fork crown mounts

Cronometro NOB

PWC handlebar mounts

R+M handlebar mounts

dual headlights on fork

Upside down?

Pricing

Taillights

Ordering

Be aware that no bracket is included with the standard Lumotec, Lumotec N, Schmidt E6, or Edelux. The Lumotec Oval Plus does come with two brackets; one for fork crown mounting with caliper brakes, and one for fork crown mounting with either cantilever or V brakes. DLumotec Oval series headlights come with a fork crown mount for caliper brakes. The Lumotec Fly and IQ Fly come with a fork crown mount that's compatible with V brakes. The Lumotec IQ CYO comes with a mount that will work on most bikes with V brakes or disc brakes, and some bike with caliper brakes. So keep in mind that even if a particular headlight comes with some type of mount, it will not be a universal mount, in other words it won't work on all bikes. the purpose of this page is to show you most of the mounting options I have available, and help you understand why there is a need for so many options.

Lumotec Oval Plus comes with these fork crown brackets. The DLumotec Oval (LED) comes with the mount on the left.

Some folks choose to make their own brackets for mounting the headlight. I have several different brackets available for either fork crown mounting, or handlebar mounting. The Lumotec and Lumotec IQ CYO are shorter than the Lumotec Oval Plus, Dlumotec Oval and Lumotec IQ Fly, so I have tall brackets for the short lights and short rbackets for the taller lights.

Some headlights, like those from Schmidt, have a switch that protrudes upwards from the body of the light. If the light is mounted at the fork crown, and if your bike has lots of cables routed past the fork crown, such as for STI and ERGO shifters, those cables might contact the switch, turning your headlight on or off as you turn the handlebar.

 

Fork Crown Brackets for Standard Lumotecs, sold separately

Mounting the Lumotec or Oval Plus headlight at the fork crown has several benefits. It leaves your handlebar clear for cyclecomputers, altimeters, heart rate monitors and hot&cold running beer dispensers. Also, the lower the light is mounted, the more effective the beam pattern is, and the more easily you can see road surface irregularities.

On our tandem, using a standard Lumotec, I use a B&M cantilever style fork crown mount (pictured above) to leave space for a handlebar bag, and for the better beam pattern that results from the lower mounting point.

The fork crown mount brackets are all metal construction, and in theory can fatigue from vibration and break. Earlier brackets that I've sold with the Lumotecs have had some failures. I've been selling the current fork crown brackets for quite a few years now with very few reported failures when used with a Busch&Muller headlight. The Schmidt E6 headlight is a bit heavier than the Lumotecs, and I have gotten a few reports of fork crown bracket failures, so I'm now only recommending mounting them with the nylon brackets, which will never break from metal fatigue.

May, 2009 update:

The Busch & Müller HD caliper bracket has been available now for about two years, and we've sold close to 200 of them. We have not had a single report of a failure of one of these brackets, whether being used with the very light Lumotec or the heavier Schmidt E6 headlight. So I no longer have any reservations about recommending the HD caliper bracket for any of these headlights: The Lumotec, Lumotec Plus, N or N Plus, Lumotec IQ CYO, Schmidt E6.

The Schmidt Edelux is significantly heavier than any of these other lights, so I don't recommend mounting it on the HD Caliper bracket from B&M. This means that if you have sidepull caliper brakes, I have no mount suitable for mounting the Edelux at the fork crown. For V brakes or disc brakes, the nylon Lumotec V mount, part # B&M471LH is highly recommended. Also, all of our handlebar mount are made of nylon and won't fatigue from vibration.

The handlebar mount can be used to place the light low on the side of your fork. Just add the Cronometro Nob. The Nob is intended for mounting computers on aero bars so that the computer is aligned correctly, rather than turned 90 degrees to the side. But the Nob can be mounted to your fork blade, and then my handlebar mount can be mounted on the Nob.

Notice that in the photo above, the mount is on a steel fork. I get lots of telephone calls asking me if this Cronometro Nob is suitable for use with a carbon fiber fork with some bizarre shape. I don't know if it is or if it isn't. I don't use carbon fiber forks, so I'm not competent to comment on the suitability of this method of mounting lights for some sort of carbon fiber impregnated plastic fork.

My handlebar bracket (a slightly modified Shimano Flight Deck computer bracket) holding a Lumotec, attached to a Cronometro NOB. The NOB can be mounted on an aero bar, or on a fork blade, or just about any tube of your bike.

