Light mounts for aero bars

What works well out there? Ideally I’d like a way to mount my Exposure Strada to it, but happy to look at other lights if they have better mounting solutions. Currently got something bodged to the base bar using a Joystick and a helmet mount.

And before anyone comments, I’m talking about this sort of thing…

And not the pretend chocolate bar that is this…

The trans-continental riders ive seen using clip-ons have just fitted the exposure bracket to those at 90degrees to the light (so rotate the clip bolted to the strada) and hung the light under the bars. Doesn’t help if you fit it to the base bars though.

pic here[/url]

Thanks STATO. I did think about that but it’s tricky on the Pro Missile Evo as the extensions aren’t round, they’re square with rounded corners. Also the diameter of the Exposure mount is much bigger than the poles, but I guess that could be padded out.

I wish exposure would make a bracket that bolted to things rather than only make a bar mount, would make life a lot easier to fit the lights to other locations.

Yes. I’ve ended up using the nylon bolt to attach the top half of the helmet mount underneath the base bar through one of the holes for the risers so that I can at least use the joystick.

how about hanging under the extensions ?

how about hanging under the extensions ?

That’s what Stato is suggesting above, but I’d then need a bracket to attach to those, and they aren’t round either (a tall rectangle with rounded top and bottom.)

I’d glue a mount to the bars, and probably a couple of security zip ties

fair enough – I’m only going on the image on wiggle’s site which looks a bit like it might be possible to rotate the light 90deg on that bracket and that central squidgy bit of the actual bracket looks, well, squidgy as though it might be OK on a slightly non-round profile (as long as diameter is close to normal handlebar size

slightly non-round profile (as long as diameter is close to normal handlebar size

It’s very non-round and not close to normal handlebar size 🙂

I’m not sure how much the clip on the light can rotate, I’ll check. But it’d then be a PITA when I’d want to use it on the road bike 😕

I’d glue a mount to the bars, and probably a couple of security zip ties

😯 I’m not gluing a mount onto 600 quids worth of carbon bar! Even if I did I’d need a mount that was a shape that could be glued, which Exposure don’t do. And I need it to be removable.

wimp 🙂 Fair call though

What’s the setup like on the bits of the aero bar you hold onto? Where the brake levers are.

Any opportunity to put a ’round’ bracket on there?

I’m 99% sure the exposure mount I have can rotate freely once you loosen the bolt

http://www.avantiplus.co.nz/products/MIPT0N811 – would that work on your not round tri bars?

It’s very non-round and not close to normal handlebar size

I mean the extension, not base bar – surely they’re “near” to normal diameter ?

What’s the setup like on the bits of the aero bar you hold onto? Where the brake levers are.

Round but narrow. That could work. Bit awkward if I want to use those holds though. Still a pain to then switch between road and TT bike if I’ve swivelled the mount around.

I mean the extension, not base bar – surely they’re “near” to normal diameter ?

Not really, tall and thin, not very round at all, can see here from the back of the extension…

would that work on your not round tri bars?

Hmm would be tempted to try one if they were available and reasonably cheap.

Really really not round.

I doubt the circumference would be sufficient.

What are those spacers made of?

Spacers are aluminium I think.

I’m wondering about using a helmet mount with a strap that I could wrap around the bars or stem. That might work. Though not for the Strada unfortunately. Something like this…

That’s exactly what I’m hoping to use on my Canyon bars – I have one somewhere that came with my Lezyne light. Raceware Direct do a mount for the Canyon bars too. Might be worth asking them how hard it would be for them to knock up something custom. They’re quite near you I think.

Been considering getting in touch with Raceware Direct. They are indeed local to me and I kind of know the chaps who run it (friends of friends.) Just something that would securely attach to something on the front end and give me a round bar shape to clamp the mount too would be sufficient.

Let me know how you get on with the Lezyne strap. Lights aren’t too pricey so could get one of them if it works well.

I’ll be needing to give it a go fairly soon I reckon so I’ll dig it out. I’ll let you know if it seems like it should work. Could always post it to you to have a play with before you buy one. Alternative for me is to bodge a bracket onto the bottom of the Canyon Garmin mount. I reckon that could work – my light is only one of the single cell ones so not very heavy.

Raceware can do brackets for aero bars that have a gopro style adaptor, they also do a go-pro adaptor with a bit of handlebar sized tube attached, combine the two and that would let you mount the exposure light bracket the right way around.

Example

Just need one that’s the right shape for the Pro Missile Evo. I’ve got their Garmin mount so they must have a template for the extension profile. I’ll drop them a line.

If you have one of these profile bottle things[/url] then you can just attach the computer mount upside down and back to front and then a standard handlebar elastic light attaches to it.

