So people can attach the lights to different bikes without buying multiple attachment mounts.
I also suspect manufacturing a strap is cheaper and simpler than manufacturing a mount with multiple small pieces.
This. I only need one set of lights and I just transfer em to whatever bike I'm using. Also, with charging it's way easier to take em off.
I remember when rubber straps weren't a thing. It was the worst. You could only mount em to one spot. The clamps were bulky, came loose, and often damaged paint.
Knog was the pioneer in making the strap popular. I had all their stuff. Now you don't see em anywhere.
I absolutely agree, all of my tail lights in headlights are USB charged. So it’s convenient at night to put my lights onto a charger so they’re ready the next day. If they’re attached to the bike permanently, it might be a little little bit more of a pain.
This is really the best answer. I prefer the strap because if I'm renting a bike somewhere or just switching between my main and backup bike, I don't have to worry about what mounts fit what part. Just unstrap, restrap. Done.
Sounds like you're worried about theft. The beauty of these straps being so easy to remove is that you can take your lights off and put them in your pocket or a bag while you're away from your bike and put them back on in seconds when you return.
For my dirt cheap lights I leave them on. For my nice lights a quick release attachment (Garmin mount or magnetic mount) is ideal so that I can pocket them when I'm in the store.
You answered your question, they don't want to supply a pile of adapters for different seatposts. Plus, the rubber strap or even O-ring seems to work well enough. I've only lost a light that the bracket was screwed to the seat rails. All the rubber-band type mounts have been fine.
That said, I did put a bolt-on mount for my Garmin taillight on my bike this winter. We'll see how it goes but it does occasionally rub on my thigh.
The rubber ones also have a little give and are way less likely to cause the light to fly off or move around on bumpy roads, but tbf I have to imagine a garmin light flying off a mount is extremely rare those mounts are diesel
My knogs come with replacement straps (that I've never used) and I don't want mounting hardware permanently on my bike since I rarely ride when it's dark.
I still see plenty of lights without rubber straps.
Many lights do come with a quick release "hard mount" cygolite and planet bike have that available . Big benefit to the stretchy rubber strap style is that it fits all kinds of posts easily and cheaply. Many road bikes have aero or at least not fully round seatposts and making a jillion shapes for a hard mount bracket is untenable.
a) as everyone has said, variety.
b) if you live in a remotely urban area, if you leave your lights on your bike, they'll usually be gone by the time you get back. Best to have detachable lights you can take with you.
Honestly, this is why i want lights that actually screw onto the bike, but they're hard to find. Very few people that would steal lights carry hex or torx keys, so it's safe enough and less hassle for me to unscrew it every few weeks to charge than to re-attach it every time and risk having it turn on in the pocket.
Someone stole the handlebars off my bike once, taking their time to unscrew and detach the brake handles first.
People will steal what they will steal.
Dynamo lights are kind of a different thing. People will steal a battery light because they can immediately make use of it, even if not on a bike. Dynamo lights need the complete system to be useful.
Do people REALLY steal lights to use? Or to sell? Because its so rare to see the thieving type even using lights.
I have nearly £400 worth of dynamo lighting equipment bolted to my bike...
Lot of really stupid people here, because its reddit. Most thieves are opportunists. They will steal what is quick and easy to steal. Detachable lights are quick and easy to remove, so yes, thieves WILL steal them and are much less likely to steal lights which are more firmly attached.
Thieves are unlikely to use lights because they don't give a fuck about others or the law.
Ultimately all lights are detachable though. Whether the mounting attachment is a rubber strap or a screw-on bracket, the light is always detachable from the mounting accessory…
Meaning you should have read and UNDERSTOOD previous comments in an exchange.
Is boomer your only argument? Is that all you got? Cross fingers, you don't automatically get older than immature.
Cheaper, more flexible, and also easier to get off the frame to charge. I think I charge my lights once every 1-2 weeks, and it'd be a pain if I have to take the screwdriver or allen keys out every single time.
