Bike - Simple Compass Mount for Multiple Surfaces

Hi to all in Instructaland.

Super quick and simple instructanble for fun or serious use.

Since my wife and I have started getting out n about a lot more on our bikes the missus has become really interested in the navigation side of things, she wanted a compass mounted on her bike so she could get a feel for the direction of a chosen destination. Handy as I happened to have one in the car, her bike is a shopper or she has her newly pimped trike, I have my Penny Farthing or Unicycle with 29" wheels - the point being, apart from the uni this instructable will allow us to fit our compass to any of our bikes (yours too if you wish).

Step 1: S1 - Stuff

Ok - you will need.

! - Compass as seen in the picture.

1 - length of old bike inner tube that is a snug fit over the end of the compass and about the length of the compass plus a couple of inches (you'll see why)

1 - piece of inner tube about half an inch long.

Step 2: S2 - Assemble

Slip one end of the long piece of inner tube over the back of the compass.

Slide the small piece of inner tube half way down the front of the compass - as in the picture.

Step 3: S3 - Fit

Take the floating end of the inner tube and pass it under your handlebar or bracket - bring it up, over and around the front of the compass - tuck the end of the long tube under the band made by the short piece - pull forwards from underneath and backwards from the top to tighten - - your all done.

Level out the compass if needed - the width of the rubber holds the unit really firmly but if it does slip a little, make the short length of tubing longer by another half inch.

Step 4: S4 - in Situ

All done - fits in seconds.

See what ya think.

Oh yeah!!! - to get rid of that horrid blue line if you have it - turn the tube inside out.

See ya.

DZ

Comments

[wobbler]

Great idea and clever simple design. Unfortunately, backing up pcorbett, when I've tried previously to mount a compass to my handlebars it turned out to be too affected by my bike to be useful. I've had exactly the same problem with car compasses.

The easy way to test it it's working is simply to hold the bike off the ground and slowly spin it whilst checking the compass continues to point north.

I'm jealous if it does work on your bike though, as I know it would be a really useful addition to mine.

[darrenhall]

Hiya - very good point and folks will need to allow for this - all I can say from our experience is that where it is mounted on the missus shopper bike seems to not effect the accuracy at all - like yourself, if folks like this idea they will make an appropriate mount to suit their needs if required.
A great and well raised point - cheers.
Hope this will be of service to you.

Small P,S - have just mounted this unit onto a hiking pole to help with Geocaching in wooded areas where my GPS will get no signal - hope it works for me too!!.

Take care.
DZ

[pcorbett]

Very nice mount, I love it but I have to question one thing that comes to mind. I spent many years rowing dory's in open waters in fog and used my Ritchie set on the floor or thwarts. I was very cautious about setting it near any ferrous metal. You have nearly surrounded your compass with the bars, cables, and basket. This may have an effect on how accurate the compass reads. Have you checked this out on all points of the compass rose against another compass nowhere near the bike? If it doesn't there is a way to do it like the old steel hulled boats did. I hope this is ok on your bike because I still think it's a great idea on a bike.
http://home.comcast.net/~ppcorbett/pwpimages/CHAT2A.jpg

[darrenhall]

Hiya - this idea seems to work really well, the width of the rubber is really grippy. My wife is not going off road or such but I bet if folks want it to be more rugged they will mod it to suit..

Love your! instructables by the way - mega cool stuff.

DZ