Front lights with a bar bag

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Deevoy88
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Joined: 21 Nov 2014, 12:33pm

Front lights with a bar bag

Post by Deevoy88 »

I hope someone can help. i have a topeak barbag that i am going to be using on a tour. It takes up all the room though where my lights used to be and i can not use both at the same time. Has anyone had this problem and how did they get round it? I thought maybe find a light bracket mount that can fit one the front suspension forks?? But can not find any.
If anyone can help that is much appreciated.
Thanks
Deevoy88
I may go slow, but I am happy
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CJ
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Re: Front lights with a bar bag

Post by CJ »

If you were to get a dynamo you'd probably find this problem easier to solve, since dynamo lamps are small, lightweight and solid with no removable parts (so less likely to be damaged by the severe vibration subjected to anything mounted on the un-sprung brace of a suspension fork) and mount via a 6mm nut and bolt, for which it's possible to buy diverse ready-made brackets and relatively easy to make your own adaptations.

Battery lights on the other hand, are all made to mount on a handlebar, and assume you are some kind of sport cyclist who has nothing else on his bike, so you can't easily buy alternative fittings and those that you may nevertheless find in shops look like a kludge, with ugly bits of tube mounted on stalks - that may or may not be high enough to let your lamp shine over the top of a bar bag and if they are that high they'll catch on things whilst impeding access to said bag.

A possibly better idea is to lengthen the strap on your head-torch (that you'll want anyway in case of a puncture in the dark, certainly if this is a camping tour) and make your bar-bag wear it - on those hopefully rare occasions when you're still riding after dark. It won't be an 'approved' bike lamp, but since very few battery bike lamps are approved anyway, that's no odds.
Chris Juden
One lady owner, never raced or jumped.
Neil C
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Joined: 11 Mar 2014, 6:37pm

Re: Front lights with a bar bag

Post by Neil C »

Welcome to the forum.

This subject was discussed earlier this year here.
viewtopic.php?f=22&t=85672
Richard Fairhurst
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Location: Charlbury, Oxfordshire

Re: Front lights with a bar bag

Post by Richard Fairhurst »

Not a lot of help for your Topeak, but Carradice do a bar bag which has a little plastic bar on the base, onto which you can clip your front light: http://www.carradice.co.uk/index.php?pa ... duct_id=18
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Deevoy88
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Joined: 21 Nov 2014, 12:33pm

Re: Front lights with a bar bag

Post by Deevoy88 »

Neil C wrote:Welcome to the forum.

This subject was discussed earlier this year here.
viewtopic.php?f=22&t=85672


Brilliant.i couldnt find this one.has been a great help.if not then i think i may attach a plastic bar under the bag and use that.
Thanks alot for all the help.
I may go slow, but I am happy
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hondated
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Location: Eastbourne

Re: Front lights with a bar bag

Post by hondated »

CJ wrote:
A possibly better idea is to lengthen the strap on your head-torch (that you'll want anyway in case of a puncture in the dark, certainly if this is a camping tour) and make your bar-bag wear it - on those hopefully rare occasions when you're still riding after dark. It won't be an 'approved' bike lamp, but since very few battery bike lamps are approved anyway, that's no odds.

That's a good idea Chris I hadn't thought of that.
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ConRAD
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Re: Front lights with a bar bag

Post by ConRAD »

Actually I had the same problem and solved it like here below ... is it of any help ?

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Deevoy88
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Joined: 21 Nov 2014, 12:33pm

Re: Front lights with a bar bag

Post by Deevoy88 »

ConRAD wrote:Actually I had the same problem and solved it like here below ... is it of any help ?

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That is perfect. Did you bend the metal yourself or did you find brackets like that? :D
I may go slow, but I am happy
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ConRAD
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Re: Front lights with a bar bag

Post by ConRAD »

Deevoy88 wrote:... did you bend the metal yourself or did you find brackets like that? :D

... some aluminium junk, a minimum of manual skill and the job is done !
Image
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Heltor Chasca
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Front lights with a bar bag

Post by Heltor Chasca »

I use a bar bag and 'almost' had the same problem. EXCEPT I found my front rack to be a perfect mounting bracket for a headlight. Bar bags and panniers enough for me. Never had the need to load up the top of the front rack. Only thing I've carried on top of up front was a flagon of cider and that was in daylight. Erm...it fell off anyway [emoji31]
DaleFTW
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Joined: 8 Jun 2013, 7:18pm

Re: Front lights with a bar bag

Post by DaleFTW »

http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/busch-and-mu ... prod22455/

Running a couple of them for a year or so. Why pay more...
Malaconotus
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Re: Front lights with a bar bag

Post by Malaconotus »

DaleFTW wrote:http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/busch-and-muller-light-bracket-for-fork-crown-254mm-mount-prod22455/

Running a couple of them for a year or so. Why pay more...



I believe this is the same or very very similar item cheaper...http://www.windwave.co.uk/Products.aspx ... D=14455189 Windwave are the UK distributor; there's not many retailers listing this part online but over 1,000 local bike shops buy from Windwave.
Barrenfluffit
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Joined: 20 Oct 2009, 5:31pm

Re: Front lights with a bar bag

Post by Barrenfluffit »

Other options include putting a bike light into a side mesh pocket so it points forward. On drop bars it may be possible to use a "rubber band" type mount on the drops so it points the right way.
Deevoy88
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Joined: 21 Nov 2014, 12:33pm

Re: Front lights with a bar bag

Post by Deevoy88 »

DaleFTW wrote:http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/busch-and-muller-light-bracket-for-fork-crown-254mm-mount-prod22455/

Running a couple of them for a year or so. Why pay more...


They do look good. Have ordered one and will see if that solves it.
Thanks everyone for your help
I may go slow, but I am happy
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CJ
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Re: Front lights with a bar bag

Post by CJ »

Here's one I made earlier: an example of how neat and compact and no less effective your lighting can be when you become your own power station! 8)

B&M Eyc lamp on home-made bracket
B&M Eyc lamp on home-made bracket

This tiny lamp nevertheless projects a full 50 lux, yet weighs just 70 grams and stands only 45mm above the guard when you make your own bracket. Mounted this low, it's true the front tyre casts a shadow some 2 or 3m ahead, but I don't have any problem with that. If I haven't seen a pothole until it's that close: I reckon it's safer anyway than swerving to hang loose for a bumpy ride!

The bracket is made from two pieces of extruded alloy angle, cut to match when nested thus and bolted through the guard, which is reinforced by the tail of the longer alloy section running back and carefully bent upwards (around a curved former) to be secured via the usual fork-crown mudguard bolt. All the nuts and bolts in this setup are also alloy.

Ready-made brackets are fine for tall folk with high handlebars. My arrangement works for short to middling people. To keep things lower (but still high enough to illuminate the road effectively) I used to make neat little stainless steel angle brackets to fit V-brake braze-ons and the featherweight Hella FF-Micro halogen headlamp. The B&M Eyc is the first LED lamp I've seen that's light enough for such simple mounting solutions. :D
Chris Juden
One lady owner, never raced or jumped.
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