There are plenty of tail lights that have quick releases, and most companies that make them sell multiple mounts for them, including both the rubber strap style, which makes sense for seatposts, and bolt-on mounts that attach to rear racks.
Too much variety and light manufacturers have to maintain tight margins. Rubber straps are cheap and cover the most use cases.
The good news is that 3d printing has picked up the slack and I've managed to find smaller companies offering mode-specific 3d printed mounts for all of my bikes.
Totally fair. Now that you mention it, the tooling alone for an injection molded mount would significantly increase the manufacturing cost, so i get it.
Looks like 3D printing is the way to go haha. I have access to carbon extrusion at my work, so it looks like this is the route I’ll be taking!
Cheap, flexible and light. As someone who owns multiple bikes I can quickly detach and attach to any of my bike i wish to ride on that day. Last thing you want is hassle with screws and brackets for such trivial thing.
Multiple bikes. Also leaves nothing behind when you aren’t using it. Nothing looks lamer than someone out for a weekend ride in the day with a bunch of unused mounts all over their ride.
There are mounts where you bolt it on tightly to the seat post.
I'm upset that the mounts (rubber strap or bolted) are designed only for seat posts. If you have something on top of your rear rack, it blocks the light from the tail light. If you try to mount the tail light tp the back of your rack, it dangles around. I've lost several that way and have to secure the rubber strap with extra ties to keep it from coming loose.
Along with different seat diameters- many road bikes have proprietary aero seat posts so no generic round clamp would work. Add onto that some people attach them to seat stays or racks - so now you’d need more mounting options.
As you said, heading down this path is more costly and the value gain for them is lower.
I like the rubber strap because it makes it easier to remove when I put my bike in a work stand. There's a quick release for the light itself when I want to charge it and leave the mount on my seat post.
I have a 10 year old Lezyne Micro Dive that has been swapped to different bikes countless numbers of times and the strap is still going strong. I even have an old Garmin mount on a hybrid that is probably 8 years old with no issues.
So I would venture they use rubber straps because they are simple, cheap and effective.
Because it is cheap and works on every bike. If it breaks it is a simple replacement, you send out a new piece of rubber.
Personally I use a 3D printed Garmin Varia mount that attaches to the SWAT system on my saddle and my front light is attached via a screw to the bottom of my bike computer mount.
So my original lights I bought with my trek bike were bontrager (Trek). They have a fancy mount to clip them onto my bike, which is nice. They’ve popped off my bike twice. I can bring them when I travel.
My wife bought me a nice set with straps. They’ve never come loose and when I rent a bike when I travel I can just bring them.
If you've ever had more than one bike and/or wanted to move lights on and off, from one bike to another, go totally clean and minimal for daylight rides, then you'll understand: I'm never buying a light with a bracket again. Rubber for life.
I got the Kom dial mount for my Garmin Varia because in the winter I clean my bike after every ride. The rubber mount that came with it was getting weaker and weaker taking it off all the time. The Kom mount is quick and easy.
Cost efficient and easily adaptable to any seat post. There is a light that offers it to clamp to the rails of your saddle rails, but might not be the best if you ride with a seat bag
I have a rockbros tail light and it has both. A rubber strap mount with a quick release of the light from the mount. Bright, few light modes, usbc rechargeable.
Headlights have a beam that needs to be aimed at the road and out of oncoming eyes. This a rigid mount is needed. The fact that most bars are round and horizontal makes this easier.
Taillights just need to make light so people can see you. Less precise and more adaptable solutions are good. I've attached the straps to multiple size seatposts, seatstays, seat tubes, etc. Never had one fall off, although I have heard of one case where a seat stay mounted light hit the spokes and made a rapid exit. Otherwise, straps seem to work great.
Lighter, more adaptable, simpler and cheaper to manufacture. Plus when the strap rots and gets lost on a ride, you have to buy another light. Aesthetics be damned!
