Cycling UK Forum

Hi
I am trying to find a rear light which I can fit to my luggage rack on commuter/tourer. I've seen on other bikes wide and not too narrow ones (battery operated) but haven't been able to find anything in shop/on web. The luggage rack has a plate at the back which is designed to either take reflector or light.

Any ideas anyone where to look/what to look for?

thanks

Martin

Various designs are available http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/lighting-bat ... pt121_pg1/

I've got an LD1100 for the light and IIRC, the rack mounting bracket is an optional extra which I bought separately .

It's an almost universal type of fitting on German and Dutch utility bikes although dynamoes are compulsory in Germany. I have a battery model - it came from Spa Cycles, but probably around 10-12 years ago.

Befoe buying one mail order, check the holes on your mounting-plate. They used to come at two different widths (50mm and 80mm IIRC) and not all lamps fit both widths. (Mine doesn't.)

I've had a couple of B+M rear lamps and TBH the build quality is poor. The current one is dynamo or battery and has a very dodgy switch. The cateye version might be my choice next but I've had no experience. I wish Lezyne, Hope or similar would produce something as I find there stuff very good.

You don't say wether you'll be using LEDs or dyno lamp but you can get a Cateye rack bracket. My Mars 4.0 came with an adapter for a rack. At present though I'm using the extension from a Topeak Bar X-Tender bolted to the inside of the rack with two lights mounted vertically.

geocycle wrote:I've had a couple of B+M rear lamps and TBH the build quality is poor. The current one is dynamo or battery and has a very dodgy switch. The cateye version might be my choice next but I've had no experience. I wish Lezyne, Hope or similar would produce something as I find there stuff very good.

I've got the 4D Topline battery light and whilst the switch is basic (IIRC it was slightly defectice when I bought it), it is also totally serviceable (rather than having to return it or junk it). The only quibble I have is that the lense is mounted with a screw, which is a faff to replace the batteries and I'll lose the screw one day.

Cateye rear carrier mount adapter here... http://www.evanscycles.com/products/cat ... t-ec008153

Throw away the zip ties and the nasty self-tapping screws and use M5 bolts and nyloc nuts to attach (M5 will self tap with a little encouragement)

I have them on four rear racks. For me the big advantage is being able to use the same rear lights with the standard cateye fitting on several bikes mounted variously on seatstays, racks, seatposts etc. Cateye lights and brackets, also, are available in any LBS.

Chain Reaction and/ or Wiggle stock rear rack brackets for Cateye and Smart rear LED lights. I also bougt one (can't remember whether it was Smart or Cateye; I believe they had both) from an Evans shop.

Last week I wanted to fit a Smart light to another bike and couldn't wait for delivery of a proper bracket. So I cut the arm off one or the brackets I had, for attatching it to frame tubes, flush with its rear face then drilled a hole through its rear face ans contersunk it. I then fixed it to one hole on the rack using a countersink headed M% screw rescued from cleat attatchment on an old pair of shoes. It works fine.

Amazon do a very good one. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Torch-LA4055-Ca ... 082&sr=1-1

Malaconotus wrote
use M5 bolts and nylock nuts to attach

Can you elaborate on this please, ie what are they and where would I get them? I currently use cable ties but would like something neater.

You can get rear light mount specifically for rear racks - here is an example for both Cateye and Smart - Click There is a standard spacing of 50 mm and the brackets should come with two self-tapping bolts to attache the bracket. It is all very neat and probably exactly what you want. Like one of the other posters I use the Cateye 1100.

Hope this helps.

I use the Radbot 1 watt from St John Street, and it is excellent.

I will check the fittings when it is light enough to see!

I have B&M Toplights fitted to both my bikes. Other posters have mentioned suspect build quality and switching, and although I know what they mean, IMO the quality is more than satisfactory. For me I like the German lights for the reassurance of a clear legal compliance (i.e compliant to German Standards and therefore also within an EU member state such as UK - see other threads for discussion on that) and the low battery warning is a good feature. Good clean attachment to carrier plates too without any additional fittings (I do supplement them with flashing units as well).

pedalsheep wrote:

Malaconotus wrote
use M5 bolts and nylock nuts to attach

Can you elaborate on this please, ie what are they and where would I get them? I currently use cable ties but would like something neater.

12mm or 16mm Bottle cage bolts are perfect. (Technically known as socket head screws.) Button head are preferable to cap head aesthetically. The two holes in the cat-eye mount are slightly too small, but the bolts will cut their way through (getting a bit warm as they do, so watch that). Do this first, before attaching to the plate on the rack. Use nyloc nuts on the back side (the ones with a plastic insert that the thread cuts into), as these cannot work loose through vibration like ordinary nuts can. Only tools required are an 8mm spanner and a 3 or 4mm allen key or multitool.

Your friendly LBS will probably give you them, especially if you buy the mount from them, but failing that you can order A2 and A4 stainless nuts and bolts individually for pennies from these chaps, whose service is outstanding... http://www.titanbolts.co.uk/acatalog/So ... Heads.html.

The cable ties are an ugly and ad hoc way of fixing, and while using the supplied self-tapping screws to secure from the back of the rack plate does work, and is fairly secure, my suggested solution is, IMHO, failsafe and better looking.

Pics, hopefully, illustrate...