# Where to attach tail/rear light on an L type Brompton ?



## snazpizaz (13 Dec 2019)

Hi

I've just bought a cateye omni 5 rear light:
https://www.cateye.com/intl/products/safety_lights/TL-LD155-R/

But i can't figure out where best to attach the light fixture on my L type Brompton's rear end. (L type = mudguard only / no rack)

1. I want to keep the rear reflector that came with the bike. (Looks a bit like 1st photo here
https://www.brommiemods.co.uk/?v=79cba1185463
2. I don't want to a-fix the cateye rear light fitting to the seat post because it inhibits retraction. Also i've got a quick release light bar for the post.
3. I want to preserve the saddle rear thread-loops for occasional seat post bag use:
https://wildbounds.com/products/sad...apQQ0LD-NOTxrvgqMoyW0DIU4Ng08rWhoCrkEQAvD_BwE

So my question is; Is there a light bracket, fixture or securing arrangement people use to get around this problem - where space is tight on the rear end of Bromptons for tail lighting. 

Suggests welcome. 
thanks s


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## alicat (13 Dec 2019)

Clip it on your clothing.


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## mitchibob (13 Dec 2019)

Not sure where, other than the seatpost, that would sensibly go. When you have the seat bag attached, I'd attach it to that as an additional light, but use something like https://brilliantbikes.co.uk/brompt...2c-permanent-rear-light-by-busch-mueller.html to replace the reflector. I've found this light to be pretty good. Not flashing, but has a decent battery life.


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## Tenkaykev (13 Dec 2019)

mitchibob said:


> Not sure where, other than the seatpost, that would sensibly go. When you have the seat bag attached, I'd attach it to that as an additional light, but use something like https://brilliantbikes.co.uk/brompt...2c-permanent-rear-light-by-busch-mueller.html to replace the reflector. I've found this light to be pretty good. Not flashing, but has a decent battery life.



That's the one Santa is bringing for me 🎅😁


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## Ming the Merciless (13 Dec 2019)

If you mount it horizontal it should not inhibit seat retraction. I have a light on my Bromton seat post and it doesn't stop it retreating as far as it should.


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## cosmicbike (14 Dec 2019)

YukonBoy said:


> If you mount it horizontal it should not inhibit seat retraction. I have a light on my Bromton seat post and it doesn't stop it retreating as far as it should.



Same for me, I have a Cateye at the top of the (extended) post, not had any issues


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## berlinonaut (14 Dec 2019)

snazpizaz said:


> Hi
> 
> I've just bought a cateye omni 5 rear light:
> https://www.cateye.com/intl/products/safety_lights/TL-LD155-R/
> ...



On the L-version Brompton is offering two predefined postitions for the rear light: 

- Above the rear brake instead of the reflector. This has been working for 30+ years now flawlessly, there is a wide range of possible lights available which also have a built in reflector and the lights are cheap as well. Just that you do not like that position for whatever reason and furthermore have already bought a light that does not fit there anyway.

- with newer Bromptons there is a possiblity to screw a light into the saddle on it's underside and Brompton do offer a battery light for that: https://brilliantbikes.co.uk/brompt...rompton-cateye-saddle-mounted-rear-light.html However, personally I do not like that position as a longer Jacket or coat may cover the light, rendering it useless. Same goes for a saddlebag.

Every other position is a compromise with some downsides. The light you bought seems to be intended to be mounted on the seat post - so not much of a choice anyway. You can either mount it lower on the post which stops the bike from folding or high on the post with the danger of covering as outlined above and still will not be able to fold the bike completely if you are not using the extended seat post.

So basically you ignored the factory mounting points for whatever reasons, bought a non-fitting light with limitations regarding mount-options which are not well set on a Brompton and are now asking for advice. Mine would be: Buy a different light.

Apart from that and off topic: As with your last questions you have been posting the identical question in parallel at the same time here and on the cycling uk forums, again getting similar answers on both forums (like here/here and here/here) with the posters not knowing about the existing answers in the other forum. Is it really polite triggering so many people for help that then each take the time to write the same answers, not knowing of each other? Don't you trust any of the forums or it's members to give helpful answers? And if so, why do you post your questions there then? I my opinion your are wasting a lot of people's time this way.


