Recumbent Trikes - Where to Put the Lights?

[Artemisia]

From my early tests, it seems to me there is even less real estate on
the handlebars of a Darkside trike as on a normal bike.

I'm going to need a computer, mirrors, lights and preferably also an
Airzound horn, in addition to the brake and shifter controls. Where does
it all go?

From my experiences with Beth, I've decided that I really don't like
dynamos, because you become invisible when you most need to be seen: at
a stop in traffic! Fly has an excellent light by Cateye with five bright
LCD beams, that runs off 5 AA batteries. But it's a big hoiky thing and
I can't see getting two of them between my bum and the bars.

It would be preferable to have lights on both sides of me, since I will
now be a wide vehicle. Rob at Westcountry had that super-expensive
system on his Greenspeed that uses rechargeable battery packs. But that
was £500 just in lighting, and too expensive for me in addition to the
rest of the purchase, which will already clean me out for many months.

EFR
Ile de France

 

[Tim Hall]

On Sun, 26 Aug 2007 20:21:44 +0200, Artemisia <[email protected]> wrote:

> From my early tests, it seems to me there is even less real estate on
>the handlebars of a Darkside trike as on a normal bike.
>
>I'm going to need a computer, mirrors, lights and preferably also an
>Airzound horn, in addition to the brake and shifter controls. Where does
>it all go?


You need to ask Mr. Larrington. Malheuresement he is hors de combat at
the moment.
>
> From my experiences with Beth, I've decided that I really don't like
>dynamos, because you become invisible when you most need to be seen: at
>a stop in traffic! Fly has an excellent light by Cateye with five bright
>LCD beams, that runs off 5 AA batteries. But it's a big hoiky thing and
>I can't see getting two of them between my bum and the bars.
>


Go with the dynamo option but use B&M standlights. These have a
halogen lamp which givesa nice bright light when in motion, and an LED
which gives enough light for you to be seen when at a stop.

Alternatively more bar real estate can be conjured up by using a
Minoura Space Grip or similar product. I've got a Minoura on one of my
bikes and apart from rattling screws loose it's been rock solid.
Others report they seem to be made of cheese these days. My recumbent
has a Topeak Bar X-Tender, which is more adjustable than the Minoura
and seems robust. I put a Cateye light with 5 LED (not LCD!) beams on
it.


Tim

 

[Artemisia]

Tim Hall wrote:

> Go with the dynamo option but use B&M standlights. These have a
> halogen lamp which givesa nice bright light when in motion, and an LED
> which gives enough light for you to be seen when at a stop.

Thanks, I was just coming to the same conclusion. I've been googling all
the options in turn, and have finally discovered what "standlight"
means! I wish someone had told me about that when I paid all the extra
to get a hub dynamo on Behemoth.

So yes, Busch & Muller Dymotec 6 with Standlight. Considerably cheaper
than the SON hub option, and I've read postings that say the drag is
almost negligeable. Do you know if the drag can be removed completely
when the dynamo is off, or is there always some?

I'm hoping that as a corollary to this big investment, I will be able to
extend the number of days in the year when I can ride the bike to work.
The ability to ride by night would open up all the months between
October and March. Currently I feel too unsafe with the poor night
visibility aggravated by my balance problems.

EFR
Ile de France

 

[Tim Hall]

On Sun, 26 Aug 2007 22:51:02 +0200, Artemisia <[email protected]> wrote:

>Tim Hall wrote:
>So yes, Busch & Muller Dymotec 6 with Standlight. Considerably cheaper
>than the SON hub option, and I've read postings that say the drag is
>almost negligeable. Do you know if the drag can be removed completely
>when the dynamo is off, or is there always some?

As it's a tyre driven dynamo, "off" is acheived by moving the dynamo a
small distance from the tyre. "On" is acheived by moving it such that
the roller on the end of the dynamo rubs against the tyre. The
Dymotec has a small switch to do the turning on, by releasing a
spring.

The upshot of all this is that when it is off, it's not in contact
with the tyre, so there is no drag.


