How to mount front light with no handlebar space?

quenching

I've just realised that I've no space on the handlebars to mount a front light due to mine having brake interrupter levers and the bars tapering out towards the stem. I have a Philips LED bike light with the common "slide-in & clip" fitting. I know I could move the brake lever out a bit but I'd have to rewrap the bar tape then also, as I'm lazy can anyone suggest a mount that I could use? Does anywhere make a headset spacer with a bar protruding that would take a light mount, or a brake caliper mount that does something similar? Or a stem cap light mount?

horse7

U could get one that fits to ur helmet.

feck sake lads

you can buy a fitting that is attached to the QR on the front wheel try SJS cycles they have them:rolleyes:

quenching

I think the Philips light is a bit heavy for helmet mounting, this Topeak Bar Xtender Handlebar Extension seems an easy solution if it fits around the stem as it appears to do.

NeedMoreGears

How about on the front fork?

Just turn it sideways so to speak - you should have plenty of clearance between the fork and the spokes near the top of the fork but below the brakes. A quick spin of the wheel with the mounting bracket on will tell you straight away

quenching

NeedMoreGears wrote: »

How about on the front fork?

Just turn it sideways so to speak - you should have plenty of clearance between the fork and the spokes near the top of the fork but below the brakes. A quick spin of the wheel with the mounting bracket on will tell you straight away

I did consider that but the beam from the Philips LED light is "split" and very focused and meant to be used horizontally, if you know what I mean

Lumen

It only takes a couple of minutes to reposition a brake lever and rewrap bar tape, probably less than the effort you've expended on this thread.

Tape should be wrapped from drops to stem, so you won't need to re-wrap the whole bar.

quenching

Lumen wrote: »

It only takes a couple of minutes to reposition a brake lever and rewrap bar tape, probably less than the effort you've expended on this thread.

Tape should be wrapped from drops to stem, so you won't need to re-wrap the whole bar.

Quite right, but all that effort has been expended on the sofa exercising my credit card Anyways, who doesn't like an excuse to buy some more bits!

Plastik

The Philips LED light is a massive size, and pretty heavy. You won't want it hanging off the side of one of the forks. I remember taking the mount apart for some reason and there is room to move it to an angle left/right so you're not blinding traffic, but I don't think you can turn it a full 90 to leave you put it on the stem.

You've two options, either ditch the light completely for something smaller or move your brake lever.

Lumen

Fork-mounting lights makes it harder to get enough throw whilst avoiding blinding oncoming traffic.

Higher is better.

piston

Lumen wrote: »

Fork-mounting lights makes it harder to get enough throw whilst avoiding blinding oncoming traffic.

Higher is better.

I respectfully disagree. For unlit roads at speed, a lamp is always better on the forks, it casts a much longer shadow, making it possible to see potholes (not that we have any of those in Ireland!) well in advance.

biketard

I have one of these fellas (the mount, not the light):





Very cheap and convenient solution.

quenching

biketard wrote: »

I have one of these fellas (the mount, not the light):





Very cheap and convenient solution.

Thanks for that, looks ideal, if I don't have a separate hole to fix it through I imagine I could try it with a longer bolt through the brake caliper, any idea where you got it?

EDIT: I notice on the peterwhitecycles.com site where the images are pulled from that it says it You can't use it with low profile cantilevers like the Paul Touring, and you can't use it with any sidepull caliper brakes., I have side pull caliper brakes

biketard

Well I got it in Taiwan, ha. But these fellas have one if you don't mind ordering from the UK: http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/b-and-m-light-bracket-for-fork-crown-254mm-mount-493ghpb-prod22455/. Or it might be worth just printing out the picture and asking your LBS.

Incidentally I use it on my road bike and it's mounted in the same hole as my brakes. I just had to remove a spacer from my brakes to get it to fit, though it was a bit tight so I can't guarantee yours would fit too.

quenching

biketard wrote: »

Well I got it in Taiwan, ha. But these fellas have one if you don't mind ordering from the UK: http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/b-and-m-light-bracket-for-fork-crown-254mm-mount-493ghpb-prod22455/. Or it might be worth just printing out the picture and asking your LBS.

Incidentally I use it on my road bike and it's mounted in the same hole as my brakes. I just had to remove a spacer from my brakes to get it to fit, though it was a bit tight so I can't guarantee yours would fit too.

Seems we're overlapping posts! I assume your road bike has side pull caliper brakes? If it fits yours I'm sure it'll fit mine, thanks for the info, much appreciated:)

biketard

quenching wrote: »

Seems we're overlapping posts! I assume your road bike has side pull caliper brakes? If it fits yours I'm sure it'll fit mine, thanks for the info, much appreciated:)

It does.

Good luck. Let me know how it works out for you.

biketard

Hi quenching,

I took a couple of photos for you last night (apologies for the rust). Maybe they can give you a better idea if this solution would work for you. I seem to remember having to file a little bit off the mount so that the caliper spring had some clearance, by the way (five minute job).

quenching

biketard wrote: »

Hi quenching,

I took a couple of photos for you last night (apologies for the rust). Maybe they can give you a better idea if this solution would work for you. I seem to remember having to file a little bit off the mount so that the caliper spring had some clearance, by the way (five minute job).

Thanks for taking the trouble, looks like exactly what I need, best get the credit card out so I have it in time for autumn, although that started yesterday depending on who you ask!