Commuting - Cree / Magicshine, etc. - where the heck do you put the battery packs?

After 3 years of winter commuting I finally broke down and replaced my Planet Bike 1-watt front light with one of those CREE XML T6 lights. Well, call me naive but to my surprise these things work using external battery packs.

How do you all that use these mount the battery packs? The way I'm setting it up for today is to just put the pack in my rear rack bag as the cable seems long enough and I'll just secure the cables with velcro straps.

Anyway, any pictures or other creative ideas?

Water bottle cage.

I use the top tube. Works wonders.

For the headlamp, I thread the cord under the helmet and out the back vent and then drop the batter pack in my jersey back pocket and call it a day.

If you need pics, let me know and I can post some.

Normally I carry the extra battery in the front bottle cage on my bike. However, one of my bikes has a front rack, where I strap the battery when riding that bike. I have also tried carrying the battery in my jersey pocket with the light attached to my helmet, but don't like having the cord running down my back and the battery filling up my pocket. I have also tried velcro strapping the battery to my stem but it's a tight fit and I'm afraid it could fall off.

Mine has one of the two velcro straps on the battery coming off the battery and I need to reglue it. But, when it was right, put in on the top tube when running on the bars or the seat tube when putting it on my helmet. I have a splitter so it also powers a tail light I have mounted on my seatpost.

After 3 years of winter commuting I finally broke down and replaced my Planet Bike 1-watt front light with one of those CREE XML T6 lights. Well, call me naive but to my surprise these things work using external battery packs.

How do you all that use these mount the battery packs? The way I'm setting it up for today is to just put the pack in my rear rack bag as the cable seems long enough and I'll just secure the cables with velcro straps.

Anyway, any pictures or other creative ideas?

You can strap them under the stem, on top of the stem, under the top tube, to the water bottle cage or, my favorite, put them in a Cage Rocket (http://www.cagerocket.com/product_info.htm) and put them in the water bottle holder. These pictures are for an older light system but the idea is still the same and I still use the boxes. You can put two of the 2P2S battery packs in one box.


http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r181/cyccommute/IMG_0106.jpg
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r181/cyccommute/IMG_0088.jpg
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r181/cyccommute/IMG_0086.jpg

You can strap them under the stem, on top of the stem, under the top tube, to the water bottle cage or, my favorite, put them in a Cage Rocket (http://www.cagerocket.com/product_info.htm) and put them in the water bottle holder. These pictures are for an older light system but the idea is still the same and I still use the boxes. You can put two of the 2P2S battery packs in one box.


http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r181/cyccommute/IMG_0106.jpg
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r181/cyccommute/IMG_0088.jpg
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r181/cyccommute/IMG_0086.jpg

No water bottle love?

282626
diy cage rocket

Mines under the stem. FYI, the batteries work better when they're warmer, expect to see some "shrinkage" in battery life in the colder temps. Not that you would have to worry about that in San Diego.

http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g197/stdlrf11/Mobile%20Uploads/1278163920.jpg

Another DIY bottle.

Down tube water cage (I got the larger ruggedized 6 cell pack)

I've strapped the smaller, standard size packs to the underside of the stem before on my mtn bike, but I run the light on my helmet now with an extension cord. The extension cord may also help you in terms of mounting flexibility.
http://www.action-led-lights.com/collections/accessories/products/1m-extension-cable

If you're running low on real estate for accessories, this little attachment is pretty neat.

http://www.action-led-lights.com/collections/accessories/products/computer-headlight-mount

You can strap them under the stem, on top of the stem, under the top tube, to the water bottle cage or, my favorite, put them in a Cage Rocket (http://www.cagerocket.com/product_info.htm) and put them in the water bottle holder. These pictures are for an older light system but the idea is still the same and I still use the boxes. You can put two of the 2P2S battery packs in one box.




http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r181/cyccommute/IMG_0086.jpg


You be packin some heavy chit/lums!! :thumb: :thumb: :thumb:

If you're running low on real estate for accessories, this little attachment is pretty neat.

http://www.action-led-lights.com/collections/accessories/products/computer-headlight-mount

Wow, that looks like a cheaper version of the dashboard genie.

No water bottle love?

Just melt the snow if you're thirsty.

Did yours come with a little velcro pouch? I just used that pouch it came with on the down tube, seems to be working great. I wrapped it on tightly with some gaffer's tape once I got it positioned perfectly, because the velcro is pretty thin/weak and it was shifting around. Now it's not going anywhere.

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-pYtzdRj96Sc/UJwJzVejz9I/AAAAAAAADJA/55Z8zXMCqUw/s576/IMG_20121108_113622.jpg

Just melt the snow if you're thirsty.

Make sure it ain't yellow first :lol:

Extension cord and thrown in the waterproof pannier. I also have a Y cable to power the taillight.

No water bottle love?

Winter. They'd just be useless bricks by the time I got to work anyway. A Camelbak with an insulated tube kit works better down to stupid temperatures anyway...and gives me a place to put the battery for the helmet light.

See if Gemini will sell you a single battery pouch:

http://gemini-lights.com/products/battery-pack-6-cell

Thanks for the suggestions and pictures. It's been a huge help!