Tim

 

[Alan Braggins]

In article <[email protected]>, Artemisia wrote:
>I'm going to need a computer, mirrors, lights and preferably also an
>Airzound horn, in addition to the brake and shifter controls. Where does
>it all go?

Lights probably want to be mounted at the front of the boom, not
on the handlebars anyway.


> From my experiences with Beth, I've decided that I really don't like
>dynamos, because you become invisible when you most need to be seen: at
>a stop in traffic!

You can get standlight dynamo lights that stay lit from a capacitor
while stopped. Or use a battery light as well as a dynamo, the dynamo
to see with, the battery to be seen by.

 

[Peter Clinch]

Artemisia wrote:
> From my early tests, it seems to me there is even less real estate on
> the handlebars of a Darkside trike as on a normal bike.
>
> I'm going to need a computer, mirrors, lights and preferably also an
> Airzound horn, in addition to the brake and shifter controls. Where does
> it all go?

Mirrors will still fit on the bars. The B&M Cyclestar should work fine
(that's what Roos & I both use on our underseat-steered 'bents). Lights
will typically fit on some sort of braze-on on the boom. Most companies
making the things have thought about it, HPVel certainly have as they
supply lighting as a standard option.

> From my experiences with Beth, I've decided that I really don't like
> dynamos, because you become invisible when you most need to be seen: at
> a stop in traffic!

That's not aproblem with dynamos, but dynamos with lamps without a
standlight option... if you get lamps with standlights you have several
minutes backup light once you stop, which removes the problem. B&M
DToplight Plus at the back is an example, Lumotec Oval Plus on the front.

> It would be preferable to have lights on both sides of me, since I will
> now be a wide vehicle.

Not /much/ wider than the handlebars in a typical case. It's uncommon
for trikes to run multiple lateral sets and I'm not aware anyone has
ever raised that as an issue before, so I wouldn't worry about it.

> Rob at Westcountry had that super-expensive
> system on his Greenspeed that uses rechargeable battery packs. But that
> was £500 just in lighting, and too expensive for me in addition to the
> rest of the purchase, which will already clean me out for many months.

Rechargeable lamp sets start at around £20 for some entirely reasonable
kit (e.g.
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?PartnerID=79&ModelID=1387).
As long as the front lamp will mount on the boom somewhere, possibly
via something like a Space Grip, these should be quite acceptable. Use
an LED unit on the back rack to sort out the rear, the battery for the
front will usually hang off the main tube.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email protected] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

 

[Tosspot]

Artemisia wrote:
> From my early tests, it seems to me there is even less real estate on
> the handlebars of a Darkside trike as on a normal bike.
>
> I'm going to need a computer, mirrors, lights and preferably also an
> Airzound horn, in addition to the brake and shifter controls. Where does
> it all go?

Miguora space savers helped me on this point.

As for lighting systems, let the war begin....

 

[Rob Morley]

In article <[email protected]>, Tosspot
[email protected] says...
> Artemisia wrote:
> > From my early tests, it seems to me there is even less real estate on
> > the handlebars of a Darkside trike as on a normal bike.
> >
> > I'm going to need a computer, mirrors, lights and preferably also an
> > Airzound horn, in addition to the brake and shifter controls. Where does
> > it all go?
>
> Miguora space savers helped me on this point.
>
ITYM Minoura

 

[_]

On Sun, 26 Aug 2007 20:21:44 +0200, Artemisia wrote:

> From my early tests, it seems to me there is even less real estate on
> the handlebars of a Darkside trike as on a normal bike.
>
> I'm going to need a computer, mirrors, lights and preferably also an
> Airzound horn, in addition to the brake and shifter controls. Where does
> it all go?

Halogen 20 watt on the front mech post - about 2 ft off the ground, angled
slightly upwards. LED modules (surplus from traffic signs) on the front
mudguards and top corners of the seat. Red LED bar (from auto
third-stop-light applications) along top edge of seat. Logic box and
12-volt gel cell just under seat; switches (4) mounted at top of right
steering bar.

