Do they make head lites that...

[Nvreloader]

Guys and Gals,
Do they make self contained head lights that attach on the front forks, around the front axle area?

I have a hard time seeing ruts/holes with the normal OEM handlebar lights, as there is no shadow that clearly shows up from these type of lights.

Your thoughts or suggestions,
Tia

 

[Aushiker]

You can get mounts for lights that go on the forks. A Google search should bring up options. It is then a matter of finding a suitable light.

 

[Mr. Coffee]

Two good ones that you can then mount any standard handlebar light mount with:

Problem Solvers Light Mount - Adventure Cycling Association

This mount will attach to your bike frame or fork’s braze-ons, allowing you to mount a head or taillight just about anywhere you can thread a bolt in. The unique […]

www.adventurecycling.org

Amazon.com

 

[6zfshdb]

There may well be a fork mounted light on the market, but I'm not aware of one.

I do a lot of tunnel riding and my handlebar mounted lights don't show up small hazardous debris, like broken glass, tacks, nails, etc. My bikes don't have braze-on screw attachment points on the forks, so I use these RAM mount parts to attach lights, a GoPro camera, and even a mirror:

RAM® Handlebar U-Bolt Double Ball Mount - B Size Short

The RAM-B-149ZU-A consists of a short length B-size arm with our Handlebar U-Bolt Base for Rails 0.5" to 1.25" in Diameter, and Diamond ball base with two point AMPS hole pattern.

rammount.com

This "V" bracket will hold almost any flashlight:

RAM® Strap Hose Clamp Ball Base 1.5" - 2.1"

The RAM-B-108BU-HUM1 consists of a 1" diameter rubber ball connected at a right angle to a v-shaped base. The RAM-B-108BU-HUM1 accommodates rails from 1.5" to a maximum of 2.1" in diameter. To mount the RAM-B-108BU-HUM1 base, place the saddle shaped plate on the rail then wrap the metal clamp...

rammount.com

I also use this clamp to mount the light lower on the fork but it's not on the bike right now. It will fit a fork tube up to 1.5" in diameter:

Amazon.com

 

[Mr. Coffee]

you can find variants of the light mounts I described that attach to QR skewers as well.

I am sure if you hunted around you could find a way to mount that gadget on a thru axle or even a one with an axle nut.

 

[EMGX]

Interesting idea, I should have thought of that when riding through a 2.2 mile long tunnel a couple weeks ago. Different bike but I just now tried my inexpensive rubber strap attach handlebar light on a bike fork leg. It pivots up and down and side to side.

 

[m@Robertson]

You can do fork-mounted lights with almost no added extra mounting hardware. You just have to find the ones with the right mounting mechanism. The fork lights I use have big batteries that last a long time, and don't cost a lot. I generally use them at their lowest power level, too.

Which Front Bicycle Lights Should I Use?

What front bicycle lights give the best beam pattern? Are blinking lights safer?

talesontwowheels.com

I took these pics for a different reason, so the light mounts aren't quite the focus of the image but you'll get the idea well enough.

Almost zero loss of clearance inside the fork vs. the tire. I put one on each side. These lights project a narrow beam, so I use them specifically to go low and far forward. My top handlebar light provides a wider beam and projects closer to the bike, so I get a pear-shaped illuminated area with the base of the pear closest to me. I gave up long ago trying to get a desirable beam pattern out of a single light and instead have found my ideal is achieved with multiples.

 

[m@Robertson]

Two good ones that you can then mount any standard handlebar light mount with:

The PDW Light Nug seems like a good $15-each solution so long as you have M5 bosses on your fork blades. I am on the wait list to get a custom truss fork made for my white Bullitt, and one of the items I am specifying for the build are M5 bosses near the top of the forward set of fork blades, so I can do a couple of these Nugs screwed on for the fork lights. Or a Niterider Lumina Micro might be a good choice. I have a couple of those but they need something like a Nug to mount them on a fork.