Mine came with a pouch - I will probably start with it zip-tied up under the stem as I don't trust the velcro right now :)

On a naked bike, on the downtube; on a dressed bike, I use the extension and put the battery in the trunk or panniers.

On a naked bike, on the downtube; on a dressed bike, I use the extension and put the battery in the trunk or panniers.


I've thought of doing that, but didn't know if it'd overheat. Don't know why it would, but as hot as the light gets, I guess I just thought the battery would have some problems if not in moving air either. Sounds pretty dumb now when I actually see it written.

Not sure how the pouch attaches, but DiNotte (http://store.dinottelighting.com/lithium-ion-spare-parts-p142.aspx) sells a nice wide velcro strap for its batteries.

Top tube, stem, sometimes even on the handlebars. Mostly top tube.

If its Cold Outside, wear them under your coat, batteries work better if Not Cold.

I've got two and they are in a small wedge bag under the saddle. Wires run along top tube.

You can strap them under the stem, on top of the stem, under the top tube, to the water bottle cage or, my favorite, put them in a Cage Rocket (http://www.cagerocket.com/product_info.htm) and put them in the water bottle holder. These pictures are for an older light system but the idea is still the same and I still use the boxes. You can put two of the 2P2S battery packs in one box.
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r181/cyccommute/IMG_0088.jpg


No way I am giving up my water bottles in Florida! My MagicShine battery is strapped under the top tube, tucked in the corner between headtube and downtube. To keep the battery from sliding all over the place I threaded the Velcro strap under the cable before first cable stop (if your stem is long enough, it can be strapped to the stem too).
BTW, the outer diameter of the majority of bike pumps is 1", so I kept an offset bracket from some dead Serfas product and strapped my RoadMorph under the bottle cage.

For the lamp I put on the bars, I velcro the battery to the top tube. For my helmet, I just strap the battery to the top of the helmet. Just adds to the look - light forward, blinky on a swivel to the rear, battery pack on top, and a great big mirror out front over the visor.

I have a DiNotte Lightening 400L (http://aushiker.com/dinotte-lighting-400l-dual-headlight-owners-review/) but I guess the issue of mounting the battery is much the same. I have mounted on the top of top tube but find that (a) it marks the top tube so I really need something between the battery and the tube to protect the frame paintwork and (b) it can slide around a bit, particular when getting out of the saddle. Not a huge issue but still a little annoying.

You can see the battery behind the Topeak Tri Bag in this photo.

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-bVQ_15H1zMU/UIzasBi0ezI/AAAAAAAAF84/tkRGGWZ6b3E/s640/PA280861.JPG

Andrew

I velcro-mount my MagicShine battery over my 70mm stem. I zip-tied some black neoprene around the stem as a shim.
The velcro that came with the battery ripped when I was fastening it on after several rides. I just bought some stronger velcro from a big box electronics-n-doodads store.
For my helmet light, I velcroed the battery to the back of my helmet. I don't like the extra weight or the potential hazards if I wreck, have tried other options but liked them less.

Mount the light on top of your handlebar and strap the battery underneath on the opposite side.

No way I am giving up my water bottles in Florida!

That white stuff in the background is snow. To have snow you need cold...not 50 F cold but freezing water cold. Freezing cold and water bottles don't mix, ergo the Camelbak.

Having toured extensively in the south for several years now, I've also found that an ice packed Camelbak provides a lot nicer drink than a tepid water bottle does so, even in the south, I wouldn't be losing anything with this kind of setup.

That white stuff in the background is snow. To have snow you need cold...not 50 F cold but freezing water cold. Freezing cold and water bottles don't mix, ergo the Camelbak.

Having toured extensively in the south for several years now, I've also found that an ice packed Camelbak provides a lot nicer drink than a tepid water bottle does so, even in the south, I wouldn't be losing anything with this kind of setup.
+1 - Especially in the summer, water bottles don't cut it here in the desert. My Camelbak Mule, ice cold 100oz of water, is my secret weapon. I don't care for heat exhaustion/stroke and water bottles don't last. But my problem (back to the OP) is that NiteRider batteries are oddly shaped so I don't know how to use the nekked water bottle cage for it - so I still just strap the battery to the downtube. Although the Cage Rocket looks like something viable if I wanted to go that route

You can strap them under the stem, on top of the stem, under the top tube, to the water bottle cage or, my favorite, put them in a Cage Rocket (http://www.cagerocket.com/product_info.htm) and put them in the water bottle holder. These pictures are for an older light system but the idea is still the same and I still use the boxes. You can put two of the 2P2S battery packs in one box.


http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r181/cyccommute/IMG_0106.jpg
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r181/cyccommute/IMG_0088.jpg
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r181/cyccommute/IMG_0086.jpg

Really cool set up. I like it.

After 3 years of winter commuting I finally broke down and replaced my Planet Bike 1-watt front light with one of those CREE XML T6 lights. Well, call me naive but to my surprise these things work using external battery packs.

How do you all that use these mount the battery packs? The way I'm setting it up for today is to just put the pack in my rear rack bag as the cable seems long enough and I'll just secure the cables with velcro straps.

