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Found: SuperFlash Mounting Hack

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There’s nothing better than bright lights when you’re stuck commuting across town in heavy traffic.  The owner of Ocean Air Cycles found a unique way of mounting his Superflash to keep it accessible and clear of his fenders and rack. Here’s how he did it:

“A simple M6 coupler replacing the nut on the brake shoe stud.  Then I drilled out the PB Superflash mounting bracket to 6mm and bolted it on.  Yes, that simple.

Why not just use the rack mount just out of view at the top of the picture? On many bikes as with this Rambler, the light interferes with the chain stay and can not be properly aligned without a spacer.  Often in my experience the spacer will end up letting the bolt come loose.  This coupler solution solves both the mounting of the brake pad and the light with a single commonly available piece of hardware.  I have had the Superflash down at the rear drop out for a few months now, but find that I am more likely to turn it on if it is up higher.

Hooray for the corner hardware store that stocks plenty of bike friendly Metric nuts and bolts!” 

Do you have a unique setup for your tail light? Let us know in the comments…

Via Ocean Air Cycles

 

 

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Nado
Nado
11 years ago

Cool.
I wonder if there is a mount using the brake bosses bolt.
Perhaps using those long bolts when brake booster were fashion…

Cody
Cody
11 years ago

Interesting idea, but why would you not just use the specific mounting clip that comes with the light and put it on the seat stay or seat post? This seems really unnecessary.

Gregg
Gregg
11 years ago

I like this idea. Especially on a commuter. This way you can place a light on each side of the wheel.

Whyat
Whyat
11 years ago

There are lots of situations where using the seat post isn’t feasible- I have a rack that blocks the back of my post. In some cases there isn’t enough post exposed to be able to see the light. Many seat bags block said lights as well. It always drives me crazy when the only solution provided by the light maker is a seat post clip. I have a similar but less clever solution for my rear blinkie.

John Rees
John Rees
11 years ago

Seatpost does not work for smaller riders. Not enough post rising out of the seat tube, and if they have a seat pack the space is gone. I’ve also seen objects strapped to the bike rack block the view of the light if it is mounted there. This is a clever mount, as long as the brake caliper has a reasonable strong spring, as the weight of the light could cause the pad to drag if the spring did not counter it.

Walter
11 years ago

I have nearly the same system on the bolt of my mudguard. Don’t even need the spacer, it just fits.

toowacky
toowacky
11 years ago

..and you don’t need to remove the seatpost mount when you clamp it in the stand. Nice hack if you’re still running rim brakes.

Champs
Champs
11 years ago

Hooray indeed for neighborhood hardware stores that carry metric stainless hardware.

For whatever reason, it seems like Ace coop members are the best at this, although I’m currently in love with my local True Value (Hankins on MLK in Portland). You’ll have a nerdgasm in their fastener aisle.

80
80
11 years ago

That’s cool, but I had a little BLT single LED light with a red bulb (like this; http://teamcow.tumblr.com/image/41416572997) that i taped to the underside of my seat.

It was a Selle Italia Flite, so it had a clear line of sight out the back, but you couldn’t see the light as it hidden by the sides of the seat. You’d just reach under the saddle and press the button.

Those weren’t the greatest lights ever, but you could do so much with them.

jazzyjeff
jazzyjeff
11 years ago

Cool mount! As a supplemental light this is a neat solution. There are obvious disadvantages if this is the only light. Line of sight is obscured. There is still no better spot for a light than on both the rear fender, and up high…attached to the helmet. Bike Schwag Makers take note….

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