Fork or fork crown mounted light recommendation

[russ.will]

Does anybody make a decently bright bolt on front light for mounting to the fork or fork crown of a tourer? I've got a Spanninga Elips bolted to my rear carrier and fancy something that I can leave bolted to the front too.

By bright I mean 200 lumens as a bare minimum? I don't mind if it is USB rechargeable or runs off multiple AAA/AA batteries, but out 'ere in the sticks, it gets proper dark. Whilst I'm thinking about it, I presume there are fork crown mounts that cope with the cable of center-pull brakes?

Russ

 

[Wobblers]

Most of the lights designed for this are dynamo lights, such as the Busch & Muller Cyo. I take it from your mention of batteries that you're not keen on going down the dynamo route?

The only purpose built battery option that I can think of is the B&M Ixon Premium. It does give adequate light, in a shaped beam that puts the light where its needed, on the road rather than blasting it into the sky, or into the eyes of oncoming road users. It's rather expensive for what it is, and you'll need to buy the fork crown mount for it separately.

The geeky solution is to get an e-bike light and then run it from a battery pack. I've got a B&M Cyo E Premium which is designed to be fitted directly to the fork crown, and run it off an old Magicshine 7.2 V Li-ion battery. Light output is okay though not amazing.

 

[rogerzilla]

Rixen & Kaul make a bracket for fitting a handlebar clamp light at the fork crown. That might be the simplest solution. It's still nickable, unless you adapt the handlebar bracket to remove the QR clamp lever and substitute a normal nut and bolt (usually easy). If the light is also QR from the bracket, you will still need to take it with you.

 

[T4tomo]

https://www.spacycles.co.uk/m12b0s169p2615/SCHMIDT-75501-Cantilever-brake-bracket

might need some bodging to then get a non dynamo light attached....

 

[si_c]

You're basically looking at dynamo lights as @McWobble suggested, as a general rule they give excellent light output - better on the road light than most battery lights and you never charge the batteries.

Plus with a generator hub you can charge electronics which is a big plus for a tourer.

 

[russ.will]

https://www.spacycles.co.uk/m12b0s169p2615/SCHMIDT-75501-Cantilever-brake-bracket

might need some bodging to then get a non dynamo light attached....

Boom! Bookmarked.

Russ

 

[russ.will]

Most of the lights designed for this are dynamo lights, such as the Busch & Muller Cyo. I take it from your mention of batteries that you're not keen on going down the dynamo route?

The only purpose built battery option that I can think of is the B&M Ixon Premium. It does give adequate light, in a shaped beam that puts the light where its needed, on the road rather than blasting it into the sky, or into the eyes of oncoming road users. It's rather expensive for what it is, and you'll need to buy the fork crown mount for it separately.

The geeky solution is to get an e-bike light and then run it from a battery pack. I've got a B&M Cyo E Premium which is designed to be fitted directly to the fork crown, and run it off an old Magicshine 7.2 V Li-ion battery. Light output is okay though not amazing.

For the amount and type of use that bike gets, a whole new (expensive) wheel to end up with sub-par lighting seems a bit of a stretch.

If I travelled slower or actually toured (as opposed to using it as a less nickable bike for going into town shopping/on-the-lash) then I would still consider dynamo and the expense.

I guess I'll stick with the bolt on rear and swap my Moon Meteor between bikes. It was a nice idea, but well...

Cheers,

Russ

 

[New Horizon]

Cateye do a centre fork crown mounting bracket accessory (5342440) for some of their front lights. I use a Cateye Sync Core which is up to 500 lumens and with a 200 lumens day flash and is nicely built.
https://www.cateye.com/intl/products/headlights/HL-NW100RC/
https://www.cateye.com/intl/products/parts/5342440/

 

[russ.will]

Cateye do a centre fork crown mounting bracket accessory (5342440) for some of their front lights. I use a Cateye Sync Core which is up to 500 lumens and with a 200 lumens day flash and is nicely built.
https://www.cateye.com/intl/products/headlights/HL-NW100RC/

The irony being that I have a Volt 400, but it lives in France with my CAAD 12. Haven't seen either for what feels like a lifetime...

No matter, I just recalled I have a Cateye helmet mount from that very same light still in Blighty, so I just bought the fork mount and an AMP400 light, which can be used on the tourer and on the Sunday best!

Cheers for the brain storming everybody.

Russ

 

[Soltydog]

Boom! Bookmarked.

Russ

Also worth looking at SJS https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/front-light-brackets/

 

[rogerzilla]

For the amount and type of use that bike gets, a whole new (expensive) wheel to end up with sub-par lighting seems a bit of a stretch.

I can cycle on unlit lanes with a 30 lux dynamo headlight, and my eyes are not great. A 100 lux one makes things very easy.

Anyway, the Rixen & Kaul bracket is your solution.

Amazon product ASIN B00INTRNN2View: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rixen-Kaul-Light-Holder-Bracket/dp/B00INTRNN2

 

[contadino]

I have the cateye version of that...

Amazon product ASIN B00QH7SJEEView: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00QH7SJEE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fabc_DCEWY47GFH55W3X9JQ3D?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1