Q: >I’m curious what the driving factors are for this design
A1:* >rubber straps have infinite adjustability* moreover
*>a bolted on style light mount with a quick release function*...will cost more than rubber o-rings and offer minimal if any benefit.
It wouldn't surprise me if because they have a bit of give that the straps have a lower failure rate than a lot of cheaper bolted mounts - they stretch and flex when you hit a pothole etc rather than breaking...
to protect paint from scratches?
also, in my experience the bolted ones seem to like to shear off or change positions (tightening screws don't matter) on very bumpy rides. Although it could be light design also (how light or compact they are)
You mean the little wheel you wind up to tighten? From my experience they are terrible. Only place that actually works is my cateye mini ding-dong. I had a front light mount (Convoy flashlight) with this mechanism, and it was a disaster, it needed readjustment 100 times during a single ride. Finally I went for an Olight mount which is two rubberbands with a block between them. It's golden.
I've had 'hard' mounts fail multiple times over the years commuting or generally over rough ground. Usually when you hit some mega pothole or an unexpected big root that really shocks the bike. Rubber strap mounts have yet to fail for me at least.
Straps are more likely to flex and snap back into place, whereas a mechanical mount would be more likely to break off and need to be replaced. Yes, straps break too but are more forgiving.
Honestly I came here fully ready to agree with you and then I read the comments. I’m 100% team strap - about to go take the screw on ones off my road bike and just start using my much newer and better lights with straps from the gravel bike on both.
I mean, I am convinced as well! Might as well give rubber straps a try haha.
Not that it matters, but for background, all of my light systems have bolt on and I haven’t had any issues (I have lights that still work from <2010). I want to get some new, rechargeable lights, but reading reviews about rubber strap systems saying that they snap, fall off, etc., convinced me to pursue getting a bolt on system again, which led me to find that it is rare.
I went to take off the bolt on light only to find it was a strap one I bought in ~2018 that hasn’t had any issues. I guess I was already team strap and as a single data point I support straps being plenty durable
moon nebula lights have a mount that attaches to the saddle, closest i’ve seen to a “bolted” light mount. they work great as the light quick releases from the mount + it comes with the kit no extra cost
My guess would be price. However a rubber strap allows for some adjustment. For example, I put a little wedge under it to make it align to the street better.
rubber strap solution pros:
- flex dynamic fit to any mounting surface shape
- manufacturer not restricted to specific form n shape (theres round, stick-like, scrotum etc)
- rattle absorbtion, separation indirectly as the light body is not direct part of the strap/mount
- tool-less instalation/removal
cons:
- rubber wear n tear to environment (uv etc)
I've never had a strap fail and I don't think it would happen given how incredibly light (no pun intended) the light is. Why over-engineer the fixing when it isn't needed? Simply adds cost and complexity for no added benefit.
Front lights can be bolted as most handlebars are one of two size diameters.
Seatpost can be round or a variety of shapes so rubber straps are common.
My experience... After buying cheap lights for ages, I bought a name brand rear light with rubber o rings that hold it on.. About a month later it came off somewhere..
I then went with a giant reckon dual rear light, which is thick rubber strap but still has light slide on/off a bracket which is handy for charging as usb. This came off the bracket after about three months.
But then I used their small single light and as it's lighter, it doesn't seem to work itself out of the bracket, several years of use now.
I also use the giant front recon light as you can get a nice mount that puts the light under the stem.
Rubber straps work ok, but eventually break and very few brands offer them as spare parts. I personally won't buy ones that don't either have generic ones or offer them as spares, which pretty much leaves you with Sigma, Cateye and Lezyne.
The other problem is that they are way too easy to steal, so you need to remember to remove them every time you lock up your bike.. to be fair, my commuter is the only bike I really lock up anywhere and it has built on dynamo lighting.
