Karl J
Sunday 21st September 2003, 17:59
Following a thread yesterday about carrying gear around I've today been looking into a 'cycle - telescope attachment' .... with, I'm pleased to say, some considerable success.
By attaching a 16'' long piece of 40mm dia. plastic pipe (sold in Homebase, B+Q etc, usually used for sink wastepipes) vertically onto the crossbar (approx 8'' back from the handlebar stem) and to 'the bar that goes down to the pedals' by means of a bungee cord at each attachment, you create a secure vertical, hollow tube.
One leg of a telescopic tripod will sit inside the tube, the other 2 legs will straddle either side of the frame making it impossible for it to fall off (some masking tape on the frame will be a good idea to prevent taking the paint off). Because it is vertical and in the unused space between your body and the handlebars, the scope remains attached in the usual way.
To put the scope into action you can either just lift the whole thing out of the pipe and set it up fully. Or by leaning the bike against yourself (or anything else suitable - a post etc), the scope is naturally at a fairly useable height.
I've used it today over about 8 miles, and admittedly it probably doesn't look too trendy, but the important thing - it works.
By attaching a 16'' long piece of 40mm dia. plastic pipe (sold in Homebase, B+Q etc, usually used for sink wastepipes) vertically onto the crossbar (approx 8'' back from the handlebar stem) and to 'the bar that goes down to the pedals' by means of a bungee cord at each attachment, you create a secure vertical, hollow tube.
One leg of a telescopic tripod will sit inside the tube, the other 2 legs will straddle either side of the frame making it impossible for it to fall off (some masking tape on the frame will be a good idea to prevent taking the paint off). Because it is vertical and in the unused space between your body and the handlebars, the scope remains attached in the usual way.
To put the scope into action you can either just lift the whole thing out of the pipe and set it up fully. Or by leaning the bike against yourself (or anything else suitable - a post etc), the scope is naturally at a fairly useable height.
I've used it today over about 8 miles, and admittedly it probably doesn't look too trendy, but the important thing - it works.