Electronics, Lighting, & Gadgets - Thread regarding mounting small flashlights (P7, Cree, MC-E, etc.) on bars and helmet

I thought it would be helpful to have one thread where folks could share knowledge and tips about how to best mount small DX-type (DX=Deal Extreme, if you are new) flashlights to bikes, since this seems to be a highly recommended lighting solution.




What I've seen so far are the www.dealextreme.com cheap mounts (these are DX part numbers):
8274 (the $1.90 mount)
15642 (another mount, $3.35)

These are apparently hit and miss. They work for some, but not others. The size of your handlebars will also be a factor.

Another popular choice: Twofish lockblocks. These are like $15 and are somewhat hard to find (Internet only). The few reviews I've read seem positive.

Minoura spacegrip: Some apparently like this as well.

DIY: Some have come up with much better and more secure DIY options. Anyone care to share detailed instructions and pictures?

Dclaryjr (dave) sent me some great instructions. Dave, with your permission I will repost here (or you can add). A picture would also be helpful (I think you've posted them before).




All of these seem to be DIY. I've heard of people using rubber bands and o rings. Not sure if these work very well or not.

Can anyone post detailed pictures and instructions? How do you make sure it's secure? How do you point it so you don't have to cock your head to make the light shine on the road??!?


Thanks in advance. I think it will be helpful to consolidate all the mounting advice, tips, and tricks into one thread (perhaps sticky).

use foam from trash (from a package), plastic tie straps, duct tape.

it's good idea to isolate flashlight from shock, thus the foam./duct tape.

also protects finish.

apply tape to batteries for better fit, prevent rattling noise and accidental mode change/ shutoff.

I stumbled upon this. It seems promising. The bottom is the same one I have on my oversized handlebar, so it will fit oversized handlebar.

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.18889

http://www1.dealextreme.com/productimages/sku_18889_1.jpg

I bought a 3-pack of TwoFish LockBlocks from JensonUSA.com and they work well. One is holding a light to my bars and one is holding a superflash to my chain stay. I've got a 3rd that's holding a light to my helmet, but because of my vents and the fact that you can't really change the side-to-side angle of a LockBlock, the light isn't pointed straight ahead, but maybe 10 degrees to the left.

They're light, simple, and solid, and I wouldn't ever worry about a light coming out of them. You can attach/detach one in about 5 seconds. The downside is that you lose some adjustability.

Bryce- that is helpful. Do you have any pictures?

double conduit hangar clamps.

for the plastic block mounts from DX, use a pair of #6 or #8 washers (I can't remember what I had on hand) and a thin piece of rubber from an inner tube or spare rubber spacers from rear blinkies.
with the washers and rubber spacer, you can tighten the DX mount down quite strong with no worries of the screw pulling through or the mount slipping.

What do the washers do? I thought that the biggest problem was that the DX mounts didn't work on modern road-style handlebars because our bars are too thick?

I use the genuine innovation co2 mount which is available in some shops.. It works very well for mounting flashlight to your helmet.. It is easy to install and take off after riding..

http://www.genuineinnovations.com/bikeprods.aspx?subcat=5&prodid=1044

What do the washers do? I thought that the biggest problem was that the DX mounts didn't work on modern road-style handlebars because our bars are too thick?

the washers allow you to tighten the bolts down harder without having to worry about the head pulling through.

use a minoura space grip for OS bars and you'll be able to mount a pair of P7/MC-E no problem.

I use the genuine innovation co2 mount which is available in some shops.. It works very well for mounting flashlight to your helmet.. It is easy to install and take off after riding..

http://www.genuineinnovations.com/bikeprods.aspx?subcat=5&prodid=1044

DX clone of above part:

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.12000

Also same as the TwoFish BikeBlock.

KaiDomain has them also, as well at some "LockBlock" clones.

DX SKU 15642

Fits 26mm and 31mm bars. Holds the 'fatter' P7 type lights, and with some shimming, lights like the UltraFire C3's and the Romisen RC-N3. Comes with multiple rubber shims, mainly for the handlebars. Both mounting screws are brass, as well as the captive nuts they scew into. Also available at KaiDomain.

