Excess Wire: Wind It, Hide It, or Trim It?

[Matthew Williams]

Hi everyone,

How have you dealt with excess headlight and taillight wire?

My excess headlight wire was hidden behind my handlebar bag, and my excess taillight wire is wound around the rack.

I want a cleaner look. I want to trim the wire so it’s just the length it should be, and attach it to the rack and bars with zip-ties.

What’s the best practice for cutting excess headlight and taillight wire? How much extra “just in case” extra length should I leave? How have other people handled excess wire? As always, your experience, advice, and wisdom are welcomed and appreciated.

[J]

I keep excess headlight wire stuffed inside the right fork blade in case I ever need to relocate the light and need it.

[Ben Miller]

I'm interested in the thread. I also want to hear some ideas!

Me: I mostly wind excess wire around something, like a rack, light mount, or fork blade. I'm always concerned about cutting a wire too short and regretting it later. As J mentioned, I sometimes stuff excess wire in the internal fork route, if that exists on the frame. But I'm also really starting to hate internal wire routing (it's very difficult to change/swap and I feel it leads to accelerated wear on the wiring). 

One thing that I'd like to see from dynamo light manufacturers is having connectors instead of permanently attached wires on lights. The B&M Secula taillight is like this (although ideally something a bit more robust those flimsy spade connectors). That way I wouldn't worry about cutting wires too short, as I could just get a new wire and start over again. I know I can add a connector anywhere in the wire, but I don't think it looks as clean and I don't think it's as robust. Why not use the same type of connection as the hub connectors? A headlight with a SON coaxial or S&P connector would be great to see!

Another thing: frames with dedicated external wire mounting points would be nice, but maybe there isn't enough demand? Internal mounting doesn't really take anything away from the bike is not used, but unused external might be detracting. 

One final musing, I have always wondered if it'd be possibly to somehow use brake or shifter cables to provide power to the taillight? I know stainless steel is like an order of magnitude less conductive than copper, but brake cables are much thicker than 22 awg wire, right? I guess I'd have to get a multimeter out and measure some resistivities! But if the resistance isn't too high, how cool would it be to have a light mounted on your Paul Motolites, or something, getting power from the brake cable and sending it back thru the frame? 

Ben

[Michael Baquerizo]

Ben, I agree on the permanently installed wire problem. my first front dynamo was a cheaper b&m light that takes the female end of faston connectors directly to the body, which seemed reasonable to me. 

then i upgraded to a new light (more expensive, higher lume, etc) and learned that wasn't the standard, and i can't say i prefer it this way. 

[Ted Durant]

On Friday, March 7, 2025 at 8:40:16 PM UTC-6 Matthew Williams wrote:

What’s the best practice for cutting excess headlight and taillight wire? How much extra “just in case” extra length should I leave? How have other people handled excess wire? As always, your experience, advice, and wisdom are welcomed and appreciated. 

A lot of this depends on your tolerance for "messiness". I received some criticism for my West Coast Sam because of the black zip ties on the olive green paint (slightly different issue) but I don't get too bothered by it.

Another important question - how handy are you with and equipped for cutting wires and attaching fasteners? And, of course, how likely is it you will want to move things to another bike, or change the setup of this bike?

If you're handy and equipped, and you have the bike and setup nailed, there's nothing as nice as perfect length wires run internally as much as possible. If you have a taillight wire running to the headlight, a beautifully made curl (wrapping the wire around a spoke) allows the wire to stretch and shrink back as the fork rotates.  A quick and easy alternative can be to stuff the extra wire up the steerer tube from under the fork crown, depending on what else is in there (brake bolt, fender daruma, ...). On Great Lakes Sam, which uses coaxial wiring that's a bit more tricky for attaching connectors, and because I want the whole setup to be removable, I just wrap the excess around the headlight mount. It's not pretty, but it's well hidden by the light and the handlebar bag. 

There was an occasion where I had to cut the wire for an Edelux and attach a longer one to it. Not ideal, but it can be done. So, while it's often better to leave some extra "just in case", it's not the end of the world if you decide you need a longer wire.

One great thing about coaxial wires is the connectors. Fiddly to attach, but they give you additional flexibility. For example, on Great Lakes Sam the hub is wired to the headlight via a connector, so I can change it so the hub is wired to a USB adapter. I can then plug a power bank into the headlight and still have lights while other stuff  is charging off the dyno.

Ted Durant

Milwaukee WI USA

[Laing Conley]

I have been doing the coiled wire thing since the 70s when I used the Sanyo BB generator. Back then I drilled a hole in the BB lug and ran a single wire though the frame and exited through the screw hole for the Paramount head badge. I ran the other wire through the left chain chainstay and out the existing hole in the end of the chainstay and mounted the light on the dropout. I used a Phillips screwdriver to coil the wire. 

