Handlebar Light and Ortlieb Handlebar Bag

[EGHama]

I'm probably not jiggering the light mount and/or the handlebar bag mount the right way, but I've played with it for the last few days, and can't get the light from aiming directly at the top of the mounted bag.  What am I doing wrong, or what am I not seeing in my effort.  Light mount compatibility with mounted handlebar bags is, I'm sure, a very common hurdle, so how have you worked this out on your rigs?  Is it possible to effectively mount the light somewhere else?  My NiteRider Lumina mount bracket seems to only fit on the tubular figured handlebar.

[HikeBikeCook]

I had the same problem. I first added a handle bar option bar like this https://smile.amazon.com/XNX-Handlebar-Extension-Accessories%EF%BC%8C-Headlights/dp/B092SKXXGT/ref=sr_1_24? crid=1D2ZDC4G95THS&keywords=bike+handlebar&qid=1647083967&sprefix=bike+handlebar%2Caps%2C108&sr=8-24 which was great for things like mounting my GPS, cycle computer, phone mount, etc., but still left me wanting for height to shine past my Ortlieb bag.

I finally mounted my light at the front of my front rack by unscrewing the handle bar loop from the light mount and screwing the remainder of the mounting base to an "L" bracket and bolting that to the front rack. You need a rack and have to be a little handy.

The final revision came when I built out new wheels with a dynamo hub and added a Sinewave Headlight which I mounted on a very simple Busch & Miller fork crown mount https://analogcycles.com/products/busch-and-muller-light-mounts?variant=40095911313585, so my light now sits under my handle bar bag.

[ray b]

From high to low (I've used them all):

Helmet mount.

Bar extender, as noted - get the light up. Example - https://www.amazon.com/Vinqliq-Lightweight-Handlebar-Headlights-Smartphone/dp/B01JIOMU8S/ref=asc_df_B01JIOMU8S/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312094794167&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=4405096390462100283&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9022885&hvtargid=pla-570273959469&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=63784736042&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=312094794167&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=4405096390462100283&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9022885&hvtargid=pla-570273959469

Fred Bar - if you have enough room on your fork steerer, above your stem, and don't mind spending money. (I also mount my aero bars on the Fred Bar and above my flat bars.) https://fred-bars.myshopify.com/products/fred-bar

Use a front rack mount - as noted above.

Mount to forks - I like the Paul Gino mount - has the advantage of better light along the road surface, but disadvantage of difficulty with adjustment, if moving. https://www.paulcomp.com/shop/components/mounting-solutions/light-mounts/gino-light-mount/

[John Nelson]

I use a bar extender.

[EGHama]

The bar extender seems like a simple and elegant solution. Plus the extra real estate on the bar for other toys make it look like a winner. Thanks for bringing this to my attention.  HBC and RayB, it sounds like you both moved on to other solutions after trying it. If I may ask, were there specific issues you found with the bar extender after installing and using it, or did you just find other options better for your needs?

[wildtoad]

I've tried just about every light location option out there. Overall, I have found that the fork mounted Paul Gino or the Origin 8 Stub Light mount is my preferred option in most cases. That mount provides good light coverage and still works if I use fork mounted cargo cages. Limitation is that there is not much flexibility in using the mount elsewhere on the bike should the need arise.

Now, back when I was still using a Tubus Tara front rack, I fashioned a light mount on the front, forward curve of the rack using a wine bottle cork and zip ties. Worked great, would occasionally have to swap out w/ a new cork.

Re bar extenders, I do use a small one that came w/ my handlebar bag...I put a bell and my garmin on it. As to putting a light on it, I prefer lower-mounted lights for better road/trail coverage and less "blinding" or distraction of oncoming road/trail users.

[HikeBikeCook]

I still use my bar extender for my Garmin, phone mount, bell, cycling computer, and once in a while my GoPro. I could not get the light angled properly for my taste on the extender to shine over my bag on the ground ahead of me and not blind oncoming cyclists and drivers. New bike lights are so bright, and with the strobe mode, you could actually cause approaching riders to crash. It happened to me in a tunnel on the GAP when an oncoming rider blinded me. I missed seeing the ridge on the 1/2 repaved bike path and it bounced me into the wall and took me down resulting in a tiny tear in my brand new Ortlieb pannier. 

