# Pannier Rack Rear Lights



## sotkayak (13 Oct 2017)

Winterizing bike
Often use the bike for utility rides to the shops etc (6km to 10km round trip generally ) 
. Coat obscures saddle post rear lights . Pannier rack rear lights don't seem readily available .So tried a quick bodge -wrapped steradent tube in gaffer tape and bolted to pannier rack.6mm roofing bolts used -a tad too long(30mm) -so gaffer taped the protruding bit .Fits standard seat post rear light fittings. Tested over 15 kms of tarmac and gravel tracks this afternoon and evening.Works well.Must get a metal or pVC pipe and make a neat and workmanlike job of this bodge . But it will possibly remain until the bodge ,the bike or I expire... 



20171013_173824 by andre dup, on Flickr


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## Drago (13 Oct 2017)

** cough **

https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/lighting-spares/cateye-rear-carrier-mounting-bracket/

Rack mounts are available for most removable led rear lights.


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## sotkayak (14 Oct 2017)

Drago said:


> ** cough **
> 
> https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/lighting-spares/cateye-rear-carrier-mounting-bracket/
> 
> Rack mounts are available for most removable led rear lights.


Thanks ,Drago..Will have to look at Cateye rear lights ,then....


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## Drago (14 Oct 2017)

You may find the Cateye mount fits your existing lamp.


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## Gravity Aided (14 Oct 2017)

Angle stock, maybe?


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## the snail (14 Oct 2017)

You'd be better off buying a light that bolts straight onto the rack, IME lights mounted like that get broken off pretty quickly. Well they do if you are as clumsy as me.


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## flake99please (14 Oct 2017)

You could put a couple of Cateye RapidX lights on the vertical rack tubing quite easily.

Here is a picture of the light mounted on a seat stay for an idea of how it may look...


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## cyberknight (14 Oct 2017)

I have a light attached to the loop on each pannier, as well as one on the seatpost


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## steveindenmark (14 Oct 2017)

The first time you go shopping you will pick up a package longer than the rack.

Can you see the problem.

There are far easier solutions to the problem.


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## Hugh Manatee (14 Oct 2017)

Customers: "We have this great way of attaching rear lights to our bikes. Two small holes on a bracket fitted to every rear rack or the same two holes on a rear mudguard engage with a simple pin on the light into one hole and is secured by a effective bolt through the other hole into the light. It never fails."

Marketers/Bike company: "Let's change it."

"Attach it to the seatpost," bleats the salesman in the bike shop as he shows me the latest lux/lms/Lith Ion/USB death ray wonderlight. "I'm on a traditional sized road bike with a horizontal tube with a small under seat bag. No room I say." 

I couldn't understand the added abuse I got from drivers whenever it rained and I had to ride at night. Eventually the penny dropped. My jacket covered the light rendering me unlit to following drivers.

I have mutilated and bodged lights since then just to spite those clever (?) marketing executives!

Sorry for the hijack OP, I have had a stressed morning that has included a critical Mother in Law and trying to find two small hedgehogs in the World's most cluttered garage!


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## andrew_s (14 Oct 2017)

Good racks have a light plate on the rear to accept lights that have a pair of bolts either 50 mm or 80 mm apart. Your rack appears to have a light plate with 2 slots rather than 2 or 4 holes, and will fit either bolt spacing.
The lights are mostly dynamo lights, but there are also battery versions of many of them - eg Spanninga Elips, B+M Toplight View
They are common enough, being more or less ubiquitous amongst Dutch, German, Danish etc utility cyclists, but not in the average British LBS that caters mostly to the lycra crowd, and which view lights as things that always go on handlebars or the seatpost.

There are adapters like Drago's for many brands of seatpost clip lights - I've got a Smart one in my bits box, and one for the Aldi/Moon COB light on my rack.


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## BurningLegs (14 Oct 2017)

I use a Cycliq Fly6 rear camera/light and have a 3D printed bracket for my rear rack - it works brilliantly, but I think it’s a shame that the manufacturer insist that the device should only be fitted to a seat post. As others have said, that’s not always practical if you have a saddle bag!


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## Ming the Merciless (14 Oct 2017)

the snail said:


> You'd be better off buying a light that bolts straight onto the rack, IME lights mounted like that get broken off pretty quickly. Well they do if you are as clumsy as me.



This, you need to look harder for lights designed to fit those rack mounts.


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## flake99please (14 Oct 2017)

User said:


> Rear lights mounted on the seat stay like that are unpleasant for anyone riding behind you. Lights should be pointing backwards and never upwards.



