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-   -   Disruption of the light throw (https://www.bikeforums.net/electronics-lighting-gadgets/1315972-disruption-light-throw.html)

I Like To Ride 10-24-25 06:22 PM


Originally Posted by veganbikes (Post 23632267)
A light for commuting is not about you shining at people it is about good visibility and that doesn't really provide it. People need to know where your bike is and is going not where your head may decide to turn. Helmet lights are fun but are a tertiary light unless mountain biking where it is less about other seeing you.

Plenty of cyclists run helmet mounted lights. I can adjust the brightness so as not to blind people and still be visible. I ride on the trails in the dark so a powerful helmet light is necessary for me. When I ride in urban area in traffic I just use lower setting.

My racks also have reflecrive tape.

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...fd086b7bdf.jpg

I Like To Ride 10-24-25 06:29 PM


Originally Posted by mstateglfr (Post 23632234)
visually so much.

Is that better ?

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...d187d05f84.jpg

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...00a8a64230.jpg

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...257d26361a.jpg

No disruptions.

veganbikes 10-24-25 06:30 PM


Originally Posted by I Like To Ride (Post 23632229)
I prefer to have my light mounted on my helmet. I can point my 1000 lumen light anywhere and see everything without any disruption.

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...21dbd4bdef.jpg


Originally Posted by I Like To Ride (Post 23632278)
Plenty of cyclists run helmet mounted lights. I can adjust the brightness so as not to blind people and still be visible. I ride on the trails in the dark so a powerful helmet light is necessary for me. When I ride in urban area in traffic I just use lower setting.

My racks also have reflecrive tape.

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...fd086b7bdf.jpg

On a trail 100% a helmet mounted light is handy but on paved areas not really super useful and still would much prefer a better beam pattern and on the bike so people can see where my bike is going. Anywhere I am dealing with pedestrians I want my hands on the bars not playing with my lights. People just simply never need to see where anything but the bike is going and with a good solid front light they can do that as well as allowing you to see and not blind people. A helmet light would just be a fun accessory for me in paved areas on a trail and I do mean a trail as in mountain biking or actually off-road, not paved, that is a different story.

Reflective tape is fun and is not a bad thing but lights are crucial. Anything that is not visible from a naked eye is probably not going to be visible to a car without headlights and I see way too many of them these days. Certainly it is better than nothing but being actively visible is the key. I worry about passive stuff after the active lighting is dialed and on point.

rsbob 10-24-25 06:34 PM

I would ditch the front bag and instead have a rear rack where a trunk rack or pannier can be hung. Vision at night is bad enough as is, so why add an additional obstruction?

MikeDeason 10-24-25 06:42 PM


Originally Posted by I Like To Ride (Post 23632229)
I prefer to have my light mounted on my helmet. I can point my 1000 lumen light anywhere and see everything without any disruption.

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...21dbd4bdef.jpg

I use a light to be seen not to see. Plenty of ambient light on my commute. Passing by Blue Jays Way and Bremner onto Martin Goodman. Total bedlam out here for game 1. Bigger than T. Swift by far.

phughes 10-24-25 06:52 PM


Originally Posted by storckm (Post 23632126)
Put your bike in a dark garage or something and see how the light actually looks.

Tomorrow's thread by Mike Deason: What is the best way to ensure darkness in a garage for the purpose of testing a light?

Shadco 10-24-25 06:59 PM

Sheesh what a mess.

Proper mounting of a headlight on the centerline of the bike.

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...6d7787b06.jpeg

.

Paul_P 10-24-25 07:00 PM

Does your front fender bolt hole go all the way through your fork crown ?
If yes, there are many mounts available :
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...120885df07.jpg

zandoval 10-24-25 07:15 PM

Here in Texas ya need a front white light and a red tail light mounted on the bicycle from dusk to dawn. For true illumination of the road most prefer a high intensity light on the helmet. Especially off road riders.

And of course to keep the four wheedlers off your back a reflective vest...

Chuck M 10-24-25 07:15 PM

Find a shop that will hold your helmet for you and have them wrap your bars. And while you are there, ask them about your light. They can sell you another one to mount on the other side of the bag.

I Like To Ride 10-24-25 07:18 PM


Originally Posted by MikeDeason (Post 23632290)
I use a light to be seen not to see.

If you want to be seen a light may not be enough in an urban area. What about daytime visibility ?.
When I bike commute I also wear a high visibility shirt.

This shirt is made from mesh fabric. Since I wear dark clothes I just slip this high visibility shirt over whatever clothing I am wearing
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...5b6faedda5.jpg


dedhed 10-24-25 08:15 PM


Originally Posted by MikeDeason (Post 23632141)
yes. Tried that. Definitely disruption. Not convinced it would affect safety. Other mounting options are not plentiful though.

Geez, just ride it at night and freak'n see if it "disrupts" you and you feel "unsafe". It ain't freak'n rocket science. We used to ride with an incandescent wonder light at about 30 lumens and survived. Stuff like this. Buy it and see. https://www.ebay.com/itm/14551971179...eAypCxXbjn_Jmw

indyfabz 10-24-25 08:25 PM


Originally Posted by MikeDeason (Post 23632290)
I use a light to be seen not to see. Plenty of ambient light on my commute. Passing by Blue Jays Way and Bremner onto Martin Goodman. Total bedlam out here for game 1. Bigger than T. Swift by far.

Sock puppet quoting its mate. How original. :roflmao2:

Mojo31 10-24-25 09:18 PM


Originally Posted by I Like To Ride (Post 23632229)
I prefer to have my light mounted on my helmet. I can point my 1000 lumen light anywhere and see everything without any disruption.

