The Chainlink

relocating lights

I have a front light that attaches to my handle bars. It is the type that slips into the base that is connect to the handle bar. I want to make it into a helmet light. Any thoughts on how to convert it? It would be placed on a climbing helmet, so it would not have air vents to wrap anything through. It would also have to be easy to put on and take off.

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Permalink Reply by Al Ribskis on January 4, 2013 at 6:42pm

Guarantee I could advise how to make this happen exactly as you describe ........ and I'm lacking the sight picture of what your lamp base looks like;  is there a link to a manufacturer/website I could view ?

Permalink Reply by Jerry Van Dyk on January 4, 2013 at 6:54pm

This is a great idea, listen to this guy :)

Mark Potts said:

The structurally best would be 2 small bolts through the top of the helmet (the ones with smooth tops, with the tops on the inside and the length of bolt sticking out the helmet).  I would bolt the handlebar mount onto the helmet so it is functionally the same (easy to remove).  In this way the structural integrity is limited by the handlebar mount, which I imagine is pretty solid.

This would, of course, put 2 small holes in your helmet, but for this weight very small bolts/washers could be used.

The headband may work, depending on helmet shape... but I'd def stay away from velcro.

Permalink Reply by We all have an inner Beast... on January 5, 2013 at 4:21am

As some of you have seen, my bicycling helmet has a LOT of velcro on it.

The reason ? If it worked for me during combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, I think that it'll do just fine riding a bike. (holding lights, cameras, emergency beacons, communication gear, etc.)

Laura,

You can use velcro (I use Velcro Brand- Industrial Strength) to attach lights to your helment, without drilling any holes in it (thus voiding any coverage by the manufacturer, and greatly weakening the protective qualities of the outer/inner structure of the helmet).

You may have to use your imagination and get creative to attach the velcro (not industrial strength) to your lights, cameras, etc., but that it my suggestion.

 

Helmet pics - The lights on top are the USB-Rechargeable Axiom 3.0 ($19.99 at Performance Bike Shop on North Halsted) strapped to a Nebo 1x AA LED Flashlight ($5, I think, at Batteries Plus on 95th St) that has a thick velcro strap (rough part) running through the "pocket clip", and that attaches to the "soft" patch that is on top.

the rear light is a USB-Rechargeable Axiom 4.0 Tail Light ($19.99 at Performance) clipped onto my "morale" patch that is velcroed to my helmet.

I also have velcro straps that retain my goggle strap to the back and sides of my helmet. That way my goggles don't just flop around. I remove or reposition my side morale patches for that. (My American Flag patch is always on my helmet. It was the one I have worn in combat, so it is my "good luck" charm.)

 

I hope that this has helped..

 

Respectfully,

 

Manny

Permalink Reply by We all have an inner Beast... on January 5, 2013 at 4:37am

bump

Permalink Reply by urbanwilderness on January 5, 2013 at 4:40pm

Most climbing helmet mfgs caution against using glues, adhesives, etc (including stickers, actually) on the shell of the helmet for fear of compromising the integrity of the helmet.  I think this is probably a bigger concern on foam climbing helmets (bike helmet material) than with the burly hard plastic climbing/caving helmets.

I'd strongly caution against drilling holes in your helmet - that's sure to compromise structural integrity.  You've made the decision to wear the helmet, even though it's more comfortable not to.. why risk damaging the helmet (and thus - potentially - your head)?

Permalink Reply by Zoetrope on January 6, 2013 at 11:41am

I use a princeton tec eos bike light for my front light and it comes with a headband and mount which swivels up and down.  It's a piece of cake to take the mount off the headband, so I glued the mount to the middle front/top of the helmet with a waterproof epoxy that I found at Home Depot for a couple bucks.  The sucker is permanent, and it dried clear with no dripping.  Just have to use a little caution.  

Here's a pic:

It can lay down flat when it's not in use (so it's low profile enough not to stick out like a sore thumb) and since I've gotten some comments and looks from people like, "are you filming me?", it nice to be able to flip it up so it's not pointing at someone when you're in a store or something.  

So just rough up the area to be glued a bit with some fine sandpaper, wipe with rubbing alcohol and glue it down.  If you go this route make sure to get an epoxy that sets fairly quickly (a couple mins at most), because a product like Gorilla glue needs to be clamped down for about 24 hours. 

Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on January 6, 2013 at 12:22pm

I wouldn't be worried as much about structural integrity as the likelihood that the light makes first contact in a fall and the bolts form a focus for the impact rather than increasing the surface area as intended.

One way around this might be to drill holes to run zip-ties through instead.

urbanwilderness said:

I'd strongly caution against drilling holes in your helmet - that's sure to compromise structural integrity.  You've made the decision to wear the helmet, even though it's more comfortable not to.. why risk damaging the helmet (and thus - potentially - your head)?

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