rear light to bolt to rack

[drewc65]

Yet again I call on the wise collective for help. Trying to get a rear light to fit on my rack. Have some holes on a bracket to bolt to any ideas on were I can get one and approx cost. Many thanks for help

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

There are actually quite a few options: Cateye do a rack mount that takes their standard lights, which costs about £4 and any Cateye stockist should have one.

I believe Blackburn lights come with adaptors to fit a rack and Busch & Muller do a range of rack specific lights with integrated reflectors. These are just the ones I know about - I expect there's more.

If you already have a set of lights but no mount for the rack it's possible to make your own. Here's my effort:

 

[fossyant]

Smart supply their lights with a seat stay mount. If you wrap a strip of old innertube cut to about 1cm wide round the rack tubes, secured in place with some electrical tape, this makes the tube large enough for the lights to be secured. Another option is attaching 25mm plumbing pipe to the rear rack mounts with cable ties. This then allows you to attach the usual lights.

Lot's of bodges you can do.

Inner tube and electrical tape

Cables ties and 25mm tube (tube is wrepped in black gaffa tape, with bar end stoppers.

 

[Koga]

There are actually quite a few options: Cateye do a rack mount that takes their standard lights, which costs about £4 and any Cateye stockist should have one.

I believe Blackburn lights come with adaptors to fit a rack and Busch & Muller do a range of rack specific lights with integrated reflectors. These are just the ones I know about - I expect there's more.

If you already have a set of lights but no mount for the rack it's possible to make your own. Here's my effort:
View attachment 29963

Blackburn Mars 4.0 comes with a rack mounting bracket, I have just one, but have not checked how the bracket works. You can get the light, for £11.99 which is very cheap, from here : http://www.totalcycling.com/a-z/lights/lights_rear/TL_MARS_4.html?gclid=CIeg88-d67kCFfHKtAodsWIAqA

Ref Phil, I have the opposite, reflector on the rack (Blackburn) and light underneath the saddle. Benefit, light is higher (better vision) and stays cleaner. Disadvantage could be if you pack your rack you can obstruct the light, but if you are tall this is unlikely as the saddle will be up !
I like the self made construction from Phil.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

Are you talking about battery powered or dynamo lights?

Racks with brackets already drilled for lights will have spacing of either 50mm, 80mm, or both. Check your rack before ordering any light.
Bike-discount.de has a good range of battery lights here on this page.


GC

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Ref Phil, I have the opposite, reflector on the rack (Blackburn) and light underneath the saddle. Benefit, light is higher (better vision) and stays cleaner. Disadvantage could be if you pack your rack you can obstruct the light, but if you are tall this is unlikely as the saddle will be up !
I like the self made construction from Phil.

In my case fitting either of my bags on the rack does obscure the reflector. Not too big a deal as I have extra reflective tape on the rack and mudguard. The lights are higher than the tail/brake lights on my car so I don't think visibility is an issue there.

 

[Koga]

In my case fitting either of my bags on the rack does obscure the reflector. Not too big a deal as I have extra reflective tape on the rack and mudguard. The lights are higher than the tail/brake lights on my car so I don't think visibility is an issue there.

That's fair enough, was just trying to make a minor point that the higher your light (within reason) the most overall vision you will achieve.

 

[Davidc]

There are plenty of adaptors around, as said above Blackburn supply them, Smart make them. B&M dynamo lights generally fit directly to the holes on racks. I like Phil's DIY bracket.

 

[mcshroom]

The advantage of rack mounting is that it is usually clear of obstruction and also aimed pretty sensibly straight behind.

You can get adaptors that screw onto the rack for Cateye (also fits RSP, Phaart), or Smart (fits most cheap clippy lights as well). They are around £3-£5

I have two permanent rack lights on different bikes though. One is a Cadeye LD200 and the other is a B&M Toplight. I think both are in the £15-£25 range.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

You can get adaptors that screw onto the rack for Cateye (also fits RSP, Phaart), or Smart (fits most cheap clippy lights as well). They are around £3-£5.

I'm afraid the Phaart lights don't fit the Cateye mounts (the ones I have to hand at least). They look very similar but don't couple in quite the same way.

That was one of the options I looked at before making my own mount.