Front Light Attachment Position?

For discussions about bikes and equipment.
Post Reply
hjd10
Posts: 319
Joined: 25 Feb 2010, 9:43pm
Location: Originally from Lancashire but now in Lincolnshire

Front Light Attachment Position?

Post by hjd10 »

Hi,
I've just fitted a handlebar bag bracket to my bike and now need to find a new location for the front light. The forks do not have a hole for mounting at the front of the forks, being disc only brakes. Other than using a large P clip on the fork leg does anyone have any thoughts?

I have a power adaptor from the dynamo that was fitted on the fork leg, this can be moved and as you can see its hanging loose. The bike is a bit of a lash-up although its been great for touring. :wink:

Image

Image

Regards,
Last edited by hjd10 on 13 Oct 2017, 3:57pm, edited 2 times in total.
User avatar
andrew_s
Posts: 5795
Joined: 7 Jan 2007, 9:29pm
Location: Gloucestershire

Re: Front Light Attachment Position?

Post by andrew_s »

I must say that I'd probably just drill a hole (assuming the forks are steel)
Plenty of similar unicrown forks do have such a hole.
It would of course kill any warranty, which you might not like.
rmurphy195
Posts: 2199
Joined: 20 May 2011, 11:23am
Location: South Birmingham

Re: Front Light Attachment Position?

Post by rmurphy195 »

I see you've become another Photobucket victim!

I'd be reluctant to drill holes in a fork that doesn't already have them - it may have been designed that way, you can never know the impact on any particular fork.

If you have front carrier mounts, then something like this may work https://www.solsticecycles.co.uk/collec ... ampbracket

If you have QR skewers then something like this may work https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/lighting-sp ... ght-mount/

If your lamp has a rubber-band mounting, perhaps it will go on the fork leg with the lamp at 90 deg (bear in mind any beam pattern though).

Then there's always things that clamp onto your handlebars of stem to provide extra mounting points
Brompton, Condor Heritage, creaky joints and thinning white (formerly grey) hair
""You know you're getting old when it's easier to ride a bike than to get on and off it" - quote from observant jogger !
User avatar
Mick F
Spambuster
Posts: 56359
Joined: 7 Jan 2007, 11:24am
Location: Tamar Valley, Cornwall

Re: Front Light Attachment Position?

Post by Mick F »

rmurphy195 wrote:I see you've become another Photobucket victim!
I can't view PB.
They don't like Adbockers.
Mick F. Cornwall
axel_knutt
Posts: 2881
Joined: 11 Jan 2007, 12:20pm

Re: Front Light Attachment Position?

Post by axel_knutt »

rmurphy195 wrote:I see you've become another Photobucket victim!

It seems that it's no longer free and you have to pay a subscription, is that right?
“I'm not upset that you lied to me, I'm upset that from now on I can't believe you.”
― Friedrich Nietzsche
User avatar
andrew_s
Posts: 5795
Joined: 7 Jan 2007, 9:29pm
Location: Gloucestershire

Re: Front Light Attachment Position?

Post by andrew_s »

Yes, if you want to display Photobucket images inline on forums, you've got to pay quite a significant amount (i.e. more than is reasonable if you just use it for forum posts, eBay ads etc).

Most people are moving their images out to Flickr and other places, but the old links remain.
A link into Photobucket will still work, but it's an ad-infested horror these days.

They haven't got round to blocking my direct links yet (maybe 150 images at about 700 x 500), but I expect they will.
hjd10
Posts: 319
Joined: 25 Feb 2010, 9:43pm
Location: Originally from Lancashire but now in Lincolnshire

Re: Front Light Attachment Position?

Post by hjd10 »

Hi, thanks for the replies. Photobucket is a nightmare, I started a new account with another company and then forgot who it was with.
I've managed to sort the light out with a P clip, it isnt the best looking solution but seems to work for now.

Thank you.
hjd10
Posts: 319
Joined: 25 Feb 2010, 9:43pm
Location: Originally from Lancashire but now in Lincolnshire

Re: Front Light Attachment Position?

Post by hjd10 »

rmurphy195 wrote:I see you've become another Photobucket victim!

