Fitting a rear light and a saddlebag?

[Joe]

The nights are drawing in etc.

Is there any way I can fit my Cateye LD1100 on my road bike without losing the saddlebag (which I need to carry a spare tube, multitool etc)?
The bag covers all of the seatpost.

 

[CarnageAX]

Why not fit the light to the saddlebag.

 

[mickle]

I assume you dont have a rack. No,of course not that would be too easy.

There is a school of thought (which I subscribe to) that lights should be as low as possible on the bike. The idea is that (according to research what I once read but cant remember where) motorists perceive low down as nearby and high up as far away. Attach your rear light to the rack/mudguard eyelets nearest your hubs.

 

[ufkacbln]

The Cateye LEDs have a self tapping screw which can be fitted to a saddlebag with a small hole and a washer.

Alternatively it can fit the screw through one of the holes in the straps

 

[Tynan]

interesting on the low idea

two lights can't hurt can it, suspect low is going to be obscured a fair bit in london

 

[yenrod]

Good sub'. this - I'm thinking of making something whereby I'll be able to fit the light at the back of the saddle = in between the saddle and the bag'....lovely place question is getting it there secuely and properly !

 

[mondobongo]

Could you not raise your seatpost a little so you can fit the light below the saddlebag, which would tie in with Miclke's advice that low is best.

I use 2 lights when commuting to work one midway on the seatpost and the second on my rucksack working on the assumption that looking like a Xmas tree might make them back off a little.

 

[John Ponting]

some led lamps fit on to the seat stays - useless if you use panniers of course.

 

[Bigtallfatbloke]

I have a waist band currently instead of a saddlebag. This si good because I can fix my cateye to the seat post no problem. I have just ordered a specialized saddlebag however & now will face the same issue you have...which is not good...I hadnt thought of it

 

[Aperitif]

I have a Specialized Wedgie - think it's called that, and the trade mark is actually a tab, so the clip on the light just slips through it - very helpful.
Another light - slightly offset clipped to the 'traffic side' seat stay, a bit lower.
It can't be such a problem to make saddlebags that light up can it? Endless possibilities

 

[Bigtallfatbloke]

It can't be such a problem to make saddlebags that light up can it?

..I did see such a thing on the wiggle site...it has a built in light and needs batteries

 

[John the Monkey]

I have one, the Exertec saddlebag. It's not bad - the flashing mode is a bit slow, but steady is ok (if not very bright compared to my Mars 3.0). Room for a boxed 700x20-28C innertube, repair kit and a spanner or two. (You modern types would probably fit a multi-tool in there, but the only Allen bolt on my bike is on the handlebar stem, everything else is regular nuts and bolts). Takes 2xAA, and the box for these does take up a fair amount of room in the bag.

The bag also expands (you unzip the lower, gussetted, portion to do this) but I have mine zipped so that it doesn't obscure the Mars 3.0 rear light mounted on the seat tube.

 

[Joe]

Cheers all. My saddlebag actually has the perfect place for one of Cateye's clothing clips, problem solved

 

[andrew_s]

LED lights are pretty directional, so it's much better to attach them to the bike if possible.
If you do, you can aim the bright part of the beam back towards following traffic, but if it's attached to a saddlebag, it will end up pointing any which way.

 

[Stick on a Giant]

Interesting re keeping lights low. I have mine on the back of my helmet - only need one light for all bikes, and it's out of the way to be blocked by saddlebags etc.