Rear light mounting options

D.M. Procida said:

How do you mount a rear light on a bike when there's nothing to mount it
on? I have here:

a Dawes Mojave bike
a Cateye rear light
nowhere to mount it

The rider is small and there is no seat-post available to mount on that.

There's a rack on the back, of 1cm diameter metal, which is too thin for
any tube clamp I can find. I had bodged one from various spare bits, but
it looked stupid, never really got a good enough grip on the narrow
tube, and finally broke.

P-clips should do the trick.

...d

Quoted message said:

There is also a nice metal plate with holes drilled in it at the back of
the rack, but I can't see how to get that to co-operate with the light
or its mounting parts. Also, it's lower than I think a light ought to
be.

Any suggestions?

Daniele

D.M. Procida said:

How do you mount a rear light on a bike when there's nothing to mount
it on? I have here:

a Dawes Mojave bike
a Cateye rear light
nowhere to mount it

The rider is small and there is no seat-post available to mount on
that.

There's a rack on the back, of 1cm diameter metal, which is too thin
for any tube clamp I can find. I had bodged one from various spare
bits, but it looked stupid, never really got a good enough grip on
the narrow tube, and finally broke.

You need a spacer to bring the diameter up.
A simple DIY one: bit of round wooden dowel, about the diameter to suit the
lamp clamp bracket (eg 1inch off a broom handle?).
Drill hole along wood to diameter of rack.
Saw wood in half through the hole.
Place wood around the rack, then wrap clamp around it and tighten. Should
work.

Quoted message said:

There is also a nice metal plate with holes drilled in it at the back
of the rack, but I can't see how to get that to co-operate with the
light or its mounting parts. Also, it's lower than I think a light
ought to be.

Should be a good place to put the lamp; unlikely to be blocked by anything.

- Some lights allow screw-mounting and will fit directly onto the rack
holes; look on the back of the lamp. I have one Cateye battery of this
type, though another I have is completely different.

- If not, most clip-on Cateyes use a similar mounting bracket consisting of
a plastic angle part which is bolted to the strap piece which fixes to the
frame.
You need a bit of aluminium angle; about 20mm (3/4) section, and no more
than 25mm long. Drill two holes in it, one in each face of the angle. Bolt
one face to the rack plate, and the other to the bracket bit of the cateye
bracket (ie. dismantle the bit which wraps around teh seat pin, just use the
bit which the lamp clips into).

- If not a clip-on type of Cateye (also works for clip-on types), but only
has a frame-fix tie. Use a bit of tube offcut (eg. 20mm or greater
aluminium, or whatever you can find lying around, even fat central heating
pipe). Need less than 1.5inch length. Drill a hole in the side wall. Bolt
to the carrier, but use a few washers to space it out from the carrier
plate. Then fit lamp around this tube.

One of the above ought to work.

- Nigel

--
Nigel Cliffe,
Webmaster at http://www.2mm.org.uk/

(D.M. Procida) said:

How do you mount a rear light on a bike when there's nothing to mount it
on? I have here:

a Dawes Mojave bike
a Cateye rear light
nowhere to mount it

The rider is small and there is no seat-post available to mount on that.

There's a rack on the back, of 1cm diameter metal, which is too thin for
any tube clamp I can find. I had bodged one from various spare bits, but
it looked stupid, never really got a good enough grip on the narrow
tube, and finally broke.

There is also a nice metal plate with holes drilled in it at the back of
the rack, but I can't see how to get that to co-operate with the light
or its mounting parts. Also, it's lower than I think a light ought to
be.

Any suggestions?

Clip it on your belt or the wasteband of your shorts. Do you have a
spares kit in a seat pack? Clip it on the back of that. Clip it on a
rucksack if you ride with one of those, or the back of your helmet.

Chris
--
Chris Eilbeck

In article <[email hidden]>

Chris Eilbeck said:

(D.M. Procida) said:

How do you mount a rear light on a bike when there's nothing to mount it
on? I have here:

a Dawes Mojave bike
a Cateye rear light
nowhere to mount it

The rider is small and there is no seat-post available to mount on that.

There's a rack on the back, of 1cm diameter metal, which is too thin for
any tube clamp I can find. I had bodged one from various spare bits, but
it looked stupid, never really got a good enough grip on the narrow
tube, and finally broke.

There is also a nice metal plate with holes drilled in it at the back of
the rack, but I can't see how to get that to co-operate with the light
or its mounting parts. Also, it's lower than I think a light ought to
be.

Any suggestions?

Clip it on your belt or the wasteband of your shorts. Do you have a
spares kit in a seat pack? Clip it on the back of that. Clip it on a
rucksack if you ride with one of those, or the back of your helmet.

If the only rear light isn't attached to the bike then it won't satisfy
the requirements of the lighting regulations.

You can get lights that mount on the seat stay. Very useful.