Anyway, any pictures or other creative ideas?

I use one of these. (http://www.topeak.com/products/Bags/fueltank_m)

Really cool set up. I like it.

Thank you. That set up has changed quite a bit from when I took that picture (2006). I extended the rear fender down to the bottom bracket by mounting a small bit of fender on a clamp-on water bottle mount. It's actually lower part of the rear fender in the picture which broke. I've also added a grunge guard to the downtube and, because a fork change force me to, I've added disc brakes. The Arch Rivals were working just fine but the new fork didn't have linear brake bosses.

I've also gone to LED lights which have, finally, reached the level of output that those lights were pumping out (overvolted MR-11 halogens).

The bike has also be cleansed of Shimano parts. It currently has not a single Shimano part on it. Trust me, that's not all that easy to do.

Thank you. That set up has changed quite a bit from when I took that picture (2006). I extended the rear fender down to the bottom bracket by mounting a small bit of fender on a clamp-on water bottle mount. It's actually lower part of the rear fender in the picture which broke. I've also added a grunge guard to the downtube and, because a fork change force me to, I've added disc brakes. The Arch Rivals were working just fine but the new fork didn't have linear brake bosses.

I've also gone to LED lights which have, finally, reached the level of output that those lights were pumping out (overvolted MR-11 halogens).

The bike has also be cleansed of Shimano parts. It currently has not a single Shimano part on it. Trust me, that's not all that easy to do.

Why did you get rid of shimano parts?

I am getting ready to break the ice and get one of the Magicshine clones, or that triple monster. I don't like battery packs. However, the top tube, with a top tube bag would be ideal for me. I like my bikes to look racer like. Yeah, I ain't dealing with a full deck and don't want one! ;)

The top tube bag, they got many variations, this one strikes my fancy and not to bugle-some!!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bushwhacker-Tahoe-Red-Top-Tube-Frame-Bag-Bike-Crossbar-Cycling-Energy-Bicycling-/251179957283?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a7b7dfc23


And the bad azz light, for $72.00

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-3800-Lumen-3x-CREE-XM-L-T6-LED-Bicycle-bike-HeadLight-Lamp-Light-Headlamp-/330788378163?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4d04861633

Anyway, any pictures or other creative ideas?

Attached to the stem. Off to one side where it'll rest against the end of the stem (thread-less) or quill (threaded).

282779

If you haven't bought a light yet, also consider some of the self-contained units with built-in batteries such as the Light & Motion Urban series, Lezyne and others. I am using a L&M Urban 500 as my primary headlight these days, and it will hold a charge long enough so I only need to charge once a day commuting about 30 miles round trip. I also have a L&M Stella 300 with a separate battery pack but don't use it much anymore.

Why did you get rid of shimano parts?

Because I don't like monocultures:rolleyes: Honestly, it was just an experiment to see if I could do it. In the process...it took a few years to accomplish it...I found out some stuff. I feel that Sram's front derailer is the best mountain bike derailer I've ever used. It's more forgiving than Shimano front derailers.

I've also become a big fan of Sram's rear derailer and their thumb shifters (not Gripshift, however). Where Shimano likes to make their stuff shift as light as possible, Sram has gone for a noticeably positive shift. Shimano's stuff sometimes suffers from such a light touch that it can be difficult to tell if you've actually shifted.

Thanks again for all the suggestions and pictures. I ended up putting it under the stem and it worked great.

Compared to my PB light this is incredibly bright! I left at dusk last night with the flasher mode on and I could see this thing reflecting off street signs hundreds of yards away.

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm262/matthewjones0224/IMAG0205.jpg

I strap mine to the front of the head tube.

If you strap the battery to the underside of the stem just make sure that's on there very securely. The other night as I was leaving home, I bunny hopped a speed bump and dislodged my battery pack into my front wheel, which broke the valve stem on the tube, causing rapid decompression. Luckily it didn't get stuck and cause the wheel to lock up, and I stayed upright on the bike. Just had to replace the tube.

I had tried to deal with the excessively long cables on both the headlamp and the battery pack but bundling some of them under the battery, but this left too little velcro contact. My velcro is also wearing out a little. This should be a perfectly fine practice if you just check to see that everything's secure.

Yep, the velcro sucks. I wrapped mine with gaffer's tape; a zip tie would work well, too. But definitely do something more than the crappy, thin velcro it comes with.

Thanks again for all the suggestions and pictures. I ended up putting it under the stem and it worked great.

Compared to my PB light this is incredibly bright! I left at dusk last night with the flasher mode on and I could see this thing reflecting off street signs hundreds of yards away.

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm262/matthewjones0224/IMAG0205.jpg

Congrats!! :thumb:

Have you looked at how bright that sucker is from the front? Oh boy!! :beer:

And it comes with its own bag too. ;)

It's crazy bright. As I mentioned earlier, in flasher mode it could be seen flashing off street signs hundreds of yards away.

Taken from another light thread I have reattached the PB light and I am going to use that in flasher mode in combination with the new one on normal. I think it will be a good combination.