Front light positioning

[Mick F]

I read that a front light must be fitted centrally or off-side and below 1500mm.
Is there a minimum height?

[philvantwo]

Not for a front light but the rear has to be at least 250mm off the ground, that's 10 inches Mick F!!

[[XAP]Bob]

Not for a front light but the rear has to be at least 250mm off the ground, that's 10 inches Mick F!!

Proper units...

The front light on a 'bent trike is about as low as I would want a front light, I thought there was a 350mm limit at the front, but may well be misremembering...

[Ruadh495]

Does that mean "you must have a front light in that area" or "you must not have a front light outside that area"? Logically it's the first with regard to width (you may have a light on the nearside as long as you also have one on the offside) and the second with regard to height (you may not have a light above 1500mm).

[Mick F]

350mm minimum rings a bell with me.
I wonder where it's laid down?

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,
Unless you have pram wheels 350 mm is axel height so impractical to mount lower than that.

[tatanab]

http://www.cyclinguk.org/cyclists-libra ... egulations
This tells us max 1500 for front and rear, minimum 350mm for rear with no minimum for front. It also cross refers the RVLR.
Note that these apply to the required lights only. Additional lights can be anywhere. I am positive that there is or used to be a statement that the required lights have to be fixed to the pedal cycle. Hence secondary lights only on backpacks and on heads.

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,
Flashing I think...........but even now lights on bike can be flashing, which I do not agree with as some stuff you see, we all have, flashes to slooooooow that it can be missed...............

[mjr]

http://www.cyclinguk.org/cyclists-library/regulations/lighting-regulations
This tells us max 1500 for front and rear, minimum 350mm for rear with no minimum for front. It also cross refers the RVLR.
Note that these apply to the required lights only. Additional lights can be anywhere. I am positive that there is or used to be a statement that the required lights have to be fixed to the pedal cycle. Hence secondary lights only on backpacks and on heads.

The V in RVLR is Vehicle. Lights on your person are not on the vehicle, so don't count for RVLR compliance... although confusing other road users (by showing a red light to the front, for example) or dazzling them may be an offence under another law.

[mjr]

Hi,
Flashing I think...........but even now lights on bike can be flashing, which I do not agree with as some stuff you see, we all have, flashes to slooooooow that it can be missed...............

Flashes are required by law to be 1-4 times a second - fast enough that most people should spot it, slow enough that you're not causing passengers and people walking to have fits. I've yet to see it enforced but one day someone with a strobe will cause trouble and the Daily Hate will have their next Alliston.

[philvantwo]

How low are you planning to go Mick F?

[Mick F]

I'm considering a dyno hub for my Moulton, and also a front light (and perhaps a rear). Fitting a front light is a bit difficult so I was considering the options.

The front brake bolt on the Moulton is at 500mm which I reckon is a bit low for spreading a good light beam. If the bike had the 16" wheels instead of the 20", the brake bolt would be 50mm even lower. 450mm is very low for the main front light.

Years ago, Mercian had a lamp boss on the front fork which was removed during the frame's refurb for it's 21st birthday. That would have been at 550mm and I was always aware of it being a bit low for good light spread.

[Brucey]

for a long while Moultons that came with lights were typically fitted with a bracket at the top part of the headset upon which the front light would be mounted. I think (as long as you are not a bar bag user) it is a good place to have a light. Not sure what kind of bracket would be best, I'd probably make something in fact.

BTW having fitted wired lights on a few moultons, I'll mention that you will probably need to think about fitting longer wires; it is further than normal from the dynamo to the front light (if mounted as suggested) and it is further from the front light to the rear light.

cheers

[Cunobelin]

http://www.cyclinguk.org/cyclists-library/regulations/lighting-regulations
This tells us max 1500 for front and rear, minimum 350mm for rear with no minimum for front. It also cross refers the RVLR.
Note that these apply to the required lights only. Additional lights can be anywhere. I am positive that there is or used to be a statement that the required lights have to be fixed to the pedal cycle. Hence secondary lights only on backpacks and on heads.

The V in RVLR is Vehicle. Lights on your person are not on the vehicle, so don't count for RVLR compliance... although confusing other road users (by showing a red light to the front, for example) or dazzling them may be an offence under another law.

Used to be a common "dodge"

When LEDs first came out with enhanced battery life and smaller size, they were illegal as they did not fit the bulb descriptions.

The answer was to wear them on clothing

[Brucey]

further to my earlier post, for a moulton, I'd probably get something like this;


https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/brakes/254-tektro-alloy-cable-hanger-w-adjuster-black/

and add an extension to it to mount the lamp. The bracket ought to be pretty strong and the adjuster thread is usually M6; it ought to be straightforward to use an M6 nut and bolt to add the bracket/extension as required.

cheers