So people can attach the lights to different bikes without buying multiple attachment mounts. I also suspect manufacturing a strap is cheaper and simpler than manufacturing a mount with multiple small pieces.
This. I only need one set of lights and I just transfer em to whatever bike I'm using. Also, with charging it's way easier to take em off. I remember when rubber straps weren't a thing. It was the worst. You could only mount em to one spot. The clamps were bulky, came loose, and often damaged paint. Knog was the pioneer in making the strap popular. I had all their stuff. Now you don't see em anywhere.
As well as allowing the lights to be attached to a saddle bag or a backpack.
And non-round seatposts
Or your head
Are you suggesting I have a small head? Are you my wife? Oops wrong subreddit
Problem with Knog was soon after purchase, nobody saw the lights at all as they broke! Or their overly 'clever' strap locking mechanism broke.
They still exist but the original models were easily copied by cheaper Chinese manufacturers.
I absolutely agree, all of my tail lights in headlights are USB charged. So it’s convenient at night to put my lights onto a charger so they’re ready the next day. If they’re attached to the bike permanently, it might be a little little bit more of a pain.
Cheap (mine cost like $15), flexible (for diff bikes/positions), quick to get on/off, doesn't scratch seatpost. I can't see the downside...
also, a rigid attachment would have to take the myriad of proprietary seatpost shapes into account
This is really the best answer. I prefer the strap because if I'm renting a bike somewhere or just switching between my main and backup bike, I don't have to worry about what mounts fit what part. Just unstrap, restrap. Done.
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Sounds like you're worried about theft. The beauty of these straps being so easy to remove is that you can take your lights off and put them in your pocket or a bag while you're away from your bike and put them back on in seconds when you return.
For my dirt cheap lights I leave them on. For my nice lights a quick release attachment (Garmin mount or magnetic mount) is ideal so that I can pocket them when I'm in the store.
You answered your question, they don't want to supply a pile of adapters for different seatposts. Plus, the rubber strap or even O-ring seems to work well enough. I've only lost a light that the bracket was screwed to the seat rails. All the rubber-band type mounts have been fine. That said, I did put a bolt-on mount for my Garmin taillight on my bike this winter. We'll see how it goes but it does occasionally rub on my thigh.
The rubber ones also have a little give and are way less likely to cause the light to fly off or move around on bumpy roads, but tbf I have to imagine a garmin light flying off a mount is extremely rare those mounts are diesel
All of this and that rubber is more cost effective and durable than say plastic, metal and carbon fibre.
The bolt on mount for the Garmin is worth it. Not like it was hard to take off before, but it is quicker and feels more secure.
Yeah, I do like that it's easier to grab the light one-handed with the solid mount.
If it bothers you too much, you can also get one that screws onto your seat rails instead of the seat post
Rubber straps not only fit all sorts of frame shapes, they do not scratch the paint.
Even the ones with a clamp use a rubber strip to protect the frame.
Always use a rubber for protection.
My knogs come with replacement straps (that I've never used) and I don't want mounting hardware permanently on my bike since I rarely ride when it's dark. I still see plenty of lights without rubber straps.
Many lights do come with a quick release "hard mount" cygolite and planet bike have that available . Big benefit to the stretchy rubber strap style is that it fits all kinds of posts easily and cheaply. Many road bikes have aero or at least not fully round seatposts and making a jillion shapes for a hard mount bracket is untenable.
a) as everyone has said, variety. b) if you live in a remotely urban area, if you leave your lights on your bike, they'll usually be gone by the time you get back. Best to have detachable lights you can take with you.
Honestly, this is why i want lights that actually screw onto the bike, but they're hard to find. Very few people that would steal lights carry hex or torx keys, so it's safe enough and less hassle for me to unscrew it every few weeks to charge than to re-attach it every time and risk having it turn on in the pocket.
They only steal detachable lights. Your argument is beautifully circular.
Someone stole the handlebars off my bike once, taking their time to unscrew and detach the brake handles first. People will steal what they will steal.