If you dont have one of those profile aero bottle things, then get one, they are cheap, aero, and don’t sploosh water everywhere.

Hmm but then people might think I’m a triathlete. Can’t have that 😉

Ah though see you can just get the HC Mount thing on it’s own. If I get that and mount it under the bars then that would probably do the job nicely. Thanks, shall investigate.

Ha, Aren’t you already breaking UCI rules with you non round extension bars (maybe the rules changed since i last read them)
It does fit a normal bottle too for UCI rules.

Twisty, UCI approved according to Pro. Not that I ride many events where I’d need to comply!

Thanks for the tip though, I think that might just do the job.

Is it a regular stem with a faceplate and bolted around bars or is it all one piece?

If bolt on faceplate, then one of these

angle bracket between the stem and faceplate with the stem bolts going through the bracket – {drill if required correct spacing}

This will give you a nice flat surface you can bolt your light to, be easy to remove and cause no lasting damage to your bars…

Piece of 25mm plastic conduit to make a cross-bridge at the front of the extensions – simply hold in place with cable ties.

No, stem is one of these…

dovebiker, I may give that a go if the Profile thing doesn’t work well.

I’ve ordered the profile thing…

Only 15 quid and I reckon it’ll do the job if flipped upside down with the Exposure bracket attached. Just hope it’s stable enough as the Strada is a bit of a heavy lump.

I have a HED base bar that has enough room for an exposure mount under the bar between the extensions.

Second choice is a garmin mount with a combined GO Pro mount underneath. This mounts to the aerobar extensions and is excellent. Mine sports a Powerpod power meter, but an adaptor for a joystick is also possible.

Not my bike, but it is my set up.

Thanks TiRed. Not sure that’d work due to the not round shape of the extensions. I reckon the Profile one will work for me though.

Yes I realized that. It’s a tough problem to be honest. Can you make up a round profile with sugro and clamp to that? I think the profile will work with a joystick, but a strada may bob around a bit.

The 90 degree options for Exposure mounts are limited, I’ve found. May try one as shown by STATO if I don’t round the bolt (which is made of cheese!)

Could be a little wobbly but looks like it’ll do the job, will give it a go tonight…

The Lezyne helmet mount wouldn’t be much use I don’t think. I tried it on my aero handlebars and I don’t think the strap will stay put with the light on it, even if I put the light under the bars. Might have another fiddle this evening.

I guess another option for you could be to mount something like a Light & Motion Urban hanging under your extensions, just forward of the elbow pads. They have a rubber strap mount, and you can turn the light 90 degrees, so ought to work OK. Trouble with a lot of bodges like that, though, is that you can’t easily adjust the uppy downy angle of the light without fudging some kind of wedgey thing into the mix.

Update in case anyone find this and happens to benefit:

I had a further fiddle, and the Garmin mount for my Canyon (H11) aerobars (this is the Canyon supplied mount that bolts to the bottom of the bars) has several spare holes to enable one to position the Garmin in two fore / aft positions, or to rotate 90 degrees. I think I’m going to chop up / drill the base of the Lezyne helmet mount, and bolt it upside down under the Garmin mount. That should work well, because the ball jointy aspect of the helmet mount will let me aim the light as I wish. The Garmin mount is fairly beefy, so I’m pretty sure that it’ll take the weight of the light (~150g) happily enough…

I think I’m going to chop up / drill the base of the Lezyne helmet mount, and bolt it upside down under the Garmin mount.

Do like a good bodge. Sounds like it should work.

Well gave the light a try last night using the setup in the photo above. Works rather well. Gets a little wobbly over rougher roads but try and avoid them on the TT bike so not really a problem. Strada so much better at TT bike speeds on unlit roads than the Joystick!

I done gone done a bodge:

… will see if it holds steady over bumpy roads, then will get some neater bolts!

Nice bodge.

Found the simple solution! Cateye Volt 80. Not a lot of lumens, but you aren’t testing in the dark. Fixes with a rubber strap but can swivel through 90 degrees for the aerobars. USB rechargeable without a cable too – remove endcap and insert light into socket.

This is mine by the way
I made an aluminium bracket because the stock plastic clip things didn’t fit well on my odd shaped bars.
The zip tie at the back makes it completely solid, no rattling around or water spillage etc.

Nice work there twisty. Thanks again for the recommendation. Used it again last night and it does a fine job.

Cateye Volt 80. Not a lot of lumens, but you aren’t testing in the dark.

Maybe not, but I am training in the dark on it, and hitting a pothole that you didn’t spot at speed while on the poles is something to avoid! Joystick was definitely lacking. Strada much better.