Cycling Thread 2

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

I use 2 of these type:

https://www.mec.ca/en/product/5061-9...t?colour=Black

One on my handlebar, one on my helmet so I can point it at inattentive drivers/pedestrians. They are 200 lumens each. I don't like really bright lights becuase your eyes adjust and stuff out of the beam range becuase pure black. Also, your tail light does not need to be visible to airliners, strobing like the 80's. They can be blinding too, particularly in bike lanes waiting for lights.

I am kicking myself for not buying this when I saw it on clearance at Sporting Life last year. It would have fit right into my garmin mount for the bike computer.

https://road.cc/content/review/fabri...t-light-274441

I did end up getting another light but it looks like its for trail riding and it's 400 lumens and I think too bright.

[Fuzz]

Readding the reviews on the MEC light, it looks like this new model sucks. That's too bad. Good thing I have 4 of them.

That one you linked is only 60 lumens, probably pretty dim. This might be OK at 160.

https://www.mec.ca/en/product/6017-0...t?colour=Black

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

Re adding the reviews on the MEC light, it looks like this new model sucks. That's too bad. Good thing I have 4 of them.

That one you linked is only 60 lumens, probably pretty dim. This might be OK at 160.

https://www.mec.ca/en/product/6017-0...t?colour=Black

I had the old one back in 2014 where the back itself is a USB connector so you could just plug it into your computer and you didn't need a separate cable. Lost for a long time though.

I'm really looking for a garmin mount one now for ease of removal when I park the bike.

[Icantwhisper]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

I use 2 of these type:

https://www.mec.ca/en/product/5061-9...t?colour=Black

One on my handlebar, one on my helmet so I can point it at inattentive drivers/pedestrians. They are 200 lumens each. I don't like really bright lights becuase your eyes adjust and stuff out of the beam range becuase pure black. Also, your tail light does not need to be visible to airliners, strobing like the 80's. They can be blinding too, particularly in bike lanes waiting for lights.

This, I have to be honest I prefer to ride with a super dim front light/ none at all, just enough for others to know I'm there. Most of my ride is in fish creek and you can see further in the dark than you can with a light.
At the very least make sure your light is pointed downwards and not level with oncoming riders eyes

[Bigtime]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

I use 2 of these type:

https://www.mec.ca/en/product/5061-9...t?colour=Black

One on my handlebar, one on my helmet so I can point it at inattentive drivers/pedestrians. They are 200 lumens each. I don't like really bright lights becuase your eyes adjust and stuff out of the beam range becuase pure black. Also, your tail light does not need to be visible to airliners, strobing like the 80's. They can be blinding too, particularly in bike lanes waiting for lights.

Well I do ride pretty close to the airport...

[powderjunkie]

What do y'all think about using a strobe (angled well down and on the dim side) at dusk/twilight?

My thinking is that a steady light doesn't do much at that time...if someone can see it they probably have a decent enough view of me already, but I think about how hard it can be to see cyclists when I'm driving at those times. Even cars with a single headlight it can be harder to nail down their speed/distance...not sure how much the strobe helps, but I feel like it's better than nothing?

I don't feel bothered when I encounter other strobes in these conditions...

[Icantwhisper]

Originally Posted by powderjunkie

What do y'all think about using a strobe (angled well down and on the dim side) at dusk/twilight?

My thinking is that a steady light doesn't do much at that time...if someone can see it they probably have a decent enough view of me already, but I think about how hard it can be to see cyclists when I'm driving at those times. Even cars with a single headlight it can be harder to nail down their speed/distance...not sure how much the strobe helps, but I feel like it's better than nothing?

I don't feel bothered when I encounter other strobes in these conditions...

Think it depends if you're on the road or pathways, road you probably want to be seen as much as possible, pathways I think you can literally point your light straight down on strobe. everyone will see you coming and you aren't blinding anyone

[RichieRich]

Originally Posted by Icantwhisper

Think it depends if you're on the road or pathways, road you probably want to be seen as much as possible, pathways I think you can literally point your light straight down on strobe. everyone will see you coming and you aren't blinding anyone

Yep paths or roads makes a massive difference to your lighting. Even some areas of the paths need more, or less. It’s not a simple set and forget unless everything is constant.

My route is ~60% on road so yeah I light it up and have double rear light (1 solid and 1 flash). Since being better lit my near misses and close calls are virtually zero. But on the paths I gotta remember to turn off and change angles on some lights. However the ninja riders are, IMO, the most dangerous especially when oncoming and I’m passing either another cyclist or pedestrian. Just impossible to see some of these suicidal maniacs sometimes.

[Bigtime]

https://twitter.com/user/status/1569994301303656449

[Northendzone]

wowsers - only going into the office once per week is jarring. pitch black at 6.30 am this morning. i was prepared with my headlight mounted and charged. i also ahve a front flashing light that died shortly after i left the hosue.

But surprisingly warm. i had a pop over on and was regretting my choice.

[Fuzz]

I'm still riding shorts and t-shirt. So many people without lights though.

[Icantwhisper]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

I'm still riding shorts and t-shirt. So many people without lights though.

