All I want is some universal light brackets!

[Gareth]

I have just done an impression of ninja as I had put the wrong set of lights in my pocket! Ironically I had gone out to buy LEDs to fit to my trailer: I got pulled the other evening because my trailer being wider than my bike did not have white marker lights showing to the front. It's got white reflectors on the front of the mudguards, reds on the rear and ambers on the sides, but apparently the local plod want me to have white lights on it showing to the front as well as the two red LEDs I have on the back.

What ever happened to the old fashioned EverReady/Pifco light brackets and lights to fit them?

I want to use a set of lights on any of my bikes or my trailer. I don't care about 10,000 lumens dazzling the astronauts on the ISS, or blinding a jumbo pilot on final descent. I just want a standard set of light mountings and lights that fit them. I want a universal light fitting that works, and is not a fancy piece of bloody flimsy plastic that needs packing out with strips of rubber to sort of semi almost hold it in place, or turns brittle and breaks when the temperature occasionally hits zero.

 

[biggs682]

drop me a pm with yoour e mail as i might have some

 

[vernon]

I've found that sticking with one manufacturer is helpful

 

[Arch]

For easy fitting, why not use mountless lights - usually sold as 'back up' lights.You can usually get a pair, one front one rear, from bike shops, hardware stores, Tesco, Asda etc. They hold themselves around tubes using a loop of elastic. Like this:

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/electron/backupz-led-twin-pack-light-set-ec008145

I have a pair of Skullies, and love them. A bit more pricey, but a very effective bright double LED, and the rubber 'arms' will fit in various ways to go round pretty much any diameter of tube.

http://www.skully.com.tw/htm/products_l324.php

Available on Amazon, Ebay and all sorts of other outlets...

All these have the advantage of being useful for dangling from a rucksack, or the loop on the back of a jacket, as well as fitting round tubes.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

why can't the industry just come up with a standard clip. how hard can that be?

 

[Gareth]

drop me a pm with yoour e mail as i might have some

Thank you for the kind offer: I was just having a bit of a rant.

I have a favourite pair of 12 year old 2 X C cell Hella lights that include reflectors and I have just recently upgraded them with TerraLux LEDs (to fit Maglites): 80 Lumens rear and 140 Lumens front and they are perfect for me. How I used to manage commuting 4 miles each way on unlit Suffolk country roads using only the standard bulbs I'll never know.

These old Hella lights utilise the old fashion slip-on/slip-off light mounting brackets and I would really like to obtain another couple of sets of these lights, so if anyone could point me in the right direction I would be very grateful for the information.

 

[Gareth]

why can't the industry just come up with a standard clip. how hard can that be?

Exactly!

 

[ASC1951]

why can't the industry just come up with a standard clip. how hard can that be?

To take large/small/bulb/LED? To go on metal/cloth/plastic? Shaped round/flat/irregular? To work in wet/dry/heat/cold?
Next to impossible, I think you would find, and with a tiny market when you did - that is why there isn't one.

 

[vernon]

why can't the industry just come up with a standard clip. how hard can that be?

As hard as having a universal charger lead for mobile phones.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

To take large/small/bulb/LED? To go on metal/cloth/plastic? Shaped round/flat/irregular? To work in wet/dry/heat/cold?
Next to impossible, I think you would find, and with a tiny market when you did - that is why there isn't one.

Hardly.

Smart use one clip for all their rear lights
Cateye use one clip for all their rear lights

etc etc

 

[vernon]

Hardly.

Smart use one clip for all their rear lights
Cateye use one clip for all their rear lights

etc etc

That's the reason why I stick with Cateye for detachable lighting solutions however, I think folk would like to see a one clip design working for all manufacturers.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

That's the reason why I stick with Cateye for detachable lighting solutions however, I think folk would like to see a one clip design working for all manufacturers.

Yep. I went the other way (and now have a stack of oh no it got wet, busted, smarts)

 

[Paulus]

I have stuck with Smart lights, 3 front polaris, and 4 rear lights. I did get some extra rear brackets from Evans, they sell the mounts seperately. This was so that I could have a set of mounts on my bikes without having to fuss about changing them over when using a different bike.

 

[Arch]

Hardly.

Smart use one clip for all their rear lights
Cateye use one clip for all their rear lights

etc etc

So, once you start by buying Smart, you've got a reason to go back to them. Same with Cateye. I suspect it's not in the manufacturers' interests to make it easy for you to switch brands. If you want spare clips, you've got to go to the maker of your lights....

 

[Gareth]

Well, I have resolved my light issues: I have managed to find 2 pairs of "Vintage" Hella TP 950 bicycle lights for sale on ebay and with buy it now, free P&P for £9.99 each which is what I paid for my original pair back in 2001, so I've bought them. I've also got plenty of 2 & 3 mm thick stainless steel plate in the workshop, so making suitable mounting brackets is not going to be a problem.

While ferckling about and tidying up in the workshop this morning I stumbled upon a packet of 4 Yellowstone aluminium LED pocket torches which I bought from Aldi's last Autumn. I also use stainless steel P clips on a regular basis, and these will be ideal for installing the torches on to my trailer and using them as front marker lights .............. I predict a serious fettling session.