New Sub-species of Stealth Cyclist



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On Fri, 5 Dec 2003 09:44:40 -0000, Michael MacClancy <[email protected]> wrote:

> "Arthur Clune" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
>> Actually, not all that un-sensible. Maybe the lights were flat?
>>
>
> Which raises the question, "What do people do when their batteries are flat?" Ride on regardless
> of the fact that you're breaking the law, frantically look for a shop where you can buy new ones
> or catch the bus?

The only time it happened to me, before I discovered hub dynamos and multiple rear LED lights, I
proceed cautiously (but illegally) along the well lit streets of north Oxford and then walked the
bike on the pavement for the last unlit mile of country road to my house. It's not happened since
then, if it did I would consider myself very unlucky that all 4 battery lights (3 back, 1 front) and
a dynamo had failed at the same time but as my bike folds I'd get a bus or taxi.

Colin
--
 
Michael MacClancy wrote:

> Which raises the question, "What do people do when their batteries are flat?" Ride on regardless
> of the fact that you're breaking the law, frantically look for a shop where you can buy new ones
> or catch the bus?

Front and rear on the Streetmachine & 8 Freight and the front on the Brompton are all dynamo
standlights, so the batteries aren't an issue. (But I should really pick up some spare bulbs, I
suppose...)

Having come across crappy dynamos as a kid they were one of the things I was never going to have on
*my* bike[1], but when I bought the Streetmachine and called for experiences everyone who responded
said "get the dynamo lights!", so I went for it and discovered that dynamos *can* be good. Very,
very good, in fact, so I got one for the Brom too. One of the downsides of the monoblades on the 8
Freight is I can't put a SON hub on it, so it's got a B&M bottle system. This is noticeably not *as*
good in use, but it does work okay and I still prefer having a system where I never have to worry
about battery charge levels. The dynamo option clearly scores Nul Points on serious sporting
machinery, and if you need serious levels of brightness (i.e., for off-road night riding at any sort
of speed above a dawdle) then Killer Lumicycles or similar would make more sense. But for utility
machinery a good dynamo is a Wondrous Thing.

Rear on the Brom is a Cateye AU100 LED, which lasts for ages but I habitually carry a couple of
spare AAs in one of the pannier pockets just in case. One of the nice things about the Brom is if
the rear light does go and I've forgotten batteries then the "get on the bus" option doesn't entail
abandoning the bike.

Pete.

[1] I wasn't ever going to have a propstand either, ghastly things. And I was wrong about that too.
I just wish I could have a Burrows "Powermatic DeLuxe" a la the 8 Freight on everything!
--
Peter Clinch University of Dundee Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Medical Physics, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK net [email protected]
http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/
 
On Fri, 5 Dec 2003 09:44:40 -0000, Michael MacClancy <[email protected]> wrote:

> "Arthur Clune" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
>> Actually, not all that un-sensible. Maybe the lights were flat?
>>
>
> Which raises the question, "What do people do when their batteries are flat?" Ride on regardless
> of the fact that you're breaking the law, frantically look for a shop where you can buy new ones
> or catch the bus?

The only time it happened to me, before I discovered hub dynamos and multiple rear LED lights, I
proceed cautiously (but illegally) along the well lit streets of north Oxford and then walked the
bike on the pavement for the last unlit mile of country road to my house. It's not happened since
then, if it did I would consider myself very unlucky that all 4 battery lights (3 back, 1 front) and
a dynamo had failed at the same time but as my bike folds I'd get a bus or taxi.

Colin
--
 
Richard Bates wrote:
> On 5 Dec 2003 02:55:35 -0800, in
> <[email protected]>, [email protected] (Michael Green)
> wrote:
>
>> I propose the name 'doners' for the group of cyclists comprising 'stealth' and 'exempt
>> traffic regs'.
>
> Do you mean "Donor" as in "Organ Donor", or "Doner" as in "Doner Kebab" ? Both could be applicable
> I suppose!

Washed down with a nice Chianti ffff

--
The Reply & From email addresses are checked rarely. http://www.mseries.freeserve.co.uk
 
Michael MacClancy wrote:

> Which raises the question, "What do people do when their batteries are flat?" Ride on regardless
> of the fact that you're breaking the law, frantically look for a shop where you can buy new ones
> or catch the bus? ___ Michael MacClancy

It happened to me on my first night ride this year. I hadn't realised how much my NiCads had lost
their ability to hold their charge since I used them last, which was about 2 years ago. After about
2 miles my Sigma Halogen front light went from white to yellow to black in about 1 minute ! I
cycled straight home with no light and fitted some Duracells. I did my ride and since bought some
new NiMh cells for the lamp. These last about 3 hours which is OK for my night rides. The Duracells
are now carried as spares and will remain so until I can afford a EL300 and operate 2 front and 2
rear lights.