Cheers, helen s

Rob Morley said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

the rack, but I can't see how to get that to co-operate with the light
or its mounting parts. Also, it's lower than I think a light ought to
be.

Any suggestions?

Clip it on your belt or the wasteband of your shorts. Do you have
a spares kit in a seat pack? Clip it on the back of that. Clip it
on a rucksack if you ride with one of those, or the back of your
helmet.

If the only rear light isn't attached to the bike then it won't
satisfy the requirements of the lighting regulations.

Well yeah, there's complying with the spirit of the law and complying
with the letter of it ;o) There's also looking like an idiot when you
walk into a shop wearing a flash light on your back and keeping
turning round to see what that odd red flashing in your peripheral
vision is too. I've only actually done that a couple of times ...

Chris
--
Chris Eilbeck

Chris Eilbeck said:

Rob Morley said:

Quoted message said:

> the rack, but I can't see how to get that to co-operate with the light
> or its mounting parts.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Clip it on your belt or the wasteband of your shorts. Do you have
a spares kit in a seat pack? Clip it on the back of that. Clip it
on a rucksack if you ride with one of those, or the back of your
helmet.

If the only rear light isn't attached to the bike then it won't
satisfy the requirements of the lighting regulations.

Well yeah, there's complying with the spirit of the law and complying
with the letter of it ;o) There's also looking like an idiot when you
walk into a shop wearing a flash light on your back and keeping
turning round to see what that odd red flashing in your peripheral
vision is too. I've only actually done that a couple of times ...

Or looking a complete dork riding down the road with a light only
visible by low flying aircraft. Rear lights clipped to rucksacs or
clothing (including plastic hats) are useless. They don't point in the
direction of drivers eyes, which is surely where you want them to
shine. OK so they may not be looking in the direction of your bike but
at least give them a chance!
--
Phil Cook looking north over the park to the "Westminster Gasworks"

In article <1hkl3vd.gjlgcg13im09qN%real-not-anti-spam-address@apple-
juice.co.uk>

D.M. Procida said:

How do you mount a rear light on a bike when there's nothing to mount it
on? I have here:

a Dawes Mojave bike
a Cateye rear light
nowhere to mount it

The rider is small and there is no seat-post available to mount on that.

There's a rack on the back, of 1cm diameter metal, which is too thin for
any tube clamp I can find. I had bodged one from various spare bits, but
it looked stupid, never really got a good enough grip on the narrow
tube, and finally broke.

There is also a nice metal plate with holes drilled in it at the back of
the rack, but I can't see how to get that to co-operate with the light
or its mounting parts. Also, it's lower than I think a light ought to
be.

Any suggestions?

Get a piece of metal or rigid plastic tubing that's big enough for the
lamp to clamp onto, drill a couple of holes to align with the
vertically-spaced holes on the rack bracket, cut to desired height. I
usually mount rear lights under the back of the rear rack if there's one
fitted, and I don't think there's a visibility problem with that
position, but you could have the lamp sticking up on a mast if you want
- I think the legal height limit is 350-1500mm. If the lamp doesn't
include a decent reflector you should also fit one of those.

Phil Cook said:

Chris Eilbeck said:

Rob Morley said:

> > the rack, but I can't see how to get that to co-operate with
> > the light or its mounting parts.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

> Clip it on your belt or the wasteband of your shorts. Do you
> have a spares kit in a seat pack? Clip it on the back of that.
> Clip it on a rucksack if you ride with one of those, or the back
> of your helmet.
>
If the only rear light isn't attached to the bike then it won't
satisfy the requirements of the lighting regulations.

Well yeah, there's complying with the spirit of the law and
complying with the letter of it ;o) There's also looking like an
idiot when you walk into a shop wearing a flash light on your back
and keeping turning round to see what that odd red flashing in your
peripheral vision is too. I've only actually done that a couple of
times ...

Or looking a complete dork riding down the road with a light only
visible by low flying aircraft. Rear lights clipped to rucksacs or
clothing (including plastic hats) are useless. They don't point in the
direction of drivers eyes, which is surely where you want them to
shine. OK so they may not be looking in the direction of your bike but
at least give them a chance!

Oh, I'm so sorry, maybe it's just me that owns the special magical
ones that put light out in multiple directions. Silly me.

Chris
--
Chris Eilbeck

Chris Eilbeck said:

Quoted message said:

How do you mount a rear light on a bike when there's nothing to mount it
on? I have here:

a Dawes Mojave bike
a Cateye rear light
nowhere to mount it

The rider is small and there is no seat-post available to mount on that.

Quoted message said:

Clip it on your belt or the wasteband of your shorts. Do you have a
spares kit in a seat pack? Clip it on the back of that. Clip it on a
rucksack if you ride with one of those, or the back of your helmet.

Thanks, I could do all of those things. However, the rider of the bike
would be very annoyed if I did, especially since I've been promising to
attach the light to the bike for months.