You don't need a light if you leave the house at 7:15

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by Icantwhisper

You don't need a light if you leave the house at 7:15

I dunno, I was on the cycle track at 7:25 and I can't say the guys riding without lights were super visible. Considering the immense inattention drivers are paying these days, I think it's a bit foolish to be out there and not visible. If you are dressed all in bright yellow, then OK, that's better, but a light takes pretty minimal effort. You'll need it next week anyway!

[RichieRich]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

https://twitter.com/user/status/1569994301303656449

The bigger p**s off are those motorists that insist on stopping when THEY DONT HAVE A STOP SIGN but yet expect you (who is at the stop sign) to now play Frogger with traffic. Nope - I won’t do that. I stay stopped and shake my head, I point at the stop sign then to me, then I do an exaggerated wave through to them to proceed. … and I still keep shaking my head. Occasionally I’ll throw my arms out and shrug (whilst still shaking my head). No point in reinforcing bad driver behavior that goes against road rules even if they somehow think they’re being polite or doing you a favor.

[Flames0910]

Figured I should stop by with a ride report from the Whistler Gran Fondo!

I got into the Forte category in the weeks before the event, so rode Vancouver → Cypress Mountain → Whistler (just 152km, but 3100m elevation). I was a bit worried as I've never done that kind of climbing before, but I've been pretty committed to training this season and figured if I focused on completion rather than time (stop at every aid station, enjoy the amenities) that I'd be OK.

The ride itself was great -- started at 6am and made great time burning up Cypress Mountain, just an hour and a half to the summit. Sunrise on the Lion's Gate Bridge was also really great! I probably pushed it a bit too hard though as my legs seized up at the top of the climb and even after stopping at the aid station I spent the next 20km just trying to coax feeling back into my legs.

One of the highlights was ripping down Cypress and rejoining the masses of the Fondo class on the Sea to Sky. The way the course is set up you kind of end up riding down the mountain alone (after you pass the group going up you have the remainder of the descent to yourself), so rejoining the main category of riders feels like joining a party!

Sadly I never really found a group to work with on the flat section, so largely rode the rest of the ride as an individual. Although I worked with a few people here and there, most were going too slow and there weren't all that many groups forming. I felt really good on the final hill climbs and final push over the finish line though, even with some headwinds that many riders struggled with.

You may have seen reports of the "fyre fondo" or the "green banana fondo" on social media and sadly they were true. The aid stations were disorganized, didn't have enough food, and didn't have enough substantive options like bars, gels, gummies, etc (lots of inedible green bananas though ). For a premiere event it was really disappointing -- it felt like they had capacity for a crowd of 700 not 7000. Past years had espresso stations and champagne at some aid stations so they didn't even come close to the standard set in previous years, but more importantly it was also dangerous for many riders who were promised a fully supported ride.

Thankfully I had some snacks in my pockets and was early enough in the pack that the main inconvenience was long lines. Folks at the back of the pack were greeted by aid stations with zero food, and in some cases even zero electrolytes or water. My wife rode 80km with her 73 year old dad before hitting an aid station with anything other than green bananas.

Anyway, I finished in 7:27 overall (closer to 6 hours moving time) and had a great time. It's a stunning ride, absolutely worth doing once, and so nice to have a highway closure. That said, I think I'll look for a different event next year.

[Ryan Coke]

Good job on the ride! Thanks for the review, I wonder if I should try that event sometime.

I did 6 different fondos this year, and for bigger ones both the okanagan fondo out of penticton, and the tour de Victoria were great. I think the Victoria one is my favourite, but they were both really good.

I also enjoy the smaller rides, I did the Kootenay Rockies ride out of Cranbrook this weekend. And the badlands fondo in drumheller is good for a local one.

I’m just sad to see the (outdoor) cycling season winding down.

[Northendzone]

as a rider who lives in the deep SE, I really appreciated this afternoons wind from the north as i rode home.

thanks to the wind gods

[Flames0910]

Originally Posted by Ryan Coke

Good job on the ride! Thanks for the review, I wonder if I should try that event sometime.

I did 6 different fondos this year, and for bigger ones both the okanagan fondo out of penticton, and the tour de Victoria were great. I think the Victoria one is my favourite, but they were both really good.

I also enjoy the smaller rides, I did the Kootenay Rockies ride out of Cranbrook this weekend. And the badlands fondo in drumheller is good for a local one.

I’m just sad to see the (outdoor) cycling season winding down.

Wow you had a busy year!

I started the year with the Badlands Fondo as well -- was actually my first fondo and it was a good one! Heard great things about the Penticton fondo while in Whistler and had some friends who did Victoria and came back with good reviews so I think both of those are on my shortlist. I had a coworker who did Kootenay last week as well.

[Icantwhisper]

Had my first squirrel kill/suicide this morning under the centre street bridge, at the very least he's going to need a ramp to get up the curb from now on. Looked like it ruined the day of the lady walking the other way

[Mazrim]

Originally Posted by Icantwhisper

Think it depends if you're on the road or pathways, road you probably want to be seen as much as possible, pathways I think you can literally point your light straight down on strobe. everyone will see you coming and you aren't blinding anyone

My rules of thumb (I'm open to corrections here):
- Broad daylight: Front and back strobe on roads, no lights on paths
- Morning/evening: Front solid and back strobe on roads, front and back solid on paths
- Night: Front and back solid on both, turn down both lights to a lower brightness.