Light mount DIY
#1
Light mount DIY
Thursday night and freezing rain makes the snow a mess to ride or XC ski in. House bound, I decide to tackle a little project I've been thinking of since the summer.
The impetus for my idea is the nifty light mount Filzer put on my rear rack:


But the rack I'm using up front (also Filzer) has this mount instead:

So I decide to make a tubular mount using 1/2" PVC and a PVC coupler.

I glue the parts together and then trim the coupler so just an edge remained. I then reglue the left over coupler section to the others side and repeat the process. This edge is to retain the light mount in case it wants to slide off (as light mounts sometimes do). Satisfied, I measure and drill some mounting holes.

With some flat black paint the job is done. I want a two mount system so I can use a near/far light combo or set one for strobe while the other illuminates.



Perhaps others have DIY light mount projects they have done as well on snowy rainy winter nights?
The impetus for my idea is the nifty light mount Filzer put on my rear rack:


But the rack I'm using up front (also Filzer) has this mount instead:

So I decide to make a tubular mount using 1/2" PVC and a PVC coupler.

I glue the parts together and then trim the coupler so just an edge remained. I then reglue the left over coupler section to the others side and repeat the process. This edge is to retain the light mount in case it wants to slide off (as light mounts sometimes do). Satisfied, I measure and drill some mounting holes.

With some flat black paint the job is done. I want a two mount system so I can use a near/far light combo or set one for strobe while the other illuminates.



Perhaps others have DIY light mount projects they have done as well on snowy rainy winter nights?
Last edited by Happy Feet; 12-29-17 at 12:42 AM.
#2
Likes special bikes

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From: Denmark
Bikes: Solio 1910,Colnago Sprint 1986 Nehan TT 1989 Bianchi Mercatone 1999 Boreas Aër 2003 C'dale six13 2004 Ghost MTB 2009 BF Tikit 2011 BF Pocket Rocket 1999 PlanetX Exocet 2014 White Fatbike 2021 C'dale SSE HM 2017 Focus 4.4kg US Postal 1999
I use this on the handle bar. It looks good, is cheap and is really sturdy
https://www.ebay.com/itm/253146954751
https://www.ebay.com/itm/253146954751
#4
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From: 25 miles northwest of Boston
Bikes: Bottecchia Sprint, GT Timberline 29r, Marin Muirwoods 29er, Trek FX Alpha 7.0
where there's a will, there's a way! good job! 
if you make another, longer/wider you'll be able to aim that light up a little
if you make another, longer/wider you'll be able to aim that light up a little
#5
#6
FLIR Kitten to 0.05C
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From: Lincoln, Nebraska
Bikes: Roadie: Seven Axiom Race Ti w/Chorus 11s. CX/Adventure: Carver Gravel Grinder w/ Di2
I like it...I might add my own engineering I had to do to get my Nightrider headlight to mount to my Blackburn front-rack, and my Solas tail light to mount to me Tubus rear later today.
#7
Senior Member



Joined: Aug 2010
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From: Madison, WI
Bikes: 1961 Ideor, 1966 Perfekt 3 Speed AB Hub, 1994 Bridgestone MB-6, 2006 Airnimal Joey, 2009 Thorn Sherpa, 2013 Thorn Nomad MkII, 2015 VO Pass Hunter, 2017 Lynskey Backroad, 2017 Raleigh Gran Prix, 1980s Bianchi Mixte on a trainer. Others are now gone.
The one in the photo is my second one, the first one sat too high and stuff on top of the rack that overflowed to the rear pushed down on it.
It is a short piece of angle Aluminum cut with a hacksaw, a M4 bolt and nylock nut and a couple washers. The part of the light bracket that went around the seatpost was discarded.
It is a short piece of angle Aluminum cut with a hacksaw, a M4 bolt and nylock nut and a couple washers. The part of the light bracket that went around the seatpost was discarded.
#9
FLIR Kitten to 0.05C
Joined: Sep 2014
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From: Lincoln, Nebraska
Bikes: Roadie: Seven Axiom Race Ti w/Chorus 11s. CX/Adventure: Carver Gravel Grinder w/ Di2
Headlight. Problem was the stock rubber band mount wasn't secure enough and needed a pipe to strap too (handlebars are full)...and the stock handlebar screw clamp interfered with my wheels and tires. So, I tore apart the stock mounting, reusing the slide....and built this with a cheap handlebar-watterbottle-mount and a tube.
This mount is tight enough to hold an adjustment in all kinds of weather....while allowing the light to be easily removed for charging off bike or use as a hand held flashlight


