Mounting a light on the forks

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Ajax Bay

Guru
Location
East Devon
Bikes used to come with a boss welded on to the offside fork for fitting a light. My old Flying Scot of 1950's vintage is so equipped and it was standard then.
The bike I rode in the 50s had a boss so fitted: well aware of the standard - and of course almost no lumens from the 3v bulb - how did we manage bitd? I have just thrown away the light that slotted on to the fitting!
 

Ajax Bay

Guru
Location
East Devon
The light above the mudgards is dynamo light not great on very dark lanes
All those (several) who sport hub dynamos, with whom I ride weekly in the dark, have perfectly functional and bright enough lights (DLR and after dusk). If yours is not "great" in the lanes, procure a 'great' one and carry a tiny head torch as an emergency/static option.
 

oldwheels

Legendary Member
Location
Isle of Mull
The bike I rode in the 50s had a boss so fitted: well aware of the standard - and of course almost no lumens from the 3v bulb - how did we manage bitd? I have just thrown away the light that slotted on to the fitting!
I still have the carbide lamp I used and even got some carbide in a sealed tin so would probably still work. Better than the then battery ones anyway. My Flying Scot is off being refurbished by an enthusiast so cannot try the lamp out on any bike I currently have.
 

freiston

Veteran
Location
Coventry
The light above the mudgards is dynamo light not great on very dark lanes the light on the fork is quite bright 1300 lumens which is is fantastic on the dark lanes but horrible for on coming traffic I like to alter its power but not so easy where it is mounted now
All those (several) who sport hub dynamos, with whom I ride weekly in the dark, have perfectly functional and bright enough lights (DLR and after dusk). If yours is not "great" in the lanes, procure a 'great' one and carry a tiny head torch as an emergency/static option.
I'm with Ajax Bay on this. That dynamo light is already in the optimum position and looks like a model with a good output. My dynamo front lamp is rated at 80 lux and is good for the winding single-track pot-holed and mucky lanes in my neck of the woods - even the downhill bits where I can get to 20 mph plus. On wider, better surfaced roads, I wouldn't be able to go fast enough for the light to be deemed inadequate. Even when I'm going too slow for the light to reach full brightness, the "standlight" brightness is ample at those speeds (approx. walking speed) and is maintained as a minimum. When touring/fully loaded on unfamiliar roads, the front light would not be the limiting factor.

In the past I have used a handlebar mounted 1000 lumen torch for "full beam/floodlight" on occasions but it has never been necessary, mostly not even preferable and I would never use it where there are other road users. Typically I have used it not to see where I'm going so much as to give illumination to something that catches my eye (annoyingly, this usually turns out to be flytipped rubbish). I don't bother with it any more.

Off road is a different kettle of fish and in the rare situation of touring in the dark on anything other than a good cyclepath, I would probably use a head torch so that the extra illumination is where I'm looking rather than where the bike is pointing (which already has the dynamo).
 
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