Front view of a Lumotec, mounted on my handlebar bracket, mounted on the NOB, held by fingers. I stock everything but the fingers.

I have a new handlebar mount, the R&M. It weighs a few grams more than my other bracket, but it places the light further from the handlebar so you can position the lights lower without interference.

You can put two R&M handlebar brackets, one on each side of the stem and mount both the Primary and the Secondary headlight side by side. The bracket on the left just goes upside down. You still have space on the handlebar for mounting a computer, make-up mirror, or hot & cold running beer dispenser.

If you use the dual headlight system by adding the Secondary Lumotec or E6 Secondary, it's helpful but not essential that the Secondary be easily reached while you're riding, since at low speeds (under 8 - 10mph or so) you'll get more light output by having the Secondary switched off. So, if you want the primary headlight mounted on the side of the fork, you may want the Secondary mounted on the handlebar, or at the fork crown. You could have the primary headlight mounted at the fork crown, and the Secondary mounted on the handlebar. You can have both headlights mounted on the handlebar, or both on an Excess Access bar. Some people simply put both headlights on the fork blades; one on each side, using two Cronometro Nobs and two handlebar mounts.

Dual Headlights on Fork

With all the stuff people have on their handlebars, it can be nice to mount the headlights down on the fork blades, out of the way of cables, odometers, heart rate monitors, etc. By using the Cronometro Nob and my handlebar bracket, you can place one or two headlights on your forks. This page shows you how to do it. The bike is a Rambouillet.

The lights shown here are the Schmidt E6 Primary and E6 Secondary. But this installation will work with the Lumotec and Lumotec Oval Plus headlights also. And remember, both headlights can be the Schmidt E6 models, or both Lumotec models, or a mix. Mix an E6 Primary and Lumotec Secondary or have a Lumotec Primary with an E6 Secondary. It doesn't effect the wiring or mounting.

Start by mounting a Nob on the left fork blade. This will be for your Primary headlight, assuming you live where it's customary to ride on the right side of the road. If you use just one light, or if you have a Secondary but only use it for fast downhills, this keeps the light that's on all the time positioned on the left, where it will be more visible to oncoming traffic.

The Nob works just like a hose clamp. Wrap it around the fork blade, preferably where the blade is not tapered. If you put it on the tapered part of the blade, it can slide down. On steel forks this means placing the Nob up on the oval section of the blade near the top. On plastic forks, aka carbon fiber, perhaps this method will work; perhaps it won't. I don't know. I only know it works well on steel forks without a taper, or on the non-tapered upper section of an otherwise tapered steel fork, such as shown in the photo below. If you have a plastic fork, you would be well advised to mount your lights directly off the handlebar. You might also want to replace your fork, but that's another matter.

Next, trim the excess from the Nob's band with a sharp blade. Don't scratch the paint! ;-)

Now, mount a handlebar bracket onto the Nob. My handlebar bracket is made from a Shimano Flight Deck computer mount with some added hardware. Place the handlebar bracket with the nut for the light away from the wheel, giving maximum clearance between the light and the wheel.

Now, mount the light onto the handlebar bracket. The wire from the Primary light needs to wrap over the back of the fork and down the right fork blade, since the hub's connectors must be on the right side of the bike, unless you have an older SON hub with the black center section between the spoke flanges. With the older hub, the connectors can be on either side. And remember, always mount the headlight right side up. The hole for the mounting bolt is on the bottom. If you mount the headlight upside down, you ruin the superb beam that justifies the cost of these headlights. The light will be very bright close to you and extremely dim further away. Keeping the headlight mounted right side up gives you the most even illumination of the road in front of you.

Here's how it should look from the front. If the headlight is so close to the wheel that it touches the spokes, you've mounted the handlebar bracket backwards. Take the headlight off and reverse the handlebar bracket. If you'll just be using a single headlight, and lots of people do, you're almost done! But this is the Dual Headlight page, so we'll continue. ;-)

Now mount the second Nob on the left fork blade, opposite the Nob on the right. Trim the end and mount the other handlebar bracket. Then mount the headlight onto the handlebar bracket.

Use some cable ties or zip ties to hold the wiring in place. You can get zip ties at any hardware store. Loop any excess cable from the headlight around the Cronometro Nob.