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...21dbd4bdef.jpg

That is one nasty looking sofa.

indyfabz 10-24-25 09:41 PM


Originally Posted by I Like To Ride (Post 23632262)
Falsely accusing people of murder and stealing pics ?. You sound like a deeply disturbed individual. Go get some counseling and meds for your deeply depressive state..

Where did I accuse someone of committing murder, sock?

lol

Reynolds 10-24-25 10:20 PM

You could use an accesory mount to put the light higher over the bag.

Leisesturm 10-24-25 10:26 PM


Originally Posted by I Like To Ride (Post 23632229)
I prefer to have my light mounted on my helmet. I can point my 1000 lumen light anywhere and see everything without any disruption.

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...21dbd4bdef.jpg

I mount a light on my helmet as well.
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...3da2e8f05b.jpg


1200L (rarely use full power). A 'proper' bike light will have an optional headlight mount that it clicks in and out of. And I have total and easy adjustment of the beam angle. I'm not seeing where you have that ability, and the default angle you have set things to looks pretty uncomfortable. As nice as having a seriously powerful helmet light is, the heavy lifting is really done by the two MagicShine 808's on the bars.
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...277d95ad8f.jpg



Old as dirt, but they keep going, and going ... Each one has it's own 4 x 18650 4400 mah battery pack.

The piece de resistance is that at Zero Dark Thirty, with everything blazing, looking head on from 1/4 mi. or more, and I (we) look just like an oncoming diesel locomotive.


https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...019f3e9a3f.jpg


R. D. 10-25-25 02:25 AM


Originally Posted by MikeDeason (Post 23632290)
I use a light to be seen not to see. Plenty of ambient light on my commute. Passing by Blue Jays Way and Bremner onto Martin Goodman. Total bedlam out here for game 1. Bigger than T. Swift by far.

In this case it's perfectly fine, the light is (slightly) above the bag, so anyone who is taller than your bike should see you.

Tourist in MSN 10-25-25 05:43 AM


Originally Posted by MikeDeason (Post 23632178)
Ideally below the stem but nothing seems available that will get the light low enough

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...ca5e92a64.jpeg

I recall seeing some form of knob that could be attached to a fork blade with a zip tie, but do not recall where I saw it. Did a google search and saw this graphic:
https://www.peterwhitecycles.com/ima...nobonfork1.jpg
Graphic from: https://www.peterwhitecycles.com/dualsetupfork.htm


Or, I think you have a hole through your fork crown, as it looks like you have a fender mount bolt there. There are lots of light brackets for a fork crown. I could not find a long enough bolt for my light bracket on my fork crown and fender setup, so I bought a piece of 5mm threaded rod at the hardware store, or maybe I used 6mm, I do not recall which. Cut that with a hacksaw.

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...158ebdd51b.jpg

But I can't tell from your photo if there is enough room under your handlebar bag, you can see in my photo above that I had enough room for it.


Or, you can buy a knob that you can thread onto a quick release skewer and put the light on that knob. Looks like you have through axle, not quick release. But since you have a fork mount for your fender bracket down there, you could thread a knob onto that. This one is a bit pricy, I seen things like this cheaper elsewhere. But mounting a light this low is not ideal, you get large shadows behind things like leaves, etc., and it is harder to see how big bumps are when there are really big shadows behind the bumps.
https://www.campfirecycling.com/prod...nt-p-2576.html


You have to think outside the box for this kind of problem.

phughes 10-25-25 06:09 AM


Originally Posted by Tourist in MSN (Post 23632467)
I recall seeing some form of knob that could be attached to a fork blade with a zip tie, but do not recall where I saw it. Did a google search and saw this graphic:
https://www.peterwhitecycles.com/ima...nobonfork1.jpg
Graphic from: https://www.peterwhitecycles.com/dualsetupfork.htm





You have to think outside the box for this kind of problem.

I use the Paul Components Gino Light mount for my Piko 3 light. It is secure and works great. That being said, don't take anything from the OP seriously, he would dismiss any actual advice anyway. I am posting this for anyone who searches for this topic and actually has an issue. https://www.paulcomp.com/shop/compon...o-light-mount/

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...c9cdb35bd7.jpg

tomato coupe 10-25-25 09:30 AM


Originally Posted by GGDaddy (Post 23632134)
I dunno Big D, WWLD

L would convert an old vodka bottle into an optical waveguide to direct the entirety of the light's output in the desired direction.

MikeDeason 10-25-25 10:23 AM

As was pointed out, the bag integrates a Garmin mount which is compatible with lights that allow for stacking of the computer. I ordered the Ravemen FR500 which should be a suitable solution.

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...5fa26daa7.jpeg

tomato coupe 10-25-25 11:11 AM


Originally Posted by Mojo31 (Post 23632374)
That is one nasty looking sofa.

It looks a lot like the sofa in the waiting area of the shop that does diesel emissions testing on my trucks.

dedhed 10-25-25 12:36 PM


Originally Posted by MikeDeason (Post 23632587)
As was pointed out, the bag integrates a Garmin mount which is compatible with lights that allow for stacking of the computer. I ordered the Ravemen FR500 which should be a suitable solution.

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...5fa26daa7.jpeg

How are you going to aim a light on that?

noglider 10-25-25 03:37 PM

I make fork mounts for my headlights. This allows me to have bags and such on the handlebar.

See my album which shows how I did it. I've made others not with copper pipe but with PVC pipe.


https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...51c39545f3.jpg


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