Nowadays I tend to just use zip ties. They are available in many colors, so I match the frame color if possible. If not, I sometimes go with a  color to match the brake housings such as orange on a blue bike. 

I finally bought a high (medium?) quality crimper from Peter White a few years back, so I’m comfortable with changing wire lengths when I swap lights and frames. I crimp, sometimes solder and shrink wrap. I use dielectric grease on the push connectors. 

I bought some Dyna-Snap magnetic connectors for the forks that I am going to try out on the Bombadil. 

I was very surprised that my Guv’nor had provisions for internal routing on the right fork blade - including a rubber plug/grommet on the top of the fork. I put a genuine SA Dynohub with a 90 mm drum brake on it. 

I have yet to try adhesive or helicopter tape as others on here have done. 

Laing

Delray Beach FL

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[Brian Turner]

Laing- I purchased an Edelux II from another member several years ago, and it came with DynaSnap connectors. I’ve been really happy with them. Since you’re in a salt air environment, you may need to keep the magnet faces coated with a very thin application of that dialectric grease, because after a while they tend to get corrosion on them that will affect your connection. Several months of riding along the Gulf Coast caused some corrosion on mine.

Brian
Lexington KY

[Will Boericke]

I have my spare wire coiled and stuffed in the space between the fork crown and fender.  Less than elegant, but it works.

Will 

[Minh]

I also leave extra wire, either coiled around a rack post, or winding back on itself if a basket is mounted, if I did not do this the length of wire to the hub would be quite short since I also use a pigtail in between the hub and the light. 

I was somewhat amused this weekend at the Philly bike expo to look at some beautiful bikes--including some chapman's, where the light wire was not short but also winding around the rack stay, I think that approach has its own desirable aesthetic.  

[Ted Durant]

On Monday, March 10, 2025 at 10:29:36 AM UTC-5 Minh wrote:

I was somewhat amused this weekend at the Philly bike expo to look at some beautiful bikes--including some chapman's, where the light wire was not short but also winding around the rack stay, I think that approach has its own desirable aesthetic.  

Go easy on Brian Chapman's wiring. All three of those bikes hadn't even been painted a week ago. His finished product typically has invisible wiring.

[Ben Miller]

After years of considering a Sinewave Beacon headlight, I finally got one this week. (Hence my interest in this thread and hearing everyone techniques). I can confirm I still hate internal wiring (why did I do it!?). But I also really dislike soldering on the SON coaxial connectors (I mean, I love them in use, just loathe the installation process). Admittedly I'm pretty bad at soldering, but I find the connectors extremely difficult to do. Tiny little 24 AWG wire and the huge thermal heat mass of the connector make it challenging for me. 

Anyone got some tips of soldering these bad boys one? What's your experience, are they easy and I'm just terrible at soldering? (a definite possibility!) 

[Ted Durant]

On Mar 13, 2025, at 7:44 PM, Ben Miller <ben.l....@gmail.com> wrote:

Anyone got some tips of soldering these bad boys one? What's your experience, are they easy and I'm just terrible at soldering? (a definite possibility!) 

I’m terrible at it. And I don’t have good equipment. Bad combo! But I managed to make it work on my Great Lakes Sam setup.

Ted Durant

Milwaukee, WI USA

[Laing Conley]

1. Get a good soldering station. I finally bit the bullet a few years ago and got a Hakko FX-888 with a controller and soldering iron holder. 

2. Always clean and tin your tip every time you use it. 

3. Install a new tip when the soldering iron stops working well. That 20 (or 40) year old tip is garbage. Buy tips in quantity. 

4. Not totally required, but I crimp before I solder. 

Laing

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[Bicycle Belle Ding Ding!]

You what what’s the slickest way I’ve found? Small, black zip ties to the brake or shifter wire on the down tube. Some brilliant kid did this for me in Vegas at a bike shop and I’ve asked all the mechanics ever since to use his method. You can take the excess wire, coil it, zip tie it, and secure it to your kickstand plate. No one will ever see it, and you’ll have the freedom of adjustability, should you need it. I’ll send pics in a minute. The website doesn’t allow me to send them but they’ll send from Gmail. Whatever.

L

[Leah Peterson]

On Mar 14, 2025, at 10:02 AM, Bicycle Belle Ding Ding! <jonasa...@gmail.com> wrote:

You what what’s the slickest way I’ve found? Small, black zip ties to the brake or shifter wire on the down tube. Some brilliant kid did this for me in Vegas at a bike shop and I’ve asked all the mechanics ever since to use his method. You can take the excess wire, coil it, zip tie it, and secure it to your kickstand plate. No one will ever see it, and you’ll have the freedom of adjustability, should you need it. I’ll send pics in a minute. The website doesn’t allow me to send them but they’ll send from Gmail. Whatever.

