MagicLight battery mounting

[SeaBee]

MagicLight aquired, fitting the battery I was faced with a bit of a problem.

 

The battery is secured by means of a velcro strap over some part of your bike - the battery then resides in a little pouch. The suggestion is for it to go under the stem, but already have my Garmin there. My bike (Merida 96) has a big square toptube. So it ends up that the pouch is fully open. Plus the best way to secure it is actually on top of the TT, which obviously is flat. (Thus avoiding the shock release cable running where the battery will be if it hangs.) But mounting it on top will mean the battery itself will clatter against the TT itself the whole time. So the only way I can think of is to let it rest on a little sponge (such as you get with pills).

 

For now, I will leave it below and it actually help up fine for the one ride I've done with it.

 

But surely you've got better suggestions... The battery itself is quite small - about the size of 4 penlights wrapped together.

 

Any ideas? 

[bradjackson]

SeaBee

 

 

 

Here's 2 suggestions you could try:

 

 

 

Mount it to the handlebars (opposite side to where the light head is mounted) and let it hang underneath.

 

 

 

OR

 

 

 

You could put the battery in an old water bottle with just the cable sticking out - you'd need to make a small hole in the lid of the bottle. This is not ideal though in my opinion - I don't like the idea of sacrificing the use of one of my bottle cages. Although many other top end light manufacturers use bottle-batteries.

 

 

 

Good news is that the manufacturers are working on a new & improved battery pouch - probably available within the next month.

 

 

 

Also coming soon - A 6.6AH battery (thats 50% more capacity than the current one).

 

 

[splat]

I am in the same boat.

My Polar is mounted on my stem, so I need to find a better spot for it.

The little plastic rectangle/rings make it possible to add a strap of some sorts to go around the frame somewhere.

 

I was surprised to see how small the battery and light unit actually is.

[Bike Lore]

If you get a extension cable you can mount it under your seat. I have a few.

[bradjackson]

I am in the same boat.

 

<DIV>My Polar is mounted on my stem, so I need to find a better spot for it.</DIV>

 

<DIV>The little plastic rectangle/rings make it possible to add a strap of some sorts to go around the frame somewhere.</DIV>

 

<DIV> </DIV>

 

<DIV>I was surprised to see how small the battery and light unit actually is.</DIV>

 

I just re-read your post now. Many people requested this, so all Magiclight 1st generation batteries now include a safety strap to ensure more secure battery mounting onto your bike.

[SeaBee]

Is that available seperately from retailers - since I obviously already have the rest?

[Bike Mob]

I use the water bottle cage option. I hate the fact that the battery pouch cannot be tightened enough so it moves and scratches my paint job. I would rather sacrifice a water bottle. besides when I use my light I only ever ride 2 hours at a time and so don't need more than half a bottle.

 

I tried a few locations, with sponge, rubber gripper matting, more velcro strapping... all pretty crap.

 

Even with the bottle cage mounting the cable now has the opportunity to rub.

[Brighter-Lights]

My new battery mount is finished and the first ones to be moulded this weekend. Will accommodate the Magicshine battery perfectly and is designed to mount on the top tube... +- R100

[PhilipV]

I have a Merida hfs frame. Also with the square top tube. I strap it underneath the toptube, if you strap it lekker tight it doesnt move. For extra piece of mind I thread a toe clip strap through the two plastic loop thingies.

The pouch can be tightened in 2 diffent ways. The velcro is long enough so that you can "roll" the battery to lengthen the strap. Pm me for photo's if I dont make sense.

[Bike Mob]

My new battery mount is finished and the first ones to be moulded this weekend. Will accommodate the Magicshine battery perfectly and is designed to mount on the top tube... +- R100

 

You got a pic?

[SeaBee]

Phillip, that's the way I mount it to my bike as well - without the strap, though. Just "unroll" it and hang it below the TT.

 

My issue with that is the fact that the battery is then "open" - since it the flap unrolled that far that the puch does not close on the top any more. Of course, water-resistance does come to mind.

 

"Fortunately" it's been a dry winter in the cape, so my fears have not realised! For a wet ride, I'll just put it in an extra platic bag as well.

[Flying Ibis]

I got ours working perfectly, fitting to a variety of frames. Firstly, I whipped the little battery out of the pouch and using one of man's best inventions, "an old mtb tube" I cut off a length and slid it over the battery which acts as a rubber sheath. Pinching off the ends using a small cable tie thus waterproofing it, you then pop it back into its bag.(A bit fiddly to get in) Now when you open the bags flap fully and fit the battery underneath your TT, it doesn't scratch the frame or move around. And lastly, more of a precautionary measure, I cut a length of tube and tie it around the TT and then stretch it over the battery pack keeping everything snug. It's neat, light weight and cheap!