Do you guys commute in the winter?

On Mon, 15 Dec 2003 03:44:50 GMT, David
wrote:

I know the Nokian Extreme 296 very well. In fact, I ride the Happa
700cx35 version myself with 106 studs if need be. All I can say is, I
am so impressed to hear claims of people able to run a pair of 26x2.1
with 296 stud tires that has the highest rolling resistance of any
knobbies and be able to do usual speeds of up to 20mph on level ground
in the winter ice or not.

Wind has _much_ more importance than rolling resistance anyway.
Sometimes I struggle to maintain 5mph (seriously!), the other way I
might do an easy 30mph. BTW, I'm used to the rolling resistance as I
use fat, knobby tires in the summer too (Kenda Kinetics 2.3). And ice
is IMHO the fastest surface there is, better than pavement.

Sun, 14 Dec 2003 09:17:49 -0800, ,
Bernie wrote:

So... When this generator light arrives I'll try to give it a fair test.
I liked the compactness of the Sanden units - generator and light
together with no wiring.
Bernie

I alway figured combination dynamos were the coolest way to light a
bike. Let us know how it works out.

The front fork mount is nice because it's easier to get at than the
rear ones.
--
zk

"Zoot Katz" wrote in message
...

Sun, 14 Dec 2003 09:17:49 -0800, ,
Bernie wrote:

So... When this generator light arrives I'll try to give it a fair test.
I liked the compactness of the Sanden units - generator and light
together with no wiring.
Bernie

I alway figured combination dynamos were the coolest way to light a
bike. Let us know how it works out.

The front fork mount is nice because it's easier to get at than the
rear ones.

I'd love to see the report too! I've seen a few all-in-one units, and the
design appeals to me.

Now, the next step is to make it quick-release, like my Cateye handlebar light.
The main reason I use this thing is so I can take it with me while the bike is
parked -- because if I don't remove it, someone else will!

Matt O.

Matt O'Toole wrote:
I've seen a few all-in-one units, and the
design appeals to me.

One thing to watch for, is to be sure the headlight can be adjusted
independent of the generator body. The first generator I ever used was
a "block" generator of this type, and it had no such adjustability.
Optimum position for the generator was not optimum position for the
headlight. I didn't use that one for long.

My seldom-used folding bike has an all-in-one unit. On that, I altered
the headlight attachment by using a longer screw and a spacer, and this
allowed a good position for both generator and headlight.


Now, the next step is to make it quick-release, like my Cateye handlebar light.
The main reason I use this thing is so I can take it with me while the bike is
parked -- because if I don't remove it, someone else will!

Check out _Effective Cycling_ by John Forester, page 354-356 of the
sixth edition. He describes a mounting method that allows good
adjustment and moderately quick release. You could speed up the
"release" part by using bolts permanently threaded into place so the
threads face outwards like studs, and wing nuts on those.


--
Frank Krygowski [To reply, omit what's between "at" and "cc"]

"frkrygow" wrote in message
...
Matt O'Toole wrote:
I've seen a few all-in-one units, and the
design appeals to me.

One thing to watch for, is to be sure the headlight can be adjusted
independent of the generator body. The first generator I ever used was
a "block" generator of this type, and it had no such adjustability.
Optimum position for the generator was not optimum position for the
headlight. I didn't use that one for long.

My seldom-used folding bike has an all-in-one unit. On that, I altered
the headlight attachment by using a longer screw and a spacer, and this
allowed a good position for both generator and headlight.


Now, the next step is to make it quick-release, like my Cateye handlebar
light.
The main reason I use this thing is so I can take it with me while the bike
is
parked -- because if I don't remove it, someone else will!

Check out _Effective Cycling_ by John Forester, page 354-356 of the
sixth edition. He describes a mounting method that allows good
adjustment and moderately quick release. You could speed up the
"release" part by using bolts permanently threaded into place so the
threads face outwards like studs, and wing nuts on those.

I'll check it out. Thanks for the tips.

Matt O.

Matt O'Toole wrote:

"Zoot Katz" wrote in message
...

Sun, 14 Dec 2003 09:17:49 -0800, ,
Bernie wrote:

So... When this generator light arrives I'll try to give it a fair test.
I liked the compactness of the Sanden units - generator and light
together with no wiring.
Bernie

I alway figured combination dynamos were the coolest way to light a
bike. Let us know how it works out.

The front fork mount is nice because it's easier to get at than the
rear ones.


I'd love to see the report too! I've seen a few all-in-one units, and the
design appeals to me.

