anyone recommend a torch handlebar mount??

markstand
markstand Posts: 18
edited October 2012 in MTB buying advice
evening all!
just after a bit of advice really.. i have a couple of ultrafire th-t60 torches that i got from deal extreme, and i'm really impressed with the light output etc, however i got these bar mounts http://dx.com/p/flashlight-mount-792?rt=1&p=2&m=2&r=3&k=1&t=1&s=15642&u=792 and found that they dont really hold the light in place if you go over anything other than perfectly smooth tarmac...

so i brought some of these: http://dx.com/p/universal-bicycle-mount-for-flashlights-and-gadgets-2cm-3cm-diameter-adjustable-15642?rt=1&p=2&m=2&r=3&k=1&t=1&s=792&u=15642 and found these to be also a pretty poor fitment to the bars and torch.

so, does anyone have any recommendations to what they use to hold their lights?
any help is really appreciated. i cant be doing with my lights falling off again, pretty frustrating when your going round a roundabout on the way out to the woods!

cheers guys!

Comments

  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    You often have to shim the brackets with rubber sheet for a better fit.
  • supersonic wrote:
    You often have to shim the brackets with rubber sheet for a better fit.

    yeah the second one down came with some rubber to do so, but even with this it doesnt feel secure. its better that the first one but still not great. the clamp to the bar is ok, but the top part that holds the light is only clamped at one end if that makes sense. and if it moves forward as much as a few mm it'll fall out.
  • prawny
    prawny Posts: 5,439
    http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Rubber-Bicycl ... 1944829%26

    These (sorry for the epic link, on the iPad Innit) the bolt is no use, you need to slip a zip tie through the holes for o/s bars but they hold rock solid. Either get some reusable zip ties or leave em on over the winter and buy a big bag of zippies for a quid.
    Saracen Tenet 3 - 2015 - Dead - Replaced with a Hack Frame
    Voodoo Bizango - 2014 - Dead - Hit by a car
    Vitus Sentier VRS - 2017
  • whatever the mount - I always zip tie a bar light via the lanyard, and cut em off when im done, hope vision 1 = £60 zip tie = 0.5p
  • bartimaeus
    bartimaeus Posts: 1,812
    I use the second of those mounts, shimmed with rubber, for both my P7 SSC and my 501B XMLs. They work just fine - and are the only ones I would recommend of all the ones I have tried. I find that it's best if you have the end cap at the vertical end of the mount (emitter at the diagonal end) as this keeps the light balanced better. Yes, the shim is a pain, but once you have one just right you just leave the light in the mount and attach/detach the whole unit.
    Vitus Sentier VR+ (2018) GT Grade AL 105 (2016)
    Giant Anthem X4 (2010) GT Avalanche 1.0 (2010)
    Kingley Vale and QECP Trail Collective - QECP Trail Building
  • Giraffoto
    Giraffoto Posts: 2,078
    This one - nothing else comes close. You can replace the velcro bar strap with cable ties to make it more solid, but there's no real need to
    Specialized Roubaix Elite 2015
    XM-057 rigid 29er
  • chrisw333
    chrisw333 Posts: 695
    hmm, I didn't like the velcro one Giraffoto linked to - slipped a lot and velcro tore in the end as I kept trying to fix it tighter.

    I too has problems with the second one you linked, but a bit of cut up inner tube wrapped tightly round the torch before sliding it into the mount and once they're in they don't budge.

    I had a similar issue with the bar mount part and found wrapping inner tube around the bars each time a bit of a pain. In the end I superglued a few strips of innertube on the inside of the mount fitting (bar section) and now they are perfect.
  • stubs
    stubs Posts: 5,001
    Its a bit crude but I used to get 2 jubilee clips fit them together in a figure of 8 on the bars with a bit of inner tube to stop the clip marking the bars and torch, slip torch into clip and tighten up. It will never move, your bars will bend first.
    Fig rolls: proof that god loves cyclists and that she wants us to do another lap
  • Giraffoto
    Giraffoto Posts: 2,078
    stubs wrote:
    Its a bit crude . . .
    Deduct .01 points for that then
    stubs wrote:
    . . . but I used to get 2 jubilee clips fit them together in a figure of 8 on the bars with a bit of inner tube to stop the clip marking the bars and torch, slip torch into clip and tighten up. It will never move, your bars will bend first.
    Add several hundred points for simple and solid! I'm going to try this on the MTB in the next couple of days
    Specialized Roubaix Elite 2015
    XM-057 rigid 29er
  • The second dx one I have used but it cracked on the first time of using which was a shame beacuse it is less flexible than the rubber lockblock type,but thumbwheel is a faff.

    I`ve gone back to the lockblock type for now.Flexible but have never broken and allows quick battery changes.

    Best mount was an adapted Blackburn mount that came with my X3 but I had to sell it with the light.

    I might track down another Blackburn mount.
    2006 Giant XTC
    2010 Giant Defy Advanced
    2016 Boardman Pro 29er
    2016 Pinnacle Lithium 4
    2017 Canondale Supersix Evo
  • stubs
    stubs Posts: 5,001
    Giraffoto wrote:
    stubs wrote:
    Its a bit crude . . .
    Deduct .01 points for that then
    stubs wrote:
    . . . but I used to get 2 jubilee clips fit them together in a figure of 8 on the bars with a bit of inner tube to stop the clip marking the bars and torch, slip torch into clip and tighten up. It will never move, your bars will bend first.
    Add several hundred points for simple and solid! I'm going to try this on the MTB in the next couple of days

    Only problem with this simple mount is if the torch wont point straight ahead because of the shape of the bars there is no way to adjust the beam left or right. It worked fine on my old commuter not so sure it will work on a modern 31.8mm riser bar but it wont cost much to find out.
    Fig rolls: proof that god loves cyclists and that she wants us to do another lap
  • broke my mount last night baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
  • bookmarked!
  • see, i liked the idea of using the jubilee clips well cheap and i can get them from work but on carbon bars i dont really wanna stick em on, so i reckon im gonna get them velcro strap ones, see how they hold up. i have unlimited supply of cable ties at work so if the velcro gives i can always use them... or cable tie to the bike and velcro to the top!

    good thing about being cheap... you learn to improvise and make do and mend! ha!

    thanks for all the replies too!