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Homemade fork light mount

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Homemade fork light mount

Old 09-17-20, 12:58 PM
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Homemade fork light mount

My handlebars can't spare space for a light, and I usually have a handlebar bag, so I can't mount a light on the handlebar.

This is the second such mount I've made. The first was out of PVC pipe about 1-1/4" outer diameter. I couldn't find my PVC pipe, so I found some copper pipe which appears to be about 1" in outer diameter.

Cut the pipe to length.
Miter one end with a half round file so it fits the fork's profile.
Cut slides in the sides so a hose clamp can fit through.
Put a bit of inner tube between the pipe and the fork so the pipe doesn't mar the fork.
Insert the hose clamp and tighten.
Wrap the pipe in self-sticking rubber tape to increase diameter and friction.
Insert a handlebar plug for æsthetics and safety.

It holds on very well.

What do you think, ugly hack or elegant? Any suggestions for making it look better? I think hose clamps are ugly but they really do a good job.








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Old 09-17-20, 01:07 PM
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I like it. Only thing that bugs me is the slots are bigger than the clamp.

Even properly sized, maybe some silicone to stop water sitting inside?
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Old 09-17-20, 01:32 PM
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I think the idea behind this design is good. Often when a new design idea comes up where I work, we don't try to make it elegant at first. Crude prototypes are first. Then more refinement as things prove out or we modify the design.

This design clearly works, it is simple enough for anyone to do and it can be made elegant if you would like. I am definitely storing this idea somewhere.

Good one @noglider .
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Old 09-17-20, 01:36 PM
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Looks slightly steampunk. I probably would have wrapped the whole length of the pipe, then cut into the wrap for the slots. But if it's solid and holds the light without vibration while going down the road, cool.
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Old 09-17-20, 01:53 PM
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I didn't make any measurements whatsoever. That was dumb. With the next one -- and I have a few more to make for our fleet -- I'll make the slits smaller. I might cover the whole thing in rubber tape, but the copper is appealing, and that's what gives it the steampunk look. I suppose zip ties would hold on almost as well, and they're generally more acceptable on bikes than hose clamps, but that rule is rather arbitrary.

I've used silicone glue such as Shoe Goo, but how can I control it? It globs sloppily.
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Old 09-17-20, 01:58 PM
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This is for the SC? Looks good! If you want to diminish the look of the hose clamp a bit, spray 'em black. Have you been using those lights much? I had them on our bikes in VT last week. They're pretty bright, even in full daylight.
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Old 09-17-20, 02:01 PM
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I was thinking just a quick dab out of a caulk gun, or even a bit of hot glue.

I guess if you had plasti-dip on hand, you could also dunk the whole thing (if keeping the copper look was not a concern.)
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Old 09-17-20, 02:04 PM
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Originally Posted by ascherer
This is for the SC? Looks good! If you want to diminish the look of the hose clamp a bit, spray 'em black. Have you been using those lights much? I had them on our bikes in VT last week. They're pretty bright, even in full daylight.
I think I've bought 8 or 10 of these lights. I keep them with me as spares. The price fluctuates wildly between 9 and 23 dollars. I do use them a lot. I ride with lights day and night.

Thanks for the black paint idea. Not bad.

I saw you're waiting (and waiting) for dynamo lights from France. I hope you like them as much as I said you will.

I have an idea for a prototype which would power permanently-mounted dynamo lights with a USB battery. My spouse can't remember to charge bike lights or even to mount them and turn them on. But she does have a habit of carrying her USB battery in her purse. So she could pop that onto the bike and go. She does not want me to install dynamos on her bikes.
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Old 09-17-20, 02:12 PM
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Originally Posted by noglider
I have an idea for a prototype which would power permanently-mounted dynamo lights with a USB battery. My spouse can't remember to charge bike lights or even to mount them and turn them on. But she does have a habit of carrying her USB battery in her purse. So she could pop that onto the bike and go. She does not want me to install dynamos on her bikes.
That's interesting, why no to dynamo?
Along the lines of spousal gear, the parts for the flat-ish bar setup should arrive tomorrow: VO Milano bars, Microshift 3x10 triggers, Avid brake levers and cork grips to start with.
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Old 09-17-20, 03:45 PM
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While your inventiveness is certainly noted, there's this:


It's a Problem Solvers product. Has the additional benefit (to me) of getting the light lower, where the pavement profile is better lit up, and keeping it out of others' eyes (even if, like wearing a mask, the flash-holes won't do it for me). Does look pretty dorky without a light on it, but I use a USB rechargeable (Urban 500), and don't leave stuff on that can be easily palmed while I'm looking the other way. I do carry a regular QR nut too, just in case the mount disappears.