You may still have some excess wire. Loop it together between the fender and the fork crown. Use zip ties to keep everything tidy. If you don't have fenders, try to wrap as much wire as you can around the Nobs.

Here are the wires as they attach at the hub. One wire from each headlight plugs into the hub. The two remaining connectors, one male, one female, connect to each other. (The black plastic block bolted to the dropout eyelet in the upper left corner of the photo is part of the front fender mount. It has nothing to do with the lights or wiring.)

Use zip ties to gather the loose ends together. Trim off the excess length from the zip ties. It makes no difference how you orient the connectors. Here they're pointed down. If you want to point them up, or consult with a Fung Shui Master about it, feel free.

Each light can be easily aimed right to left, and up or down.

Oh, ah, please excuse the mess.

And here's the finished product, all ready for Paris Brest Paris. You can also mount the headlight or headlights directly on the handlebar, if you have space, or off the handlebar with an accessory mount like the Minoura Space Grip. That would eliminate the need for the Cronometro Nobs. But with the lights on the fork, there's no interference with brake and derailleur cables, and your handlebar is free to mount whatever else you need.

Don't mount the lights upside down. The Busch&Muller headlights can get water inside if they're upside down, and all of the headlights (B&M, Schmidt, Inoled) are designed to project brighter light at the top of the focused beam, to give more even and safer road illumination. The top part of the beam is projected further down the road, therefore it needs to be brighter. Our headlights tend to be more expensive than many other headlights designed for use with dynamos. The higher prices are partly due to the superior design of the optics. If you mount the lights upside down, you'll end up with a headlight that doesn't even work as well as the cheapest headlights available, you've wasted your money, and you're less safe while riding because you can't see the road ahead of you as well. Please don't mount the lights upside down!

What's compatible with what?

Note: The following was true of the 2009 production CYO headlights. As of 2010, the CYO headlights are shipping with a similar mount, but with a short vertical section which eliminates the problem discussed here. We still have a few of the 2009 spec CYO headlights, and your bike may or may not be a better fit with the 2009 version of the mount. If you prefer one type of mount over another, let us know when you order the light. We can easily change it.

Don't assume that because a headlight comes with a mount, that that mount will work well on your bike. Here's an example of a very good mount, and a very nice bike, where the two are not a good mix. The 2009 Busch & Müller Lumotec CYO headlights come with a very strong steel mount. It's made of 4.5mm diameter rod. If you've got a vise and can apply some leverage you can bend it if necessary to get a better fit for your needs. Most of the steel mounts B&M makes are stampings, and so cannot be bent without weakening the mount. So I really like this new mount. But sometimes it isn't a good choice.

The Lumotec IQ CYO headlight mount from Busch & Müller has a tall vertical section at the bottom for adjusting the height of the headlight. This is helpful when you have lots of cables running from the handlebar for brakes and gearing and you want to reduce interference between them and the light. But on a bike like this Rivendell A Homer Hilsen, which uses a traditional fork crown, there's not a lot of distance between the bottom of the fork crown and the bottom of the headset. If you also want to install a fender on this bike, the light mount extending down will force the fender down closer to your tire, which obviously isn't good.

Here's a side view. On a bike with a unicrown fork, this wouldn't be an issue. A unicrown fork is very tall in this area. But with the traditional crown, raising the mount any further would cause it to rub against the headset. With some bikes, having some vertical adjustment can be a very good thing, as long as the fork crown is tall enough.

So here's the same bike, same light, but using the HD Caliper mount instead. It holds the CYO headlight at the same height as the CYO's standard mount, so the beam is still far enough above the tire so the tire doesn't block the beam. And the mount doesn't extend below the fixing bolt of the brake, so it doesn't reduce the space available for fenders and large tires.

So why not ship the CYO headlights with the HD Caliper mount and be done with it? The CYO mount is open in the center, and with most unicrown forks, will work with old style cantilever brakes, as well as V brakes. If the brake yoke is below the mount, the cable car run between the two sides of the mount.

Nitto Lamp Holder

With the Lamp Holder you add a considerable amount of real estate for mounting headlights, computers, heart rate monitors and whatnot, compared with the handlebar alone, or with any other handlebar accessory I know of. The Lamp Holder is eight inches long, and 22.2mm in diameter, so anything designed to mount on a handlebar can mount to this, with the exception of a handlebar bag that uses the handlebar as its sole support. I have the two clamps as close together as possible in this photo. But of course you can position them wherever you like as long as you're at the center large diameter of your handlebar. These will not fit the new oversized carbon fiber handlebars, only 25.4mm, 26.0mm and 26.4mm bars, the traditional sizes.