 

[Mr. Coffee]

Maybe I am biased in how I use bicycles but I don't see a lot of justification for not having M5 bosses on a fork. The cost is somewhere between zero and tiny and the added weight is also negligible. And there are so many damned useful things you can do with them if you have them on the bike.

Complete List of Forks with Bottle Cage Mounts (Utility Forks)

Until recently, forks with bottle cage mounts were hard to come by. Now the list of options keeps growing. Find over 80 in our Gear Index of utility forks.

bikepacking.com

 

[m@Robertson]

Maybe I am biased in how I use bicycles but I don't see a lot of justification for not having M5 bosses on a fork. The cost is somewhere between zero and tiny and the added weight is also negligible. And there are so many damned useful things you can do with them if you have them on the bike.

Completely agree. Zero downside. I put a few Surly Ice Cream Truck forks to good use on a few fat bike builds. The barnacles they have encrusting them make for super clean, top-quality front rack mounts.

 

[Nvreloader]

Thanks Guys
Both of my bikes do not have any worts to attach anything on the front forks, so I have to use these type of roll bar clamps to attach anything.

Amazon.com

They come is assorted sizes from .750" thru 3.00" and are adjustable for any angle you might need.

What I need to figure out is the lumens amounts that cast a good shadow when they are mounted just over 12" or so above the axle.

I don't want to have a repeat of what happened the other night,
I ride a lot of farm fields and major canals that are all over the upper and lower valleys during the hot months, with their permission.
Temps have cooled off from the day time temps 70-50* when they are irrigating and makes for a pleasant ride. I had just rode this road last week, with no surprise's, these roads are 1/4 to 1 mile long around each side of the field.
I was moseying along at my usual 10 mph, with the tall alkali weeds (5-6' Tall) starting to over grow the road, as I brushed thru a big clump, I got a brief glance at what appeared to be a wash out across both travel lanes.
All I can say, is when you lock up these hydraulic brakes on the Juggs 4 bike, they will stop you, just as the front tire slide off the edge and came to a dead stop, with the front tire dangling off into empty space and the motor setting on the lip of a hole 2'+ wide and over a couple feet deep.
Damn gophers, they dig holes and then the irrigation water enlarges it causing a washout, when the fields are irrigated..
Needless to say, the pucker factor was at +1000, as I sat there assessing what just happened, and checking that I came away with no injuries, which was a surprise.
I am hoping the bank doesn't cave in, as I pulled/lifted the front wheel back out of the hole. No damage done that I can find.

Knowing the rancher drives this road all the time with $$$$$$$ tractors, I got out the white toilet paper and blocked off the road, for safety.
Rode around the wash out and Damn if there wasn't another one less than 50 feet down the road, I barely could see this one, it was wider and deeper than the first one.
I could have dropped the bike into it and it wouldn't have shown above the road, more white toilet paper to block the other side.
Called the rancher and let him know about the problems, and he brought out a backhoe and filled in the holes, the next day.

So I decided I NEED some more lights shining up front ASAP, if I want to keep riding in the valley..
Your thoughts and suggestions,
Tia,

 

[Nvreloader]

All I can say is there is a BIG difference between 1000 Lumens of light, even thou they are listed at 1000 Lumens each.

I tested 2 different head lights last night at 9pm, o dark thirty.
The photos do not match their descriptions/photo's shown,
that for sure.
My Duracell 3A triple cell does a better job, on low or high power.
Back to the drawing board.
Tia,

 

[Jim1348]

Check out CandlePower Forums. It is one of the better website that I have found to learn more about lights.

I will also add that I don't think lighting is an either/or issue. For example, handlebar vs. helmet light. Having a handlebar light and a helmet light is a great way to go. If you add other lights, too, all the better.

Candle Power Flashlight Forum

The largest flashlight community forum. Flashlight reviews flash light classifieds, LED, headlamps, modifications & more.

www.candlepowerforums.com

 

[Nvreloader]

Thanks Jim
I'll check it out. I have a lot to learn about lights....lol