since it's wet and windy out...

I didn't ride into work today, but I got my bicycling fix this morning peeping out two of my dailies...

Busted Carbon

Bike Hacks

And, a third, new one to add to the mix... TOTCYCLE

I love the peace in this pic... (photo snapped by and posted on TOTCYCLE)

follow-up post --> installing Bike Brightz

I recently mentioned I received a package from a company that makes and markets Bike Brightz to have me and my kids install them on our bikes, test out, and review the product.

I installed the lights this week and shot some photos of the process.

Here's a photo of the Bike Brightz packaging. I liked the fact it is easy to open - something rare in this day and age when you find a product that isn't either completely encased in a near bulletproof plastic or boxed up in a styrofoam cocoon.


What's included in the Bike Brightz package... two AAA batteries, two zip ties, a protective rubber "gasket" (to fit between the light and the bike frame to protect the bike paint), and the lighting unit.


Installing onto the downtube of a kids' bike with the supplied zip ties (bike pictured upside down). If you can fasten a zip tie, you can install this light unit. Not pictured was me slipping the batteries into the unit just prior to this shot.


The installed product... turns on with a simple push of a button on the unit. It cycles through steady or multiple speeds of flashing.


Here's another I mounted to the downtube on my Cannondale road bike.


One issue I had with one of the kids' bikes related to the downtube installation location. Since her chainstays (another manufacturer's recommended installation location) were short and/or cluttered with a chain/chainguard, I only really could install the light on the downtube. Her downtube is curved a bit allowing for a gap between the frame and the light unit as in the photo. I am sure I can fashion something a bit thicker to pad the area (like a piece of old/extra thinner helmet padding) and keep the unit from slipping around - however, with the zip ties tightened, it is still pretty secure as-is.


Next and final installment: riding impressions.

Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with Bike Brightz company in any way. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review from BB or anyone else. I did, however, receive this product for testing purposes at no cost to me.

new lighting product: my first review pending

I received my first item from a manufacturer for real-world product testing and review. Bike Brightz sent me a few samples (red, green, yellow, and blue) of their flashing LED lights to test out with the kids and on my commuter bike.



They are able to be zip-tied to the bicycle frame, such as the down tube or chain stays, and run off of two AAA batteries (included). The lights are activated by button and have a steady or a variety of flashing modes (generally varies by speed of the flashing). The affect appears to be similar to the Down Low Glow but for a lot less coin (BBz are about $20 + shipping). I am not certain whether the Bike Brightz offers the same level of lighting as the DLG, since I don't have any for side-by-side comparison. Plus, the installation is super easy and easy to transfer to a different bike, since re-usable zip ties are provided with the Bike Brightz kits. Note: I have not used the DTG lights but have only checked out other web pages about them.

I will post pics (day and night) from my kids' bikes and my commuter soon and give a fuller review after I have a few commutes (including some rain commute days to test for water resistance) with them installed.

Disclaimer: these products were provided to me from the Bike Brightz company for testing and review at no cost to me.

stocking-stuffers

I went down to Center Cycle, another one of our local bike shops , to buy some grips for a kids' bike and happened upon these noise-makers...

A parrot horn and an Incredibel. I picked them up for stocking-stuffers for the kids. They know they're not getting new bikes for Christmas, but I can still get them cool, fun stuff to inspire them to ride out on cool, dry days with daddy.

Safe Routes to School

Today I attended a workshop put on by the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Program, taught by staff from the national (USDOT-funded) SRTS program.

The emphasis of the SRTS program is on improving physical barriers to having kids walk or bicycle to school and enhancing safety through education. The reasons for the program (i.e. why it is good for kids to walk or bicycle to school) are many: reduce traffic congestion, improve physical health of kids (combats childhood obesity), improves the environment (improved air quality), and more.

I'll have more to post on this, but it was nice to see a lot of staff from various Washington school districts, King County DOT, Seattle DOT, WSDOT, and advocacy organizations like Feet First and Bicycle Alliance of Washington.

mechanical issues

The last time I went riding on a local hard surface trail with an older Specialized Hard Rock I've been putting together, I had a rear derailleur bust off.



The derailleur snapped where it mounts to the frame. I was able to disassemble it to get it off the chain, however, as shown in the photo below, the chain was twisted (unrepairable) during the mechanical failure.



I figured I could slip the chain onto a middle chain ring and middle rear cog and limp it back to the trail head, however, with the kink in the chain, this was impossible. The chain kept shifting itself from one cog to the next until it got hung up in the spokes. If I had a chain tool with me, I could have broken the chain to remove the twisted portion... a chain tool was about the only tool I didn't have in my kit that day.

Yesterday, we went riding on the same trail, but I was on the hybrid Schwinn I was working on. The problems I experienced were generally minor: brake cable and pad adjustment. I did almost lose it when the handle bars twisted (the stem wasn't tightened enough!) but I was riding at a low speed and recovered but it could have been bad.

Lauren riding her bike.



The repair that took the longest was Rachel's 1-speed coaster brake bike - the chain was thrown off the rear cog. To make matters worse, I didn't have a wrench large enough to get her rear wheel loose so I could get just enough room to slip the chain back over the rear cog. I did have a chain tool with me, so I was able to get the chain put back on, but I had to split the chain and fix it that way. Of course, I did not have any gloves with me or hand cleaner and working on a chain was messy... so that experience kinda was not much fun. Luckily, my wife was there to assist in getting the chain back together.

Rachel back in-action.



Lessons learned:
1) bring a pair of rubber gloves in the tool kit
2) find an adequate adjustable wrench that's still small enough to fit the tool kit
3) check to make sure bolts are torqued down - espcially on "project bikes"