Cycling UK Forum

I daresay that it has already been covered somewhere on the forum, but a search has not revealed the info that I am looking for.

I need to mount a pair of Lumicycle Apex lights on a bracket extender from the bars, ideally to hang lower than the centre line of the bars as I have a Garmin Outfront bracket fitted.

Now I have tried a number of bar extensions, like the Minoura SGS 400 but I have already had one fail, not 100% happy riding at night at the risk that my lights could fall off! The other problem with most bar extenders is that he mounting tube is only 22mm in diameter? Why is that I wonder, when nearly all bars are universally 31.8mm or around that size in diameter?

The best one possible one that I have now found is the Bar Fly Universal Mount - HERE The plus point is that the mounting tube is the right diameter. However, the down side is that its doubtful if I can mount two lights on it as its only 50mm long?

So its probably best to fabricate something myself, so any ideas?

I use this from M-Wave, though I'm not sure it's long enough for you.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/M-Wave-Handle-B ... B002HR4GN6

For added strength and stability, I've mounted two, one each side of the stem, with the bar for the lights through both.

AlanW wrote:...like the Minoura SGS 400 but I have already had one fail, not 100% happy riding at night at the risk that my lights could fall off! The other problem with most bar extenders is that he mounting tube is only 22mm in diameter? Why is that I wonder, when nearly all bars are universally 31.8mm or around that size in diameter?

My SGS400 has given no problems since new, shortly after it came out. Did you check that the screws that hold the clamp, extension, and bar together were properly tight before use? They may not be to start with, to allow for easier adjustment.

The tube is 22 mm because that's what size handlebars are. Handlebars are only 31.8mm in the stem clamp area, with some handlebars starting to taper down to 22 mm almost immediately away from the clamp

PH wrote:I use this from M-Wave, though I'm not sure it's long enough for you.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/M-Wave-Handle-B ... B002HR4GN6

For added strength and stability, I've mounted two, one each side of the stem, with the bar for the lights through both.

Yes, I had looked at that one as well to be honest. If you get a moment, could you measure the mounting tube and also what diameter is it?

I think from memory that I need a mounting tube of at least 75mm in order to mount the lights side by side?

Fork mounting?

andrew_s wrote:
The tube is 22 mm because that's what size handlebars are. Handlebars are only 31.8mm in the stem clamp area, with some handlebars starting to taper down to 22 mm almost immediately away from the clamp

Yes, you are sort of correct.

However, on all of my bikes the bars remain at 31.8mm diameter for at least 35mm either side of the stem and only reduce in diameter as the bar tape ends (or starts which ever way you look at it?)

In truth I have never seen any bars reduce that quicker in diameter that you are describing?

Vorpal wrote:Fork mounting?

Carbon forks, plus I am not a fan of mounting anything in the firing line of the revolving spokes and all the crap thrown up from the front wheel

andrew_s wrote:Did you check that the screws that hold the clamp, extension, and bar together were properly tight before use?

Yes I did, it was actually one of the very thin curved mounting rails that fractured causing the whole assembly to rotate around. When I contacted the shop concerned they informed me that they had a number them returned that had failed in the exact same manner? Needless to say that they gave me a full refund, without any quibbles at all.

AlanW wrote:Yes, I had looked at that one as well to be honest. If you get a moment, could you measure the mounting tube and also what diameter is it?

from the linked page
•Tube diameter 22.2 mm, width 90 mm

I'll happily measure the extension for you but it won't be till Monday, so maybe someone else knows.

Something like this
http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/page/find/?name=thorn&page=1#filterkey=cat&cat=785&page=1
If you have space

AlanW wrote:In truth I have never seen any bars reduce that quicker in diameter that you are describing?

I may well be wrong, but my memory say On One Mary

AlanW wrote:it was actually one of the very thin curved mounting rails that fractured causing the whole assembly to rotate around.

Interesting - maybe there's a problem with too much weight? I've had a GPS (eTrex Vista) and bring-bring bell on mine, the lights being dynamo, down at fork level.
A second thought is that you could have been clamping on a non-obviously tapered area of the handlebar, so one of the curved bars was taking all the clamping force, along with a bit of twist, and the other was loose, allowing the easy rotation when the first broke.
As the current adverts say "New LW-Clamp reduces weight 25 grams comparing to previous model", a third thought is that I've got the older model and the new version is just plain weak.

What about this?
http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/mounty-space-bar-prod27156/
It comes in 31.8 variety, the clamp is aluminium and is of decent quality, and by the looks of it the bar is replaceable as well so you could cut any suitable length of old flat bar to fit your lights.

gregoryoftours wrote:What about this?
http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/mounty-space-bar-prod27156/
It comes in 31.8 variety, the clamp is aluminium and is of decent quality, and by the looks of it the bar is replaceable as well so you could cut any suitable length of old flat bar to fit your lights.

Now I do like that, thanks for posting. I'll give them a call and see how long that bar is

AlanW wrote:

gregoryoftours wrote:What about this?
http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/mounty-space-bar-prod27156/
It comes in 31.8 variety, the clamp is aluminium and is of decent quality, and by the looks of it the bar is replaceable as well so you could cut any suitable length of old flat bar to fit your lights.

Now I do like that, thanks for posting. I'll give them a call and see how long that bar is

The bar part is a removable piece of 22.2mm diameter, so if you need longer than what comes with it you can cut a bit of old bar to suit, I've got old alu bars lying about so if you need a bit I can cut you a bit and send it you for nowt.

gregoryoftours wrote:

AlanW wrote:

gregoryoftours wrote:What about this?
http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/mounty-space-bar-prod27156/
It comes in 31.8 variety, the clamp is aluminium and is of decent quality, and by the looks of it the bar is replaceable as well so you could cut any suitable length of old flat bar to fit your lights.

Now I do like that, thanks for posting. I'll give them a call and see how long that bar is

The bar part is a removable piece of 22.2mm diameter, so if you need longer than what comes with it you can cut a bit of old bar to suit, I've got old alu bars lying about so if you need a bit I can cut you a bit and send it you for nowt.

Brilliant, many thanks for the kind offer. In the meantime I'll just wait and see what other suggests pop up before ordering one on Monday.