My rear light is a funny case. A mount IS MADE for racks for this light by Niterider: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B018SVSK36/
And it works with my Tubus Cosmo...so what is the problem? The Solas 150 tail light is too big and droops into my 700x40 tires.....so I had to not only get the light mounted higher, but also further aft.
I found the mount worked upside down....and dug in my computer parts bin, found some plastic screw spacers, some 3" 6/32 screws and nuts....and TADA:



And finally, as seen on the bike:
This mount is tight enough to hold an adjustment in all kinds of weather....while allowing the light to be easily removed for charging off bike or use as a hand held flashlight


My rear light is a funny case. A mount IS MADE for racks for this light by Niterider: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B018SVSK36/
And it works with my Tubus Cosmo...so what is the problem? The Solas 150 tail light is too big and droops into my 700x40 tires.....so I had to not only get the light mounted higher, but also further aft.
I found the mount worked upside down....and dug in my computer parts bin, found some plastic screw spacers, some 3" 6/32 screws and nuts....and TADA:



And finally, as seen on the bike:
#12
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#13
Clark W. Griswold




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#15
Clark W. Griswold




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From: ,location, location
Bikes: Foundry Chilkoot Ti W/Ultegra Di2, Salsa Timberjack Ti, Cinelli Mash Work RandoCross Fun Time Machine, 1x9 XT Parts Hybrid, Co-Motion Cascadia, Specialized Langster, Phil Wood Apple VeloXS Frame (w/DA 7400), R+M Supercharger2 Rohloff, Habanero Ti 26
#16
Eccentric Old Man


Joined: Jan 2014
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From: BelleVegas, IL
Bikes: 1986 Trek 520 Cirrus, 1979 Schwinn Traveler III, Trek T100, 1995 Trek 970, Fuji America
#18
Banned
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From: NW,Oregon Coast
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My Bike Friday Pocket Llama came with a front disc dynohub..
for the tail light I dug up a Zefal Mudguard from the LBS basement..
used the mudguard struts , and bent them curved, so as to wrap behind the rear of the seat tube water-bottle cage mount
for the B&M toplight Line, tail light..
Considered getting a King Cage modified, to mount a Schmidt tail light to it directly..
but the strut wire wrap around, one allows a nylon cage to go with my metal bottles..
....
for the tail light I dug up a Zefal Mudguard from the LBS basement..
used the mudguard struts , and bent them curved, so as to wrap behind the rear of the seat tube water-bottle cage mount
for the B&M toplight Line, tail light..
Considered getting a King Cage modified, to mount a Schmidt tail light to it directly..
but the strut wire wrap around, one allows a nylon cage to go with my metal bottles..
....
#19
Eccentric Old Man


Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 727
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From: BelleVegas, IL
Bikes: 1986 Trek 520 Cirrus, 1979 Schwinn Traveler III, Trek T100, 1995 Trek 970, Fuji America
Too cold to ride. Time to pass so...
2'' aluminum angle bracket
[IMG]
IMG_1339 by lebagman, on Flickr[/IMG]
The rack is a little off center in the picture, not bad in real life.
[IMG]
IMG_1342 by lebagman, on Flickr[/IMG]
I painted the back of the light red to match the decals on my bike. The white was kind of ugly.
[IMG]
IMG_1341 by lebagman, on Flickr[/IMG]
2'' aluminum angle bracket
[IMG]
IMG_1339 by lebagman, on Flickr[/IMG]The rack is a little off center in the picture, not bad in real life.
[IMG]
IMG_1342 by lebagman, on Flickr[/IMG]I painted the back of the light red to match the decals on my bike. The white was kind of ugly.
[IMG]
IMG_1341 by lebagman, on Flickr[/IMG]
#20
Another winter weekend with monsoon rains had me revist my front rack light bar idea.
I like the round mount idea but wanted to cut down the rack a bit as I don't plan to carry panniers up front
So, I got out the hacksaw, drill, file and spray paint to wile away an hour or two.

