Review - Planetbike Superflash Turbo

Awhile back whilst riding to work I managed to lose my rear flasher that I had clipped onto my backpack. The light must of slipped off the strap it was clipped to because when I got to work my backpack was lightless. As it was my plan to do some serious night riding I was concerned. So after work I stopped at my favorite local bike shop - Thick Bikes and was determined to get a cheap blinker and be on my way. I wasn't going to spend a lot of money to have the light end up in pieces on the street after sliding of the strap like the last one.

That's not what happened.

After tooling into the shop (Indoor bike parking!) and talking to Chris (the owner) for a little while. I looked at the different blinky lights. I noticed that one of the lights was so bright it could only be described as offensively bright. At 34$ this was more than I wanted to spend  considering what happened to the last one.

This is where having a local bike shop really pays off. I told Chris what happened to my last one, I showed him where I had it attached to my backpack and he showed me how to keep that from happening. Try doing that with an online store.

The light I bought is the Planet Bike Superflash Turbo. The light retailed at thick bikes for $33.99 + tax (which is also the price on the planetbike website at the time of this writing) and comes with a battery and several different options for mounting. Here are the specs from the website

• One Watt Power LED plus 2 red LEDs for visibility up to 1 mile
• New attention-grabbing Turbo flash pattern
• Turbo flash mode is highly visible, even in daylight
• Ultra compact vertical design is weatherproof, lightweight and durable
• Includes bike mounts and clip mount for multiple mounting options
• Soft-touch power switch accesses flashing or steady mode for up to 100 hours of run time on two AAA batteries
• weighs 75 grams with batteries

The website also claims this to be the best taillight in the world.  I don't know about best in the world but it is the best one I have used to date. (did I mention offensively bright) The price was a little more than I expected it is worth every penny. I noticed that I could see the light from the blinky bouncing off the walls of buildings as I rode down the street, and when you are on a bike at night you need everything you can get to be more visible. So if you're looking for a new rear blinky or even if you aren't check out the superflash turbo. I think you will be surprised at how bright this little light is.

Now for how Chris secured the light to my backpack. one word. ziptie.

After clipping the light to the strap he ziptied the clip closed around the body of the light. You might also notice that ziptie lays between the lower LED lights so it doesn't block the light from either of them.

Genius!

I have had several of my friends ask me why I prefer to have the rear blinky on my back instead of on the bike. Actually I would prefer to have lights on both the bike and my backpack but at the rate I manage to break them I usually only have one blinky. That being said, if I only have one light I would prefer it on my backpack for several reasons.  First reason, if the light is on my backpack it is higher up and, hopefully, more visible. Second reason, being the multi modal person that I am i find myself walking to bus stop in the dark, on morning that I don't take my bike. When walking in the dark the 3/8 mile to the bus stop I feel more visible with that blinky letting drivers know I'm there on the side of the road. Third and final reason, I just feel better knowing when I lock my bike up that the lights and cyclometer go with me. so not having the light attached to the bike is just one less thing I have to take off the bike when I lock it up.

I hope you will give this blinky a gander and if you are in Pittsburgh I hope you will give Thick Bikes a visit.

Pedal for the Pantry

Last night I managed to get over to OTB for a bit of dinner and an adult potable (or 2) I needed to do something to life my spirits. I have ridden since the midle of Janurary and to tell the truth I'm starting to get a little twitchy. It seems my goals for the year are mocking me and all I do is work and sleep.

It is taking its toll on me. Mentally and Physically.

When I walked in a pretty girl smiled at me from behind the bar, a friend of mine was sitting at the bar, and the seat next to him was open. The gods were smiling. A snowmelt and tandem later and I could feel the tension leave my body. My friend, we will call him Paul (because that is his name) is putting together a great ride for the beginning of april. The ride is called Pedal for the Pantry and it will benifit the Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. This is a ride and a cause that I am firmly behind. In my younger, married, father of four life places like the food bank made a huge difference and I don't want to imagine what that part of my life would have been like without them.

So this is more than just "A ride" to me.