L

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[Ted Durant]

On Mar 14, 2025, at 9:02 AM, Bicycle Belle Ding Ding! <jonasa...@gmail.com> wrote:

Small, black zip ties to the brake or shifter wire on the down tube

Leah - I just found a package of zip ties in assorted colors at McMaster-Carr. No need to be limited to black zip ties!

[Leah Peterson]

On Mar 14, 2025, at 10:02 AM, Bicycle Belle Ding Ding! <jonasa...@gmail.com> wrote:

You what what’s the slickest way I’ve found? Small, black zip ties to the brake or shifter wire on the down tube. Some brilliant kid did this for me in Vegas at a bike shop and I’ve asked all the mechanics ever since to use his method. You can take the excess wire, coil it, zip tie it, and secure it to your kickstand plate. No one will ever see it, and you’ll have the freedom of adjustability, should you need it. I’ll send pics in a minute. The website doesn’t allow me to send them but they’ll send from Gmail. Whatever.

L

[Leah Peterson]

We ought never be limited to only black zip ties! But I’m too scared to cut them, Ted. 😬

On Mar 14, 2025, at 10:09 AM, Ted Durant <tedd...@gmail.com> wrote:



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[Laing Conley]

They have assorted colors at Harbor Freight also. 

Laing 

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[Ben Miller]

Laing, I don't have as nice of a soldering iron, but I reckon I do all the other things. After doing 3 connectors in a row (2 males and a female), I found that HEAPS of flux paste really helped. Like, by the last one, I as absolutely globbing it on :)

Ted, I'm terrible at it and have decent equipment (not Laing level), but I also can manage. Barely :)

Leah, "But I’m too scared to cut them, Ted. 😬" Lol! They also make multi-colored Velcro straps! No need to cut those :) I use them on my framepumps! 

Anyways, I did finish all my connectors and I think my wiring job turned out pretty good! Well, I'm happy with it. Excess headlight wire was hidden the fork and tailight wire was pigtailed just after the fork crown. The coax wire didn't hold the pigtail all that well, my only compliant. I gotta say, I'm pretty impressed with the Sinewave tailight. The fit and finish on it is very nice. Bigger than the B&M mu "micro" tailight I normally run, but still small-ish. The silver tailight is polished silver, not anodized, FYI. I didn't realize this and got a ano silver headlight, and it just ever so slightly is mismatched. But would look great paired with a polished Edelux I think.

As to not offend the RBW Bunch, I included my 3 Riv's. They're all wired with head/tail lights. I like the Hunq's results, but I think the Ram and Roadeo need so work :) Especially the Roadeo... 

[Patrick Moore]

Ben: all 4 bikes very elegantly done, at least I don’t see the headlight on the Roadeo but I assume it’s on the left side of the front rack. A very elegant collection.

Two off-topic (but not off-bicycle) questions:

1. How do the Thunder Burts roll on pavement? (2) Am I right in thinking that those on the Hunq are 700C? I ask because while I love the low (apparent) rolling resistance and pavement handling of my RH Oracle Ridges, IME Schwalbe tires set up tubeless much more easily than RH tires.

2. How do the Hunq and Roadeo and Ram handle with a sizeable front load, say, with a 6-pack? My own experience with 5 Rivendells is that they like rear more than front loads. I found that ~5 lb in a handlebar bag was about as much as my Rivs cared for — and of course, DSDF — “different strokes for different folks.”

Patrick Moore, who rode his last remaining Riv of 5 this morning with a medium Timbuk2 shoulder bag.

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Patrick Moore

Alburquerque, Nuevo Mexico, Etats Unis d'Amerique, Orbis Terrarum

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[Ben Miller]

Thanks Patrick! An you are correct, the Roadeo's light is mounted on the non-drive side of rack, so it's hidden in the photo. Opps.

They are Thunder Burts! 2.35 in the front and 2.1 in the back. Though they both measure out -0.1". I recall them to be pretty easy to install. Feeling the casing of an unmounted Thunder Burt vs. an Endurance RH casing.... I couldn't tell you a difference. But with the Hunq I mostly just cruising or on trails. Or cruising trails :)

I don't mind throwing a 6-pack in in any of the front bags. But I do often really load up the Hunq with groceries or something. Last year, I was going to go to a bike swap and bring all my FS bike parts on the Hunq.... Loaded like that it was pretty squirrelly. Attached is photo of said ride. Thanksfully it wasn't too far. Unfortunately I had the wrong date, so I had to bike it all back. Haha.

[Patrick Moore]

Thanks, Ben. That is a front load! 

I must consider Thunder Burt 2.1s as alternatives to Oracle Ridges since Schwalbe tires IME seat up better than RH tires when tubeless. But I’m going to try TPU tubes and OS regular formula in the Oracle Ridges first.