Where to mount a rear Light on a Road Bike with an Under Seat Bag?
03-20-24, 05:19 PM
#1
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Where to mount a rear Light on a Road Bike with an Under Seat Bag?
Bad picture but it's all I have right now. Is that the best way to mount the rear blinky light? Seems like it's facing downward a bit. Any other suggestions?
03-20-24, 07:39 PM
#2
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If I'm riding a bike without a dynohub, I personally use multiples; one on the bag, one on my belt or sweater scoop (pocket). If I'm on a bike that has built-in lighting, the rear light is high up on the left side seat stay, but still below the lowest point my bag can block; and that's a Carradice Barley, so it's a substantial bag. I haven't yet gotten one fit to the helmet, but that is a sensible idea too.
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03-20-24, 08:17 PM
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Some bags have places for lights to clip to. There are also mounting systems for lights to attached to the saddle. Some use mounts specific to a given saddle, but there are versions that attached to standard saddle rails. I've used something like that to mount a Garmin Varia radar unit. Even though the radar unit hangs down, it cleared the large Topeak wedge saddle bag I was using.
I got that at Bup Labs
https://buplabs.com/
I got that at Bup Labs
https://buplabs.com/
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03-20-24, 11:18 PM
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I prefer using seat stay bracket. This lets me go as high as possible staying below the bag. If your seat is high enough, you can also improvise a bracket using the brake bolt.
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03-21-24, 06:30 AM
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Here's my seat-stay mounted rear light from 9 years ago.
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03-21-24, 10:37 AM
#8
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Last edited by 13ollocks; 03-21-24 at 10:40 AM.
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03-23-24, 04:33 AM
#9
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Turn it on and walk a couple hundred feet away to see how it shows. Mine aren't perfectly oriented but still show bright.
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03-23-24, 06:43 PM
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IMO the light needs to be rigidly mounted and aimed level. I don't use low seat stay anymore, after seeing a friend seemingly disappear a few hundred feet in front of me. The road was gently curving right, just so his wheel obscured the light. Yikes.
Seat stay above the wheel, or below bag level on the seat tube or seat post. This can be difficult on a short frame. An alternative is one on each seat stay. Helmet is a great second location, but isn't consistently aimed correctly to be primary.
Seat stay above the wheel, or below bag level on the seat tube or seat post. This can be difficult on a short frame. An alternative is one on each seat stay. Helmet is a great second location, but isn't consistently aimed correctly to be primary.
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03-24-24, 07:09 AM
#12
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When I buy rear lights, I make sure they have mounts for both seat post and seat stay. I use both. If you just use one on the seat stay, make sure it is on the side facing traffic and as high as possible.
I would never put a light on a seat bag, jersey pocket or backpack. Those lights are almost never facing the proper direction and are often not seen by approaching traffic. I use Cygolites, which come with both seat post and seat stay mounts, but many other brands offer them as well.
I would never put a light on a seat bag, jersey pocket or backpack. Those lights are almost never facing the proper direction and are often not seen by approaching traffic. I use Cygolites, which come with both seat post and seat stay mounts, but many other brands offer them as well.
03-26-24, 10:33 AM
#13
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Here's my thread when I had issues mounting my Garmin Varia
https://www.bikeforums.net/electroni...-question.html
https://www.bikeforums.net/electroni...-question.html
03-27-24, 12:12 PM
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left rear seat stay. there are lots of slender units out there now w/ decent mounts
03-31-24, 03:01 PM
#15
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Probably not your cup of tea but every bike I use, I install a pannier rack. So I'd put the bike light at the very end of the pannier rack.
04-01-24, 12:53 PM
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04-07-24, 05:09 PM
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Get a clip-on type (Planet Bike has one), and clip it to the waist of your pants, your collar, or your pack.
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04-18-24, 08:57 AM
#18
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I have the issue that I have a low seat and I'm using a Surly rear cable hanger. I just got a Varia and then I mount it to the seatpost it hits the rear cable hanger and is forced sideways. Did you see anything that might help with that?
EDIT: here's a photo
EDIT: here's a photo
Last edited by Saxicola; 04-18-24 at 09:16 AM. Reason: added photo
04-18-24, 09:01 AM
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04-18-24, 09:10 AM
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see post #9 here
mounting lights is similar to mounting fenders in that sometimes one has to be creative & crafty
Last edited by rumrunn6; 04-18-24 at 09:13 AM.
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04-19-24, 08:13 PM
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After getting hit from behind on a wide straight road, I decided to come up with a better light than the typical bike light. Emergency vehicle flasher powered by a 12v makita battery. The one on our tandem is mounted to the rack and my commuter bike has one on the seatpost.
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04-21-24, 09:37 PM
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That is one ginormous seat bag which makes a seat post mount difficult.
Mine is half to a third of the size and contains: Spare tube, tire levers, tire boot, 3 patches and glue, multitool, valve core remover, 2 CO2s and head. I can affect any repair with what I carry. Yes it’s all crammed in there, but all of it fits, plus it is a bit more aero.
Consider a smaller bag, pack efficiently and then a seat post mount is no issue.
Mine is half to a third of the size and contains: Spare tube, tire levers, tire boot, 3 patches and glue, multitool, valve core remover, 2 CO2s and head. I can affect any repair with what I carry. Yes it’s all crammed in there, but all of it fits, plus it is a bit more aero.
Consider a smaller bag, pack efficiently and then a seat post mount is no issue.
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