Nite-Ize "Lite Ride"


http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x247/Skip_H/Nite-IzeHBholder.jpg

http://www.niteize.com/productdetail.php?category_id=28&product_id=79

"Commercial" version of a one that can be made from an inner tube....video already posted somewhere on BF. I'll see if I can find it later.

Pretty snug fit for both the flashlight and the bars. Once attached, stays put pretty good.

Edit: link to post about making some light mounts

http://www.bikeforums.net/showpost.php?p=7910875&postcount=10

Have a look at this helmet light:

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=448060&page=2

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e61/Unknown_Cyclist/14HelmetLight.jpg

:thumb:

http://nordicgroup.us/s78/flashlights.html



http://nordicgroup.us/s78/images/barbracketcree.jpg

These are bulletproof.

http://www.twofish.biz/bike.html

Here's a LockBlock holding a flashlight to my bars, as seen from the side:

http://i39.tinypic.com/1zgqgzk.jpg

And from the top:

http://i39.tinypic.com/311weu9.jpg

What do the washers do? I thought that the biggest problem was that the DX mounts didn't work on modern road-style handlebars because our bars are too thick?

Just got a bike with these oversized bar and my old deal extreme mount from my MTB wont even go around enough to pass the bolt. I just put 3 zip ties.

What do other guys do for OS bars?

DX SKU 15642

Fits 26mm and 31mm bars. Holds the 'fatter' P7 type lights, and with some shimming, lights like the UltraFire C3's and the Romisen RC-N3. Comes with multiple rubber shims, mainly for the handlebars. Both mounting screws are brass, as well as the captive nuts they scew into. Also available at KaiDomain.

I cant seem to get that around my 31mm bar? can you show a pic?

any recently made minoura space grip will fit 32mm diameter bars.
http://www.minoura.co.jp/acc-e.html

Just got a bike with these oversized bar and my old deal extreme mount from my MTB wont even go around enough to pass the bolt. I just put 3 zip ties.

What do other guys do for OS bars?

My above posted link goes to the Twofish lock block. It will fit both sizes of bars and even beyond that.

I cant seem to get that around my 31mm bar? can you show a pic?

Sorry, no pictures...maybe later.

My DX SKU 15642 came with 2 shims, one a medium thickness one and one rather thick one as shown in the pictures at DX.

The mount fits very easily and loosely over the 31.8mm area of my OS bars not using a shim.

I tried the thinner of the two shims and it works fine. The only problem is the brake cables get in the way a little bit, but I put the shim so it covered the brake cable and it tightens down good and stays in place.

On a bike with 26mm bars, I have to use the thick shim since the clamp is so big. I snug it down so it won't move on it's own, but I can still twist it slightly so I have sort of a high beam and low beam, depending on what I need.

I'm using a Romisen RC-N3 Q5 light, so had to shim the light to fit in the light part of the mounting bracket.

Just got a bike with these oversized bar and my old deal extreme mount from my MTB wont even go around enough to pass the bolt. I just put 3 zip ties.

What do other guys do for OS bars?

That's what's nice about the conduit hangar mount (pictured above #14). You can pair different size hangars to fit any bar or flashlight. The other advantage to it is that you can mount it on a portion of the bar that is not perpindicular to your direction of travel, yet you can still aim the light in any direction you want. It does register on the fred-o-meter with the exposed bolts, but it's an inexpensive, practical answer.

No pictures but easy to visualize; I use a small piece of dense foam for cushion and a 2 7/8 - 3" o-ring with my MTE M3-2 light. Stays put unless you bump it and is easy to adjust up/down, left/right. I still may get something more permanent but I did this as a temporary mount and have been satisfied with it so far.

Easy to put on and take off, can mount above or below the bar.

jw

combination mounting of stem + bar extension (wide and short minoura space grip) on a 31.8mm OS bar using sku 12000 and 8274.

I didn't have a 2x18650 or longer flash light on hand, so I used a frame pump, but you get the idea.