Cycling UK Forum

Hi,

My pannier has a hole in the base plate allowing attachment of a rear light. None of the lights I've found so far can be attached this way. Anyone recommend something? I'd prefer something specifically designed for the purpose first and foremost, and only move onto something cobbled together if all else fails.

Pics included. In the first pic, the tubular steel is about 1cm in diameter, and the base plate attaches where the two tubes meet:

http://bayimg.com/faPimaAeG
http://bayimg.com/gaPiaAaEg

Thanks.

.

A 2" length of dead handlebar or similar tube, an ahead cap and a bolt down the middle with nyloc nut and washer underneath. They buy any lamp with a seatpost mount.

That would leave the light with a narrow angle of visibility, being covered on both sides and beyond by panniers.

Would you consider a mudguard mounted light?

http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/pdw-fenderbo ... prod24082/
http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/an-lun-3-led ... prod23754/

Though they are rather more vulnerable in that position.

I've just padded the the back of my rack with a bit of inner tube an then fitted a Cateye light with a Flex Tight bracket. It hasn't budged in 6 years so it must be an ok bodge job.
P.S do you maybe need a new tyre?

meic wrote:That would leave the light with a narrow angle of visibility, being covered on both sides and beyond by panniers.

It wouldn't if you fit it to the top of the rack, but then it obstructs the rack if you wish to use a rack pack.

My wife has a similar rack and i've previously bodged a light attachment using a normal seatpost light minus the circular part of the bracket and a longer screw. I've also used an old Vistalite that fitted on a reflector bracket that screwed into this hole.

A colleague at work bolted a cotton thread bobbin on the top of his pannier and attached a seat post bracket to that. It works rather well.

some rear carriers come with a bracket built in that accepts a two-bolt reflector or lamp.

However if your rack doesn't have that (and most don't) then there is a significant problem to be overcome. There are not good 'off the shelf' products that are lightweight and robust.

There are a load of rear light brackets here;

http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/rear-light-brackets-dept784_pg1/

(including the one Gaz linked to) but none are very good or even suitable without modification.

This front light bracket



http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/brompton-wire-form-bracket-for-led-front-dyno-lamp-c-w-fittings-prod31203/

or one of the similar B&M ones might work OK if used to mount half the extant lamp bracket. However if the new bracket is too long it will foul the mudguard, and if it is too short you won't (which might be a good thing, who knows) be able to get the light in and out, (or will have to use it upside down with the attendant risk that it will simply fall out). In any event the bracket lacks the serrations of the original so the lamp might slip if the horizontal screw isn't tight enough.

I've seen/implemented all kinds of adaptations for rear rack fitments myself, it seems a weak spot in design that so many racks come without anything suitable.

cheers

It might be worth a shot popping into an engineering factory and asking if they've any scrap offcuts of bent tubing like this
http://www.jegs.com/images/photos/800/8 ... B90163.jpg

I can assure they exist, I made loads of botched up efforts when I was training as a metal fabricator.
You could drill a hole in one end to bolt to your rack and use a standard seatpost clamp for the light on the other sticky-up end.

my cateye opticube rear light clipped straight on to my pannier, there about £30 but worth there weight in gold any day

Btw your original links to the pics of your rack don't seem to work. I get "Connection Refused" message. So can't see what the rack mounting holes look like.

I can't see the pictures either (the easiest thing to do would be to upload these as attachments).

Cateye do these



which might be useful if you wanted to mount a cateye red blinky on the back.

cmt wrote:My pannier has a hole in the base plate allowing attachment of a rear light. None of the lights I've found so far can be attached this way. Anyone recommend something? I'd prefer something specifically designed for the purpose first and foremost, and only move onto something cobbled together if all else fails.

I think a Topeak Rack Tail Light Mount might work. I just tested it on an ETC rack and it worked on that, when used in combination with an old reflector mount with the reflector removed. It would give you 80mm mounting for a racklight.

Sum wrote:A colleague at work bolted a cotton thread bobbin on the top of his pannier and attached a seat post bracket to that. It works rather well.

That#s a good idea. Also gives you a reel of yarn if you get a hole in your clothing or pannier...