I’m new to this

[JorgeGortex]

Welcome Capable1, pull up a chair and join the gang! It a good group of lads and lasses with more experience, advice, thoughts, and good cheer to go around.

[dbb]

Welcome to the forum! I am sure you will find a wealth of information here as there are some real experts that are gracious enough to share their knowledge.

So we can best advise, can you provide some information about your ride and your commute?

There have been a number of threads on lights, both equipment as well as use. I’d suggest you search the forum for a couple of topics that interest you.

[Certifried]

Welcome! This is definitely the place to get info, the combined miles of commuting by the forum members here is enough to go to Mars and back (well, that’s what I heard).

The commuter sub-forum has TONS of info already listed. And the search function is awesome (just search “dirt” and you’ll get all the info you need)

[Capable1]

Thank you thank u I do intend on learning as much as I could I want to master bicycling. Don’t know if I’ll have the time to do any 30-100 mile races but to be in better shape to think about it would be nice. Lumint I’m sure I spelled it wrong but I need to get a better light for my bicycle and I know online is the better buy so other than websites how would I know. As well as bicycle maintaince book maybe. So I’m open to any and all suggestions.

[Certifried]

Here is a recent thread that discussed lighting, in detail

http://bikearlingtonforum.com/showthread.php?2887-Light

[5555624]

@dbb 31559 wrote:

So we can best advise, can you provide some information about your ride and your commute?

Since I am the person he stopped…. (He stepped out in the street and stopped me.) He has a Cannondale MTB, with panniers. He rides about 10-20 miles a day. His route has hills. He’s going through chains. He needs a much better light.

I talked about maintenance, riding, lights, etc. When he started asking where to get a good light, I suggested he join the forum, so we went to the BikeArlington site on his laptop. (Actually, I suggested the forum because I thought of the light thread and realized he could ask his other questions here, too.)

[rcannon100]

Welcome! This is definitely the place to

CORRECTION: to waste your afternoon in the office while avoiding work! :p

[Capable1]

Yes and I’m glad I stopped you funny thing through I purchased a bicycle chain cleaner before I had the pleasure of stopping you to ask I used it which was self explanatory but now I’m not sure as to how much oil should be on the chain ugh lol.

[thecyclingeconomist]

@Capable1 31728 wrote:

Yes and I’m glad I stopped you funny thing through I purchased a bicycle chain cleaner before I had the pleasure of stopping you to ask I used it which was self explanatory but now I’m not sure as to how much oil should be on the chain ugh lol.

Apply till thoroughly lubricated at each link on both sides… make sure to run the chain through each gear in the rear and up front… then wipe off the excess.

Make sure to clean regularly! Think of your drivetrain as an engine… except all the parts are open to the elements. If you let dirt accumulate, it literally acts like sand-paper, grinding off the metal (wearing it out)…

Get a good cleaner (simple-green degreaser) and do it every 400-500 miles, while whiping excess dirt off more regularly.

If you want to start reading upon on this stuff: go here… http://www.sheldonbrown.com/articles.html

[Capable1]

I learned how to chain by bicycle chain and oil it as well as listen to the gears for dirt and grime.
So are lumiens better than L.E.D’s when it comes to lights I have enough for the rear but I need a nice bright one for the front so I can see where I’m going. So I need website suggestions as well as how to tell beforehand on what I’m getting.

[Capable1]

Thanks for the responses

[Bilsko]

@Capable1 31742 wrote:

I learned how to chain by bicycle chain and oil it as well as listen to the gears for dirt and grime.
So are lumiens better than L.E.D’s when it comes to lights I have enough for the rear but I need a nice bright one for the front so I can see where I’m going. So I need website suggestions as well as how to tell beforehand on what I’m getting.

For lighting, you shouldn’t worry too much about the technology – most lights you’ll find for cyclists today are some type of LED.
The ideal setup is something low-to-medium brightness on your handlebars and then – if you can – a medium-to-high brightness mounted on your helmet.

It depends in some part on how much night riding you do and if you’re riding on roads with street lighting or dark trails.
But keep in mind that even if you’re on the street and there is street lighting its a very good idea to have both a front and rear light -and some type of reflective clothing or bag.

[vvill]

@Bilsko 31751 wrote:

The ideal setup is something low-to-medium brightness on your handlebars and then – if you can – a medium-to-high brightness mounted on your helmet.

Not sure everyone would agree with this!

Personally I like low-to-medium on helmet, medium-to-high on handlebars (or below), and possibly another low blinkie on handlebars.

[Bilsko]

@vvill 31760 wrote:

Not sure everyone would agree with this!

Yeah, could be. I was just echoing the suggestions that were linked to in this thread: http://bikearlingtonforum.com/showthread.php?3052-General-Lighting-Tips-Article

[5555624]

@Bilsko 31751 wrote:

The ideal setup is something low-to-medium brightness on your handlebars and then – if you can – a medium-to-high brightness mounted on your helmet.

I’m with vvill on this. Medium-to-high on the bike, low-to-medium on the helmet — if at all. I rarely ride with a helmet mounted light, but that’s because I don’t do a lot of riding at “night” (sundown to midnight). If I had to deal with traffic in the morning, I’d probably add one.

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