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## snazpizaz (14 Dec 2019)

Hi - thanks again folks
1. Re: top of seat post - my main concern there is that when wearing a coat it may over hang and obscure the light.
2. I'm not targeting USB charging lights i want AA / AAA battery lights. (Not up for discussion.)
3. For the rather angry sounding berlinonaut:
a) Aren't these forums precisely about learning and asking questions. If i was already an expert i wouldn't need to be here.
b) Contrary to your claim, posting similar questions in different bike forums does not yield the same answers or a guarantee of any discussion at all. eg: here and here. If i'm lucky enough to get a couple of discussions going on the same topic, discussions can go in different directions and sometimes i can feedback responses across forum discussions while other times i can't. Sometimes the conversations just confirm the extent of a given solution. Even within a single discussion contributors often come from widely different p.o.v.
Again, it's healthy for forums to keep active and their purpose is to create discussion. If anything, when one is mining for information it's to the advantage of all to be prolific because there may be a wide variety of solutions to a problem and it's often both necessary and beneficial to draw them out. In the end they are captured for others google- searching the query in the future.  So no i don't regard it as impolite but rather, a generous provision of time and membership which creates the most variety of quality answers on a given subject.

sp


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## berlinonaut (14 Dec 2019)

Well, if you want the rear light to be higher than the factory position on top of the rear brake but considerably lower than the saddle due to a potential coat issue and you cannot use the seat post to not stop the bike from folding you'll need a flying rear light...


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## snazpizaz (14 Dec 2019)

so this is where multiple discussions come in handy: 
https://www.bikeforums.net/folding-bikes/1190041-where-attach-tail-rear-light-l-type-brompton.html
the rear triangle may be a place worth considering. 
I've just tried mounting it on the vertical bar as described rather than the seat stay. I'll look at the seat stay recommendation soon.
What i really want is some kind of bolt on bracket piece i can secure the cateye fixture to.
sp


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## u_i (14 Dec 2019)

I second the opinion of multiple posting on various forums being rude. Different people waste time providing the same advice in parallel, mislead into thinking that they are actually helping, with their effort being actually direspected. It is all right to ask on one forum and, once the advice dries out and no solution is found, to post the question on another, while providing a summary of what was found so far. It is all right to post the question on multiple forums when the time for finding the solution is of essence and this may be stated then upfront, such as ahead of a trip, if the time window for a purchase closes down, etc. Otherwise it is rude and selfish as afar as I am concerned and I refrain from touching the question when it is posted in parallel in different places. In the formal publishing world, you get a publishing ban, if you submit the same piece to different venues.


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## Kell (15 Dec 2019)

IMHO the best place for it is high up on the seat post.

I have the extended post so it’s not a problem for me as the post doesn’t go all the way down anyway.

However, even in your case I’d probably be prepared to lose half an inch on the drop of the seat post - unless it needs to fit under a specific height. 

The bike will still remain locked and your light will be in the best position. 

As for the saddlebag, just buy another light to clip on to that.


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## shingwell (15 Dec 2019)

I'm a great believer in two (or more) rear lights anyway. If one stops working for whatever reason while you are cycling, you won't know about it. I would go for a reflector replacement light AND a saddle-height light of some sort.


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## snazpizaz (15 Dec 2019)

thanks folks.

I agree - dual lights is good front and rear. Can anyone recommend a AA/AAA battery operated reflector/light combo for the Brompton ? The ones mentioned are all usb charging ?

thanks s

and @ U-i - we've had that discussion and flagged examples indicating no disrespect occurs and all dialogue is helpful. These aren't copyrighted items, they're open dialogues across wide geographies accessing multiple micro communities. As in this issue, there often isn't a single solution. There may be repeated assertions of a single idea people feel strongly about, but that doesn't imply it's the most appropriate even if only one discussion of the subject existed. Also i find in the world of cycle forums there's a lot of cutting through contributors with strong ideas about how things are done and some degree of condescension if you don't agree or know the knowledge.


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## u_i (15 Dec 2019)

From the BikeForum Rules: 

*Basic Guidelines*
The following seven categories of online conduct are unacceptable at BikeForums and constitute a violation of our Community Standards which may result in warning, suspension or loss of membership:

*Spamming*
Spamming is the multiple posting of an identical or similar post on one or more of our Forums. 

While these Guidelines were developed to maintain the health of one system of forums there is no reason for them to work differently across the systems given their symbiosis. As for myself, when the problem with a poster cannot be solved at a systemic level, else the poster does not take notice, I quit interacting with the poster. Interestingly they usually fade away.


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## sheddy (15 Dec 2019)

Can you fit a rear mudguard with a light attached ?


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## snazpizaz (15 Dec 2019)

@ sheddy

I'm having difficulty seeing where a rear light fixture can attach to the rear mudguard on a brommie with no rack. Also on a brommie the mudguards are quite flimsy and form part of the wheeling ability when the rear wheel is folded (has a wheel mounted where the reflector is typically located) - unless you can indicate otherwise...

sp


u-i - Unless you can link to your source i can only assume you're distorting the site rules.

https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/forum-rules.213557/
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/rules-for-appropriate-debate.213537/

No mention of spamming which typically applies to the promotion of the same *unsolicited* link or material within a website multiple times as well as sending the same message repeatedly, typically within the same domain, usually where the offence is made by the same person. None of which is occurring here, except by you.