I'd be reluctant to drill holes in a fork that doesn't already have them - it may have been designed that way, you can never know the impact on any particular fork.

If you have front carrier mounts, then something like this may work https://www.solsticecycles.co.uk/collec ... ampbracket

If you have QR skewers then something like this may work https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/lighting-sp ... ght-mount/

If your lamp has a rubber-band mounting, perhaps it will go on the fork leg with the lamp at 90 deg (bear in mind any beam pattern though).

Then there's always things that clamp onto your handlebars of stem to provide extra mounting points

Hi,

I've completed a temporary bodge

Image

Thanks for the replies. I'd like to try and get the light on the bars for a wider light spread, I get a big shadow on the left hand side.
User avatar
Mick F
Spambuster
Posts: 56359
Joined: 7 Jan 2007, 11:24am
Location: Tamar Valley, Cornwall

Re: Front Light Attachment Position?

Post by Mick F »

hjd10 wrote:Thanks for the replies. I'd like to try and get the light on the bars for a wider light spread, I get a big shadow on the left hand side.
You could try doing what I did.

It seems to work well.
I used a piece of strip aluminium and bent it, then sandwiched the end nice and tightly in the 'bar clamp.
I bolted the lamp bracket to it.
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=117616&start=45
IMG_0237.JPG
IMG_0237.JPG (26.29 KiB) Viewed 665 times
Mick F. Cornwall
hjd10
Posts: 319
Joined: 25 Feb 2010, 9:43pm
Location: Originally from Lancashire but now in Lincolnshire

Re: Front Light Attachment Position?

Post by hjd10 »

Mick F wrote:
hjd10 wrote:Thanks for the replies. I'd like to try and get the light on the bars for a wider light spread, I get a big shadow on the left hand side.
You could try doing what I did.

It seems to work well.
I used a piece of strip aluminium and bent it, then sandwiched the end nice and tightly in the 'bar clamp.
I bolted the lamp bracket to it.
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=117616&start=45
IMG_0237.JPG


Hi Mick,

That has given me a bit of an idea.

Cheers
rmurphy195
Posts: 2199
Joined: 20 May 2011, 11:23am
Location: South Birmingham

Re: Front Light Attachment Position?

Post by rmurphy195 »

Hi HJD10 - your temporary bodge puts the lamp in a similar position to the "traditional" spot, used in the days when there was a braze-on about halfway down the right-hand fork leg. Lower down does give a better view of the road surface imperfections, but the offside has always given the wheel shadow. From theis point of view the nearside is better but you then need a central lamp or one n the offside - perhaps just a "seen-by" light.

However I just learned to live with the wheel shadow for many years, didn't bother me after a bit. The advantage is of course the lamp is illuminating the wheel which is a bit of extra visibility at night when emerging from side turnings, and for car drivers passing you on the right. Especially if you have stainless spokes, silver rims and these days, a reflective tyre!
Brompton, Condor Heritage, creaky joints and thinning white (formerly grey) hair
""You know you're getting old when it's easier to ride a bike than to get on and off it" - quote from observant jogger !
hjd10
Posts: 319
Joined: 25 Feb 2010, 9:43pm
Location: Originally from Lancashire but now in Lincolnshire

Re: Front Light Attachment Position?

Post by hjd10 »

rmurphy195 wrote:Hi HJD10 - your temporary bodge puts the lamp in a similar position to the "traditional" spot, used in the days when there was a braze-on about halfway down the right-hand fork leg. Lower down does give a better view of the road surface imperfections, but the offside has always given the wheel shadow. From theis point of view the nearside is better but you then need a central lamp or one n the offside - perhaps just a "seen-by" light.

However I just learned to live with the wheel shadow for many years, didn't bother me after a bit. The advantage is of course the lamp is illuminating the wheel which is a bit of extra visibility at night when emerging from side turnings, and for car drivers passing you on the right. Especially if you have stainless spokes, silver rims and these days, a reflective tyre!

Hi rmurphy195,
I did think about the shimmer that illuminates from the stainless spokes! I'll see how I get on with the current setup as I'll be commuting to work soon as I'm about to change jobs. The commute is mostly country lanes with minimal street lighting. :wink:
Post Reply