Tell me about the 5/16" BSC fork blade lamp boss

[rogerzilla]

Was it only a UK thing, or did other countries have one on the LH fork blade instead? Who started the standard? Why did it die out? Does it have a brand name?

A couple of my bikes have these bosses, which were still fitted up to the 1980s. I have aluminium brackets (hard to find - nearly all are chromed steel) fitted to them to plug the hole. I don't normally hang a lamp from them. I have an Ever Ready Nightrider converted to LED but grey plastic doesn't enhance any vintage bike. The Pifco or earlier Ever Ready lamps look better but they take a twin-cell battery that hasn't been made for many years, and adaptors for D cells are rare.

 

[midlife]

Other countries have them, sometimes doubling as a dynamo mount.

I seem to think I have seen mounts on the left side on much older bikes, maybe to illuminate the kerb?

 

[raleighnut]

Dynamo lamps often had a bracket that clamped to those mounts.

 

[midlife]

Talking of forks, these were a bigger mystery...

 

[Sharky]

^^^^ Tennis racquet holder

 

[Deleted member 23692]

^^^ or hockey stick

and they are still made - https://www.brabohockey.com/en/product/bike-clip/

 

[pawl]

Talking of forks, these were a bigger mystery...

View attachment 464606

I used two of them to hold a full length pump to the top tube.