CaB Cyclists

[Blue Jam]

Been posting a lot of bike chat in other threads so I thought I should start a thread for it, especially as more people are cycling now, what with wanting to avoid the Covid vessels of public transport and that.

Who else has got back on their bike then, and how addicted are you to buying bike gear now?

[Blue Jam]

...and I have a question: Are the INDIK8A hand lights a useful innovation or just SHIT4KUNTZ? Bit tempted to get some:

https://www.indik8a.com/

Think one of these might be a bit much though:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/SHENKEY-Signal-Reflective-Direction-Indicator/dp/B082SJPY13

[Norton Canes]

Reflectors on arms/wrists/gloves should be enough, assuming other vehicles driving in the dark have their headlights on. Don't see why glove LEDs would hurt, though - unlike indicators fixed to the frame, which I always think aren't clear and serve only to confuse drivers.

[katzenjammer]

The second one looks a bit dangerous, I briefly thought about getting a helmet with something similar.  The signals are not a standard way for cyclists to indicate so drivers won't react to them correctly.

[Blue Jam]

Yes, those vests are most definitely not in the Highway Code (and yes, CaB motorists, I have read it) while hand signals are. Got some winter (full-finger) gloves but the reflective bits on them are a tad small, might be time to replace those too.

Think it's time to replace my helmet but I like to try them on, my head is narrow and I find lots of helmets just slide from side to side. I need something that goes a bit further down the sides of my head to stay put. Might get one with a light on the back even if I don't use it to indicate.

With helmets I also like a visor, might go for another MTB-style helmet. Those Bern ones look cute but one time I was in a crash I flew over the handlebars and landed on my visor and snapped it off, which was preferable to landing on my nose and snapping that off, so a visor is a must. In summer they're also handy if you see a cloud of midges up ahead, then you can just bow your head so they end up on the visor rather than in your eyes.

[Sherringford Hovis]

Why doesn't everyone pedal around in Bugsy Malone cars? Cycling'd be a lot cooler if they did.

[poo]

I wouldn't personally. An arrow might be interpreted as keep wide/go around etc by some drivers. Definitely not what you want. Keep it simple I say.

[Sebastian Cobb]

This thing is amazing:



Fits neatly under the saddle and is covert so you don't tend to have to worry about removing it, but easy to unscrew if you want to. Motion activated so you don't have to forget to put it on or turn it off, it has a light sensor so doesn't idle in daylight and the motion sensor makes it light up solid and brightly when you decelerate to alert drivers you are stopping. It's cheap as fuck on aliexpress and pretty cheap on ebay too. One of the best bits of cheap bike stuff I've bought.

I'm also not a fan of the dayglow roadie get up, so have something that's a bit more muted yet reflects well when headlights hit it.



Another good buy was some actual cycling shoes, they're thicker than trainers and keep the weather out, they also have thicker soles which seems to make pedalling a bit easier. I purposefully got some that still look like normal shoes a I often cycle into town/work and didn't want to change out of them, that's the reason I didn't want cleats also.

Five Tens are good, I've got these, although I would've preferred a less light colour they do seem to scrub up ok, especially if you spray that kiwi trainer protector on them.

[Sebastian Cobb]

The second one looks a bit dangerous, I briefly thought about getting a helmet with something similar.  The signals are not a standard way for cyclists to indicate so drivers won't react to them correctly.

Not indicators but I have a helmet (cheap from lidl, but good) with a flasher in the back and it's far too easy to take the thing off and forget to turn it off. Especially since I tend to take it off and place it upside down so the flasher is away from me.

It also uses a CR1620 cell which whilst not uncommon isn't as cheap and easy to get hold of unlike things like the CR3032 where you can get a strip of them from poundland.

[drummersaredeaf]

I am dreadfully under equipped for winter and using it as an excuse not to go out. Is a bit of base layer, gloves, and a bit of reflective tape sufficient to add to my current lights and (dark coloured) waterproof? I'm getting dead fat so reckon I'll warm up quick enough on the bike, but I've never really gone out below about 8 degrees, or in pissing rain.

[buntyman]

Five Tens are good, I've got these, although I would've preferred a less light colour they do seem to scrub up ok, especially if you spray that kiwi trainer protector on them.

Normal cycling shoes sound like a good idea. One odd gap in the market is waterproof overshoes for normal trainers. I have these which do the job well: https://www.gorewear.com/us/en-us/c3-gore-tex-overshoes-100242.html?dwvar_100242_color=0800&cgid=gw_men_accessories_overshoes#start=2&cgid=gw_men_accessories_overshoes which are ludicrously expensive for what they are but it seems like there are no alternatives on the market. Everything else available is a tightly fitting wetsuit for a cycling shoe. How do you casual, city bike cycling people avoid getting your feet wet when it rains?

[Sebastian Cobb]

One of my mates had 'wet' shoes and used to put sandwich bags then socks on.