So, while the new generation of super bright lights are nice, please be respectful to other riders and drivers and make sure that they are angled down from people's eyes. The same goes for head lamps worn in camp. Angle them down, use the dimmer setting, or the red light to not blind the person sitting across from you at the picnic table.

[Pat Lamb]

A bar extender, as recommended above, will work; I've got one bike set up like that.  I've also got the Thorn accessory bar (https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/accessories/thorn-accessory-bar-t-shaped-55-mm-extension-222-mm-0-deg/?geoc=US) which replaces some spacers on a threadless headset; I run this bar tilted down, leaving the top of the Ortlieb roughly even with the bar, so lights mounted to the bar can illuminate the road instead of the bag.

I'm not sure how long it takes to deliver the Thorn from England; it was about a week to ten days when I ordered mine, since it's small and light enough to come by mail (or post, if you prefer).

[EmilyG]

I just rigged a light bar on the underside of my handlebar bag (Arkel). 
Basically, a 3/4" white PVC pipe section, with holes drilled near the ends and a cord going through and tying to the plastic brackets on the sides where the handlebar bag shoulder strap would clip if you were using it. I have two lights on it (super strong light for night illumination, and running light for day time alerting drivers), they are hanging "upside down" from the way they are when I have them mounted on my handlebar sans bag.
Still working on perfecting it because it is difficult for me to take off to replace batteries or recharge, but the light is awesome, shines right on the road where I want it to, cars can see it, etc.   

[hikerjer]

I experienced the same frustration but found a pretty simple solution, for me, at least.  I have a Tubus Tara front mounted pannier rack which has a stablizaton bar over the front wheel. I went to a rubber hose shop and purchased a small piece of thick hose with an approximate (slightly smaller) inside diameter of the stabilzaton bar to fit over top of the bar itself and an outside diameter that fits with my front light bike clamp.  I had to cut a slit in the hose to slip it over the bar.  It still fits very tightly and one could always glue it secure but I didn't find that necessary.. The added diameter added by the thick hose alows me to clamp my front light very securly onto the stabizing bar on the front rack. Works great.  Cost about $3.00.

[froze]

I only had two things I wanted on my bar, a bike GPS when I get one, and a small flashlight, so ended up getting the Topeak BarXtender so I could my light above my Topeak Tourguide DX bag.

I did have some issues.  The Topeak Tourguide DX bag had a extend bar on the bracket but that stupid thing wasn't high enough for a light to clear the bag, poor design on Topeaks part, or it was done on purpose so you would have to buy the BarExtend and have a place to mount it to, so that is why I got the BarXtend, I mounted that to the bag extend bar to the bracket bar but ran into a problem.  The bracket extend bar was not real secure, and once a light was mounted to the BarXtend the feet on the bracket would rock up and down, so to fix that problem I put two zip ties around the feet and pulled them as tight as could to prevent the feet from rocking, and that solved that problem.  Topeak did not design that bag bracket real well, but the bag itself is fantastic, very roomy bag. 

EDIT:  I forgot to mention something about the Topeak BarXtend when I first posted this stuff.  It isn't strong enough to hold my Phillips SafeRide light without seriously bouncing around, but that light is heavy and not balanced well, but something to consider if you put a GPS plus a large light on it.  I can put my small Lezyne Micro 400XL on it, plus a VDO Z series bike computer without issues after I braced it better, so a GPS with that Lezyne or similar light would be fine, just not a tank of a light like the Phillips.

Anyway, now my light is mounted plenty high enough so the light beam clears the bag and it doesn't bob up and down as I ride.  I carry spare zip ties with me when I go away on the bike, in case something happens to my zip ties on that bracket I can replace it, but zip ties are handy for other stuff too.

[gottobike]

I moved away from handle bar lights when using handle bar mounted bags. Instead, I use a simple headlamp like the Niterider Roadrunner 320 wrapped around the bag. Easy to aim, less crash sensitive and much more versatile than a handle bar/fixed mounted light.

[EGHama]

Any chance you can post a pic? I would love to see your wrap around solution.