Thursday, September 11, 2014

Adapting SAE reflectors and other stuff


Steve over at DFW Point to Point posted a discussion of using SAE reflectors rather than the stuff available at your local bike shop. I adapted an LED rear light and a 3 inch diameter SAE reflector to a commercial rack using hardware available at the locall Metzger's hardware store. I am sure other creations can be engineered as well.

I use a reflector with a small hole in the middle meant for nailing or screwing to a post. I put a small bolt through the hole and attach the reflector to a right angle bracket that I bolt to a rear rack. In some cases, I drilled a small hole in the rack and used that to screw on the angle bracket. The rear strobe was similarly adapted using a stainless strap on an existing rack. Parts here.

http://www.doitbest.com/Lawn+ornaments-Hy+Ko+Prods+Co-model-CDRF-5R-doitbest-sku-577081.dib
http://www.doitbest.com/Marine+equipment-Seachoice+Prod-model-37551-doitbest-sku-572142.dib

Bottom line is the more ingenious you are the more ways you can put really effective lighting and reflecting on a bicycle. Neale Pickett showed me a very inexpensive and very powerful Cree LED headlight he got online for a fraction of the cost of a genuine bike shop light. Not sure what it was, but it looked a lot like this. There is no good reason to be the Invisible Bicyclist as winter and short days approach.

3 comments:

Steve A said...

Thanks for sharing.

JerryM said...

I've always had the perception these reflectors were far inferior to reflector tape.

Khal said...

Not sure reflector tape works on fore-aft situations unless you mount a flat surface to tape it to anyway, kinda like Steve A's steel plate.