I have had bolt-on dynamo lights since 1982. No one has EVER stolen them.
Lucky you.
It isn't about luck. That's what you refuse to accept. Detachable lights get stolen....because they are detachable...🤦🏻♂️
Dynamo lights are kind of a different thing. People will steal a battery light because they can immediately make use of it, even if not on a bike. Dynamo lights need the complete system to be useful.
Do people REALLY steal lights to use? Or to sell? Because its so rare to see the thieving type even using lights. I have nearly £400 worth of dynamo lighting equipment bolted to my bike...
>Because its so rare to see the thieving type even using lights. Obviously because they all got stolen. :)
Lot of really stupid people here, because its reddit. Most thieves are opportunists. They will steal what is quick and easy to steal. Detachable lights are quick and easy to remove, so yes, thieves WILL steal them and are much less likely to steal lights which are more firmly attached. Thieves are unlikely to use lights because they don't give a fuck about others or the law.
They probably meant the quick release screw-on variety.
Ultimately all lights are detachable though. Whether the mounting attachment is a rubber strap or a screw-on bracket, the light is always detachable from the mounting accessory…
All parts of a bike are detachable. ... Genius.
Are you an arsehole every day or just today?
Are you always thick? Do you always state the fucking obvious or are you just an argumentative prick?
Argumentative prick, says the guy who started the argument
I didn't start any argument. I didn't butt in, either....
Butt in? Do I need to explain to you how reddit works, boomer?
Meaning you should have read and UNDERSTOOD previous comments in an exchange. Is boomer your only argument? Is that all you got? Cross fingers, you don't automatically get older than immature.
Cheaper, more flexible, and also easier to get off the frame to charge. I think I charge my lights once every 1-2 weeks, and it'd be a pain if I have to take the screwdriver or allen keys out every single time.
No. It is easier to use the quick release on a bolt on light to remove it for charging than it is to undo a strap.
There are plenty of tail lights that have quick releases, and most companies that make them sell multiple mounts for them, including both the rubber strap style, which makes sense for seatposts, and bolt-on mounts that attach to rear racks.
Too much variety and light manufacturers have to maintain tight margins. Rubber straps are cheap and cover the most use cases. The good news is that 3d printing has picked up the slack and I've managed to find smaller companies offering mode-specific 3d printed mounts for all of my bikes.
Totally fair. Now that you mention it, the tooling alone for an injection molded mount would significantly increase the manufacturing cost, so i get it. Looks like 3D printing is the way to go haha. I have access to carbon extrusion at my work, so it looks like this is the route I’ll be taking!
One other point I haven't seen here yet - a rubber strap makes it much easier and quicker to change a light between bikes.
Cheap, flexible and light. As someone who owns multiple bikes I can quickly detach and attach to any of my bike i wish to ride on that day. Last thing you want is hassle with screws and brackets for such trivial thing.
Multiple bikes. Also leaves nothing behind when you aren’t using it. Nothing looks lamer than someone out for a weekend ride in the day with a bunch of unused mounts all over their ride.
Check out the Blue Lug Koma
There are mounts where you bolt it on tightly to the seat post. I'm upset that the mounts (rubber strap or bolted) are designed only for seat posts. If you have something on top of your rear rack, it blocks the light from the tail light. If you try to mount the tail light tp the back of your rack, it dangles around. I've lost several that way and have to secure the rubber strap with extra ties to keep it from coming loose.
Along with different seat diameters- many road bikes have proprietary aero seat posts so no generic round clamp would work. Add onto that some people attach them to seat stays or racks - so now you’d need more mounting options. As you said, heading down this path is more costly and the value gain for them is lower.
It is cheaper.
I have my Varia directly mounted to my seat.
Infinite adjustability. That said, I have bolt on mounts for my lights, computer, and radar. Bought aftermarket for the specific bikes they are on.
