Helmet & Safety Light difficulty: I Need Your Advice
 

Years ago, I found a great way to mount a Planet Bike Superflash (PBSF) to the Giro helmet I wear. By clipping the safety light to the back bottom piece on the helmet, it proved effective visibility because it was mounted high enough where almost no motorist could miss noticing it. This also helped for brief times when I had to either turn my head or dismount.

Years went by and I had to replace the helmet. While shopping for a new one, I noticed that helmets currently made by both Giro and Bell didn't have a place where I could convieniently clip my PBSF anymore. I eventually settled on the Giro Atlas II (see www.giro.com )as it fit best and for my other bicycling needs.

However, the issue of finding an effective way of mounting the PBSF to my current helmet still isn't resolved. At this point, I need to know if there are any home-made means of securing the safety light WITHOUT ruining the helmet.

I welcome any and all recommendations you may have. Thank You.

Rough up part of the shiny part of the back of the helmet, then epoxy the mount for the PBSF to it. (You rough it up because epoxy doesn't stick quite so well to smooth plastic.)

I wouldn't call such a helmet ruined -- you can still remove the light if you want -- but that might not be what you're after. Either way, you should be able to epoxy some sort of mounting bracket on the back easily enough without doing and real damage (beyond simply cosmetic) to the helmet .

I put a tie wrap loosely through some of the rear vents and attach my PBSF to that. I was worried it might come off but it hasnt' in at least a year or more. In fact I have mountain biked with it on the helmet.

Good luck

Didn't the good Lord create zip ties for solving these kinds of problems??

I don't understand the desire to mount a tail light so high and to a surface which isn't always going to be directed back towards traffic (such as when you look anywhere but straight ahead). Why not just mount it on your seatpost or chainstay? If you have a rack, there's plenty of options there as well.

He also created industrial strength sticky back hook and loop fastener (Velcro for the technically challenged).

How about one of the Specialized helmets, like the Propero? I am going to buy one for that reason.

The NEW Bell Citi has a spot for the light !Great helmet IMO and one a the PBSF on my seat post would be useless my trunk bag covers that area . SO I have one on my rear rack and one on my helmet . Cars seem to give me a wide birth even in daylight hours except for the odd jerk now and then !

My wife has gotten behind me in the car and says in HER opinion the one on my helmet shows up the best even when your looking around . just my 2 cents if its worth that !!

Thanks for your contribution, pipes. It's one worth considering.

Amen...:)

Cannot comment on helmet mounted blinkies.

I do have a PBSF mounted on the left pannier, and I set it to flash, and another red blinkie that is mounted on the right pannier. I set the right one to solid. That way, if I am riding at night, the motorists have more of a reference of size and actual motion.

I have cheaper blinkies on the bike on the seat stay and behind the rack. If someone takes $7.00 light off my bike it's not to big a deal. My $25 PBSF would piss me off. So this is an easy way to take it with me.

also. I like the idea of one light up as high as possible. I also like running more than one at a time. I feel you can't be too noticed to the motoring public.

I once had a helmet on which I fastened a tiny blinkie by first affixing a strip of velcro that had industrial-strength adhesive backing to both the helmet and blinkie. It held the blinkie in place and I was able to remove it if I chose. This might also work for the back my current helmet and the back of the PBSF. The only snag there would be if said velcro strips are commonly available. This way, the PBSF could be attached to the helmet, would hold, and could later be detached at will without damaging either the PBSF or the helmet. If the velcro strips are available, where can I find them?

Your local hardware store has sticky back velcro in either individual packages or rolls. I find the stuff quite handy and bought a roll of it for whatever.

I've got mine zip-tied on the back of my helmet. Simple, effective.

As far as helmet mounts for flashes ... I strongly recommend it. I have one up there (and one on my seatpost) and I get a comments from drivers saying they can really see it.

UPDATE: I went to many fellow bicyclists and bike shop owners, asking them the same request that I put on this thread. None of them were as helpful as you've been thus far.

While packing to go on a bicycling vacation, I did find an inexpensive way to solve my problem that doesn't result in any damage to neither the Superflash or the Giro Atlas II helmet. By winding a thick elastic rubber band around both the clip of the PBSF and the back of the helmet, the PBSF stayed secure enough so that it remained attached. Although it didn't always remain in the perfect position as the one I first strapped the PBSF in, I believe that can be amended by strapping it tighter in place.

I thank you for your recommendations. If you have more, please keep them coming.

As time went on, my home-made rig of securing the back of a PBSF (Planet Bike Super Flash) blinkie didn't hold together very well. However, I took care of the problem by turning the Superflash upside down and winding an elastic band (or two) as tight as possible through the rear vents of my Giro Atlas II Helmet. This way, the light can be removed if necessary without ruining the helmet. It has held tight ever since.

Some of you might wonder why I mounted a safety light of that type so high. I have two other PBSFs mounted on the chainstays of my bicycle. However, the trunk bag that I always have mounted on the bike tends to hide them somewhat so that people cannot see the PBSFs unless they are a long distance away. With the PBSF mounted on my helmet, motorists it's obvious that almost everyone can see me from both a short and long distance a short distance whether I'm on my bicycle or not. I hope this answers your questions

The Superflash is pretty much a narrow angle light, so I mount mine on the back of the bike. What I would favor on the back of the helmet is the Planet Bike Blinkie 7. That is another low weight light that can be seen from other angles better than the Superflash. The Blinkie 7 is the one I put on the chainstays for side visibility.

http://ecom1.planetbike.com/3019.html

PS- If you belong to an advocacy organization like League of American Bicyclists, they might still have free shipping.

I don't know why you don't just use a zip/cable tie. They are much sturdier than elastic and you can just cut it off with a sharp scissor whenever you want.

My auto parts store carries different colors and sizes, too. You can mix and match them to your helmet.