CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Questions/Support/Help

Light to fit large front handlebars

(14 posts)
  • Started 12 years ago by fimm
  • Latest reply from Lezzles
  • This topic is not resolved

  1. fimm
    Member

    My boyfriend needs (or, at least, I think my boyfriend needs) a front light for his road bike. He's been using a head torch which I don't like as the only light on a cyclist as the light isn't where most road users would look for it.

    The problem is that his handlebars are larger than standard and they're taped all the way across, if you see what I mean. Does anyone know of a light that has a very adjustable bracket that would fit? It just needs to be a "be seen" light for use in town.

    I was looking at the knog lights - they look like they might be made to fit but they also look like they'd be so weak as to be a waste of money. Does anyone have any experience of them?

    Posted 12 years ago #

  2. DaveC
    Member

    You can get Cateye light with a band type fitting which screws the band tight round the bars. Very adjustable.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  3. SRD
    Moderator

    We've had good experiences with Knogs. Never lost a front one. We did lose one rear one, but it probably wasn't fully attached (childseat issues...passim).

    But don't know how much they would stretch past 'normal'. You might also consider trying the rechargable silicone ones from ebc

    Although, tbh, I suspect that the cateye sort of fitting (adjustable loop), might well prove more extendable.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  4. Coxy
    Member

    Cat Eye do a huge aftermarket range of fittings. EBC have a lot. You could pick a light and then see what fittings they have.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  5. wingpig
    Member

    Worth checking the bracket drawer in the Bike Station for one of the large-band CatEye fittings, then finding something in the EL-5xx series to put on it.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  6. Uberuce
    Member

    If I recall correctly, PS of this parish got round that problem by attaching the light to his drops. That was only possible because the mount lets the light rotate freely on the horizontal.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  7. kaputnik
    Moderator

    Also, strictly speaking a head torch alone isn't legal as it isn't fixed to the bike.

    Other options would be to mount the light on the fork (difficult on road bikes though, as modern foks are generally of a "wing" profile)

    There are also the lights that look like a gentleman's naughty parts that plug into your bar ends. I forget the manufacturer, TBC had them last year and they were quite popular.

    I think Lezyne's new front light attaches with a stretchy rubber band, that might work too.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  8. Min
    Member

    The Knog lights are actually pretty bright, especially for their size. I have two (front and back) as emergency lights. Their main problem is that there is no way to stop them from switching on in your bag unless you remove the batteries or stick a piece of paper in between them to stop them coming on. Fiddly and annoying and wearing on batteries if you forget. Plus Knog are very annoying in general.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  9. Bhachgen
    Member

    I've got this Topeak Whitelite which has a stretchy rubber fitting. He'd have to have some amount of padding round his bars for it not to fit OK. Means it's a matter of seconds to switch it to another bike should N+1 syndrome take effect. Flashing or constant mode, nice and bright for being seen duties. Not great for lighting up the road but sounds like he has the head torch for that already. Battery life is pretty decent and it charges off USB as well.


    http://www.topeak.com/products/Lights/wldxusb_wt

    I bought them as a pair, front and rear. The rear one came with a little plastic wedge to allow it to be fitted to the seatpost and still beam horizontally. At one point I was using that with the front light to fit it to the fork due to a lack of space on the handlebar. Came with a USB cable for each light so I was able to leave one at home and one in the office which was really helpful.

    A great feature they don't even mention in their marketing blurb is that the body glows red as a low charge warning. I find I still get 40-50 minutes on flashing mode even once the low charge warning activates.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  10. bruce_mcadam
    Member

    Large Lumicycle camlock brackets should be big enough to go round bar tape (and these brackets can sometimes be fitted to other lamps -- I screwed one to a Dinotte 600L lamp).

    http://www.lumicycle.com/product/214/brackets.htm

    Posted 12 years ago #

  11. earthowned
    Member

    There are also the lights that look like a gentleman's naughty parts that plug into your bar ends.

    Tacx Lumos - great idea, but the build quality is a bit ropey. I only use mine as additional lighting and rely on a better main beam.

    And yes, when not installed they do look a bit rude!

    Posted 12 years ago #

  12. Iratesheep
    Member

    Re : Knog, I have the usb chargable ones as emergency lighting, and yes, they can switch on at random.

    They now live in a small tupperware box to reduce this problem. They also don't have as much stretch (At least these ones don't) as you would think. My partner borrowed them the other day, and had difficulty getting the back one around their seat post.

    Great emergency lights though.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  13. DaveC
    Member

    Tacx Lumos are ok to provide a reference light to show how wide the bike and rader are, but no good a s amain light. I use mine only when on the road in the dark as they are useless on off road paths.

    Posted 12 years ago #

  14. Lezzles
    Member

    I've got Terra 2 lights. The bracket is pretty flexible and I have been able to fit it to my hybrid, my husbands road bike and his mountain bike. The best bit is as there are 2 headlights. In the rural roads I set one slightly higher than the other so I can anticipate potholes. In the city I set one to flash and one to low beam.

    Posted 12 years ago #

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