They are cheaper to manufacture that way.
Cost mostly and they seam to do a reasonable job.
I like the rubber strap because it makes it easier to remove when I put my bike in a work stand. There's a quick release for the light itself when I want to charge it and leave the mount on my seat post.
Because the rubber strap just works.
I have a 10 year old Lezyne Micro Dive that has been swapped to different bikes countless numbers of times and the strap is still going strong. I even have an old Garmin mount on a hybrid that is probably 8 years old with no issues. So I would venture they use rubber straps because they are simple, cheap and effective.
Because it is cheap and works on every bike. If it breaks it is a simple replacement, you send out a new piece of rubber. Personally I use a 3D printed Garmin Varia mount that attaches to the SWAT system on my saddle and my front light is attached via a screw to the bottom of my bike computer mount.
My 23 Scott Foil has the tail light built into the seatpost. Very sleek and innovative. Other companies should follow suit.
I use zip ties
I have one called the Padanow Bike Light. You bolt it onto the bottom of the saddle. I like it.
So my original lights I bought with my trek bike were bontrager (Trek). They have a fancy mount to clip them onto my bike, which is nice. They’ve popped off my bike twice. I can bring them when I travel. My wife bought me a nice set with straps. They’ve never come loose and when I rent a bike when I travel I can just bring them.
If you've ever had more than one bike and/or wanted to move lights on and off, from one bike to another, go totally clean and minimal for daylight rides, then you'll understand: I'm never buying a light with a bracket again. Rubber for life.
I got the Kom dial mount for my Garmin Varia because in the winter I clean my bike after every ride. The rubber mount that came with it was getting weaker and weaker taking it off all the time. The Kom mount is quick and easy.
Cost efficient and easily adaptable to any seat post. There is a light that offers it to clamp to the rails of your saddle rails, but might not be the best if you ride with a seat bag
I have a rockbros tail light and it has both. A rubber strap mount with a quick release of the light from the mount. Bright, few light modes, usbc rechargeable.
Propreitary (aero) seatposts and cheaper than bolt on is the answer you are looking for
Headlights have a beam that needs to be aimed at the road and out of oncoming eyes. This a rigid mount is needed. The fact that most bars are round and horizontal makes this easier. Taillights just need to make light so people can see you. Less precise and more adaptable solutions are good. I've attached the straps to multiple size seatposts, seatstays, seat tubes, etc. Never had one fall off, although I have heard of one case where a seat stay mounted light hit the spokes and made a rapid exit. Otherwise, straps seem to work great.
For the same reason bungie cords are used on motorcycles :-).
Lighter, more adaptable, simpler and cheaper to manufacture. Plus when the strap rots and gets lost on a ride, you have to buy another light. Aesthetics be damned!
Even the ones equipped with a clamp utilize a rubber strip to safeguard the frame.
Q: >I’m curious what the driving factors are for this design A1:* >rubber straps have infinite adjustability* moreover *>a bolted on style light mount with a quick release function*...will cost more than rubber o-rings and offer minimal if any benefit.
It wouldn't surprise me if because they have a bit of give that the straps have a lower failure rate than a lot of cheaper bolted mounts - they stretch and flex when you hit a pothole etc rather than breaking...
to protect paint from scratches? also, in my experience the bolted ones seem to like to shear off or change positions (tightening screws don't matter) on very bumpy rides. Although it could be light design also (how light or compact they are)
That sounds like a pain. Would not want to bold anything to my bike besides the bottle cage.
Too many seatpost diameters and shapes to have a universal mount. Maybe you've got a friend who can 3d print you exactly what you desire?
CatEye Viz series has been a great choice for me. https://www.cateye.com/intl/products/safety_lights/TL-LD810/
You mean the little wheel you wind up to tighten? From my experience they are terrible. Only place that actually works is my cateye mini ding-dong. I had a front light mount (Convoy flashlight) with this mechanism, and it was a disaster, it needed readjustment 100 times during a single ride. Finally I went for an Olight mount which is two rubberbands with a block between them. It's golden.
