MTB Night Lights - helmet mounting
- AUbicycles
- Site Admin
- Posts: 15587
- Joined: Tue Aug 23, 2005 2:14 am
- Location: Sydney & Frankfurt
- Contact:
MTB Night Lights - helmet mounting
Postby AUbicycles » Sun Mar 31, 2013 9:17 pm
On Johns Kali Amara Helmet review he had AyUps though with their own mounting bracket. (pic below)
Just wondering how others are mounting a light on their helmet? I have noticed some adapters that can be attached to provide a curved surface and mount. What about the battery pack - down your back and in a backpack... or on the helmet itself?
- AUbicycles
- Site Admin
- Posts: 15587
- Joined: Tue Aug 23, 2005 2:14 am
- Location: Sydney & Frankfurt
- Contact:
Re: MTB Night Lights - helmet mounting
Postby AUbicycles » Mon Apr 01, 2013 9:54 pm
Was out for a short stint tonight. I found a headmount for a camera with elastic straps that I chopped off, then with a few cableties had a lovely headmount.
I caught this on the camera - one of those noises of the dark decided to hop across. It is incredible how much the confident level goes up the more light and better spread you have. If I switch one light off, I automatically slow. That may sound obvious however was really noticeable.
- clackers
- Posts: 2065
- Joined: Mon May 16, 2011 10:48 am
- Location: Melbourne
Re: MTB Night Lights - helmet mounting
Postby clackers » Tue Apr 02, 2013 2:32 pm
Is that a photo of John standing on the lawn, pushed down into the grass by the weight of his helmet?AUbicycles wrote:
The Magicshine clones my wife and I use have their own helmet straps. The battery we put in either rackmount bag or backpack ... too heavy to add to everything else above the neck!
- AUbicycles
- Site Admin
- Posts: 15587
- Joined: Tue Aug 23, 2005 2:14 am
- Location: Sydney & Frankfurt
- Contact:
Re: MTB Night Lights - helmet mounting
Postby AUbicycles » Tue Apr 02, 2013 5:40 pm
-
- Posts: 951
- Joined: Sun Apr 15, 2012 1:43 pm
- Location: Watching the ships on the Southern Ocean
Re: MTB Night Lights - helmet mounting
Postby ball bearing » Tue Apr 02, 2013 6:49 pm
- AUbicycles
- Site Admin
- Posts: 15587
- Joined: Tue Aug 23, 2005 2:14 am
- Location: Sydney & Frankfurt
- Contact:
Re: MTB Night Lights - helmet mounting
Postby AUbicycles » Wed Apr 03, 2013 3:59 pm
- bychosis
- Posts: 7250
- Joined: Sat Jan 14, 2012 1:10 pm
- Location: Lake Macquarie
Re: MTB Night Lights - helmet mounting
Postby bychosis » Wed Apr 03, 2013 9:34 pm
Home made. 2x$5 lights from the reject shop, some alum tube, two li-ion batteries from eBay, an hour in the shed and ... The light is bright, but not very focused so good for close by, but not so good at road speeds.
Cable ties are round one mount solution. Velcro and elastic are going to be round two.
-
- Posts: 951
- Joined: Sun Apr 15, 2012 1:43 pm
- Location: Watching the ships on the Southern Ocean
Re: MTB Night Lights - helmet mounting
Postby ball bearing » Wed Apr 03, 2013 10:05 pm
Wiggle had them at a special price a couple of weeks ago for just over $150. Still not cheap, but I'm hoping they are more reliable than the off-brand types.AUbicycles wrote:Thats a nice spotlight. Does come at a price. Are you helmet mounting... and what do you think of the mount?
The helmet mount is unique as it is screwed into place through a vent hole and works like a ball and socket. So far so good. I hardly know it's there. I bought the bar mount for use in flashing mode on my road bike. I hope I'm not blinding anyone. It is bright!
- trailgumby
- Posts: 15469
- Joined: Sat Jan 03, 2009 5:30 pm
- Location: Northern Beaches, Sydney
- Contact:
Re: MTB Night Lights - helmet mounting
Postby trailgumby » Wed Apr 03, 2013 10:11 pm
- trailgumby
- Posts: 15469
- Joined: Sat Jan 03, 2009 5:30 pm
- Location: Northern Beaches, Sydney
- Contact:
Re: MTB Night Lights - helmet mounting
Postby trailgumby » Wed Apr 03, 2013 10:26 pm
Most of the MagicShine style lights stock mounts sit up way too high in my opinion. I have enough of a problem bashing my helmet on low branches around Manly Dam and other local trails, the extra height of these lights would be a concern. I'd be trying to do without the half-bar-cross-section mount and cable tying the unit directly to the helmet in about the same location as my Ay Ups in the above photos, so long as the aim could be set up correctly.
The other issue with having weight up too high is that over the rough stuff your helmet will want to "porpoise" on your head, fopping backwards and forwards and obstructing your vision usually at the worst possible moment. For that reason I don't use the camera helmet mounted off-road.
Hope you find these thoughts helpful.