--
The Reply & From email addresses are checked rarely. http://www.mseries.freeserve.co.uk
 
Richard Bates wrote:
> On 5 Dec 2003 02:55:35 -0800, in
> <[email protected]>, [email protected] (Michael Green)
> wrote:
>
>> I propose the name 'doners' for the group of cyclists comprising 'stealth' and 'exempt
>> traffic regs'.
>
> Do you mean "Donor" as in "Organ Donor", or "Doner" as in "Doner Kebab" ? Both could be applicable
> I suppose!

Washed down with a nice Chianti ffff

--
The Reply & From email addresses are checked rarely. http://www.mseries.freeserve.co.uk
 
Michael MacClancy wrote:
> "Arthur Clune" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
>> Actually, not all that un-sensible. Maybe the lights were flat?
>>
>
> Which raises the question, "What do people do when their batteries are flat?" Ride on regardless
> of the fact that you're breaking the law, frantically look for a shop where you can buy new ones
> or catch the bus? ___

Rechargeables in the lights. 2 spare normal batteries in my bag to get me home to the recharger. LED
lights don't tend to just go anyway so you know it's time for replacements well in advance.
 
Richard Bates <[email protected]> said:
> On 5 Dec 2003 02:55:35 -0800, in
><[email protected]>, [email protected] (Michael Green)
> wrote:
>
>>I propose the name 'doners' for the group of cyclists comprising 'stealth' and 'exempt
>>traffic regs'.
>
> Do you mean "Donor" as in "Organ Donor", or "Doner" as in "Doner Kebab" ? Both could be applicable
> I suppose!

So that's where they get the meat from...

Regards,

-david
 
Michael MacClancy wrote:

> Which raises the question, "What do people do when their batteries are flat?" Ride on regardless
> of the fact that you're breaking the law, frantically look for a shop where you can buy new ones
> or catch the bus? ___ Michael MacClancy

It happened to me on my first night ride this year. I hadn't realised how much my NiCads had lost
their ability to hold their charge since I used them last, which was about 2 years ago. After about
2 miles my Sigma Halogen front light went from white to yellow to black in about 1 minute ! I
cycled straight home with no light and fitted some Duracells. I did my ride and since bought some
new NiMh cells for the lamp. These last about 3 hours which is OK for my night rides. The Duracells
are now carried as spares and will remain so until I can afford a EL300 and operate 2 front and 2
rear lights.

--
The Reply & From email addresses are checked rarely. http://www.mseries.freeserve.co.uk
 
Richard Bates <[email protected]> said:
> On 5 Dec 2003 02:55:35 -0800, in
><[email protected]>, [email protected] (Michael Green)
> wrote:
>
>>I propose the name 'doners' for the group of cyclists comprising 'stealth' and 'exempt
>>traffic regs'.
>
> Do you mean "Donor" as in "Organ Donor", or "Doner" as in "Doner Kebab" ? Both could be applicable
> I suppose!

So that's where they get the meat from...

Regards,

-david
 
Michael MacClancy wrote:

> Which raises the question, "What do people do when their batteries are flat?" Ride on regardless
> of the fact that you're breaking the law, frantically look for a shop where you can buy new ones
> or catch the bus?

Front and rear on the Streetmachine & 8 Freight and the front on the Brompton are all dynamo
standlights, so the batteries aren't an issue. (But I should really pick up some spare bulbs, I
suppose...)

Having come across crappy dynamos as a kid they were one of the things I was never going to have on
*my* bike[1], but when I bought the Streetmachine and called for experiences everyone who responded
said "get the dynamo lights!", so I went for it and discovered that dynamos *can* be good. Very,
very good, in fact, so I got one for the Brom too. One of the downsides of the monoblades on the 8
Freight is I can't put a SON hub on it, so it's got a B&M bottle system. This is noticeably not *as*
good in use, but it does work okay and I still prefer having a system where I never have to worry
about battery charge levels. The dynamo option clearly scores Nul Points on serious sporting
machinery, and if you need serious levels of brightness (i.e., for off-road night riding at any sort
of speed above a dawdle) then Killer Lumicycles or similar would make more sense. But for utility
machinery a good dynamo is a Wondrous Thing.

Rear on the Brom is a Cateye AU100 LED, which lasts for ages but I habitually carry a couple of
spare AAs in one of the pannier pockets just in case. One of the nice things about the Brom is if
the rear light does go and I've forgotten batteries then the "get on the bus" option doesn't entail
abandoning the bike.

Pete.