Can i ask you to try and keep on-topic- thanks.


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## Kell (17 Dec 2019)

Is there a particular reason that you're against USB charging lights?

Personally I find them incredibly useful as I remove them from my bike anyway when it's locked up (theft risk) and have them charging at my desk during the day.


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## berlinonaut (17 Dec 2019)

Kell said:


> Is there a particular reason that you're against USB charging lights?
> 
> Personally I find them incredibly useful as I remove them from my bike anyway when it's locked up (theft risk) and have them charging at my desk during the day.


If you use the factory bracket for the rear light on a L-Brompton the light is bolted to the bike, so no real risk of theft (apart from the fact that I do not leave my Brompton unattended outside anyway). The batteries in the rear light last for many years in my experience. So I do not see an advantage for USB charging in that scenario. But as the OP for whatever reason wants to go a different route regarding the position of the light he seems to find pleasure in making his life harder and to create problems where there are none. Maybe his refusal of USB charging is just another aspect of that pattern.


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## snazpizaz (17 Dec 2019)

Hi
@Kell - AA AAA batteries will suit me fine where i use lights in a manner which does not require extensive recharging. Therefore a USB battery is likely to go flat or require recharging every time i use it which is not something i wish to introduce into my life.

@berlinonaut - I draw your attention to the forum rules for this site, 
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/forum-rules.213557/
I caution you to adjust your behaviour by observing rule 2 and 5 and to refrain from posting further comments of the kind you make.


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## Kell (17 Dec 2019)

OK - makes sense.

I just think you'll find it increasingly difficult to find decent lights that don't charge via USB.

For the rear, it sounds like you won't be a heavy user, so I'd go with the suggestion of replacing the reflector with the relector/light combo that is available. 

There is quite a cheap option for this, but the name escapes me. I believe it may also take a little fettling to fit correctly.

Personally, I think a light that low down is too low for traffic (and I've had that conversation/argument in the past here) but others disagree. After all, it's where Brompton mount their hub-charging lights.

Then you could use the one you've bought, mounted high-up on the seatpost in conjunction with the lower one in place of the reflector. In those instances where a coat/saddle bag would obscure the top light, you'd still have the lower one.

If you do a search on the forum, it might bring up the one I'm on about. It looks almost identical to the current reflector, but has lights in it too.


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## Kell (17 Dec 2019)

Don't think this was the one, but this is an option:


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gjblziVXa4


https://brilliantbikes.co.uk/brompt...inga-solo-battery-powered-led-rear-light.html


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## Kell (17 Dec 2019)

In fact, i think it's a pretty good idea as an addition, so I've just bought one.


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## snazpizaz (17 Dec 2019)

@Kell - thanks for the links - i've been asking if that reflector/bulb combo exists as a AA/AAA as i've only been able to find the usb version. I think it is worth the purchase on the slimmer model and will go ahead as I agree, good AA/AAA lights are now an endangered species. 

I also think it is a quite low position - i've got a AA light that straps on and off to the seat post with ease. I guess i could use the rear omni-5 as a backpack or seat-bag light - 
I'm inclined to not mount it on the saddle because it may become obscured by my coat and also it becomes a hassle when i resort to intermittent use of a saddle-bag.

cheers sp


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## Dogtrousers (17 Dec 2019)

snazpizaz said:


> I agree - dual lights is good front and rear. Can anyone recommend a AA/AAA battery operated reflector/light combo for the Brompton ? The ones mentioned are all usb charging ?


Cateye Omni 3 is my go-to light. Cheap as chips, indestructible, lasts for ever on rechargeable AAAs. (Well, maybe not quite forever, but a long time). I have brackets for them on all my bikes.

I have one on the telescoping top bit of the seat post of my B. But whether it will suit you I'm not sure.

Edit. Didn't read the question properly. Its not a light / reflector combo. It's still a great little light tho.


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## snazpizaz (17 Dec 2019)

I ordered the light/reflector combo Kell highlighted which arrived today.

Slightly disappointing in that the illuminated part of the combo is only a pencil-moustache sized line running across the top. (See image - 6mm width vs 12-15mm width of reflector below) The design could have given more space to the illuminated light i feel. Also the beam looks a bit patchy in places.

However i think this thread has completed as i now have 3 rear light options OTG !

thanks everyone.


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