Aiming B&M headlight
#1
Aiming B&M headlight
(Cross-posted from the commuting thread)
Well, I took the plunge and picked up a dyno wheel and a shiny new Busch & Müller Lumotec IQ Premium Cyo T Senso Plus. I've only ridden with it in the pitch black once and people mistook me for a motorcycle or a car - it's that good. Trouble is, the front tire casts quite a shadow. I understand that if that's the case, the light is aimed too low and drivers won't be able to see the LED daytime running lights at the bottom. Also, since the wheel has to turn for the light to be on, that makes aiming it a bit more difficult. Does anyone have any suggestions/tricks?
Thanks in advance.
Well, I took the plunge and picked up a dyno wheel and a shiny new Busch & Müller Lumotec IQ Premium Cyo T Senso Plus. I've only ridden with it in the pitch black once and people mistook me for a motorcycle or a car - it's that good. Trouble is, the front tire casts quite a shadow. I understand that if that's the case, the light is aimed too low and drivers won't be able to see the LED daytime running lights at the bottom. Also, since the wheel has to turn for the light to be on, that makes aiming it a bit more difficult. Does anyone have any suggestions/tricks?
Thanks in advance.
#2
apocryphal sobriquet
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 1,083
Likes: 7
From: Star City, NE
Bikes: 2008 Surly Long Haul Trucker "The Truckerino"
Similar post:
https://www.bikeforums.net/electronic...l-luxos-u.html
You want the cutoff to be aimed more-or-less at a level horizon. I found a piece of level ground and aimed my "non-T" version of the lamp at a wall about 7-10 meters away so that the cutoff projected on the wall was about level with the actual lamp on the bike. Then tighten the mounting bolt so it's pretty tight but there is a little tiny bit of play left so you can ride a bit and adjust it if necessary, then finish tightening the bolt when you find the sweet spot.
You need to lift the front of the bike so the wheel is a couple inches/cm off the ground and spin the dynamo wheel by hand to activate the lamp.
It's normal to have a bit of wheel shadow if you mount the lamp on the fork crown. I had to modify the mounting bracket to fit under cantilever brakes so the wheel shadow extends about 5 feet/1.5 meters in front of the bike. Not a problem. It's unlikely that the wheel is obscuring the daytime running lights from the point-of-view of oncoming traffic. Unless, of course, the traffic is actually *in* the shadow of the wheel which is unlikely unless they're driving Matchbox cars.
https://www.bikeforums.net/electronic...l-luxos-u.html
You want the cutoff to be aimed more-or-less at a level horizon. I found a piece of level ground and aimed my "non-T" version of the lamp at a wall about 7-10 meters away so that the cutoff projected on the wall was about level with the actual lamp on the bike. Then tighten the mounting bolt so it's pretty tight but there is a little tiny bit of play left so you can ride a bit and adjust it if necessary, then finish tightening the bolt when you find the sweet spot.
You need to lift the front of the bike so the wheel is a couple inches/cm off the ground and spin the dynamo wheel by hand to activate the lamp.
It's normal to have a bit of wheel shadow if you mount the lamp on the fork crown. I had to modify the mounting bracket to fit under cantilever brakes so the wheel shadow extends about 5 feet/1.5 meters in front of the bike. Not a problem. It's unlikely that the wheel is obscuring the daytime running lights from the point-of-view of oncoming traffic. Unless, of course, the traffic is actually *in* the shadow of the wheel which is unlikely unless they're driving Matchbox cars.
#3
aka Tom Reingold




Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 44,171
Likes: 6,394
From: New York, NY, and High Falls, NY, USA
Bikes: 1962 Rudge Sports, 1971 Raleigh Super Course, 1971 Raleigh Pro Track, 1974 Raleigh International, 1975 Viscount Fixie, 1982 McLean, 1996 Lemond (Ti), 2002 Burley Zydeco tandem
I just aim it while I'm riding. Raise the beam as high as possible without going into others' eyes. So maybe the top of the beam should hit the ground 50 feet ahead.
__________________
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
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