Here we have two headlights, a Lumotec Primary and E6 Secondary, a Busch & Müller F Lite, a Cateye computer and a Topeak computer (the closest thing I had to a heart rate monitor) with still room to spare. The gap between the handlebar and the Lamp Holder bar is 1.25" or 31mm.

Here are the same to dynamo powered headlights, plus two B&M Ixons for backup. Anyone doing Paris Brest Paris should have backup lights. And the Nitto Lamp Holder gives you plenty of space for them. $ 72.00

Minoura Space Grip

For those with limited space on the handlebar, I recommend the Minoura Space Grip. It's shaped like a "T" with the base of the "T" attached to your handlebar. The "Cross" of the "T" is available in two lengths; 100mm and 130mm. Both are long enough to mount two lights using my handlebar mount. The bar can be rotated 90 degrees to the clamp.

BUT!

Do not use this for mounting battery powered lights, such as the Ixon. It's not strong enough. Use it for dynamo powered headlights only. The weight of four AA batteries is more than this inexpensive mount can handle.

Terra Cycle Mounts

Terra Cycle makes a handy light mount for recumbents and other bikes with unusual mounting requirements.

The arms of the Terra Cycle accessory mount are available in a variety of sizes. You can get both arms 100mm, one arm 75mm and the second 100mm, and one arm 50mm and the second 75mm. This allows the light to be positioned at various distances from the mounting points. $30.

I sell Tubus racks which incorporate a mounting bracket which will fit many types of Busch & Müller tail lights including the DToplight Plus and 4DToplight Permanent. The Tubus Cargo is a heavy duty tubular cromoly steel rack for extended touring and heavy loads. Most Tubus racks will directly mount all of the rack mount taillights.

