Mounting Lights on top of the bars

Kieran_Burns

Why not underneath?

Or am I just being strange?

UndercoverElephant

I don't think you should be mounting lights at all, you are indeed very strange.

Also, some lights aren't waterproof upside-down.

bails87

UndercoverElephant wrote:

I don't think you should be mounting lights at all, you are indeed very strange.

Also, some lights aren't waterproof upside-down.

Then they're not really waterproof at all are they?

UndercoverElephant

bails87 wrote:

UndercoverElephant wrote:

I don't think you should be mounting lights at all, you are indeed very strange.

Also, some lights aren't waterproof upside-down.

Then they're not really waterproof at all are they?

Water-resistant then. :roll:

CiB

Kieran_Burns wrote:

Why not underneath?

Or am I just being strange?

I hang mine underneath; did try them on the sides sticking out from the last couple of inches of the drops, like a frog in some respects, but kept banging them on doors & bannisters so reverted to the underhang approach. It works brilliantly if you ask me - smart move Mr Burns.

I did have a light that interfered with the speedo, which is why I started to put them further away underneath, in case you wondered.

SimonAH

I was enormously proud of myself last night as I winterized the CX. I worked out how to mount a Knog Gekko around the bars and the stem so that it sits perfectly on top of the stem faceplate. Takes up no cockpit room at all that way (and looks very cool to boot).

I have a problem though with my MiNewt 150 cordless though as the bars on the CX are too fat for the clamp unless I put it really close to one of the hoods - not ideal.

Need to engage engineering head........

bails87

UndercoverElephant wrote:

bails87 wrote:

UndercoverElephant wrote:

I don't think you should be mounting lights at all, you are indeed very strange.

Also, some lights aren't waterproof upside-down.

Then they're not really waterproof at all are they?

Water-resistant then. :roll:

Kieran_Burns

The reason I asked was because my Hope Vision 1 is a bit bulbous sitting on the top of the bars and bugs me seeing it there, so I thought about mounting it underneath where it's not in my field of vision.

Plus, if you were to say, get a Vision 4 - that things so huge it'd be affecting your field of vision itself - mounted on TOP of the bars.

So, I thought, why not underneath?

bails87

Kieran_Burns wrote:

The reason I asked was because my Hope Vision 1 is a bit bulbous sitting on the top of the bars and bugs me seeing it there, so I thought about mounting it underneath where it's not in my field of vision.

Plus, if you were to say, get a Vision 4 - that things so huge it'd be affecting your field of vision itself - mounted on TOP of the bars.

So, I thought, why not underneath?

Does it then have to shine 'through' the cables at the front of the bike?

I'm sure it would still be plenty visible, but the shadow of the cables on the road would bug me. :oops:

il_principe

SimonAH wrote:

I was enormously proud of myself last night as I winterized the CX. I worked out how to mount a Knog Gekko around the bars and the stem so that it sits perfectly on top of the stem faceplate. Takes up no cockpit room at all that way (and looks very cool to boot).

Pics please, am intrigued!

Kieran_Burns

You get the shadow anyway - as the cables loop around the front of the bike regardless

(I almost deliberately put irregardless then, but the explosion from the grammar police would probably cause the Mayan prophecy to come true a little early )

SimonAH

The only issue that I can see is if the lens is shaped for orientation in the vertical plane.

I used to have two quad LEDs slung beneath the bars on my Vanquish, looked much tidier than on top.

desweller

You can do it with the Vision 1. Make sure it's tightly clamped though, as it has a tendency to point upwards when it's inverted.

jds_1981

I've been tempted to before, but similar to what SimonAH said, noticed that the 'Bespoke' (smart?) lights I have are molded around the lense in a way that lets the light downwards but blocks it somewhat upwards..

bails87

Kieran_Burns wrote:

You get the shadow anyway - as the cables loop around the front of the bike regardless

Good point, I get one cable just creeping into the edge of the light, that's bad enough, they're all lower down and out of the way on my MTB. I think the newer STIs put both cables under the bar tape, rather than just the brake cable, which would help.

SimonAH wrote:

The only issue that I can see is if the lens is shaped for orientation in the vertical plane.

Good point, I used a Light and Motion MTB light and that was definitely 'shaped' at the bottom of the beam, turning it upside down would be worse than having a simple round spread of light.

antlaff

Kieran_Burns wrote:

The reason I asked was because my Hope Vision 1 is a bit bulbous sitting on the top of the bars and bugs me seeing it there, so I thought about mounting it underneath where it's not in my field of vision.

Plus, if you were to say, get a Vision 4 - that things so huge it'd be affecting your field of vision itself - mounted on TOP of the bars.

