B0wz3r
Flashlight Enthusiast
Hi folks,
A couple weeks ago I found myself in a bind; I got caught out after dark on my bike without my regular light, a Cateye Singleshot Plus.
However, I did have my Quark AA^2 and the hand strap that came with it. Getting an inspiration, I put one end of the hand strap on the head of the flashlight and threaded it through one of the vent holes on my helmet. I threaded the other end out through an opposite hole (they are in-line, front to back on my helmet, a Bell Metro) and onto the back end of the Quark. Then I took the spare bandana I always carry as a handkerchief, folded it up and stuffed it between the flashlight and helmet to take up the slack and provide padding. It took a little bit of fiddling/fine adjustment, but I got it into a really good position so it was pointing at a spot on the ground about 100 ft away from me while looking straight forward, and it worked like a charm.
When I got home, I got my Cateye off the charger and went outside and compared it with my Quark; I knew the flashlight had power, and although the hotspot wasn't really noticeably brighter than the beam on the Cateye, it had much more usable spill area and a LOT more throw.
I have to say I'm really pleased with myself for thinking this up, although I'd imagine some of you out there probably already have. I'd post pics, but I don't know how to post images here at CPF and can't find any instructions on it either.
Anyway, after I made the comparison, I offered my Cateye to my wife for her bike, and am looking into getting a couple of small (1xAA) LED flashlights (probably Quarks) and some bikeblocks to put on my helmet as my full time night riding solution. (I want one on each side of my helmet so I can have the same kind of set up as in Clone Wars.)
A couple weeks ago I found myself in a bind; I got caught out after dark on my bike without my regular light, a Cateye Singleshot Plus.
However, I did have my Quark AA^2 and the hand strap that came with it. Getting an inspiration, I put one end of the hand strap on the head of the flashlight and threaded it through one of the vent holes on my helmet. I threaded the other end out through an opposite hole (they are in-line, front to back on my helmet, a Bell Metro) and onto the back end of the Quark. Then I took the spare bandana I always carry as a handkerchief, folded it up and stuffed it between the flashlight and helmet to take up the slack and provide padding. It took a little bit of fiddling/fine adjustment, but I got it into a really good position so it was pointing at a spot on the ground about 100 ft away from me while looking straight forward, and it worked like a charm.
When I got home, I got my Cateye off the charger and went outside and compared it with my Quark; I knew the flashlight had power, and although the hotspot wasn't really noticeably brighter than the beam on the Cateye, it had much more usable spill area and a LOT more throw.
I have to say I'm really pleased with myself for thinking this up, although I'd imagine some of you out there probably already have. I'd post pics, but I don't know how to post images here at CPF and can't find any instructions on it either.
Anyway, after I made the comparison, I offered my Cateye to my wife for her bike, and am looking into getting a couple of small (1xAA) LED flashlights (probably Quarks) and some bikeblocks to put on my helmet as my full time night riding solution. (I want one on each side of my helmet so I can have the same kind of set up as in Clone Wars.)