Now, the next step is to make it quick-release, like my Cateye handlebar light.
The main reason I use this thing is so I can take it with me while the bike is
parked -- because if I don't remove it, someone else will!

Matt O.


You may be right about the quick release. Although the vendor does make
the point that because it is not QR it takes a tool to remove the
system. I expect to be low key and just leave it on. I don't usually
leave my bike for long unless I am quite comfortable with the area.
I did lose blinkies 2 times at a local supermarket though.
Bernie

Rick Onanian wrote:
On Sat, 13 Dec 2003 13:27:07 -0500, "frkrygow"
wrote:
Now, almost all bulb "burnouts" happen when the bulb is switched on.
The cold filament allows a big inrush of current, which kills it.

But generator lights don't usually have this problem. They're
inherently "soft start" devices. So it occurs to me that generator
bulbs can probably be specified for more voltage than if they were
used in a battery system.

Maybe this is part of the reason that a 3 watt generator seems to
light the road better than a 3 watt battery light? More bulb
efficiency for equal life?

I imagine, then, that battery powered systems could use bulbs that
are as efficient as generator systems' bulbs without adding more
than negligible cost, by adding "soft start" circuitry -- maybe a
resistor and a capacitor or something. My electronics knowledge,
shaky when it was good, is nearly non-existant nowadays...but I know
that a "soft start" could be made with two or three very cheap
parts.

Which begs these questions:
Do any existing battery lights offer "soft-start" advantages?
Would it be easy for a soldering-capable person to retrofit?

I just overvolt my Sigma Mirage light by 20% and nothing has blown yet (
about two months continuos use). It's a two lamp setup so I figure I'll
always get home if one bulb eventually does blow. I calculate to get a 10%
lifespan out of the normal expectancy, which is still maybe 400 hours. It'll
take me a while to get 400 hours of nightriding in.
In other words, I don't think it's really a problem.

--
Perre

You have to be smarter than a robot to reply.

In article , Buck @
wrote:

"Doug Purdy" wrote in message
om...

Why don't they mount strobes vertically? That way they should produce
more light to the sides instead of up-down.

Another option would be a strobe mounted on top of a whip antenna much like
the safety flags some people put on kids bikes and trailers. Whip-mounted
strobes are commonly used on dune-buggies for nighttime sand dune fun! The
high mounting position would keep it from blinding fellow riders, but would
make for a very unusual sight for drivers, thus commanding their attention.
The legalities and the "fredliness" that would certainly be associated with
such a setup is up for debate.

-Buck

The whip antenna light mounted at the side of bikes was popular in Asia
and I still think it is. It is mounted either on the right front fork
leg near the quick release or at the rear near the chainstay (location
determined by generator's location. I used to have that when I lived
in Asia for awhile and is powered by a bottle generator (sidewall or
tire type). Cool little buggers and a very hot commodity I might say.
This stuff gets stolen easily.

Brent Hugh wrote:
(Fritz M) wrote in message
. com...
(Steven Scharf) wrote:
though a better option is one of the Lightman bicycle
Xenon strobes, also designed for bicycles:
My newest toy is an amber Lightman xenon strobe. When I received it
I
immediately turned it on and was stunned by its brightness.

I did a conspicuity test Friday night. I have two Vistalite "Super
Nebula" 5 LED lights mounted side by side on the back of my rear
rack,
. . .
From very close up (i.e. less than 6 feet away and outside of my
vehicle), the xenon is almost blindingly bright compared to the red
LEDs. As I moved further from the back of the bike, however, the
difference became much less apparent. I don't know if it's the
inverse
cube law kicking in or what, but the LEDs seemed in my subjective
judgement to be just as attention getting as the strobe, especially
from several car lengths away. . . .

I did a similar test on my bike with similar results. I found that 2
Lightman strobes about perceptually equal to one red LED blinky light
set on "fast strobe".

My red LED was a basic "Bell" 5-led red rear light (the older
model--you can't seem to buy these any more).

The strobe was a bit brighter to the side, but it was surprisingly
small.

It took two Lightman strobes to equal one LED light because the
strobes have such a long cycle. The blinky light is going about 4x
per second while each strobe goes about 1x or 2x per second (and
slows
as the batteries die).

I don't have the Lightman strobe, but the flash rate on my 12V strobe
is 120 flashes per minute. I don't ever let the power source get run
down to a level where the flash rate decreases.

I see that the Lightman AA powered strobe is only 83 per minute on
fresh batteries, and the xenon strobes flash at a slower and slower
rate as the batteries are depleted (as a camera flash takes longer and
longer to charge up as the batteries get weaker).