Another Headlight Conundrum?
11-08-15, 11:43 AM
#1
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Another Headlight Conundrum?
I recently switched from a Flat-bar hybrid to a Low-mid level road bike (with Sora Components), and encountered an annoying phenomenon.
On Sora Brifters, the shifting cables come out the side of the shifter, cross in front of of the handle-bars, and then down toward the head tube...
My head-light, when mounted on the handle-bar next to the stem, is partially blocked by a cable. I don't worry about this affecting other seeing me, but it does seem to make it harder for me to see the "circle" (which is no longer a circle) of light on the road in front of me when riding at night.
Other than upgrading to 105 shifters, what solutions have you found for this problem on lower-level road bikes?
Any particular headlight that has a very tall mount?
Or perhaps one that mounts on the stem? I think mounting it on the stem would solve it, since the cables bend down out of the way toward the middle.
On Sora Brifters, the shifting cables come out the side of the shifter, cross in front of of the handle-bars, and then down toward the head tube...
My head-light, when mounted on the handle-bar next to the stem, is partially blocked by a cable. I don't worry about this affecting other seeing me, but it does seem to make it harder for me to see the "circle" (which is no longer a circle) of light on the road in front of me when riding at night.
Other than upgrading to 105 shifters, what solutions have you found for this problem on lower-level road bikes?
Any particular headlight that has a very tall mount?
Or perhaps one that mounts on the stem? I think mounting it on the stem would solve it, since the cables bend down out of the way toward the middle.
11-08-15, 12:04 PM
#2
Banned
Up from the fork crown mounts , perhaps? Or one placed within the steerer Tube stack ..
Busch&Muller battery powered bicycle lights down the page are some
Mounting Lights from Peter White Cycles
Lumotech Fly does come up a ways above its mounting point, it has a reflector on the lower placement and the LED light above it.
My regular bikes have hub Dynamo lights .. This will go in a threadless spacer stack.. B&M471B11
I have used the B&M471B in a Threaded 9/8" headset jamming the quill stem thru it, on my Bike Friday.
Busch&Muller battery powered bicycle lights down the page are some
Mounting Lights from Peter White Cycles
Lumotech Fly does come up a ways above its mounting point, it has a reflector on the lower placement and the LED light above it.
My regular bikes have hub Dynamo lights .. This will go in a threadless spacer stack.. B&M471B11
I have used the B&M471B in a Threaded 9/8" headset jamming the quill stem thru it, on my Bike Friday.
Last edited by fietsbob; 11-08-15 at 12:08 PM.
11-08-15, 12:34 PM
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Hang the headlight upside down from the underside of your handlebars?
11-08-15, 01:39 PM
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I have one of the B&M fork crown mounts on all of my bikes. Love it.
11-08-15, 02:06 PM
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11-08-15, 11:48 PM
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I have one of these: Computer / Headlight Mounts ? Action-LED-Lights and then use Universal Bicycle Flashlight Mount Clip Clamp Bike Torch Holder Clip-1.71 and Free Shipping| GearBest.com to mount a 1" diameter flashlight.
11-09-15, 05:01 AM
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If you wear a helmet, find a helmet mount. If nit, you could try one of those mount extenders. I can't think of the actual name at the moment, but Topeak makes one
11-12-15, 04:09 PM
#13
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Use a v-brake noodle out of the brifter to get the cable to drop out of the way faster? Here a blogger does that so he can get a handlebar bag on his bike with shifters (click photo to go to blog):
11-12-15, 04:49 PM
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I recently switched from a Flat-bar hybrid to a Low-mid level road bike (with Sora Components), and encountered an annoying phenomenon.
On Sora Brifters, the shifting cables come out the side of the shifter, cross in front of of the handle-bars, and then down toward the head tube...
My head-light, when mounted on the handle-bar next to the stem, is partially blocked by a cable. I don't worry about this affecting other seeing me, but it does seem to make it harder for me to see the "circle" (which is no longer a circle) of light on the road in front of me when riding at night.
Other than upgrading to 105 shifters, what solutions have you found for this problem on lower-level road bikes?
Any particular headlight that has a very tall mount?
Or perhaps one that mounts on the stem? I think mounting it on the stem would solve it, since the cables bend down out of the way toward the middle.
On Sora Brifters, the shifting cables come out the side of the shifter, cross in front of of the handle-bars, and then down toward the head tube...
My head-light, when mounted on the handle-bar next to the stem, is partially blocked by a cable. I don't worry about this affecting other seeing me, but it does seem to make it harder for me to see the "circle" (which is no longer a circle) of light on the road in front of me when riding at night.
Other than upgrading to 105 shifters, what solutions have you found for this problem on lower-level road bikes?
Any particular headlight that has a very tall mount?
Or perhaps one that mounts on the stem? I think mounting it on the stem would solve it, since the cables bend down out of the way toward the middle.
There are a number of mounts that replace the stem cap on a threadless headset like this one from Delta.
Fleabay is awash in light mounts like this one as well as a bunch of stem cap mounts.
But if your bike has a four bolt faceplate, this is my favorite light mount. It's solid, doesn't bounce and you could hang an anchor off of it (i.e. it's strong).
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Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
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Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
11-14-15, 06:31 PM
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Flipping the light upside down completely negates the fancy optics on many higher-end lights, especially German ones, which must meet strict regulations. These lights focus the beam in such a way as to illuminate objects evenly over near and far field. These also have a sharp cut-off at the top of the far field, like car headlights. On the other hand am pretty sure most battery powered lights will be fine flipped.
I like the V-brake noodle idea. But I dont think this is necessary. If you measure and trim the housing carefully, it can take a similar path without the noodle. I have side-exiting Shimano levers with the cables trimmed so that they do not cross, and just barely contact the head tube as they come around. That may be enough to be clear of lights.
I like the V-brake noodle idea. But I dont think this is necessary. If you measure and trim the housing carefully, it can take a similar path without the noodle. I have side-exiting Shimano levers with the cables trimmed so that they do not cross, and just barely contact the head tube as they come around. That may be enough to be clear of lights.
11-14-15, 06:45 PM
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I have this problem on my Dura Ace nine speed brifters. Also the cables are gray so it's a little worse than black would be.
I just look past it and ignore it. Mostly riding on 800 lumens, sometimes on fast down hills 1100 or more.
I just look past it and ignore it. Mostly riding on 800 lumens, sometimes on fast down hills 1100 or more.
11-15-15, 01:32 AM
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If you have rack mounts on your fork, you can try this. Cheap PVC Endcap from the Hardware store. Spraypaint it if you want.
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