[1] I wasn't ever going to have a propstand either, ghastly things. And I was wrong about that too.
I just wish I could have a Burrows "Powermatic DeLuxe" a la the 8 Freight on everything!
--
Peter Clinch University of Dundee Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Medical Physics, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK net [email protected]
http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/
 
On Fri, 5 Dec 2003 09:44:40 -0000, Michael MacClancy <[email protected]> wrote:

> "Arthur Clune" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
>> Actually, not all that un-sensible. Maybe the lights were flat?
>>
>
> Which raises the question, "What do people do when their batteries are flat?" Ride on regardless
> of the fact that you're breaking the law, frantically look for a shop where you can buy new ones
> or catch the bus?

The only time it happened to me, before I discovered hub dynamos and multiple rear LED lights, I
proceed cautiously (but illegally) along the well lit streets of north Oxford and then walked the
bike on the pavement for the last unlit mile of country road to my house. It's not happened since
then, if it did I would consider myself very unlucky that all 4 battery lights (3 back, 1 front) and
a dynamo had failed at the same time but as my bike folds I'd get a bus or taxi.

Colin
--
 
Richard Bates wrote:
> On 5 Dec 2003 02:55:35 -0800, in
> <[email protected]>, [email protected] (Michael Green)
> wrote:
>
>> I propose the name 'doners' for the group of cyclists comprising 'stealth' and 'exempt
>> traffic regs'.
>
> Do you mean "Donor" as in "Organ Donor", or "Doner" as in "Doner Kebab" ? Both could be applicable
> I suppose!

Washed down with a nice Chianti ffff

--
The Reply & From email addresses are checked rarely. http://www.mseries.freeserve.co.uk
 
"Michael MacClancy" <[email protected]> writes:

> "Arthur Clune" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> > Actually, not all that un-sensible. Maybe the lights were flat?
> >
>
> Which raises the question, "What do people do when their batteries are flat?" Ride on regardless
> of the fact that you're breaking the law, frantically look for a shop where you can buy new ones
> or catch the bus?

... or invest in that nice 'dynamo' technology?

That was always my answer when commuting by bicycle. Very reliable (provided you buy a good one) and
never have to worry about flat batteries. You do have to remember to carry spare bulbs, of course. I
always found that wrapped in a bit of soft cloth in an old 35mm film cannister they were adequately
protected from the stresses and strains of life in my bar-bag until needed.

--
[email protected] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

Error 1109: There is no message for this error
 
Michael MacClancy wrote:

> Which raises the question, "What do people do when their batteries are flat?" Ride on regardless
> of the fact that you're breaking the law, frantically look for a shop where you can buy new ones
> or catch the bus? ___ Michael MacClancy

It happened to me on my first night ride this year. I hadn't realised how much my NiCads had lost
their ability to hold their charge since I used them last, which was about 2 years ago. After about
2 miles my Sigma Halogen front light went from white to yellow to black in about 1 minute ! I
cycled straight home with no light and fitted some Duracells. I did my ride and since bought some
new NiMh cells for the lamp. These last about 3 hours which is OK for my night rides. The Duracells
are now carried as spares and will remain so until I can afford a EL300 and operate 2 front and 2
rear lights.

--
The Reply & From email addresses are checked rarely. http://www.mseries.freeserve.co.uk
 
"Michael MacClancy" <[email protected]> writes:

> "Arthur Clune" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> > Actually, not all that un-sensible. Maybe the lights were flat?
> >
>
> Which raises the question, "What do people do when their batteries are flat?" Ride on regardless
> of the fact that you're breaking the law, frantically look for a shop where you can buy new ones
> or catch the bus?

... or invest in that nice 'dynamo' technology?

That was always my answer when commuting by bicycle. Very reliable (provided you buy a good one) and
never have to worry about flat batteries. You do have to remember to carry spare bulbs, of course. I
always found that wrapped in a bit of soft cloth in an old 35mm film cannister they were adequately
protected from the stresses and strains of life in my bar-bag until needed.

--
[email protected] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

Error 1109: There is no message for this error
 
Richard Bates <[email protected]> said:
> On 5 Dec 2003 02:55:35 -0800, in
><[email protected]>, [email protected] (Michael Green)
> wrote:
>
>>I propose the name 'doners' for the group of cyclists comprising 'stealth' and 'exempt
>>traffic regs'.
>
> Do you mean "Donor" as in "Organ Donor", or "Doner" as in "Doner Kebab" ? Both could be applicable
> I suppose!

So that's where they get the meat from...

Regards,

-david
 
>Which raises the question, "What do people do when their batteries are flat?"

If both rear lights quit, I'll just ride on, secure in the knowledge that a good reflector is
visible over greater distances than the average bike rear light. In the very unlikely event of both
front lights giving out, I'll deploy a hand torch, and go to Condition Red...

Mark van Gorkom.
 
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