diesel_dad

After several months of trying to come up with a really solid, professional looking flashlight mount for my bicycle, I've finally come up with something really promising. I have tried Lockblocks, AmiLite, RYO etc. and was never happy.

I finally came across the idea of taking to bottom of a PrincetonTec Switchback handlebar mount, removing the clip and grafting on the top of a PlanetBike mount I bought from MEC. Here are photos of the results:

Some photos with Huntlight FT-01 XSE









Photos of mount empty





Pictures with LED Logic Striker-VG upgraded with SSC P4





Photos of Commuter Bike






Cheers

Giro

VERY nice! My compliments!

Bushman

oh that is slick!!! nice job!

Ps, got specs on those lights?

varuscelli

Wow! Very solid and very professional looking.

The only thing that I see in the photos that I think doesn't look good is the length of the bolt sticking out below the head of the flashlight. Will that be left that long? Just curious. Otherwise, that's one fine looking setup. Fantastic idea, great execution!

znomit

Does the bit that holds the flashlight separate from the bit that clamps to the bars?
Thinking in terms of homebrew non flashlight applications.

diesel_dad

The top and bottom are connected with one screw, so there are probably lots of other possibilities.

diesel_dad

That's the way the PrincetonTec bracket is built. You could cut the screw of you wanted to but the long screw is to accomodate 31.8 mm handlebars like my road bike.

diesel_dad

The two lights are:

Huntlight FT-01 XSE
MODEL:FT01XSE
Using Cree 7090 X-lamp P4 WD bin Led
Maximum brightness: 140LM
Colour: Black and Grey(HAIII natured)
Five stage output ,SOS and strobe mode
Two CR123A or One 18650 Battery
131m(L)*33mm(D)
Constructed of aircraft grade aluminum
Type III hard anodized finish,highly durable
Waterproof
Toughened Ultra clear glass lens with AR coating
Push-button tail cap switch

LED Logic Striker-VG with SSC P4 Upgrade
The new STRIKER-VG LED tactical flashlight is designed for Law Enforcement, Military, Border Patrol, Corrections and Security Officers and those civilians who desire a Non-Lethal Self Defense tool against intruders or aggressive attackers.

What sets the STRIKER VG apart from standard flashlights is its extremely high output and realistic color definition. Color definition is critical when searching for contraband or illuminating subjects where color identification is important. This is accomplished by their specially developed, patented optic that is perfectly matched toultra high output Luxeon LED and a Digitally Enhanced power management system with patented programming.

Powerful Strobe Light: The STRIKER VG a multi-faceted lighting tool that not only provides optimal brightness but also a uniquely programmed and field-tested high-powered strobe light.This feature clearly sets the STRIKER VG apart from the competition. A carefully calibrated and field tested Strobe frequency equips the user with an effective Non-Lethal weapon. The high output strobe may incapacitate the aggressor by disorienting and momentarily blinding them. This window of time can give you a decided advantage in subduing or apprehending an attacker.

# Features: Power booster to LED maintains maximum output as batteries diminish.
# Collimator Optic for superior distance and illumination - the best optic on the market today!
# Body is formed from T-6 Billet Aircraft grade aluminum
# HA3 anodized. Machined T-6 aluminum heatsink.
# Silicone O-ring sealed. Waterproof in 2 feet of water for 30 minutes
# Shock resistant. Ultra Heavy duty construction.
# Designed for weapons mount
#
# Multi-function switch modes. The light is very easy to use:
Button presses:
1 - Press and release is always momentary.
2 - Double Press is on. Continue to hold for dimming.
3 - Tactical Strobe.
# Serial Numbered
# Two CR123 Lithium 3V batteries (10 year shelf life) included.
# Works GREAT with RCR123A 3.0V rechargables!!
# 7 1/4" long x 1" barrel x 1 9/16" diameter bezel
# Optional purpose made black nylon belt sheath/holster - fits duty belt!

varuscelli

When you start marketing those hybrid clamps of yours, let us know. I'm sure you'll have us all lining up to buy.

I call for first set!

diesel_dad

Hi,
I am not planning to get into the business but the mount is so easy to assemble that you just need the parts. The PrincetonTec Switchback mounts are available by contacting PrincetonTec through their web site or 1-800 number. They charged $12 USD per mount when I bought mine. They have distributors all over the place who are supposed to stock them.