Pricing

Accessory mounts for mounting the DToplight and 4DToplight series taillights on racks not equipped with the proper bracket.
Several companies are now making mounts that place the headlight at the front hub axle. They replace the adjusting nut of a quick release skewer with a threaded cylinder the diameter of a handlebar. You then mount the headlight to that cylindar using a standard handlebar mount. I have these mounts for sale, but I strongly recommend not using them if at all possible. The hub axle is too close to the ground to project a good beam. Only if there is simply no other possible way to mount a headlight should you use one of these mounts.
Bracket for rack with single center hole	$ 7.00
Bracket for rack with no rear mounting hole (T Bracket)	$ 5.50
Bracket for seat post binder bolt	$ 3.25
Fender mount taillights can be mounted on a rear cantilever brake with the "Cross" bracket.	$ 4.25
Headlight Mounts
In Germany, almost all of the bikes using dynamo lighting systems are "touring" or "commuting" bikes. These will typically have tires at least 35mm wide, or larger. The normal inflation pressures are 80psi, or lower. The headlights are most commonly mounted right at the fork crown, directly over the front tire, using a steel mount. In the late 1990's when brevet cyclists here in the US started using these lights on bikes using 23mm tires at 90psi and higher, the vibration would often cause the mounts to break, particularly with the heavier Schmidt E6 headlight. So for a long time I have not had a reliable means of mounting an E6 on a racing bike with caliper brakes. But that may be changing. HD Caliper Mount
This new mount is heavier and is manufactured in a different way than the earlier, similar looking mount. The older mount would sometimes break, particularly when used on racing bikes, or any bike running high pressure tires, 90psi and up. So I never advised people to use the old mount with the Schmidt E6 headlight, which is heavier than the Lumotec headlight these mounts are designed for. But this new heavier Lumotec mount has now been used with the Schmidt E6 for several years and we have not had a single reported failure. However, I am not yet convinced that it is strong enough for the Schmidt Edelux which is almost one ounce (25%) heavier. The CYO mount would be a better chouice for the Edelux.
Busch & Müller bracket to mount the round Lumotec headlight between fork crown and caliper brake. Model B&M470H1.	$ 4.00
Busch&Muller bracket to mount the Lumotec Oval Plus headlight between fork crown and caliper brake. Model B&M471FPB. Included with Oval Plus. This shouldn't be used to mount a Schmidt E6 or Inolight.	$ 1.25
Busch&Muller bracket to mount the Lumotec Oval Plus headlight at fork crown with cantilever brakes. Model B&M471UPB. Included with Oval Plus. This shouldn't be used to mount a Schmidt E6 or Inolight.	$ 2.75
This new mount (2006) works with almost any headlight on a fork with V brakes. Model B&M471LH. It's a strong nylon material so it won't break from vibration induced fatigue. It's designed to point straight up from a unicrown fork, so the transverse cable of a V brake will pass underneath the headlight. The surface that faces the fork is curved for a good fit. This is the only fork crown mount strong enough to hold the Schmidt E6 headlight.	$ 5.00
This new mount (2006) works with many headlights, including the E6. It's model B&M471B and made of tough nylon.You place this mount within the headset stack, perhaps replacing a spacer. The headset must be a 1" threaded type to fit. And you will need enough space between the position of the mount and the underside of your stem, so a highrise type stem will be best. This mount is now also available for 1 1/8" steerers.	$ 4.00   $ 6.00
This mount works with the DLumotec Topal series headlights. Model B&M472FLH. It's for mounting the light at a fork crown with caliper brakes or v brakes. This mount might work with a Schmidt E6, though the light will be rather low and the tire might block the beam, depending on how high your fork crown is.	$ 2.00
This mounts the Topal series headlights at the fork crown with regular cantilever brakes. Model B&M472BAPB.	$ 4.00
Schmidt (Thorn) Cantilever Mount
Traditional cantilever brakes can pose a special problem when trying to mount a headlight at the fork crown. For very lightweight headlights made mostly of plastic, like many of the Busch & Müller headlights, the standard Busch & Müller cantilever mount will be strong enough, at least if you're using fairly large tires at low pressure. But many people are using 90PSI tires, which pass a lot of vibration through the fork and that vibration can lead to metal fatigue and failure of the mount. This new mount from Robin Thorn can solve the breakage problem, as long as your front brake is set up with a high enough yoke. Look at the fork from the front. If the hole in the fork crown is below the yoke, this mount will work. Here's an example of a yoke in the wrong position. This won't work! Here's what to look for. In this photo, the yoke is directly in front of the hole in the fork crown. In order to mount a light here, you need a mount that would extend under the yoke, like some of the Busch & Müller cantilever mounts which are shaped somewhat like the letter "U". Other cantilever brakes, like the Paul Neo-Retro, use a longer yoke cable, and a higher yoke position. So the Schmidt canti bracket will work with those brakes, but not if your brakes have a yoke positioned as in the photo above. Use this mount without the spacer for most V brake installations, and with the spacer for most traditional cantilever installations.
Schmidt Cantilever mount, Part number SCH75530	$ 32.00
New for 2010, this mount, made in Germany by Reise & Müller attaches at the base of the fork crown, using a "star fangled nut", just like the adjusting bolt of a threadless headset uses. The star fangled nut is installed into the bottom of the steerer tube. The black aluminum bracket is ideal for suspension forks or any bike with disc brakes. This is now the standard fork mount for the Tout Terrain Silkroad, Boulevard and Metropolitan.
Schmidt (Reise & Müller) suspension fork mount	$ 17.00
Custom Handlebar Bracket for mounting Lumotec or Schmidt E6 directly on handlebar or Excess Access bar, or Cronometro "NOB": Tall	$ 16.00
Custom Handlebar Bracket for mounting Lumotec Oval Plus directly on handlebar or Excess Access bar, or Cronometro "NOB": Short	$ 13.00
R&M handlebar bracket (best for direct handlebar mounting)	$ 19.00
Handlebar Accessories
Nitto Lamp Holder 8" 200mm wide	$ 72.00
Minoura Space Grip 130mm wide	$ 11.00
Minoura Space Grip 100mm wide	$ 10.00
Cronometro "NOB"	$ 10.50
Sidetrack Excess Access	$ 20.00
Rear racks that accept Dtoplight Plus taillights without modification.
Tubus Cargo rear rack 700c with bracket for taillight:	$ 121.00
Tubus Cargo rear rack 26" with bracket for taillight:	$ 121.00

Headlights

Check out the great variety of headlights for use with the SON.

Taillights

For a detailed description of compatible taillights, see my page on taillights.

Ordering

Almost everything you need to know about pricing and ordering a lighting system can be found here.

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This page updated: Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Peter White Cycles
24 Hall Rd.
Hillsborough, NH 03244
USA
603 478 0900 Phone
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