Question about blinkies and saddlebag loops

[PATRICK MOORE]

I've asked this before to no response, but from the scuttlebutt there must be answers out there onlist. I've tried clipping blinkies of all sorts (including my most recent ones whose maker and model I forget, but that are even brighter than the PB Blaze 1/2W) and each time I decide that the visible effect is too compromised the less-than-optimum and uncontrollable viewing angle caused by the floppiness of the strap, flap, and by variations in flap angle due to load or lack thereof. When I tried this new blinkie recently on the unladen Sackville, it ended up pointing down at about ~35-40 degrees, so that the effect was considerably diminished over a fixed mounting keeping the lens at slightly more than 90* to the road. Again, a strobe works, but they also eat batteries too fast.

Anyone? 

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Patrick Moore, Albuquerque, NM, USA
For professional resumes, contact Patrick Moore, ACRW
http://resumespecialties.com/index.html
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[Jim Mather]

I use one of these on the seat stay. I think it's quite visible, not
very expensive, and I haven't been hit yet.

https://www.serfas.com/products/view/164/referer:products%7Cindex%7Clights%7Ctail-lights

[René Sterental]

I place my main rear lights on the rear rack and on the rear fender and have two automatic senso lights that turn on when it's dark and the bike moves; coupled with a front dynamo senso light (the rear are battery operated) I no longer have to remember to turn them on or off. Additionally, I'll place a third rear light on my helmet (Specialized Street Smart) as it is equipped to do just that and which I do have to remember to turn on/off manually. A saddlebag mounted rear light is the very last choice for me. 

René 

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[Liesl]

I have taken to attaching a few different blinkie straps/bars to each saddlebag.  In general, I place one up high close to the saddle that I use when the bag is less full and one down low for when the bag is full.  I use a 2" strip of harness leather and rivet them on.  In lieu of the higher strap/bar I've also buckled a strap (Irish strap or tow clip strap do nicely) around the back seat rails so that the strap is parallel to the top of the saddle bag and clip the blinkie onto it.

I also use this technique to attach a bar to the wrist of each of my chopper mittens and then use it to strap on a mitten leash made out of cotton lampwick Polar Explorer style.  Works great both on and off a bike.

http://www.antarcticconnection.com/shopcontent.asp?type=shackleton-biography
http://www.coolantarctica.com/Antarctica%20fact%20file/History/nimrod_magnetic_pole.jpg

liesl

[PATRICK MOORE]

Now *that's* what I'm talkin' 'bout! Liesl: can you post some photos of said straps used as described for empty and full? I've got me a pop-rivet kit and another rivet kit from Tandy and I am ready to proceed!

AND I just thought that, if the straps are stiffish and wide-ish (leather), then they should hold the light more firmly than little, skinny, floppy webbing straps.

BTW, I see Shackleton but apparently am forbidden from opening the other page.

Thanks!

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[PATRICK MOORE]

Thanks, Rene. Fender would do it, but I don't have fenders on this bike -- not sure if I will ever add them. No helmet either, alas. I've thought of clipping a blinkie to the Sam Browne or the belt of the Riv Refl Triangle -- must investigate that, but don't know how that would orient the rear light when I am in the riding position.

[René Sterental]

Patrick,

I've seen a number of rear lights that come with adapters to put on the seat post (not feasible for you) but also on the narrower seat stays. That should be an option you could explore. 

René 

[Kevin Mulcahy]

Remove the "ring" portion and hardware of the PB mount and just bolt the clip directly to any M5 braze-on. I've used this method on seatstay rack mounts and on dropout mounts with success.

Kevin
Chicago, IL

[PATRICK MOORE]

Kevin -- I assume you are talking about the PB Superflash? I don't follow your description -- can you explain further? You say remove the "ring" which, I take it, means the clamp meant for the seatpost. That leaves you with the light and the attached clip. How does this clip bolt to a braze on?

I've thought of bolting a blinkie to dropout-area brazeons, but haven't quite figured out how to do that.

Thanks.

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[William]

see this light?

See the screw?  Unscrew the screw.  Set the clamp aside.  Screw the screw into your braze on.  You can still unclip the light from the clip.  The clip is screwed into your braze on.  

[Kevin Mulcahy]

William has it basically right. Thank you.

 Just use an longer M5 sized bolt instead of the smaller one that's in the clamp.

Kevin
Chicago, IL

[René Sterental]

Smart idea! I like it.

Kevin
Chicago, IL

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[PATRICK MOORE]

It looks so easy when you explain it! Thanks. Yes, I get it now.

Actually tried it on my left rear dropout brazeon but wouldn't quite work -- must see what I can hack.

Patrick "dumb, dumb dumb dumb, Dumb!" Moore

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[Joan Oppel]

Patrick - my small Carradice saddle bag has no "loop" attachment.  Here's how I attach a clip blinky:

 http://www.flickr.com/photos/30856149@N04/8189473050/in/photostream 

I hope that helps or gives you an idea - Joan

[campyo...@me.com]

You might need to head to the hardware store to find a short (1/4" - 1/2") plastic sleeve spacer to go between the light and the braze-on. I've mounted lights to braze-ons, and they sometimes hit the stay, necessitating a spacer to move the light outboard.

