Capes / ponchos and front lights - barrier to visibility?!

[Dynamite_funk]

Hello everyone. First time psoter here but looking for a bit of advice.

I just purchased a Carradice Duxback poncho and am very pleased with the product. However I am slightly concerned that when the poncho is over the handlebars the front lights on my tourer/commuter (I use drop bars btw) are covered by the poncho. It's getting to winter and visibility is a big consideration. Any hints/tips/ideas on how to overcome this without exposing my hands??

Many thanks

Ian

[thirdcrank]

Welcome.

It will be of no help whatsover if I tell you that in the far off days when capes were more widely used, bikes had a brazed-on boss halfway down the right hand front fork blade carrying a bolt on lamp bracket. (That didn't help much with visibility because the lamps used to be rubbish, but at least they were not masked by the rider's cape.)

[531colin]

http://www.spacycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m2b0s169p1102

[Dynamite_funk]

http://www.spacycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m2b0s169p1102

Just up the road from me too!

Would that work with a front rack boss? Bit low really but much better than nothing i guess. I was thinking about some sort of extension that attaches on to the front bar that drops down and pops up on the other side of the cape? If they don't exist there's not much I can do about it

[GavinC]

SJS do a lot of front light fittings - how about this for fitting a light to the fork crown?

Also, although it's mainly aimed at Dynamo lights, Peter White has a page about front light attachments that may give you some ideas.

Gavin

[thirdcrank]

[.... I was thinking about some sort of extension that attaches on to the front bar that drops down and pops up on the other side of the cape?...

A Minoura Spacegrip doesn't drop down and then pop up, but it might still work. I use one and find it OK but others on here don't like them.

http://www.rosebikes.co.uk/article/mino ... aid:484037

[Dynamite_funk]

Thanks for all your responses guys. I'm really looking for something a bit longer than these, maybe 30cm or so? I think a trip to the local DIY store with my imagiantion would probably be able to give me a bit more choice and may end up cheaper too. It's amazing what you can do with a bit of thick plastic tubing

[thirdcrank]

... It's amazing what you can do with a bit of thick plastic tubing

Just remember to keep your cape on

[Dynamite_funk]

... It's amazing what you can do with a bit of thick plastic tubing

Just remember to keep your cape on

Ha ha. Well of course, I'd have to charge people for the pleasure of watching otherwise

[elmo]

I have the very same cape. I put the elastic trough my wrists so when holding the handle the cape is up by my hands but in the middle of the bar it drapes behind the bar, lights and computer etc. This seems to be the natural 'lay' of the cape, the water just drips off the front behind the handle bar but infront of my legs.
I was wearing it on the way to work in last nights storm. I arrived 13 miles later bone dry but had to pour water out of my shoes as by the time I arrived at work I was cycling through rarther deep puddles.
The only issue that I have with this cape is the lack of reflectives, just one silver stripe. I will be trying those stick-on silver patches to see if they work. I would also have preferred a removable hood. I do not use hood-up as I have a light attached to the back of my helmet, a must with such a dark cape.

[PW]

If you're buying then Colin's solution from Spa is excellent. I make my own by drilling out 35mm of ash wood brush handle. Low down on the lowrider bosses is handy, it shows up potholes which you can't see when the lights are close to the the line of sight from your eyeballs. The Space Bar is ok but it gets in the way of the bar bag, may not clear a long fronted cape and some of them have a reputation for falling apart from road vibration.

[Dynamite_funk]

The only issue that I have with this cape is the lack of reflectives, just one silver stripe.

I was slightly surprised by this too. A reinforced loop or two strategically placed to attach a light wouldnt have gone a miss.

[thirdcrank]

... I would also have preferred a removable hood. ...

A sou'wester used to be de rigueur with a cape. (Remember that the long bit goes at the back - nobody wants to be in a French and Saunders streamlined helmet sketch, because that would look silly )