I had a nice piece of plastic tubing from some aero bars I bought and I left prongs on the rack to slip it onto after drilling two holes.

Smoothed off the cuts and recoated with BBQ flat black paint which is a colour match for the rack.

and back on the bike. Now there is no issue with aiming the lights high enough and they can't fall off the end of the mounting pipe.
I used two zip ties to hold the pipe on until I figure out a more elegant solution.
I like the round mount idea but wanted to cut down the rack a bit as I don't plan to carry panniers up front
So, I got out the hacksaw, drill, file and spray paint to wile away an hour or two.

I had a nice piece of plastic tubing from some aero bars I bought and I left prongs on the rack to slip it onto after drilling two holes.

Smoothed off the cuts and recoated with BBQ flat black paint which is a colour match for the rack.

and back on the bike. Now there is no issue with aiming the lights high enough and they can't fall off the end of the mounting pipe.
I used two zip ties to hold the pipe on until I figure out a more elegant solution.
Last edited by Happy Feet; 01-28-18 at 11:13 PM.
#21
Pokemon Master
Joined: Dec 2008
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From: Arkansas
Bikes: All City Cosmic Stallion, Salsa Colossal, Surly Preamble, 1985 Schwinn High Sierra x3
Another winter weekend with monsoon rains had me revist my front rack light bar idea.
I like the round mount idea but wanted to cut down the rack a bit as I don't plan to carry panniers up front
So, I got out the hacksaw, drill, file and spray paint to wile away an hour or two.
I had a nice piece of plastic tubing from some aero bars I bought and I left prongs on the rack to slip it onto after drilling two holes.
Smoothed off the cuts and recoated with BBQ flat black paint which is a colour match for the rack.
and back on the bike. Now there is no issue with aiming the lights high enough and they can't fall off the end of the mounting pipe.
I used two zip ties to hold the pipe on until I figure out a more elegant solution.
I like the round mount idea but wanted to cut down the rack a bit as I don't plan to carry panniers up front
So, I got out the hacksaw, drill, file and spray paint to wile away an hour or two.
I had a nice piece of plastic tubing from some aero bars I bought and I left prongs on the rack to slip it onto after drilling two holes.
Smoothed off the cuts and recoated with BBQ flat black paint which is a colour match for the rack.
and back on the bike. Now there is no issue with aiming the lights high enough and they can't fall off the end of the mounting pipe.
I used two zip ties to hold the pipe on until I figure out a more elegant solution.
Might as well share my own rear blinkie mount. It's a rear rack stay that already had the twist in it. I drilled a hole for the Bontrager rack blinkie mount, bent it about 90°, drilled a hole my seatpost binder bolt would slip through, and cut the excess off at about a 73° angle so it can't rotate either direction once the seatpost is in the frame. I used some rubber handlebar shims to keep it flopping from side to side.
https://i.imgur.com/54vLpB4.jpg
Last edited by Darth_Firebolt; 01-29-18 at 07:47 AM.
#23
Can you tap the prongs to accept a bolt? Then you could drill a couple of holes in the round section and bolt it on.
Might as well share my own rear blinkie mount. It's a rear rack stay that already had the twist in it. I drilled a hole for the Bontrager rack blinkie mount, bent it about 90°, drilled a hole my seatpost binder bolt would slip through, and cut the excess off at about a 73° angle so it can't rotate either direction once the seatpost is in the frame. I used some rubber handlebar shims to keep it flopping from side to side.
https://i.imgur.com/54vLpB4.jpg
Might as well share my own rear blinkie mount. It's a rear rack stay that already had the twist in it. I drilled a hole for the Bontrager rack blinkie mount, bent it about 90°, drilled a hole my seatpost binder bolt would slip through, and cut the excess off at about a 73° angle so it can't rotate either direction once the seatpost is in the frame. I used some rubber handlebar shims to keep it flopping from side to side.
https://i.imgur.com/54vLpB4.jpg

I will carry my sleeping bag across it and the tent in a handlebar roll rests on that.
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