The Planet Bike Quick Cam mounts are available in Canada through MEC. The link is https://www.mec.ca/Products/product_d...=1189346721450

The Planet Bike mount was $3.50 CAD. While I did not try it, I suspect that you could also make a good mount with two of the Planet Bike brackets and a small plate to connect them.

The assembly was dead easy. The "hot shoe" mount comes off the PrincetonTec bracket with a 2.5mm hexy key and the Planet Bike head comes off with a Phillips #1 screwdriver. Then you just take the screw from the Planet Bike mount to attach it the the PrincetonTec base oriented at 90 degrees.

Have fun!

varuscelli

Cool, cool, cool info diesl_dad...

Thanks for sharing all that. Nice to have people who will follow up with all the details of their creative inventions for others to emulate if they wish.

The thing I really like about what you did is as you describe (accurately) in your initial post with the words "solid" and "professional." So many other products to do the same thing seem more like they should be described as "make do" contraptions.

One more question on behalf of those concerned with weight issues, though (I personally don't have many of those kinds of concerns at my cycling level, though). Do you happen to have a scale that can give you an accurate weight on the mount? I'll bet quite a few of the riders looking at your invention might want to know that.

Really glad the fruits of your labor have come out with such a tasty result. Your time, effort, and creativity certainly seem to have been rewarded.

diesel_dad

Sorry, I do not have a gram scale. As a guess, I would say the total weight is less than the flashlight, which weighs 110 grams.

sygyzy

Could have sworn the first HA Gray light was a Surefire. Cool mounting idea. Now to find those mounts sold separately instead of having to cannibalize it from somewhere else.

Grun

Grun Wishes To Speak:

Get 2X the Mec Clamps for $3.00 apiece. Screw them together at 90°.

Grun

Neat idea diesel dad.

alexdrozd

Grun,

What is the part number of the "Mec" clamps?

Grun

Here ya go: Here is my variation:
I used a Shark mount ($1.50) and a Planetbike QuickCam Mount ($3.50):
My girlfriend is a smart cookie, she made her mount in about a minute: (two zip ties)

My mount took about 10 minutes: (9 minutes thinking/experimenting, 1 minute execution:


The two Compared:

Grun

Hi There Alex. Hope you are well. Ride Safe:
There were two types of mounts:
One was the PlanetBike:
https://www.mec.ca/Products/product_d...=1190340747314

The other I picked up in the actual store, in the same area:
Shark Light Bracket Support Phare Shark 5014943

259147

In retrospect, I would have used two PlanetBikes. $3.50 + $3.50. You will also need a single screw.

But damn, two zipties, and 65 seconds! Damnit!

Grun

Both are Cree Editions. Bam! Add a third, and it will probably be almost as bright as a lower end H.I.D.

The thing is brighter than a Fenix Cree Edition L2D CE.

varuscelli

Great stuff, Grun. Thanks for sharing.

Grun

No, no, Thank-YOU.

varuscelli

Ha! Wear it and you might get an annoyingly painful crick in your neck, so consider yourself warned.

Me: "Hey, Doc, it hurts when I wear this."

The Doc: "Don't wear that."

Maxximum

Wait on the Q5's and you will have motorists swearing at you.

Grun

Yeah, the Q5's.

Anyways. My Fenix alone was brighter than a Cygolite Dual-Cross 300. Food for thought.
I picked up the Cree Q2, which is brighter than the Fenix, and paid $25 for each one. $25, + the mounts, and you get an all in one thing, and you don't have to strap a battery anywhere, and it will be brighter than the $250 Cygolite Dual-Cross. If you pop in an 18650 battery, it will last 3.5h, the same duration as the Cygolite. Add a second light to the handlebar, and mount one to the headtube, and get a $20 Cree Q2 ultra bright for the helmet, and you will be packing some serious heat!


Cygolite Dualcross ($200+)

diesel_dad

I also have a Princeton Tec Switchback 3 bike light. The biggest advantage of the PT3 is that the beam pattern is tailored for cycling. It has two different kinds of optics -- flood and spot. So it provides throw and spill at the same time, whereas my flashlights have lots of throw but relatively little spill.

Ideally, I'd use two flashlights with different beam patterns. The only LED flashlight I own that has a flood beam pattern and high output is the AmiLite Neo T5, which is a Seoul SSC P4 but has short run-time with rechargeable batteries (30 minutes or less).

Would appreciate ideas on flashlights with 18650 battery and flood beam pattern.