Noob: Various & Sundry Q's about Biking

Bop wrote:

Some questions about
current bike stuff:

... I'm kinda shocked not to find any standard
cleats, but only those for the clipless kinds. Are they there and I just
need to get some glasses, or has the clipless revolution taken over?

For sport and recreational riding, clipless has taken over. Some of us
still use clips and straps, but we're labeled "retro-grouches."

I've nothing against clipless, just that I know nothing about them (other
than that they don't require a cage). Should I stick with my present
setup, or should I buy a cheap clipless replacement?

....
I used to have a pair of touring shoes which have "ridges" instead of
cleats, and a steel shank embedded in the sole to keep them stiff. ...
I don't want to have to commute with an
extra pair of shoes, so I'm looking for something like this. But on
Nashbar and other bike sites, all they have are road & MTB shoes, no
touring stuff. Any tips on where I can look?

For commuting, I use clips and straps on platform pedals, and I ride in
dress clothes and shoes.

For most other riding, I've got a pair of Lake shoes. They look pretty
similar to the Lake MX60 Mountain model at Nashbar (LK-MX60M). They
work fine, and they've got many thousands of miles on them. I can't see
making a certain kind of shoe a requirement for riding my bike!

What kind of light I can get that a) last for a while on flash
mode, b) are light and small, and c) easy to mount. Nashbar has these
LED ones w/ elastic mounts that look to fit the bill, but I'm wondering
just how visible these suckers are, and how long the battery lasts? (I'm
guessing they take those dime-type batteries). Any other ideas for lights?

IMO, those tiny Cateye LD100 LEDs are not worth having. I'm not a lumen
freak, but I don't consider them to be bright enough. Ditto the Photon
Mini Lights. In my experience, almost any full-sized LED blinky will do
the job, particularly if you also add reflectors to your bike.
Reflectors are likely a legal requirement anyway, and while some
disparage them, I find them to be very effective. But I'd never rely on
reflectors alone.

All states require active headlights, and even if not required, some
active taillight is a very good idea.

The choices in headlights are these, depending on your riding
conditions, your fear of traffic (if any) and your night vision:

1. Self-contained units powered by flashlight batteries. Almost all are
pretty marginal in light output, and battery costs can be large if you
use them regularly. If you night-ride only occasionally, and
exclusively on well-lit streets, these may be OK as a "be seen" light.

2. Rechargeable lights with a separate battery pack. These are
surprisingly expensive - most are over $100 - and "feature" very crude
optics, so most of the light output is wasted (unless you're mountain
biking at night - the only time you need light shining up). Battery
care must be fairly diligent, and the batteries are expensive (perhaps
$50) when they've died of either too many recharges, or overcharging.

3. Generator lights are pretty hard to find, and most require some
mechanical and electrical sense to install. They vary widely in price
($15 to $250), quality and drag on the bike. But a decent set, properly
installed, will last forever and always be ready to go, just like your
car's headlights. The low power (just three watts) works for many
people because the headlamp optics are very efficient. But some people
don't feel safe unless they're pumping out 15 watts or more.

4. Home brew rechargeable systems. Since most rechargeable lights use
hardware-store track light bulbs, lots of folks have spent $10 for one
of those bulbs, $25 for a battery, scrounged a charger, and cobbled
together a headlamp. A very few have put a higher-powered halogen bulb
into a generator headlamp, using the good optics to get brighter light
with longer battery life. Naturally, you still need to tend the battery
charging (unless you get a very expensive "smart charger.")


For me, after trying the other options, I decided generators come
closest to the optimum. Others disagree rather militantly. As I said,
I think it depends on your situation.


Does Nashbar have storefronts other than the one in OH?

Nashbar doesn't even have a store in Ohio any more, AFAIK. Arni
Nashbar sold the business to Performance. Now when you phone Nashbar,
your order is taken by kids in West Virginia.


You may be interested in http://www.bicyclinglife.com


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