I felt like I had to do something more. That still small voice inside was pushing me. As we sat and talked about everyting that needed done and all the companies that had donated prizes that still small voice nudged me again. I hate it when he does that.

"You know what you have to do." Said that voice inside. He sounded cocky but he usually does, he's usually right.

So I sponsored a prize. I'm not telling what prize I sponsored (you have to show up to the ride to find out), and Im not writing this to brag since what I did really is no big thing. I'm writing this to first off, let you know about this great chance for you to get out, have a good ride and possibly change a person's life. Secondly, I'm writing this in hopes that others will read this and decide they want to do more, to step outside of themselves. If so I would strongly encourage you to head over to the Pedal for the pantry website or the facebook page and get in touch with Paul and find out what you can do help. Somethings I can think of off the top of my head:

• Go on the ride
• Sponsor a prize (even if it is 25$ gift card)
• Donate food (more on that later)
• Spread the word

I know a lot of people who are saying "Terry I don't even own a bike, I can't go this 'RIDE THINGY'" Well that's ok because you can always bring food to the event. Here is a list of the Most needed Items. You can bring them the Over the Bar bicycle cafe 2518 east carson between 1 and 4 on the day of the event.

So step up and step outside of your comfort zone and reach out to those less fortunate.

Short History of Traffic Engineering

Found this over at copenhagenize and can only agree and hang my head in shame.

Lube me up

I’m gonna get up on my soapbox and preach at ya for minute.

Lets understand something before I start. Lubing your chain is just one of those things you should know how to do and should be doing if you own a bike. I believe that having a well lube chain, well adjusted gears and the right tire pressure are the three biggest things you can do to make sure you get the most out of your bike. Well adjusted gears and Tire Pressure are topics for another day. Today I’m going to talk about Lube in general and my favorite lube in particular.

I can’t think of anything sadder than the sight and sound of a rusty chain on a bike. I see it all the time at the group rides I go on, or that sad looking bike in the garage of someone I have talked into going on a ride and it makes me crazy. I can tell just by looking that they aren’t going to have fun on this ride and I will be hard pressed to get them out on their bike again.

Sure lubing your chain isn’t something you think of. Its neither cool nor sexy, but is just one of those things. I try to remember and still I end up doing it when I realize that it’s my chain making that noise. Still it something you can do easily. Lube that chain up and show it a little love. believe me it will love you back.

Ok preachy part is over and now a word from our Sponsor*
*Rock-n-Roll Lube is not really a sponsor

Review of Rock-n-Roll Gold

I started using this lube by accident. I was using several different kinds of bottled lube (Pro-link and Finish Line) as well as an aerosol can of lube that I got from performance bikes but I can't find the can and I can't remember the brand name. I knew that it was time to clean and lube my chain and I was out riding. (yeah that loud clicking noise my chain made was my first clue) I stopped by Thick Bikes and Chris recommended Rock-n-Roll Gold -”The King of Lubes” it says so right there on the bottle. I have come to trust the guys down at Thick, so I bought a bottle and took it home.

That was over a year ago and I am still using it (not the same bottle). I have also recommended it to my friends who have started riding and I would recommend it (am recommending it) to you now. I like the simplicity of the Rock-n-Roll lube.  Here are the instructions on their website (and on the side of the bottle)

• Shake well and apply a stream of lube to the chain at the cassette.
• Do not drip the lube on like you would oil. This is not oil!
• Get the chain really wet, this stuff cleans and lubes all in one.
• Freewheel the chain backwards for about 5 seconds...no less.
• Wipe off all the excess lube...
• all of it, wipe the chain as clean as it will get.
• That's it go ride...

This is all I have to do. With the other lubes I alway ran my chain through a cleaner with a degreaser in it first, let the chain dry then applied the lube. Not difficult but time consuming and messy. (you cannot believe the mess I can make with a chain cleaner). I am always surprised at just how much gunk ends up on the rag as I wipe the chain dry at the end. I find that I use about a quarter of the small 4oz bottle each time I clean my chain. So my minimal mathmatical skills say I get about 4 lubes per bottle.