So, I thought, why not underneath?

same here - I hang the vision 1 during winter when on full, as it creates annoying shadows and the reflection from the cables annoys me.

bornagainroadie

I use one of these, mounted pointing down from the stem so the lights can be fitted on the top of the extender avoiding any water ingress issues.

http://www.topeak.com/products/Xtras/BarXtender

My only complain is that I could do with it being wider as my CatEye lights are very wide and its a tight fit to get them both on.

rick_chasey

Wouldn't you knock it off when you were out of the saddle?

My knees come quite close to my handlebars when I'm doing my best Contador impersonation.

meanredspider

Kieran_Burns wrote:

The reason I asked was because my Hope Vision 1 is a bit bulbous sitting on the top of the bars and bugs me seeing it there, so I thought about mounting it underneath where it's not in my field of vision.

Plus, if you were to say, get a Vision 4 - that things so huge it'd be affecting your field of vision itself - mounted on TOP of the bars.

So, I thought, why not underneath?

That's exactly what I do with my Hope - no water ingress issues, the silly clamp is easier to access and it seems altogether neater.

SimonAH

As requested;

Rich158

bails87 wrote:

Kieran_Burns wrote:

The reason I asked was because my Hope Vision 1 is a bit bulbous sitting on the top of the bars and bugs me seeing it there, so I thought about mounting it underneath where it's not in my field of vision.

Plus, if you were to say, get a Vision 4 - that things so huge it'd be affecting your field of vision itself - mounted on TOP of the bars.

So, I thought, why not underneath?

Does it then have to shine 'through' the cables at the front of the bike?

I'm sure it would still be plenty visible, but the shadow of the cables on the road would bug me. :oops:

In that case move to Campag, you know it's the only sensible option

Clever Pun

Simon that pic shows what you explained, but it doesn't show how you attached it unless I'm missing something?

jzed

Clever Pun wrote:

Simon that pic shows what you explained, but it doesn't show how you attached it unless I'm missing something?

Looks like take the stem clamp off , remove handlebar, slot the Knog hole over - put back on - clip the knog together.

sketchley

The buttons for my front light are on the top of the light, if I mounted them under the front bar the button would be on the bottom not ideal.

SimonAH

Sorry CP,

Nothing too clever. The light attaches via a rubber loop (you can see it emerging from the top left and right of the housing) that is then pulled around the handlebar and hooked over a clip on the bottom of the light.

All I did was to remove my bars from the stem and pass the stem through the loop. Now the loop goes either side of the stem and hooks onto the bottom of the light housing as standard. Just a little lateral thinking, nothing fancy.

Does mean that a scrote can't just unclip it from the bike and walk off with it too.....

meanredspider

Sketchley wrote:

The buttons for my front light are on the top of the light, if I mounted them under the front bar the button would be on the bottom not ideal.

Not a problem for me. You obviously need more practice at finding a little button with your fingertip that you can't see

asprilla

meanredspider wrote:

Sketchley wrote:

The buttons for my front light are on the top of the light, if I mounted them under the front bar the button would be on the bottom not ideal.

Not a problem for me. You obviously need more practice at finding a little button with your fingertip that you can't see

You're a proctologist?

Kieran_Burns

Asprilla wrote:

meanredspider wrote:

Sketchley wrote:

The buttons for my front light are on the top of the light, if I mounted them under the front bar the button would be on the bottom not ideal.

Not a problem for me. You obviously need more practice at finding a little button with your fingertip that you can't see

You're a proctologist?

Wrong bottom.

Mr Plum

I mount mine upside down - Used like that for the whole of last winter and a very wet LEJOG ride this summer:



Saves space - I wouldn't be able to fit the computer next to it if it wasn't upside down.

asprilla

Kieran_Burns wrote:

Asprilla wrote:

meanredspider wrote:

Sketchley wrote:

The buttons for my front light are on the top of the light, if I mounted them under the front bar the button would be on the bottom not ideal.

Not a problem for me. You obviously need more practice at finding a little button with your fingertip that you can't see

You're a proctologist?

Wrong bottom.

You have two bottoms?

Suppose it's not that rare, since my mate Tom has two as well. Just the other day my brother and I went to the pub with him and one of the locals said 'Here's Tom with the two arseholes'...........

gbsahne001

BornAgainRoadie wrote:

I use one of these, mounted pointing down from the stem so the lights can be fitted on the top of the extender avoiding any water ingress issues.

http://www.topeak.com/products/Xtras/BarXtender.

I use the same to mount a MiNewt 200, Cateye blinky and an RSP light on top; were it underneath the front luggage bag would block the light,