Palm Beach Bike Tours – Page 83 – Two Wheels, one GPS and a Camera

August 22, 2000May 10, 2008

Lights or Water? Water or Lights?

The NiteRider Pro 12E eats up a water bottle cage. I don’t miss it because I have two cages and use a 100-oz Camelbak for my primary hydration. If I’m going for a long ride in the boonies, I’ll carry a frozen spare bottle in my panniers.

I’m a long, slow rider, so I’m not too focused on the weight of the battery. (The spare tire around my waist is much heavier than my battery light.) In my circumstances, I don’t think the battery makes much difference on my average 2.5 to 4 hour rides. The 12E’s run time at the lower power settings, 9- and 12-watts, is plenty long for those rides.

As they say, YMMV.

August 15, 2000May 15, 2008

I Laugh at Dogs: What About Bears?

I have a quote from Steve Thompson, wildlife biologist at Yosemite National Park, taped to my monitor, “My problems start when the smarter bears and the dumber visitors intersect.”

May 25, 2000May 11, 2008

Yes, That Comfort Bike Will Do a Century (100 Miles)

I bought a Trek Navigator 300 about this time last year and have 3,100 or so miles on it, including an unsupported century, scores of rides over 35 miles and tens of rides over 50 miles.

The bad news is that my computer-calculated average even on long rides with few stop signs and slowdowns is generally on the low side of 13.5 miles per hour. For example, my century was done at about 12.4 mph and I did 85 miles at about 12.8 mph.

Is that about all I can expect from that bike or is it the bike engine (me) that is the problem.

A wrench at the LBS said that 100 miles on my bike would be like 130 on a road bike. A relative newbie acquaintance who had been riding a mountain bike and struggling to do 12 to 13 mph bought a road bike and is in the 15 to 17s is there really that much difference in the bike types?

I ride for enjoyment, have no desire to race or ride in a paceline; in fact, most of my riding is solo and I like it that way.

My long term goal is to do some multi-day touring.
I don’t feel like I’m ready to retire the Navigator any time soon, but I want to think about what I want to do next year.

And, yep, slow DOES mean more saddle time and fewer miles covered per hour.

March 1, 2000June 3, 2008

Daytime Cycling Lights?

Why would you need any kind of light in the daytime?

Drivers in Florida are mostly tourists who care more about the scenery than what’s going on on the road, Q-tips who can barely see above the dashboard or local folks who are angry and late because of the above (common bumper sticker: “When I retire, I’m going to go up North and drive slow”).

Anything I can do to make myself more visible is an asset. I think it also sends a subtle message that I belong on this road. Kind of like the way a dog marks his territory.

Besides, I figure my estate’s lawyer can use it to help nail the driver who runs over me.

February 29, 2000June 3, 2008

Bicycle Tailights: Vistalites versus NiteRider

I wouldn’t go so far as to say Vistalites are “very visible” in the daytime. I have one that I hang on my Camelbak and I don’t even bother to turn it on until dusk. If you want it to have any chance of being visible in the daylight, you’ll have to change batteries more frequently to make sure they are fresh.

It was my primary taillight until I got the NiteRider taillight, so I’m not knocking it.