Agreed. Hence my suggestion for mounting on the vertical tubes of the rack.


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## MichaelW2 (14 Oct 2017)

If you have a light bracket on your rack, use it as intended for a rack style of rear light. The location tucked under the rear of the rack is protected from damage and does not interfere with clothing or rack top loads.
I fitted my Smart rear light using a metal bracket to adapt the existing rear light holes to the ones on the lamp. I dont like adding additional bracketery but it is sometimes neccessary.


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## mjr (14 Oct 2017)

The local branch of The Range bucket shop sells rack mount rear lights. They're really not difficult to get, even if half odds and the glam road bike dealers pretend they don't exist.


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## oldstrath (14 Oct 2017)

Here's one that will fit if your pannier rack has holes 80mm apart. 
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B06XNQ4RQ4


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## alecstilleyedye (14 Oct 2017)

this was my solution, enjoyed the wine first


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## sotkayak (14 Oct 2017)

Hugh Manatee said:


> Customers: "We have this great way of attaching rear lights to our bikes. Two small holes on a bracket fitted to every rear rack or the same two holes on a rear mudguard engage with a simple pin on the light into one hole and is secured by a effective bolt through the other hole into the light. It never fails."
> 
> Marketers/Bike company: "Let's change it."
> 
> ...


No hijack, @Hugh Manatee -my thoughts entirely


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## sotkayak (14 Oct 2017)

Thanks for the constructive replies and links ,Guys. I have contacted Tredz to see if this universal cat eye mount fits the tortec tour pannier rack I got from them ...,and then see if it accepts any of the rear lights I have. https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Cateye-Rear-Rack-Mount-Bracket_30414.htm


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## mcshroom (14 Oct 2017)

Looking at your light I think it would fit a smart bracket - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Smart-Bracket-Rear-Carrier-Mount/dp/B00CUX9OGQ


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## alicat (15 Oct 2017)

Hi Steve

Can't get link to work.


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## Elybazza61 (15 Oct 2017)

sotkayak said:


> Thanks for the constructive replies and links ,Guys. I have contacted Tredz to see if this universal cat eye mount fits the tortec tour pannier rack I got from them ...,and then see if it accepts any of the rear lights I have. https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Cateye-Rear-Rack-Mount-Bracket_30414.htm



Should work ok; we've fitted them to a few racks including Tortec ones.

We mostly fit these ;

https://www.tredz.co.uk/.ETC-Tail-B...MIz4bgibry1gIVxrDtCh3xSwSZEAQYASABEgLEVPD_BwE

Although they aren't the brightest lights around.

Lot's more people are interested in Dynamo lights these days with the hub types getting lighter although it's never the cheapest option(especially if it's a wheel re-build)but new bikes with integrated dynamo set's are becoming more popular.


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## freiston (15 Oct 2017)

With those types of seat post clamps, you can often get a decent mount by threading the clamp screw through a right-angle bracket that are available from high street ironmongers such as Robert Dyas or Wilcos. The bracket can be screwed onto the rack's light-mounting plate. To illustrate, here's a couple of my DIY jobbies - the seatpost/seat-stay collar is cut off on the rack-mounted light but is left intact on the mudguard mounted light - the photo of the rack-mounted cateye is on the slosh - the lamp is level (the lights don't slip down):


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## sotkayak (16 Oct 2017)

Ordered the 5 LED rather than the 3 LED https://www.tredz.co.uk/.ETC-Tail-Bright-5-LED-Carrier-Fit-Rear-Light_74175.htm# thanks for heads up there , @Elybazza61 and the cateye mount https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Cateye-Rear-Rack-Mount-Bracket_30414.htm as suggested by @Drago . . Most professiona DIY brackets , @freiston ! Would love to copy ,but now that I 've been pointed in the right direction ,quicker and easier to buy...(my bodge was a 20 minute job -as can be seen ) Thanks to all..Andre.


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## sotkayak (18 Oct 2017)

Top marks to Tredz - ordered the above items at about 1 am Monday ,delivered this afternoon (Tuesday ) - and the same promptness everytime I have ordered.

The cateye mount fits the tourtec tour rack very well -2 screws holding the mount- will have to store until a cateye is bought as none of my current lights fit ( Go and Wilko cheapos)
ETC 5 LED rear light fits the rack well -and gives good light.Took a 12 km ride along the Crab and Winkle way this evening to see how it held up .Most chuffed with it.
The light..

20171017_181237 by andre dup, on Flickr


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