Yet Another Cycling Forum
General Category => The Knowledge => Topic started by: Ham on 08 November, 2017, 10:04:41 am
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I'm thinking strapping around a carbon fork, not bolted to a bracket. Any suggestions, experience?
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The problems with attaching things to the forks are that the fork blades are tapered, so there's a tendency for what you attach to move downwards under pothole impact etc and get looser as a result, and that if what you attach manages to twist into the spokes, the consequences may not be good (broken item, broken wheel, broken fork or you doing a face plant over the front of the bike).
If you insist, a clamp (maybe like the one Tubus supply for their front tack) would be better than a strap or band fitting, and it would be best to use gaffer tape (which is textured), a layer of rubber, then strap/clamp over the two layers, as tightly as you can manage if using a strap.
Are you thinking of one of these R & K minimounts (https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/lighting-spares/rixen-kaul-minimount-for-fitting-light-or-reflector/), or similar?
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Are there any fork or mudguard eyelets on the carbon fork? If so, standard lights can be fitted to brackets mounted to those eyelets.
https://problemsolversbike.com/products/accessory-mounts/light_mounts_-_27182
You could fit something like a Leyzene rubber strap jobbie directly to the fork blade (though I wouldn't).
http://www.lezyne.com/product-led-perf-super1500xxl.php#.WgNBn1Vl-zc
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I was thinking more about something like this
(http://bicyclesetc.net/images/library/zoom/cannondale-foresite-hs-headset-spacer-light-front-copy-207203-15.jpg)
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Those Lezyne rubber blocks allow the light to point offline (compensating for head angle when fork blade mounted), which is why I suggested it. Moon and Knog do be-seen USB front lights but they are no good for seeing where you are going.
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I hope I'm not too far off topic:
I've just started using one of these (https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Cateye-Centre-Fork-Light-Bracket_99372.htm).
It was an impulse buy. In the past I've used a light on my bars.
The (possibly perceived) problem was that I feared that cars coming out of side roads wouldn't see the light between my hands/arms using dropped handlebars. My solution was an extension to the bars. It worked well, putting the light higher and further ahead, but I wasn't happy with the crowded bars.
The fork light bracket solves that. However, I did have to get a longer brake bolt, as the bracket took up a few mm too many of the existing caliper screw. But, that done, I'm very happy with the bracket. It is solid and seems unaffected by road conditions.
If you're still reading, I'll add that I still have a light on the bars, but it's for seeing (it points to a spot 10' or so in front of me: I don't tend to ride in pitch black). The light on the fork is for being seen (so almost horizontal).
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I was thinking more about something like this
To make you stand out to passing police helicopters?
If you want a be seen by light on the forks, you could look at the Moon Nebula (https://www.jejamescycles.com/moon-nebula-front-light-moo0052.html), or the similar Planet-X Dogstar (https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/LIJODOG240/jobsworth-dogstar--retina-busting--240-lumen). The Moon version comes with a rather better mount, both allow angle adjustment.
No beam, so if you get on a dark lane it's like riding in the fog.
I doubt LWaB's Lezyne would do well on a fork blade - too heavy for the strap mount.
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Why the fork? If it just to avoid things on the bars?
If so, then I’ve used two options both from Pulse (Dawes parts division).
Flare under the stem with power pack on the top tube. Very bright indeed.
Burst on the head tube. Mine is an aero frame (Scott Foil) so I bought a replacement strap doubling up with original. Very neat and out of the way.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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The old fork blade mounts left a shadow of the front wheel visible out of the corner of your eye, which could be very distracting. If you can't use a bar/stem/head tube mount because of a big bag Compass, as always, has an answer (https://www.compasscycle.com/shop/components/lights/compass-light-mount/).
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I had a bike with canti brake, and a fork with a drilling for caliper brakes. I cut off a section of old straight bars, drilled a hole in the middle and bolted it through the caliper brake mount at the fork crown. Bingo, a mount that could fit two lights. They were nice and low but still reachable from the bars for turning on and off.
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I hope I'm not too far off topic:
I've just started using one of these (https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Cateye-Centre-Fork-Light-Bracket_99372.htm).
I don't know whether that will be any use to Ham, and actually it's no use to me at the moment, but I'm pleased to see it nevertheless. Had no idea such a thing was made!
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Fibre flare do a few white lights that might do the trick:
https://www.evanscycles.com/fibre-flare-super-shorty-usb-EV215374
or the micro:
(https://imgix.ttcdn.co/i/product/original/0/22157-736d1e18ce374079aaf0b653eebb2259.jpeg?q=100&auto=format%2Ccompress&w=1000)
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that's impressive Si - you don't often see a bike with lights but no other accessories on!
Anyway ...
I was thinking about this business on the way home. Although fork-blade lights might be a useful last-resort, i'd far rather get the lights upto fork crown height.
I think the higher your lights the better, in terms of being seen by motons. Of course everything's a compromise ...
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My reason for wanting a fork light is that I like multiple vertical levels of (relatively) low power lights for commuting, more from my observations as a driver than any science, and wondered if the front fork could be added tot he current front array which is bars and bonce. Given that my fork doesn't have a centre hole, that's not an option, but fibre flare might be just what I was looking for.
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I hope I'm not too far off topic:
I've just started using one of these (https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Cateye-Centre-Fork-Light-Bracket_99372.htm).
I don't know whether that will be any use to Ham, and actually it's no use to me at the moment, but I'm pleased to see it nevertheless. Had no idea such a thing was made!
PSA: B&M make an equivalent for the Ixon, which is compatible with Smart lights and their clones.
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My reason for wanting a fork light is that I like multiple vertical levels of (relatively) low power lights for commuting, more from my observations as a driver than any science, and wondered if the front fork could be added tot he current front array which is bars and bonce. Given that my fork doesn't have a centre hole, that's not an option, but fibre flare might be just what I was looking for.
Given that is what you are after, would reflective tape be an option? I have big bits of reflective tape on my forks, visible from both side and front. I also have another bit on the head tube, where the badge would be if there was one.
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I use spoke reflectors, which I think covers a good spread of angles reflector - wise. Of course, I don't have the basic front/rear reflectors, which is a little counter intuitive, but they are ugly....and I don't have anywhere to fit 'em.