Current configuration of the switches is such that the front makes the
20-watt and LED bar go on, for high visibility situations; rear one makes
the LED modules show green (to front) and red (to rear) for lo-vis, right
or left make the LED modules blink green/yellow (to front), red/yellow (to
rear) for turn signalling or 4-way look-out-you-idiot flashing.

Airzound also mounted on the front mech post, actuating button remote on
the left steering bar, close to the nice little bell for peds.

 

[Danny Colyer]

On 27/08/2007 22:23, _ wrote:
> Airzound also mounted on the front mech post, actuating button remote on
> the left steering bar, close to the nice little bell for peds.

With USS I find that the AirZound works very nicely mounted just below
the left hand grip, with the button positioned to be pressed by the heel
of my left hand.

My bell is nicely positioned to be rung by the heel of my right hand.

--
Danny Colyer <http://www.redpedals.co.uk>
Reply address is valid, but that on my website is checked more often
"Daddy, put that down. Daddy, put that down. Daddy, put that down.
Daddy, why did you put that down?" - Charlie Colyer, age 2

 

[Tosspot]

Rob Morley wrote:
> In article <[email protected]>, Tosspot
> [email protected] says...
>
>>Artemisia wrote:
>>
>>> From my early tests, it seems to me there is even less real estate on
>>>the handlebars of a Darkside trike as on a normal bike.
>>
>> >
>>
>>>I'm going to need a computer, mirrors, lights and preferably also an
>>>Airzound horn, in addition to the brake and shifter controls. Where does
>>>it all go?
>>
>>Miguora space savers helped me on this point.
>>
>
> ITYM Minoura

Dammit! Quite right of course. You know the things, got them on
http://www.wiggle.co.uk "Minoura Space Grip SG2 Handlebar Extension"
Variations on a theme from a few other manufacturers.

Can be useful little bugegrs. Recumbent tadpole trikes are well short
on sensible upfront, horizontal bars to tie things to.

 

[Alistair Gunn]

In uk.rec.cycling Tosspot twisted the electrons to say:
> Dammit! Quite right of course. You know the things, got them on
> http://www.wiggle.co.uk "Minoura Space Grip SG2 Handlebar Extension"
> Variations on a theme from a few other manufacturers.

Having had the "fun" of installing a few SpaceGrips over my recumbent
owning years, I am wondering if the TerraCycle accessory mount is any
better? http://preview.tinyurl.com/2lc5bn

> Can be useful little bugegrs. Recumbent tadpole trikes are well short
> on sensible upfront, horizontal bars to tie things to.

That's one nice feature of Catrike's range - they've put a small
horizontal extension onto the front deraileur post to mount stuff on.
--
These opinions might not even be mine ...
Let alone connected with my employer ...

 

[Alan Braggins]

In article <[email protected]>, Alistair Gunn wrote:
>
>> Can be useful little bugegrs. Recumbent tadpole trikes are well short
>> on sensible upfront, horizontal bars to tie things to.
>
>That's one nice feature of Catrike's range - they've put a small
>horizontal extension onto the front deraileur post to mount stuff on.

Yesterday at Mildenhall I saw a Trice with a stem mounted on the
derailleur post. It didn't have a handlebar in, but had a replacement
clamp with a short bar to put lights on (I've seen those elsewhere,
but can't find one online right now - some come with a bottle cage mount
as an alternative). But if you wanted more space, you put put a section
handlebar diameter tubing in the stem (or even a full handlebar).

 

[Rob Morley]

In article <[email protected]>, Alan Braggins
[email protected] says...

> Yesterday at Mildenhall I saw a Trice with a stem mounted on the
> derailleur post.

I was just about to suggest that, but you beat me to it.

 

[Tom \Johnny Sunset\ Sherman]

Artemisia wrote:
> From my early tests, it seems to me there is even less real estate on
> the handlebars of a Darkside trike as on a normal bike.
>
> I'm going to need a computer, mirrors, lights and preferably also an
> Airzound horn, in addition to the brake and shifter controls. Where does
> it all go?...

I have an older version of this mount on the derailer [1] mast of a SWB
recumbent [2] - it should work on any trike with such a mast:
<http://www.hostelshoppe.com/cgi-bin/readitem.pl?Accessory=983907300>.
This has room for two lights, or a light and a cyclometer.

