Front light bracket too small. Help!

Hi,

I got a Trek 5900 in Spring this year to replace my trusty Trek 7000
mountain bike. Before I set off for work today I grabbed the light and
bracket from my Mountain bike but when I got to work i've since learned
that the handlebar on the road bike is too thick to attach the fitting.
Therefore I need a new front light ASAP. Any recommendations on a light
which will fit to my handlebars (standard bontrager which came with the
bike)? I don't need a rechargable system as my main riding is on a
morning so it's only a 5 mile ride home on a night via well lit roads.

Thanks.

Dene

"Dene Wilby" wrote

I got a Trek 5900 in Spring this year to replace my trusty Trek 7000
mountain bike. Before I set off for work today I grabbed the light and
bracket from my Mountain bike but when I got to work i've since learned
that the handlebar on the road bike is too thick to attach the fitting.
Therefore I need a new front light ASAP. Any recommendations on a light
which will fit to my handlebars (standard bontrager which came with the
bike)? I don't need a rechargable system as my main riding is on a
morning so it's only a 5 mile ride home on a night via well lit roads.

On a similar note when I got a new MTB my lights wouldn't point straight on
the riser bars because they didn't have any sideways adjustability. I did
realise this at the time of purchase but I was planning to swap the bars for
flats and give the risers to someone else anyway. Anyone thinking about
buying lights to fit on riser bars take note.

Dene Wilby wrote:

: I got a Trek 5900 in Spring this year to replace my trusty Trek 7000

Somewhat OT, but I wouldn't use the 5900 over the winter. Once the
council starts gritting the roads I'd put it away till the summer.

Otherwise you'll have a bike in a right state come the summer.

Arthur

--
Arthur Clune

In article , says...
Dene Wilby wrote:

: I got a Trek 5900 in Spring this year to replace my trusty Trek 7000

Somewhat OT, but I wouldn't use the 5900 over the winter. Once the
council starts gritting the roads I'd put it away till the summer.

Otherwise you'll have a bike in a right state come the summer.

Arthur

Yeah, I was kind of hoping to stretch as much use as is possible out of
it before winter hits us full on. It's a little tough to do the miles I
want to do on a morning with the mountain bike. Roll on summer :-(

Dene

Dene Wilby wrote:
I got a Trek 5900 in Spring this year to replace my trusty Trek 7000
mountain bike. Before I set off for work today I grabbed the light and
bracket from my Mountain bike but when I got to work i've since
learned that the handlebar on the road bike is too thick to attach
the fitting. Therefore I need a new front light ASAP. Any
recommendations on a light which will fit to my handlebars (standard
bontrager which came with the bike)? I don't need a rechargable
system as my main riding is on a morning so it's only a 5 mile ride
home on a night via well lit roads.

I know this is a silly question, sorry, but have you removed a section of
bar tape? Most light brackets fit road bars unless trying to fit over the
tape or cables.

Anyway, I recommend the Cateye HL-EL200: will get you seen (and just about
bright enough to light unlit sections in emergencies too), batteries last
well, quite small & light, will fit your bars. Buy from bike shop,
www.cyclexpress.co.uk or www.eBay.co.uk

~PB

In article , pbiggmellon
says...
Dene Wilby wrote:
I got a Trek 5900 in Spring this year to replace my trusty Trek 7000
mountain bike. Before I set off for work today I grabbed the light and
bracket from my Mountain bike but when I got to work i've since
learned that the handlebar on the road bike is too thick to attach
the fitting. Therefore I need a new front light ASAP. Any
recommendations on a light which will fit to my handlebars (standard
bontrager which came with the bike)? I don't need a rechargable
system as my main riding is on a morning so it's only a 5 mile ride
home on a night via well lit roads.

I know this is a silly question, sorry, but have you removed a section of
bar tape? Most light brackets fit road bars unless trying to fit over the
tape or cables.

Anyway, I recommend the Cateye HL-EL200: will get you seen (and just about
bright enough to light unlit sections in emergencies too), batteries last
well, quite small & light, will fit your bars. Buy from bike shop,
www.cyclexpress.co.uk or www.eBay.co.uk

Hi,

I have the Cateye HL-EL300 and it is this I have a problem with. The
bracket part number is H-30. I am trying to fit it on the un-taped part
of the handlebar near the stem. The bars are Bontrager Race Lite. The
trip computer fits perfectly on the opposite side but this bracket is
way too small. Now i'm trying to remember if this light came with two
brackets and I used the smallest for my mountain bike. Looks like i'm
gonna have to bite the bullet and have a walk down to halfords.
Otherwise it's home on the bus.

Dene

Dene Wilby wrote:
I have the Cateye HL-EL300 and it is this I have a problem with. The
bracket part number is H-30. I am trying to fit it on the un-taped
part
of the handlebar near the stem. The bars are Bontrager Race Lite. The
trip computer fits perfectly on the opposite side but this bracket is
way too small. Now i'm trying to remember if this light came with two
brackets and I used the smallest for my mountain bike. Looks like i'm
gonna have to bite the bullet and have a walk down to halfords.

I don't know the H-30 bracket but I know the H-32 fits both road and MTB
bars and your light. I have one and the EL200 and have used it on both
road and mountain bikes. See:
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/v2_product_d...dID=5110000522

Have you tried undoing and turning the bracket's quick release lever
anticlockwise many turns to effectively lengthen the bolt? Don't use the
normal thick rubber strip, use some other tape or just nothing. Sorry
again if these are too-obvious suggestions but we need to be sure about
what's going on.

Are the bars unusually fat or are you not familiar enough with road bars
to be sure?

~PB

Pete Biggs said:

Are the bars unusually fat or are you not familiar enough with road bars
to be sure?

My bars (3T) are slightly fatter near the stem. Maybe this could
be part of the OP's problem?

Failing that, taping the light onto the top of the stem might be a good
short-term bodge while a suitable bracket is found.

Regards,

-david

David Nutter wrote:

My bars (3T) are slightly fatter near the stem. Maybe this could
be part of the OP's problem?

Could be. Yes, bracket needs to be mounted away from the centre bulge or
sleeve. That's why it may be necessary to remove some tape.

~PB

Pete Biggs wrote:
Judging by the pictures on the web I've found via Google, the H-30
bracket looks just the same as the H-32. I suspect it's just a
previous version of the same basic design.

I've spotted one tiny difference: end of H-30 quick release lever is not
flared out and wider. The difference really could be as small as that (if
it's designed for same lights).

~PB