The Cycling Thread

[carelesschucca]

It go's on the possible list then. Just checking & the 600 lumen version is on Wiggle for £48.

Who was it that warned me that this cycling lark is expensive? At least I've stopped looking at turbos and the gym membership has been sent away.

Some bad man has started me looking at his namesakes Aksium Elite wheels then I suddenly clicked if I did that I'd need to buy a cassette too. But it would mean I could put wider tyres on the original wheels and start commuting on the bike.

[maviczap]

Originally Posted by Dipper

Love my commute, even in this crowded part of South East Essex there's some beautiful lanes ....beats the A127/M25 any day!

The new Thames Gateway port is behind the tree to the left Mav!

I don't travel down that lane, I have the lovely A13 to get to the Gateway

Although its a little bit nicer than Tilbury, the Gateway is an odd place to visit, as was Coryton refinery. I get to go to all the nice places

Nice picture Dipper

Originally Posted by carelesschucca

It go's on the possible list then. Just checking & the 600 lumen version is on Wiggle for £48.

Who was it that warned me that this cycling lark is expensive? At least I've stopped looking at turbos and the gym membership has been sent away.

Some bad man has started me looking at his namesakes Aksium Elite wheels then I suddenly clicked if I did that I'd need to buy a cassette too. But it would mean I could put wider tyres on the original wheels and start commuting on the bike.

I have a Cateye Rapid X3 on the front and rear... They're USB rechargeable and output is 100lm... they can be seen a long way off. I've got the front so that I'm not that guy blinding or annoying everyone with the ridiculous 200lm (focused) output from either the Volt 800 or Volt 1600 in flash mode. They're about twice what most similar lights are putting out in flash mode so I only ever use them in continuous modes in low light conditions.
I've shielded the front X3 (bar mounted) with aluminium foil tape to protect myself too btw. It's bright enough that I find it more than a little annoying if it is in my field of view.

My GF has an X3 tail light (Volt 800 and X3 on the front) and it is really annoying to follow.

The Volt 1600 on full beam is a brilliant light and gives the confidence to downhill at 60kph plus. The one touch from full beam to the previous mode and back again is a nice touch... it makes me want a lever mounted button. Most of the time it is on the low or middles settings and battery life is very good... about 2hrs at 1600lm, 5hrs at 500lm and 15hrs at 200lm. Cateye lights seem run fairly close to the manufacturers claims.

The 800 is the light that gets the most use... 2hrs at 800lm, 3hrs+ at 500lms and 8hrs at 200lms. The hill that I'm usually coming down is well lit and well marked and it is picking up the crusty old markers (on an old freeway section that was replaced 20 years ago and no longer maintained) a kilometre away... and inspires confidence on the dark sections... I hold back a little, it's not the 1600 after all, but sometimes I surprise myself just how quickly I can scoot along with that light... up to about 50kph on the dark sections.

The "flextight" headlight brackets are very good and a plus for the headlights, is that when they are mounted under the bars they do not look up side down...

I'd recommend the Volt 800 headlight and Rapid X3 tail light if you were shopping the Cateye catalogue.

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/cateye-volt-800-rc-front-light/



http://www.wiggle.co.uk/cateye-rapid...en-rear-light/



Probably preaching to the choir here...

The other thing to consider if you're doing a lot of night riding is reflectors.
Proper reflectors are the best... front, rear, spokes and pedals (if they have cages)... or reflective tape for stays, forks, a couple of dots on the rims and shoes plus iron on tape on your calves if you're wearing lycra longs (it doesn't need to look bad). 3M diamond grade (983) for the bike and 3M 8786 for clothing.
Reflectives on legs, dots on shoes and/or pedal reflectors are probably the best thing you can do to make yourself conspicuous from front and rear because there's motion... and it is a similar story for spokes or rims.There's no point in confusing motorists, because they'll probably go straight over the top of a cyclist while they're trying to work out what's going on. Best IMO to use standard colours, red on the back, white on the front, orange on the spokes or rims and orange on the pedals or legs.


It all works for me... "I didn't see you" is not a valid excuse when I'm lit up like a flashing and moving Christmas tree in a cars headlights.


PS. Ever noticed how many drivers get furtherest to the right after they've overtaken a cyclist?

[carelesschucca]

ATM I have the Lezyne Macro Drive 600lm and Zecto Drive rear ready in the Wiggle basket.

I do like the idea of extra reflecting strips I'd happily put them on the mudguards for extra luminescence. 3M scotchlite black would be great.

We got passed a few times on rural roads last week and the drivers were great.

I must have been cursed on Tuesday though, I passed an old boy in a ford fiesta on a downhill stretch because he was holding me up continually braking...

20lm is a bit dim. If you're into Lezyne you'll get better daytime visibility from something like this at 70lm:
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/lezyne-micro...ear-led-light/
or this at 100lm:
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/lezyne-strip...rear-light-y9/
Personally, I'd go for the second one.

Yeah, most drivers are pretty good and to be fair to them I like to make sure I'm not making it difficult. A friendly wave just to let them know it is appreciated when they overtake quietly doesn't go astray either.

I've been touched up and leaned on already by a handful of the other 22% of our drivers who don't even see cyclists... No excuses and I ain't giving them any. They're the reason I have cameras on my bike. Some drivers are just belligerent towards cyclists.
Government and police are encouraging cyclists to use cameras and to report incidents on the road. It removes a lot of the he says, she says and they are actively trying to remove those drivers from the road. It's a good thing in my books.
The idiots also get a friendly wave (not the bird) if they look in the mirror, but it is to say "Yeah, I'm here... now pay attention you idiot!"

That hill that I'm usually climbing is a lot of fun to come down. The top half has an 80kph limit and we're with the cars if they're moving near the limit. The bottom half is a 60kph limit and because it is steep and twisty there'd usually be at least one car holding everyone up as we whistle down the double whites... Sometimes it gets a "Wha...!!!" reaction.
The other side of that loop used to be the lower part of a freeway (except that the freeway didn't start until the top, so we could ride the lower section) and we'd be in the right lane overtaking heavies and slower cars on the way down without holding anyone up. Now there's a cycle way for some of it and it is still fun racing the trucks to the bottom.

Fixt!

[carelesschucca]

He's playing that Magicroundabout tune again

Too much? Not interested? I can fix it you know... Just say the word.

Never mind... I floated the idea on a local group and got a whole bunch of useful replies. Direct drive middle gear, 25% increments in low range and 10% increments in the high range is the consensus.

Tomorrow will be my last ride for the year. The girls have sent out the invites for a ride over the hump, coffee and cake at The Port and home for steak and beer lunch. It looks like it's going to be a full house.
Monday I head home with a group of other riders for our Christmas break and plan to be back on the 4th.

[carelesschucca]

Ah Matt I was joking

There is so much I'm learning the now it's all good but a little bewildering.