ICE/Trice makes a mount that clamps onto the mast:
<http://www.hostelshoppe.com/images/products/la_07trice_lightmount.jpg>.

The cyclometer can also be mounted on the main tube in front of the seat
where it is easily reached while seated. There are custom mounts for
this, or one can be made from two hose clamps (one around the tube, the
other held perpendicular to the tube by the first), a piece of dowel
(held by the second clamp) and some electrical tape [3].

[1] Brownian spelling.
[2] My trike has a built in version.
[3] I had such a mount on a USS Reynolds Wishbone.

--
Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
A Real Cyclist [TM] keeps at least one bicycle in the bedroom.

--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

 

[Tom \Johnny Sunset\ Sherman]

Alistair Gunn wrote:
> In uk.rec.cycling Tosspot twisted the electrons to say:
>> Dammit! Quite right of course. You know the things, got them on
>> http://www.wiggle.co.uk "Minoura Space Grip SG2 Handlebar Extension"
>> Variations on a theme from a few other manufacturers.
>
> Having had the "fun" of installing a few SpaceGrips over my recumbent
> owning years, I am wondering if the TerraCycle accessory mount is any
> better? http://preview.tinyurl.com/2lc5bn
>
>> Can be useful little bugegrs. Recumbent tadpole trikes are well short
>> on sensible upfront, horizontal bars to tie things to.
>
> That's one nice feature of Catrike's range - they've put a small
> horizontal extension onto the front deraileur post to mount stuff on.

Earth Cycles made such a derailer [1] mast several years before Catrike did.

[1] Brownian spelling.

--
Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
A Real Cyclist [TM] keeps at least one bicycle in the bedroom.

--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

 

[Tom \Johnny Sunset\ Sherman]

Alan Braggins wrote:
> In article <[email protected]>, Alistair Gunn wrote:
>>> Can be useful little bugegrs. Recumbent tadpole trikes are well short
>>> on sensible upfront, horizontal bars to tie things to.
>> That's one nice feature of Catrike's range - they've put a small
>> horizontal extension onto the front deraileur post to mount stuff on.
>
> Yesterday at Mildenhall I saw a Trice with a stem mounted on the
> derailleur post. It didn't have a handlebar in, but had a replacement
> clamp with a short bar to put lights on (I've seen those elsewhere,
> but can't find one online right now - ...

Like this:
<http://www.hostelshoppe.com/cgi-bin/readitem.pl?Accessory=983907300>?

--
Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
A Real Cyclist [TM] keeps at least one bicycle in the bedroom.

--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

 

[[email protected]]

On Aug 28, 8:52 pm, "Tom \"Johnny Sunset\" Sherman"
<[email protected]> wrote:
>
> Earth Cycles made such a derailer [1] mast several years before Catrike did.
>
> [1] Brownian spelling.

A spelling whose atoms move with random motion? ;-)

- Frank Krygowski

 

[Tom \Johnny Sunset\ Sherman]

[email protected] aka Frank Krygowski wrote:
> On Aug 28, 8:52 pm, "Tom \"Johnny Sunset\" Sherman"
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>> Earth Cycles made such a derailer [1] mast several years before Catrike did.
>>
>> [1] Brownian spelling.
>
> A spelling whose atoms move with random motion? ;-)

After the Great Sheldon Brown: <http://www.sheldonbrown.com/derailer.html>.

--
Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
A Real Cyclist [TM] keeps at least one bicycle in the bedroom.

--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

 

[Geoff Lane]

Artemisia <[email protected]> wrote in news:46d1c4b6$0$427
[email protected]:

> From my early tests, it seems to me there is even less real estate on
> the handlebars of a Darkside trike as on a normal bike.
>
> I'm going to need a computer, mirrors, lights and preferably also an
> Airzound horn, in addition to the brake and shifter controls. Where does
> it all go?

From the ICE website, the following link is one Trice T owner's solution:

http://www.ice.hpv.co.uk/images/trikes/t/owners_images/pages/chips_t.htm

Perhaps a bit extreme for most!

--
Geoff