All in all the Rock-n-Roll Gold lube is quick and easy to use and I find that I am more willing to lube the chain knowing I won't have to break out the chain cleaner and add the water and degreaser to it and try and get it clipped onto the chain and run the chain through it while sending water and dirt and gunk everywhere. Maybe this year I can even end up lubing my chain before it starts to complain.

Insulting

One of my friends on facebook noticed this on 105.9 the X facebook page. it was taken down but only after people started complaining, and after it got 750 + likes. (Which just goes to show the mouth-breather demographic is alive and well) Several people have written and gotten one off apologies and some BS about a non clear-channel employee posting the photo (yeah someone hacked the radio's account to post one photo in some kind of pro SUV anti walking cycling conspiracy.) besides the photo was posted publicly then the apology should be public as well.

I will be sending links to this page to clear channel and to the advertisers on the websites page.

Mcdonalds
Shults ford
sweetjack paintball

I will let you know what I hear back.

Icycle Bicycle 2013

This is what the street looked like this morning when I hopped on BOB and headed to the Icycle Bicycle ride of 2013. A ride that will forever be thought of in my head the BRRRR its COLD ride. You may remember that in my new years resolutions that one of my goals was to do the Icycle Bicycle. That is one goal down but I also added a goal to the list in that I want to pick up at least one tag this year. The tagorama on the Bike PGH forum is something that I wanted to do and have yet been able to accomplish. More on that later.

For some reason. Maybe the cold, maybe staying up late for New Years then getting up early for the ride but I just wasn't thinking to clearly. So I rode down to the waterfront and through sandcastle. (yes I know what you are thinking. "He can't be that stupid!!")

Yes he can.

This is what the trail looked like when I got to it. If you cant tell the word for the day would be un-ridable. I'm not positive it is a real word but it for sure is a real concept. (again I know what you're thinking "Well you just turned around and got on 837 and rode into the southside"...) I wish I could give an answer other than "Its a long walk to Paige's Dairy where I could get on the road...

Remember bed late - Up early. 

Still once I got on the road I made pretty good time and Got to REI about a half hour before the ride started. I got a cup of hot coffee. I filled my water bottles and met my friends (Both old and new.) I got meet and shake hands with someone who reads this blog (Hello Vannevar) Then we did the ride. I heard that over a hundred of us were out there braving the wet and the cold.  I loved it.

After the rough start I enjoyed the ride (even though I got seperated and did the last half on my own) Lunch and beers followed then a bus ride home and even as I type this I am gazing longingly at my bed. (Terry is a tired boy) Before I go I want to talk about 2 things the first is short, the second not so much. 

First finding the dry winter hat and dry winter gloves in my backpack after the ride was wonderful. I would seriously suggest you plan ahead and give yourselves these small comforts. (cooler of ice water in the car for when you get back from hot trail ride.) things like this can make a big difference.

Secondly. You guys know that I struggle with lots of things (weight, depression, money, feeling out of place) while I was walking down the trail, having to stop every 50 feet to give my leg a rest and yell at myself for being both stubborn and stupid. I found that it was all to easy to feel like I had not right to be here.

"What was I thinking?"

"I'm not a cyclist, I'm just a fat guy."

"This just proves I don't belong on a bike."

The truth is the only thing that kept me going forward was the feeling that I was closer to the end than the beginning and it would take even longer to turn around. I was decided that I would just ride to town, get on the bus, go home, put my bike away, and maybe never ride it again. I was in tears as I walked down the trail. I got a text and looked at it. It was from a friend, it said 

"I feel like crap, Bourbon, see you at 11."

I responded
"Doubtful, May get to REI by the time your back from the ride"

He responded right back
"Walk Faster"

So I walked faster, and I made there in time to do the ride. I also realized that it would be too easy to listen to myself during the rough times and just give up. Giving up is something I have done way too much of in my life. With friends like this, maybe I can change that.

Soupaneuring

Clam chowder soup after icycle bicycle ride today. At claddagh  best clam chowder i ever had