Surely a small towel would've fine the job. I cycle in shorts all year round because wet material or material and then waterproof overs just seems restrictive. Just dry my legs off if need be.

[bgmnts]

Got a used bike I paid 80 quid for last year and havent ridden it once since purchase. The handlebars need adjusting and I am not a confidant rider so can see it never being used.

[kngen]

Went out for my first ride in a couple of months on Tuesday. Got cramp towards the end, which somehow pulled a muscle in my calf. Hobbled about the house for a day, then today I thought I'd test it out again (as the plan was for one-day-on one-day-off until the aches and pains fuck off and I can go out every day again). Felt great, seemed to stretch the muscle out, and no twinges at all for 10 or so miles. Until an hour after I got home, and I now can barely walk. So I'll be looking into one of those Bugsy Malone cars as my sole mode of transport (adapted for indoor use) as it seems bipedal perambulation has now been cut off as an option.

[buntyman]

One of my mates had 'wet' shoes and used to put sandwich bags then socks on.

Surely a small towel would've fine the job. I cycle in shorts all year round because wet material or material and then waterproof overs just seems restrictive. Just dry my legs off if need be.

It's the wet feet that are the problem mate. What do you wear on your feet?

[Sebastian Cobb]

It's the wet feet that are the problem mate. What do you wear on your feet?

He wore boots in his lab at work, so could've just dried his feet.

[Norton Canes]

It's the wet feet that are the problem mate. What do you wear on your feet?

I just kept a pair of shoes at work, changed into them and left the wet cycling shoes to dry for eight hours.

[mikeyg27]

Bought a 2nd-hand Peugeot in October when the market had calmed down a bit. It was a fairly cheap piece of shit that had clearly been frankenbiked from other dying machines, but it got me to the shops and back. I got it serviced this week (crucially, with new tyres, because the ones it came with were on the verge of crumbling) and it's the best thing I've done all lockdown - it's such a smoother and less frightening ride.

I haven't been a proper cyclist for about a decade and it's pretty great seeing how much better the cycling infrastructure is in London now. CS3 is one of the few redeeming legacies of Boris's mayorship. If only Kensington & Chelsea wasn't run by spineless worms then it would be pretty much possible to cross the width of London in protected lanes (North / South is still a problem). I'm definitely finding myself more drawn to Cycle Advocacy Twitter now.

[Blue Jam]

I just kept a pair of shoes at work, changed into them and left the wet cycling shoes to dry for eight hours.

As long as you don't put them on the radiator that's fine. Had two cyclists at my last job who used to do that and it stank out a small corner of the building. I don't know why some people think it's acceptable, or how they don't care that everyone is inhaling their concentrated sweat particles and thinking they're a dirty bastard. It's proper antisocial behaviour. I'm sure you'd never do that though.

Not got much lycra myself, just lots of plain leggings. I have three pairs with a fleece lining which have been a lifesaver this winter. I got them from good ol' TK Maxx for about £15 a pair, the brand is RBX, in any case they keep my legs warm.

[Sebastian Cobb]

Bought a 2nd-hand Peugeot in October when the market had calmed down a bit. It was a fairly cheap piece of shit that had clearly been frankenbiked from other dying machines, but it got me to the shops and back. I got it serviced this week (crucially, with new tyres, because the ones it came with were on the verge of crumbling) and it's the best thing I've done all lockdown - it's such a smoother and less frightening ride.

I haven't been a proper cyclist for about a decade and it's pretty great seeing how much better the cycling infrastructure is in London now. CS3 is one of the few redeeming legacies of Boris's mayorship. If only Kensington & Chelsea wasn't run by spineless worms then it would be pretty much possible to cross the width of London in protected lanes (North / South is still a problem). I'm definitely finding myself more drawn to Cycle Advocacy Twitter now.

I kind of wanted a pug too, but was told to be wary as some have odd French threads.

Also the ones locally had been souped up and cost a lot and the ones on ebay were often just frames. It would've been a nice project but in the end I got this Bianchi single-speed conversion.



It's nice but I need to shorten the bars or replace them with bullhorns really.

[Sebastian Cobb]

As long as you don't put them on the radiator that's fine. Had two cyclists at my last job who used to do that and it stank out a small corner of the building. I don't know why some people think it's acceptable to do that, or how they don't care that everyone is inhaling their concentrated sweat particles and thinking they're a dirty bastard.

My last workplace had a dedicated cyclist/jogger radiator in a small area between the back doors of the office and the back doors of the building, it was also home to the bathrooms/shower and a good place to make personal calls. There was a rack above it for jackets/trousers etc and an entire row of fusty shoes drying along it. The office didn't stink but that bit did.

Bigger 'dirty bastard' behaviour was one of the salesmen in another job who'd slob around the office all afternoon in his sweaty shorts and t-shirt after his lunchtime jog.

[Blue Jam]

My last workplace had a dedicated cyclist/jogger radiator in a small area between the back doors of the office and the back doors of the building, it was also home to the bathrooms/shower and a good place to make personal calls. There was a rack above it for jackets/trousers etc and an entire row of fusty shoes drying along it. The office didn't stink but that bit did.

