New Lighting Rig

[mrcharly-YHT]

I have an issue with lights - I need to move the two battery lights I use between two bikes. I duplicate one of the brackets, but the other bracket is a bit expensive buy two of, so I wanted a better solution.

I came up with this:



It's a bit of old flat handlebar, drilled to take a 5mm bolt. It bolts to either the front of the tri bars on my ribble, or to the mudguard drilling on the fork crown of my mercian. One bolt to undo and do up, to move two lights.

Please 'scuse the scummy photo - it was taken with my phone while I waited for a document and linux build to finish at work.

2nd photo

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[Karla]

That looks good.  Have you thought about putting a wingnut on there to let  you transfer your lights more quickly and without a spanner?

[Panoramix]

The tri bars may not thank you for the hole.

[Andrew Br]

I've done something similar on my bikes.
I've mounted my 2 Ixon IQ Speeds on a Topeak Bar Xtender and all three bikes have the Bar Xtender "stub" on the bars:-


11-10-17 Topeak Bar Xtender stub 1 by Chocolatebike1, on Flickr


11-10-17 Topeak Bar Xtender stub 1 by Chocolatebike1, on Flickr

I can then move the lights by undoing one bolt and then moving the batteries on the frame:-


10-17 2xIQ Speeds on Bar Xtender 3 by Chocolatebike1, on Flickr


11-10-17 2xIQ Speeds on Bar Xtender 2 by Chocolatebike1, on Flickr


11-10-17 2xIQ Speeds on Bar Xtender by Chocolatebike1, on Flickr


11-06-15 2xIQ Speed on Topeak Bar Xtender 2 by Chocolatebike1, on Flickr

The Bar Xtender stubs are available separately so you don't have to buy the whole lot.

The mount in the middle of the light bar is for my E3 dyno light. The tourer has a dynohub (as does the MTB but that uses a Philips light on the fork).

Here's an earlier attempt on the MTB (E3 on the bars):-


10-09-09 Mongoose 2xIQ Speed + Supernova E3 by Chocolatebike1, on Flickr

[Biggsy]

You're missing something...

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[clarion]

Here's the next step up

[mrcharly-YHT]

I think ChocolateBike wins the lighting race.


A wingnut wouldn't help - I'll only ever be transferring it at home and with this setup I just need one allen key.

After the ride home, I've decided it needs something to stabilise it - I'll probably make up something with epoxy putty.

One benefit of this rig is that all the lights are forward of the cables, so I don't get any glare from lights reflecting off cables. It's surprising how unpleasant that can be when you wear spectacles.

Oh, and Panoramix, the tribars were manufactured with a 5mm hole there.

[Panoramix]

Oh, and Panoramix, the tribars were manufactured with a 5mm hole there.

Ah, so that should be Ok then!

[Kim]

Here's the next step up

I was going to make a witty comment about DMX cables

[CrinklyLion]

btw, mrcharly, i may have a little something from northallerton for you in the den. in red

[mrcharly-YHT]

It ain't for me, I am merely the messenger mechanic.

I have shoes and stuff for you as well. They are even clean.

[Andrew Br]

I think ChocolateBike wins the lighting race.

Sorry, it wasn't meant as a "Mines bigger brighter than your's" response 

[iddu]

The Bar Xtender stubs are available separately so you don't have to buy the whole lot.

Source plz?

clicky seems a fresh, cheap, alterative...

[mrcharly-YHT]

I think ChocolateBike wins the lighting race.

Sorry, it wasn't meant as a "Mines bigger brighter than your's" response 

I'm not into competition.

Hmm - I'm getting some odd issues, having the lights so far forward. One light tends to work itself *up* - as in it rotates upwards after a while. I'll have to experiment with different bits of padding for the brackets.

Your lights seem to be suspended from a thin rod and are quite far forwards; do you get any problems with them shaking loose?

[Andrew Br]

The Bar Xtender stubs are available separately so you don't have to buy the whole lot.

Source plz?

I just asked at my LBS and they got one in (they were used to getting me spares for my Topeak pump 'cos I kept losing bits off it).

clicky seems a fresh, cheap, alterative...

They look good but I'll stick with the Topeak 'cos I have them already and I've had no problems with them.

[Andrew Br]

Your lights seem to be suspended from a thin rod and are quite far forwards; do you get any problems with them shaking loose?

No, none at all.
The key is getting the "stub" bracket firmly attached to the handle-bars. I use rubber shims and double-sided sticky tape and then tighten up the band that holds it on very tightly (but not too tightly  ).
There is a castellated washer on the rod that holds the light bar so there's no movement there.

Have a look at the user guide on here:- http://www.topeak.com/products/Xtras/BarXtender
That should make it easier to understand what I'm wittering on about.

[mrcharly-YHT]

It's not my mount that's moving, it is the light's own bracket, rotating about the old bit of handlebar that I'm using as a mount.

I didn't have a problem with the light's bracket when the bracket was directly on my handlebars.  I suppose I could put some double-sided tape on the bar or something like that.

[Karla]

It's not my mount that's moving, it is the light's own bracket, rotating about the old bit of handlebar that I'm using as a mount.

I didn't have a problem with the light's bracket when the bracket was directly on my handlebars.  I suppose I could put some double-sided tape on the bar or something like that.

Is it the Tesco light that's moving, or the Fenix?  I'm guessing it's the Tesco light as it's CofG will be well in front of the bar.  Is there any way you could get it more central? 

Also, you say the bar isn't moving but I guess it may vibrate slightly, which could help the mount to slip round.  Maybe some sort of rubber washer on the bolt between the bar and your tribars would help by damping things down?

[mrcharly-YHT]

It's a Saik light - I have rubber between the tribar and bracket already. I guess with it being nearly 40cm forward of the handlebars, there is quite a swing when I hit a rough bit of road.

[Canardly]

Thinks. Why have they not carried the SAIK forward into 1600 lumen splendidness?