Rear light mounts

[compo]

I wish that the manufacturers of rear LED lamps would make a bracket that will allow the lamp to be fitted upright or on it's side. To use the lamp in an upright orientation you can only use a vertical tube such as the seat post.

 

[HLaB]

I wish that the manufacturers of rear LED lamps would make a bracket that will allow the lamp to be fitted upright or on it's side. To use the lamp in an upright orientation you can only use a vertical tube such as the seat post.

I'm not sure 100% what you mean but the Blackburn Mars brackets (I'm pretty sure others will too) can be rotated round to allow the led to be fitted upright or horizontal
Edit: Thinking about it my previous Cateye brackets let you do that too

 

[compo]

I guess it's down to you get what you pay for! Nicely engineered brackets wouldn't be cost effective with cheap lights.

 

[HLaB]

I guess it's down to you get what you pay for! Nicely engineered brackets wouldn't be cost effective with cheap lights.

I've never paid much for rear lights, £20 max.

 

[Globalti]

Manufacturers are getting better at this, I've seen lights that are attached to the bracket by a square connector that can work in any of four orientations.

 

[Mr Haematocrit]

trying to get lights which mount on areo seat posts are a complete nightmare.

 

[HLaB]

trying to get lights which mount on areo seat posts are a complete nightmare.

Try looking for something that has a flexible bracket/strap and another O'ring can extend it if neccesary, unfortunately most of these are emergency rather than main lights.

 

[Davidc]

They're getting better but still not good on this.

All my battery rear lights are now Smarts, either the older ones with 1/2w rated LEDs or the Lunar R1 1w rated LED. The lights are good but the brackets are (rap.

If you do mount them on a horizontal bit of rack or even on a seat stay (which is also non-vertical) then you need to do something to stop the light falling out of the bracket.

 

[gaz]

When I bought my dinotte 400r it came with around 20 different mounts. Considering it cost $150 i didn't expect any less.

 

[compo]

I didn't realise when I made the OP there were so many different mounts. My rear rack does not have a reflector bracket but there is a mount for Smart lights that will bolt onto the rack http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=29392. I can either drill the rack or, and my preferred method, is to cut and drill a plate to go behind the bracket to secure it to the rack. I have two sections of rack welded together where the bracket mounts and this will give me a surface that isn't round to butt up against.

 

[Davidc]

Thanks for that link compo. I think that might be adaptable to solving what I've wanted to do for some time, which is mount a Smart below the dynamo Toplight unit in the centre of the rack

 

[Kookas]

Moon Comets can be put in any direction and swivelled up & down, too. Not to mention they're just generally all-round great rears, and only cost £20. Love them.

Also, they don't suck in the wet like Smart lights.

 

[Davidc]

Moon Comets can be put in any direction and swivelled up & down, too. Not to mention they're just generally all-round great rears, and only cost £20. Love them.

Also, they don't suck in the wet like Smart lights.

With sensible use Smart lights will run underwater for 2 days. One of mine did. That was the result of a failed bracket.

They're the best (equal) I've come across in the wet - but I do put a smear of silicone grease on the seals, as I do with every electrical item used outdoors.

I've just bought a Blackburn 4, 'cos it was cheaper than a Smart with the same nominal power. I'm hoping its clip & bracket will be better than the Smart ones. (The light I'm replacing had the clip break off when I was taking it off after parking the bike, and I don't think that should happen to a light that's only 4 years old. The business end is still OK though so it may find use as a Christmas decoration.)

 

[Kookas]

With sensible use Smart lights will run underwater for 2 days. One of mine did. That was the result of a failed bracket.

They're the best (equal) I've come across in the wet - but I do put a smear of silicone grease on the seals, as I do with every electrical item used outdoors.

I've just bought a Blackburn 4, 'cos it was cheaper than a Smart with the same nominal power. I'm hoping its clip & bracket will be better than the Smart ones. (The light I'm replacing had the clip break off when I was taking it off after parking the bike, and I don't think that should happen to a light that's only 4 years old. The business end is still OK though so it may find use as a Christmas decoration.)

My last Smart died after the first wet ride. The one before that snapped off like yours did, as I was taking it off. The Comet has a mount similar to Lezyne's, in that it's a simple rubber strap, and feels quite secure.

Blackburn might be quite good, though - the mount on my Atom SL3.0 cyclometer is decent, but obviously that might not speak for their lights.

 

[Davidc]

My last Smart died after the first wet ride. The one before that snapped off like yours did, as I was taking it off. The Comet has a mount similar to Lezyne's, in that it's a simple rubber strap, and feels quite secure.

Blackburn might be quite good, though - the mount on my Atom SL3.0 cyclometer is decent, but obviously that might not speak for their lights.

Smarts need a smear of silicone grease to keep them watertight - then...

I had a bracket fail where the clamping screw attaches. I might have overtightened it but don't think so. The whole lot came off and went in the Bridgwater and Taunton canal, sank, and went on flashing on the bottom for 2 days! The latest one to break was the first I bought just over 4 years ago, so it has lasted a while, but not long enough.