Would your spouse be averse to one of those Velogical bottle dynamos? They look pretty slick to me, and I'm tempted.

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Old 09-17-20, 04:02 PM
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I've made a similar mount using a plastic hose tee fitting, I cut across the top of the tee, and used a heat gun to soften it so I could mould it to the fork. I attached it with cable ties.
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Old 09-17-20, 04:17 PM
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Not finding a great solution for a headlight mount on my basket bike I made this. Basically some hardware store steel and an piece of a True Temper toptube (because it's laterally stiff and vertically compliant). It allows me to have tall items in the basket and still use a front headlight.

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Old 09-17-20, 04:34 PM
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@Charles Wahl, I have one of those, and I don't like it. The headlight is too low, so aiming it is tricky. It's too easy to point it too high, into people's eyes. Also, before making this mount, I was looking for another of the type you are showing, and I couldn't find them. The one I got was from one of those funky Chinese web sites, and they don't have them anymore. Problem Solvers stuff is expensive.
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Old 09-17-20, 04:36 PM
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Originally Posted by ascherer
That's interesting, why no to dynamo?
Along the lines of spousal gear, the parts for the flat-ish bar setup should arrive tomorrow: VO Milano bars, Microshift 3x10 triggers, Avid brake levers and cork grips to start with.
She doesn't want to make the bike heavier. Her All City which is in NYC has a bottle dynamo, and it has caused problems, because it's hard to mount it right next to the cantilever brake boss. Plus it makes a fair amount of drag.

Your spouse's setup is going to be dreamy. I bet I would love those bars, and I love trigger shifters.
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Old 09-17-20, 05:14 PM
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I did something similar, using a stainless P-clamp, a short chunk of handlebar, a couple washers, and a Velox plug with a longer bolt substituted for the standard one. I taped it for better friction so the light won’t rotate.

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Old 09-17-20, 05:31 PM
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Originally Posted by noglider
Charles Wahl, I have one of those, and I don't like it. The headlight is too low, so aiming it is tricky. It's too easy to point it too high, into people's eyes.
Hmm. Works for me. When I was night riding, I was working in a building with a 4-bay-wide loading dock, and before leaving (having installed the light), I'd shine it across the dock and focus on the wall about 50 feet away. I guess at lesser distance it's harder.
Originally Posted by noglider
Problem Solvers stuff is expensive.
I hear you, and won't disagree, but they've saved my bacon on several occasions. I can't remember what this thing cost, but it wasn't anywhere close to $30.
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Old 09-17-20, 05:39 PM
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I've been mounting the light onto the lower portion of the bars- wherever my hands aren't going to be.

720 Lighting by Dave The Golden Boy, on Flickr
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Old 09-17-20, 06:28 PM
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Mine, shown to @noglider in a different thread. PVC, a clamp piece and bolt from a Quix seatpost bag, and an aftermarket Aheadset top cap.




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Old 09-17-20, 06:51 PM
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Originally Posted by Cynikal
Not finding a great solution for a headlight mount on my basket bike I made this. Basically some hardware store steel and an piece of a True Temper toptube (because it's laterally stiff and vertically compliant). It allows me to have tall items in the basket and still use a front headlight.

That picture gave me a headache for a while. Perspective makes it appear, at first glance, that the light is on the wheel side of the fork. Oy.
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Old 09-17-20, 07:05 PM
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This one is only $9 and mounts to any m5 threaded hole, e.g., fork eyelets:

https://www.modernbike.com/origin-8-eyelet-stub

Peter White sells the NOB for $10.50:

https://www.peterwhitecycles.com/accessories.php
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Old 09-17-20, 07:19 PM
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Originally Posted by nlerner
This one is only $9 and mounts to any m5 threaded hole, e.g., fork eyelets:

https://www.modernbike.com/origin-8-eyelet-stub

Peter White sells the NOB for $10.50:

https://www.peterwhitecycles.com/accessories.php
Oh cool. I looked for both of those things and didn't find them. Thanks. But now that I've made this, I like it better.
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Old 09-17-20, 08:47 PM
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Originally Posted by nlerner
This one is only $9 and mounts to any m5 threaded hole, e.g., fork eyelets:

https://www.modernbike.com/origin-8-eyelet-stub

Peter White sells the NOB for $10.50:

https://www.peterwhitecycles.com/accessories.php
The origin eyelet stub can be combined with the Tubus lowrider adapter to use with forks without eyelets, or for more freedom of placement.

Near the bottom of this page: https://www.peterwhitecycles.com/tubus_racks.php
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