHEEL MATERIAL | Aluminum alloy and plastic |
| MODES | Front 100%-75%-50%-20%-Strobe Rear 100%-Pulse Flash-Flash-Strobe |
| BATTERY | 6×18650 Li-ion batteries (7.4V 7.8AH) (remote -CR2025) |
| RUNTIME | 1.8 hours @ 100% 3.2 hours @ 75% 5.2 hours @ 50% 10.2 hours @ 20% 7 hours @ Flash |
| Compare | MJ 906S | MJ 906 |
| LUMEN | 4500 LM | 5000 LM |
| RUNTIME | 1.5-50h | 1.5-9h |
| MAX THROUGH | 236m | 210m |
| MOUNTING TYPE | General Garmin Mount | U-Shape Mount |
| E-BIKE MODE | Yes | No |
| BATTERY MODEL | MJ 6118 7.2V 10000mAh |
MJ 6116C 7.2V 7000mAh |
| WEIGHT | 78g | 50g |
| DIMENSION | 45*43*33mm | 56*43*50mm |
| EXTENTION | _ | Tail light and Switch |
| CHARGING PORT | USB(C Type) | USB |
| DRL | Yes | NO |
| DISCHARGING | YES | YES |
| WATERPROOF | IPX 6 | IPX 4 |
The engineers at Magicshine have clearly been having too much time on their hands with the MJ 9 series of lights. This series of headlights starts with the affordable MJ-900 designed around a single Cree XM-L2 LED and a claimed 1200 lumen output. With each model above the MJ-900 the lumen output increases as more and more Cree LEDs are packed into the light head. How many LEDs is too many? With two LEDs, Magicshine claims 1600 lumens which should be sufficient for a majority of people. Not for Magicshine, as they also released a MJ-906 (5 LEDs) and the MJ-908 (8 LEDs!). Today we’ll be looking at the MJ-906 which has an impressive advertised 5000 theoretical lumen output.
The 5000 lumen is a theoretical number that comes from the fact that the MJ-906 packs 5 Cree XM-L2 LEDs, each capable of a little over 1000 lumens each. Note the identical bluetooth version, MJ-906B, has a published actual lumen output of 3200 which is a good indication of what this light actually puts out. Although that isn’t as impressive as the 8000 theoretical lumen output of the MJ-908, the MJ-906 treads the line between overkill and practicality.
Category: Bike (bicycle) tail light
Overall rating: 8/10
UNBOXING
The MJ-906 is one of the mid-level Magicshine offerings, and as such comes with an excellent high-end carrying case. Under the carrying case cover, the Magicshine includes::
Overall the light is compact with a majority of the light head taken up with aluminium fins for cooling. Note the included wired tail light is the same one offered in other combination packages offered by Magicshine.
THE MOUNT
As is common with Magicshine, the MJ-906 uses the standard rubber straps to attach the light head to the handlebars. These rubber straps may look insufficient, but hold the light to the handlebar securely and have survived years of use in my experience. The large battery pack uses the standard velcro straps and rubberized pads to attach to the bicycle frame. Mounting the battery pack on the downtube works well if you aren’t using a water bottle cage at the location, otherwise the top tube works well.
DESIGN AND USABILITY
The overall light design feels professional and well built. Most of the light head is taken up with the aluminium cooling fins and a large button on the top of the light head. One big drawback of the MJ-906 is the lack of an LCD screen or runtime display like that included in the MJ-908. This means using the light requires cycling through the single button and deciphering the battery level indicator through the backlight button. Once the battery capacity is less than 20 percent, the button will be illuminated red.
A long press will turn the light on or off, while a quick click will run through the different modes. Speaking of modes, there are only 5 modes (compare that to the 15 settings the Magicshine Eagle F3 has): low, medium, medium high, high and a flash mode. Unfortunately, with this design you will need to cycle through the flash mode to change the brightness levels. With the brightness of the light, this can be potentially dangerous if done while riding at high speeds.
LIGHT OUTPUT
With 5 Cree LEDS, the MJ-906 has some impressive light output. The square light head design results in a very bright and even light distribution. The beam pattern is an excellent mix between the flood and spot, allowing you to see both around you and further down the road when riding. The five modes have a published battery life of: 2 hours (high, 100%), 3.2 hours (medium high, 75%), 5.2 hours (medium, 50%), 10.2 hours (low, 20%) and 7 hours (flash, 50%).
Comparing the light output side-by-side, there is a distinct difference between the lower power setting and higher power settings. The beam pattern is uniform with no hot spots and a nice square shape. Looking at the side view, you can also see the beam angle is well distributed both horizontally and vertically without any cutoffs. In the real world, I find the lowest setting sufficient for urban riding and medium more than enough for early morning dark roads. Battery life is consistent with what Magicshine predicts, and with only 4 hours a week of use allows me to charge the light only every few weeks.
THE VERDICT
Overall, the MJ-906 is an excellent high-output and compact bicycle light with more than enough runtime for short or long rides. The light lacks the runtime display screen though, which makes judging the current mode and remaining battery life difficult. Additionally, you do have to cycle through flash mode to access the other modes. Otherwise, the 5 Cree LED combination and small size make this a light that I’d recommend for both mountain bikers and road cyclists.
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.
