Does anyone have any idea how to mount a small light on your arm or hand so you can see the instrumentation on a bike at night in near-darkness? I take the Union Canal path home and it is pretty dark at night and I'm wondering how I can carry a small light / torch so as to see displays (like what gear I'm in on the rear derailleur) on my handlebars. If I have enough coordination I can put my hand in front of the main headlamp as I ride along, but I'd prefer something like a small arm / hand -mounted light. What does anyone think? Thanks in advance for any help and suggestions you can give.
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Questions/Support/Help
Arm-mounted lights
(14 posts)- Started 11 years ago by alanr
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Posted 11 years ago #
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head torches
Hi AlanWhy not just use a head torch??
Then you dont need to take your hands off whilst negociating the canal by moonlight (if your lucky).
Cheers
RJ
Posted 11 years ago # -
Stick one of these on your lid and set it to solid front light - add extra visiblity above parked cars at junctions and look at wing mirrors of buses trucks and vans etc so they see you in their peripheral vision when your handlebar lights are mounted too low to get full
blindingattentionPosted 11 years ago # -
Hello Again Alan
I did a bit of digging and found this item which is exactly what you wanted. :-)RJ
Posted 11 years ago # -
beware headtorches on towpaths. I strongly dislike their use for anything apart from off-road riding where they are pretty vital.
The reasons is simple - your natural inclination is to look at anything approaching you. So every cyclist you look at as you approach you are shining a light directly in their face. It makes it very difficult for the approaching party to maintain a safe line.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Hello,
as an alternative suggestion, if you after illuminating your instruments, might it be possible to place a 1.5v light so it illuminates your displays? Very small 25mA 1.5V bulbs do exist....
Posted 11 years ago # -
I've found it rather novel to not know what speed I'm doing on the commute home.
Weirdly, dark seems to make me think I'm going faster than I am. Thought I flew home last night, when I got home and looked at my garmin, clearly I hadn't been.
Posted 11 years ago # -
Yeah a small red led tapped to a 3v battery would give enough light and not interfere with your night vision. you'd then just need to tape it close to your instruments.
Posted 11 years ago # -
I personlly don't really need to see the gear leavers, as if I need to change down I do. As far as speed, I'm with Balders, its not a race.
Is the lack of light making it difficult to see what gear you are in? I'm struggling to understand your problem.
Posted 11 years ago # -
3V leds would be good but I was thinking maybe this;
copying the old-school car illumination way of doing things, then you'd drill a hole for the light in whatever casing you had, but failing that sugru is supposed to be amazing for making stuff that would probably suit this purpose.
steveo's suggestion would need e.g. 2 AA batteries in series for 3v, mine would be just one or in parallel using a battery box. Self-amalgamting tape is pretty good for keeping things dry too....
Posted 11 years ago # -
Thank you all for your responses. DaveC, I'm on the canal which is pretty dead flat and I tend to run a high cadence, ~ 100+, so I find myself ending up in the smallest rear sprocket and the smallest front, because I usually do change gear a lot (go up a gear by upping one on the front, downing one on the back, upping another on the back, then I need to slow down so reverse the above ... etc). the pedal loading is so low that I usually can't tell exactly which gear I'm in, or else I'm just a numpty who needs to keep track in his head of where I am in the gears.
BTW, that wrist band torch sounds perfect and strangely, it would be just great for doing Spokes deliveries by bike (think of trying to read faded addresses in wind and rain whilst standing over your bike and reaching for letters in your panner - I need a musette).
I could use a head torch, but kaputnik is right, I'd probably end up dazzling oncoming traffic as it's hard to cycle forwards while looking sideways ..Posted 11 years ago # -
Well I've gone for one of RonnieJ's wrist torches which does indeed look the business. Thanks, all, and I'll see how I get on now.
Posted 11 years ago # -
I have a tiny Petzl headtorch with lo beam option for in-tent use, wouldn't blind anyone. Not a graceful solution though, all the battery hassle and putting it on for every commute.
Posted 11 years ago # -
How about a battery-powered book reading light?:
The right kind could wrap around a tube or be attached to clothing.
Posted 11 years ago #
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