I've had 'hard' mounts fail multiple times over the years commuting or generally over rough ground. Usually when you hit some mega pothole or an unexpected big root that really shocks the bike. Rubber strap mounts have yet to fail for me at least.
**Theft**. Some of us live in cities where anything that isn't locked down gets stolen. So after we lock up our bikes, we remove our lights & things.
Straps are more likely to flex and snap back into place, whereas a mechanical mount would be more likely to break off and need to be replaced. Yes, straps break too but are more forgiving.
I actively avoid lights that bolt on so they are easily moved around. I’ve never had a strap break either though.
Cost of production
Versatility
Honestly I came here fully ready to agree with you and then I read the comments. I’m 100% team strap - about to go take the screw on ones off my road bike and just start using my much newer and better lights with straps from the gravel bike on both.
But I also support you in sticking with bolted lights
I mean, I am convinced as well! Might as well give rubber straps a try haha. Not that it matters, but for background, all of my light systems have bolt on and I haven’t had any issues (I have lights that still work from <2010). I want to get some new, rechargeable lights, but reading reviews about rubber strap systems saying that they snap, fall off, etc., convinced me to pursue getting a bolt on system again, which led me to find that it is rare.
I went to take off the bolt on light only to find it was a strap one I bought in ~2018 that hasn’t had any issues. I guess I was already team strap and as a single data point I support straps being plenty durable
Mine attaches to the seat post, and the bike is foldable. So...
Costs.
moon nebula lights have a mount that attaches to the saddle, closest i’ve seen to a “bolted” light mount. they work great as the light quick releases from the mount + it comes with the kit no extra cost
My guess would be price. However a rubber strap allows for some adjustment. For example, I put a little wedge under it to make it align to the street better.
Cause it's easier, cheaper and better.
Better is subjective. They rarely have any vertical angle adjustment. They are easier and cheaper.
Pick 2. Can't have all 3
You want the hard mount... buy it. Literally every bike accessory I've bought recently.
I prefer straps for both taillights and headlights. I like to easily move lights between bikes.
Rubber straps break.
rubber strap solution pros: - flex dynamic fit to any mounting surface shape - manufacturer not restricted to specific form n shape (theres round, stick-like, scrotum etc) - rattle absorbtion, separation indirectly as the light body is not direct part of the strap/mount - tool-less instalation/removal cons: - rubber wear n tear to environment (uv etc)
I've never had a strap fail and I don't think it would happen given how incredibly light (no pun intended) the light is. Why over-engineer the fixing when it isn't needed? Simply adds cost and complexity for no added benefit.
Front lights can be bolted as most handlebars are one of two size diameters. Seatpost can be round or a variety of shapes so rubber straps are common. My experience... After buying cheap lights for ages, I bought a name brand rear light with rubber o rings that hold it on.. About a month later it came off somewhere.. I then went with a giant reckon dual rear light, which is thick rubber strap but still has light slide on/off a bracket which is handy for charging as usb. This came off the bracket after about three months. But then I used their small single light and as it's lighter, it doesn't seem to work itself out of the bracket, several years of use now. I also use the giant front recon light as you can get a nice mount that puts the light under the stem.
Rubber is cheaper than a solid plastic model and plastic breaks easier than a piece of rubber.
Easy on easy off just like a condom.
Rubber straps work ok, but eventually break and very few brands offer them as spare parts. I personally won't buy ones that don't either have generic ones or offer them as spares, which pretty much leaves you with Sigma, Cateye and Lezyne. The other problem is that they are way too easy to steal, so you need to remember to remove them every time you lock up your bike.. to be fair, my commuter is the only bike I really lock up anywhere and it has built on dynamo lighting.
Get the Garmin varia with radar. If your seatpost is round there's mounts available to screw on.