Rear light mounting advice

[fuzzy]

Hi folks,

I am aquainted with someone who has just taken delivery of a TW Bents Cobra.

This machine has a stub of tube sticking up from the front of the boom to mount front lights but, we are a bit stumped for mounting a rear light.

Has anyone got any experience of resolving such problems?

Thanks.

[tom_e]

Is there a vertical bit of metal supporting the headrest?  Some mount a light on that.
Or on the bag which you are going to attach to the back of the seat.

[fuzzy]

There is a sculpted metal plate over which the headrest fits. Do you just drill th plate to take a rear light and then make holes in the hearest fabric to suit?

[tom_e]

I was thinking more of a vertical tube/rod like this:
http://www.hostelshoppe.com/cgi-bin/readitem.pl?Accessory=1182880448
 

[Chris N]

Cateye's SP11 Flex Tight bracket, as used on this light: http://www.cateye.com/en/products/detail/TL-LD630-R/parts/ will work on a single spar like that, near the rear hub.  You'll probably need to hack a bit of the bracket away and use zip ties instead of the plastic jubilee clip band they supply but it will fit.

[handcyclist]

I think it's a flat plate attached to the seat that mounts the headrest IIRC? I've only seen a TW 'bent once and it was a while ago ...

Can you get the cover/padding off? If so, bolt a rear light rack mount on and then re-attach the cover and padding would be a poss.

As above, if a bag is going on there, then I think you'd have to clip a light to that.

[Kim]

Back of the seat looks like the best bet, but for something different, how about a giant P-clip and modified Smart bracket on what might inaccurately be referred to as the chainstay?

[Cunobelin]

The Minoura "Space Grip" is ideal for this.

Dismantle the grip, then break off the four tabs on the plastic

Now bolt the metal "U" bracket to the bracket of the seat and then refit the end piece of the Space Grip

Voila, a mount for two lights.....

[Kim]

Nice!  *makes mental note of that for the future*

[PH]

If you're going to start bolting things to the back of the seat the minoura Downgrip might be an option
http://www.stows.co.uk/img/pds2/medium/MINOURADOWNGRIP.jpg

[fuzzy]

Looking at the way the machine is built, there is a marked lack of mounting points for rear lights, apart from the main frame spar or the seat itself (the backrest of the seat is structural, there is no seat frame itself).

Having spoken to the owner, drilling the headrest plate and using the downgrip is the likely option.

[Cunobelin]

You can mount a "SpaceGrip" on the support tube for the seat

[fuzzy]

The seat on this 'bent does not have a support tube. The seat structure is moulded,m probably reinforced glass fibre.

[henshaw11]

Fibre flare strapped horizontally across the back of the seat ?

[iddu]

Having spoken to the owner, drilling the headrest plate and using the downgrip is the likely option.

a) ^^^ cheap'n'cheerful

b) just drill the seat (i) as long as you can find convenient place for continued folding, (ii) you just spead the load using extreme oversized washers, e.g. 25mm dia for an M6. You will not encounter a problem.

c) Luggage? Most of the seat bags for this nature of use will have a fabric loop at rear for mounting lights...

d) JFBodgeIt. Darksiders have to scratch around.

Image search leads to http://www.bentrideronline.com/messageboard/showthread.php?p=466357 which leads to
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3572/3395769240_c0c9a8a33e_o.jpg & http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3600/3395769226_79e614b1bc_o.jpg

I'm not sanguine about stressing the end weld with a lever like that - I'd use a supporting mould running underneath the spar tail, with jubilee clips/tapped drillngs each side of the rear seat q/r, but YMMV.

[robgul]

Light mounting has been discussed before ... not sure if this  http://www.beewee.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=146&Itemid=109  helps, or the concept thereof?   I have these fitted to racks on my Galaxy (front and back) as well my folder's rear rack]

Rob

[fuzzy]

Thanks Rob,

The problem with the subject 'bent is that there isn't a rack to fit the bracket to. We have come to the conclusion that drilling the seat to accept a bolt on bracket is the only option.