Even in that case I think I'd still prefer to stuff my sweaty clothes in a bag and put some fresh ones on for the cycle home. I simply wouldn't want all my colleagues to smell my baking sweat and then look at me and think "Urrrgghh, there goes that smelly fucker".

Also my previous job was at a really toxic workplace where everyone hated each other so I shouldn't be surprised to remember that it was so much less civilised than my current one.

[Norton Canes]

I was asking for ages for a drying area, either in our department or somewhere central on campus. I was having to hang my wet cycling clothes from wire radiator hangers wedged under the metal strut beneath my desk. At least they were out of sight of the rest of the office and because they weren't being heated and therefore steaming away, they didn't stink.

[Blue Jam]

Yes, it's fine if you just let your clothes dry without heat, and moisture-wicking fabrics dry quickly without it anyway, that's exactly what they're designed to do. My two antisocial colleagues would leave a lycra jersey or some leggings on a radiator all day, well past the point at which they were dry, and that's when you'd get the baked sweat aroma burning everyone's nostrils.

Got a lunchtime runner in my office at my current job and if it wasn't for her saying "Right, I'm off for a run, see you later" you'd never know. The people I work with now aren't filthy animals.

I must confess that I was a bit of a filthy fecker over summer 2020. The showers are out of action thanks to the 'rona so I just used to liberally spray myself with deodorant after my commute in. Not had a problem now the weather is colder but over the summer I was paranoid and very thankful for social distancing.

[Marner and Me]

Yes, it's fine if you just let your clothes dry without heat, and moisture-wicking fabrics dry quickly without it anyway, that's exactly what they're designed to do. My two antisocial colleagues would leave a lycra jersey or some leggings on a radiator all day, well past the point at which they were dry, and that's when you'd get the baked sweat aroma burning everyone's nostrils.

Got a lunchtime runner in my office at my current job and if it wasn't for her saying "Right, I'm off for a run, see you later" you'd never know. The people I work with now aren't filthy animals.

I must confess that I was a bit of a filthy fecker over summer 2020. The showers are out of action thanks to the 'rona so I just used to liberally spray myself with deodorant after my commute in. Not had a problem now the weather is colder but over the summer I was paranoid and very thankful for social distancing.

Pick them up and bin them.

[Dex Sawash]

Pick them up and wank into them.

ftfm

[touchingcloth]

This thing is amazing:



Fits neatly under the saddle and is covert so you don't tend to have to worry about removing it, but easy to unscrew if you want to. Motion activated so you don't have to forget to put it on or turn it off, it has a light sensor so doesn't idle in daylight and the motion sensor makes it light up solid and brightly when you decelerate to alert drivers you are stopping. It's cheap as fuck on aliexpress and pretty cheap on ebay too. One of the best bits of cheap bike stuff I've bought.

I'm also not a fan of the dayglow roadie get up, so have something that's a bit more muted yet reflects well when headlights hit it.



Another good buy was some actual cycling shoes, they're thicker than trainers and keep the weather out, they also have thicker soles which seems to make pedalling a bit easier. I purposefully got some that still look like normal shoes a I often cycle into town/work and didn't want to change out of them, that's the reason I didn't want cleats also.

Five Tens are good, I've got these, although I would've preferred a less light colour they do seem to scrub up ok, especially if you spray that kiwi trainer protector on them.

I like the look of that. Does it have a matching front light? What's the brake induction thing?

My biggest issue with bike lights is forgetting to charge/replace batteries, so a cheap weatherproof thing like that might be just the ticket. LOVE the sound of the deceleration-based brightening - that's the first bike innovation in fucking ages I've just had to shake my head in admiration of.

[Marner and Me]

ftfm

?

[Sebastian Cobb]

I like the look of that. Does it have a matching front light? What's the brake induction thing?

My biggest issue with bike lights is forgetting to charge/replace batteries, so a cheap weatherproof thing like that might be just the ticket. LOVE the sound of the deceleration-based brightening - that's the first bike innovation in fucking ages I've just had to shake my head in admiration of.

The Brake induction is the deceleration-based brightening (it also changes pattern to solid lit as there's various different flash/pulse modes it can do).

I don't think they make a front one, I got this back one after buying a set of these and the back one fell off the back of my pannier. Seat-post mounting was obscured by the rack so under the saddle was perfect to be secure and high enough to be seen over the rack.



They're no good for lighting your way but fine to be seen by motorists around town. I've got a focused LED bike light/torch for that if I need it:



But it was fiddly to take off and these are cheap enough I can just leave them on, they're small and don't attra ct much attention. USB rechargable. Sealed too save for the mini usb behind a rubber flap. I had them out in all weather.

I probably wouldn't have bought the saddle light if I hadn't lost the cheap light, but I'm glad I did as it's a really nice and well made bit of kit.

[Dex Sawash]

?

Fixed that for me