Daniele

(D.M. Procida) said:

Thanks, I could do all of those things. However, the rider of the
bike would be very annoyed if I did, especially since I've been
promising to attach the light to the bike for months.

You could just get a Blackburn MARS 3.0 or a Smart 7 LED. Both of
which come with clamps that'll attach to seat stays.

Chris
--
Chris Eilbeck

Chris Eilbeck said:

Phil Cook <[email hidden]> writes:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Rear lights clipped to rucksacs or
clothing (including plastic hats) are useless. They don't point in the
direction of drivers eyes, which is surely where you want them to
shine. OK so they may not be looking in the direction of your bike but
at least give them a chance!

Oh, I'm so sorry, maybe it's just me that owns the special magical
ones that put light out in multiple directions. Silly me.

Perhaps you are. All the ones I see /are/ only visible from the top of
a bus.
--
Phil Cook looking north over the park to the "Westminster Gasworks"

Chris Eilbeck said:

Quoted message said:

Thanks, I could do all of those things. However, the rider of the
bike would be very annoyed if I did, especially since I've been
promising to attach the light to the bike for months.

You could just get a Blackburn MARS 3.0 or a Smart 7 LED. Both of
which come with clamps that'll attach to seat stays.

That won't do - the seat's so low that they'll be obscured.

Daniele

(D.M. Procida) said:

Chris Eilbeck said:

Quoted message said:

Thanks, I could do all of those things. However, the rider of the
bike would be very annoyed if I did, especially since I've been
promising to attach the light to the bike for months.

You could just get a Blackburn MARS 3.0 or a Smart 7 LED. Both of
which come with clamps that'll attach to seat stays.

That won't do - the seat's so low that they'll be obscured.

No, the seat stays going down to the back wheel axle, not the seat
post. They'll be about the same diameter as the rack you mention too.

Chris
--
Chris Eilbeck

In article <[email hidden]>

Chris Eilbeck said:

(D.M. Procida) said:

Chris Eilbeck said:

> Thanks, I could do all of those things. However, the rider of the
> bike would be very annoyed if I did, especially since I've been
> promising to attach the light to the bike for months.

You could just get a Blackburn MARS 3.0 or a Smart 7 LED. Both of
which come with clamps that'll attach to seat stays.

That won't do - the seat's so low that they'll be obscured.

No, the seat stays going down to the back wheel axle, not the seat
post. They'll be about the same diameter as the rack you mention too.

They will also be obscured by panniers ...

Chris Eilbeck said:

Quoted message said:

That won't do - the seat's so low that they'll be obscured.

No, the seat stays going down to the back wheel axle, not the seat
post. They'll be about the same diameter as the rack you mention too.

Oh, OK. But completely useless, unfortunately. Firstly it means having a
light on just one side, and secondly it means you can't use panniers.

Daniele

Response to Phil Cook:

Quoted message said:

Rear lights clipped to rucksacs or
clothing (including plastic hats) are useless.

Unless you put them at the right angle.

I used to put my spare blinkie in the bottom of the net pocket on the
back of my rucksac, angled down and wedged in by a white carrier bag.
Come to think of it, I may reinstate it this winter.

--
Mark, UK
"It does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods or no
God."

Rob Morley said:

In article <1hkl3vd.gjlgcg13im09qN%real-not-anti-spam-address@apple-
juice.co.uk>

D.M. Procida said:

How do you mount a rear light on a bike when there's nothing to mount it
on? I have here:

a Dawes Mojave bike
a Cateye rear light
nowhere to mount it

The rider is small and there is no seat-post available to mount on that.

There's a rack on the back, of 1cm diameter metal, which is too thin for
any tube clamp I can find. I had bodged one from various spare bits, but
it looked stupid, never really got a good enough grip on the narrow
tube, and finally broke.

Cateye do a whole range of clips in various diameters - including one
which will attach to a rack.

druidh

"Phil Cook" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Chris Eilbeck said:

Phil Cook <[email hidden]> writes:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Rear lights clipped to rucksacs or
clothing (including plastic hats) are useless. They don't point in the
direction of drivers eyes, which is surely where you want them to
shine. OK so they may not be looking in the direction of your bike but
at least give them a chance!

Oh, I'm so sorry, maybe it's just me that owns the special magical
ones that put light out in multiple directions. Silly me.

Perhaps you are. All the ones I see /are/ only visible from the top of
a bus.
--

I would second Phil's advice. Lots of LED lights seem to project quite a
narrow beam of light. I've passed (or been passed by) a number of cyclists
with LEDS attached to clothing, bags or panniers, and nearly all of them
have been inadequately lit. Many (most?) people have rear lights that are
not multi-directional. Only one of my 5 or 6 rear lights is
multi-directional (The Cat-eye TL-1000). and even multi-directional lights
are often only multi-directional along one plane.

Peter