Mounting to Bike or Helmet

2011-02-08 • SEND FEEDBACK •
Related: Lighting

The Lupine mounting system is versatile, utilizing a heavy-duty rubber ring mounting system (two diameters) that can be used on bike helmets, a headbelt, a handlebar, seat post, etc, allowing a quick switch without tools.

The Wilma rubber ring mounting loop

The larger diameter rubber ring (not shown) accommodates a larger diameter handlebar, such as some carbon-fiber road-bike handlebars, which increase in diameter near the center.

Fine adjustments to tilt are easy. In fact, the ability to reach and grab to make a fine adjustment to tilt is invaluable on a bike helmet, because lighting angle changes depending on riding position on a road bike. Adjusting the tilt of the lamp can also be useful when the slope changes. However, see the gripe about handlebar mounting.

Bicycle bar mount Clearance

This gripe is not really Lupine’s fault, and all bike lights suffer from it to some degree. However, because Lupine’s mounting system sits lower on the bike handlebar than that of some competitors (which use a clip-on style with slightly more height), the beam can tend to shine directly onto the brake and/or shifting cables. This is distracting, and light is better used where it’s needed.

I mount the Lupine Betty on my road bike upside down in order to minimize this problem. It is not an issue on his mountain bike.

The rubber-ring mounting design, while excellent in its quick and easy application, does preclude the ability to swivel the light left to right. A swivel capability can be very handy on some mountain bike handlebars that are curved and/or to aim the light just off center for road-riding. Lupine ought to offer a mount that allows a left-to-right swivel.

Lupine Wilma (actual color is black), with attached rubber-ring mount