--Eric Norris
campyo...@me.com
www.campyonly.com
campyonlyguy.blogspot.com

[Steve Palincsar]

On Thu, 2012-11-15 at 16:28 -0600, Joan Oppel wrote:
> Patrick - my small Carradice saddle bag has no "loop" attachment.
> Here's how I attach a clip blinky:
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/30856149@N04/8189473050/in/photostream

I see it's there, but what's holding it on?

[Joan Oppel]

The clip on the back of the light is "clipped" to the flap of the saddlebag.

Joan 

[Philip Williamson]

I clip my PDW blinkie to my left prat pocket. Haven't been killed yet.

Philip

www.biketinker.com

[Kerry Kunsman]

Due to the nature of the LED Blinkies, to be very bright without using a lot of energy, they need to be focused in a rather tight beam angle.  This means for the blinkie to be effective they need to be carefully aimed at what you want to see them.  That being said, LED Blinkies should be rigidly mounted on the seatpost, seatstay, chainstay, or the rear of your rack.  Then make sure they are aimed so they are pointed back at the drivers.  I've seen many backpack mounted blinkies that the rider doesn't need to worry about any planes landing on them, but you have to be right on top of them before you see it from a ground level view.  :-)

Kerry Kunsman
San Diego, CA

[Michael]

What do you think about a fender light? That'll hold on tight.

[PATRICK MOORE]

Thanks again for all the responses; the volume indicates that more than I think about this. I am pleased that my fretting is shared.

C'mon, saddlebag makers have been putting loops on flaps for decades; isn't there a way to make these work?

I've tried clipping to the saddlebag flap, with much the same results as with the blinkie loop; at least, no guarantees of proper orientation. No fenders, no helmet, no rack braze ons, so that to use this last method only the dropout fender brazeons are available, which I hesitate to use because lights mounted there can be easily knocked about. Must look again.

Perhaps a bracket to position the light inboard of the dropout? 

Meanwhile, I may resort to the 2AA MiniMaglite with red LED twofishblocked under the left chainstay. At least it will share batteries with the Lightman strobe. And I must experiment with a blnkie clipped to a Sam Browne or rear reflective triangle belt. I agree, a lot of reflective material on the back is best.

Or, better yet: replace the VO saddle rail bag loops with another home-made, rail clamp bracket holding a tube to attach the saddlebag straps to. This tube provides a place to clamp a blinkie using a seatstay-sized clamp.

[Jeremy Till]

I've done the same thing as Kevin, so hopefully i can elucidate.  PB tail light mounts have three parts: the light with attached belt clip, a receiver clip which engages the belt clip and acts as a quick release mechanism, and the clamping ring.  Since they ship with both seatpost and seatstay sized clamping rings, the receiver clip can be removed from the clamping ring to switch rings.  You can just bolt this receiver clip to whatever eyelet is handy/appropriate.  I use the upper rack mountings on a bike with no rear rack. 

On the product page for the PB mounts you can see that the clip is attached to the larger of the two clamping rings here:

http://ecom1.planetbike.com/3107.html

[Jeremy Till]

Whoops, should have read the whole thread before replying.  Others got it before me.  Sorry!

[PATRICK MOORE]

Thanks for alerting me to this; it's going to the archive. It looks ideal, and I'd spring if it didn't cost $100. Here is a decent youtube illustration (the anecdote about the old lady rearending the speaker at 8 am in the morning makes me want to wear a helmet again).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZ_Mibw3vCo

BTW, I've got not only rear rack, but front rack and saddlebag on this bike, which is the problem -- there is nowhere to mount a second, flashing rear light. The rear rack lamp mount is already taken up by the Toplight, but that isn't bright enough by itself to make me comfortable, and I do like a flasher as well. Oh well, the strobe will work until the price comes down or until I can scrounge up the cash.

On Fri, Nov 16, 2012 at 2:27 PM, Savvas <ka...@chariot.net.au> wrote:

Hi Patrick,
Here in Oz lots of people I know (or have seen around the place) who eschew racks and other sensible things, invest in an omni-directional light such as the Niteflux Redzone. These will clip very securely onto a bag loop and it matters not a jot where the are pointed as long as its generally rearwards! The RZ is extremely bright and does the job very well. I see lots of training groups and commuters with CF bikes and shoulder bags using them. This seems a much more pragmatic solution than trying to aim a highly focused light from an unstable 'platform'. No Nitefluz affiliation etc...
Savvas

ps: NF make a similar light for the front as well.

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[PATRICK MOORE]

Thanks, Mike: an option I've not considered. I've hesitated to mount a rear light down by the dropout because I so often shove this bike (Fargo) into a car -- will have to review my reluctance. Wonder if it could be mounted inboard of the dropout on the left side -- prolly not b/c of the disk brake. I do have something like (not the same as) the Gino mount in my stash.

Patrick "it's nice to have something to fret about" Moore

On Fri, Nov 16, 2012 at 10:28 AM, mike <mike.r...@gmail.com> wrote:

The way I mount my blinky to the rear wheel area is to use one of the Paul Gino light mounts 

http://paulcomp.com/ginolightmount.html

I then use the seatpost clamp that came with the PB blinky.

The Gino mounts are useful for a few things.  I've got a headlight mounted on the mid-fork blade mounting boss also.

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[justin...@gmail.com]

I have two mid-seat stay braze ons on both my Rivs. I keep two PDW RadBot 1000s mounted on each bike, set in solid mode, not flash. My ideal lighting situation if they were solar powered.

-J