- AUbicycles
- Site Admin
- Posts: 15587
- Joined: Tue Aug 23, 2005 2:14 am
- Location: Sydney & Frankfurt
- Contact:
Re: MTB Night Lights - helmet mounting
Postby AUbicycles » Thu Apr 04, 2013 1:11 pm
- trailgumby
- Posts: 15469
- Joined: Sat Jan 03, 2009 5:30 pm
- Location: Northern Beaches, Sydney
- Contact:
Re: MTB Night Lights - helmet mounting
Postby trailgumby » Thu Apr 04, 2013 5:17 pm
- clackers
- Posts: 2065
- Joined: Mon May 16, 2011 10:48 am
- Location: Melbourne
Re: MTB Night Lights - helmet mounting
Postby clackers » Thu Apr 04, 2013 5:39 pm
It's fugly, but it works.
The other night my wife and I put the velcro attachment through the helmet airholes and straps, then rode some of the singletrack beside the Yarra at Heidelberg. It's great being able to see what to expect around the bend and the branches overhead while having the main light down in front of the wheel.
Wild animals we saw included tawny frogmouths, a wombat, a fox, and the soccer players still training at Bulleen.
- trailgumby
- Posts: 15469
- Joined: Sat Jan 03, 2009 5:30 pm
- Location: Northern Beaches, Sydney
- Contact:
Re: MTB Night Lights - helmet mounting
Postby trailgumby » Thu Apr 04, 2013 9:09 pm
The reason it sits so high is to allow the O-rings to wrap through underneath and secure the light. I think there are other ways of tackling the retention problem while still allowing a bit of tilt adjustment and keeping the o-ring system for the bars.
I love seeing wildlife on the trails. Wombats! Don't look too closely at their burrows while riding, you'll end up going for a visit! Target fixation
- Jean
- Posts: 1750
- Joined: Wed Feb 27, 2008 9:26 am
- Location: Canberra
Re: MTB Night Lights - helmet mounting
Postby Jean » Fri Apr 05, 2013 1:05 pm
Could you give us a better shot of your ghetto light mount? I'm using a couple of torches too, but want to make up a lower profile DIY mount and yours looks interesting.bychosis wrote:
Home made. 2x$5 lights from the reject shop, some alum tube, two li-ion batteries from eBay, an hour in the shed and ... The light is bright, but not very focused so good for close by, but not so good at road speeds.
Cable ties are round one mount solution. Velcro and elastic are going to be round two.
Thanks if you can.
- bychosis
- Posts: 7250
- Joined: Sat Jan 14, 2012 1:10 pm
- Location: Lake Macquarie
Re: MTB Night Lights - helmet mounting
Postby bychosis » Mon Apr 08, 2013 1:55 pm
- AUbicycles
- Site Admin
- Posts: 15587
- Joined: Tue Aug 23, 2005 2:14 am
- Location: Sydney & Frankfurt
- Contact:
Re: MTB Night Lights - helmet mounting
Postby AUbicycles » Tue Apr 09, 2013 11:05 pm
-
- Posts: 351
- Joined: Thu Dec 22, 2011 9:44 am
Re: MTB Night Lights - helmet mounting
Postby lump_a_charcoal » Sun Apr 14, 2013 8:22 pm
Coupled with the Exposure Maxx-d mk5, it is great!
- trailgumby
- Posts: 15469
- Joined: Sat Jan 03, 2009 5:30 pm
- Location: Northern Beaches, Sydney
- Contact:
Re: MTB Night Lights - helmet mounting
Postby trailgumby » Sun Apr 14, 2013 8:42 pm
Riding a Specialized?AUbicycles wrote:My last tawny frogmouth was on my verandah - on the way out for a night MTB trip.
- Rob74
- Posts: 716
- Joined: Tue May 08, 2012 12:26 pm
- Location: Hunter Valley, NSW
- General Australian Cycling Topics
- Info / announcements
- Buying a bike / parts
- General Cycling Discussion
- The Bike Shed
- Cycling Health
- Cycling Safety and Advocacy
- Women's Cycling
- Bike & Gear Reviews
- Cycling Trade
- Stolen Bikes
- Bicycle FAQs
- The Market Place
- Member to Member Bike and Gear Sales
- Want to Buy, Group Buy, Swap
- My Bikes or Gear Elsewhere
- Serious Biking
- Audax / Randonneuring
- Retro biking
- Commuting
- MTB
- Recumbents
- Fixed Gear/ Single Speed
- Track
- Electric Bicycles
- Cyclocross and Gravel Grinding
- Dragsters / Lowriders / Cruisers
- Children's Bikes
- Cargo Bikes and Utility Cycling
- Road Racing
- Road Biking
- Training
- Time Trial
- Triathlon
- International and National Tours and Events
- Cycle Touring
- Touring Australia
- Touring Overseas
- Touring Bikes and Equipment
- Australia
- Western Australia
- New South Wales
- Queensland
- South Australia
- Victoria
- ACT
- Tasmania
- Northern Territory
- Country & Regional
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users
- All times are UTC+11:00
- Top
- Delete cookies
About the Australian Cycling Forums
The Australian Cycling Forums is a welcoming community where you can ask questions and talk about the type of bikes and cycling topics you like.
Bicycles Network Australia
Forum Information
Connect with BNA
This website uses affiliate links to retail platforms including ebay, amazon, proviz and ribble.