[Tania]

@KLizotte 123185 wrote:

Or perhaps ask the LBS to hang up a poster with the same info at their cash register in a really prominent place.

I think that’s a GREAT idea.

*cough* CaBi Kiosks too *cough*

[Tania]

I can forgive the casual weekend MUP rider for most of their transgressions (plus, they’re pretty easy to spot from afar).

However, I do think every CaBi rental needs to come with a 5 minute “Don’t Be A Jerk*” video before undocking the bike.

* My actual choice of noun for your average CaBi-er isn’t forum-friendly.

[Tania]

Dear shirtless dude in a hi-viz vest rolling through rush hour traffic Foggy Bottom: I’d take your 3′ long stick with reflectors and flags attached to the left side of your bike a whole lot more seriously if you didn’t completely ignore pretty much every traffic law there is. I watched you weave in and out of cars, ignore pedestrians, blow stop lights, not signal your turns, turn right from the left side of the street (because hey! you were biking on the left), etc etc etc.

Way to represent, yo!

But on the flip side, you made my interactions with the average clueless CaBi rider that much more pleasant by comparison.

[Tania]

So…I may have gone a little overboard buying lights.

I got the Light & Motion Urban 800 , two cheapy SecurityIng lights that My Personal Bike Gear Guru Jabberwocky recommended (3600 & 5600 lumens) and then a 1200 lumen Bright Eyes light that was well recommend on Amazon and also crazy stupid cheap. I didn’t realize the cheap lights have external (and REALLY FREAKING HEAVY) battery packs. The light and motion is just the light. All can be used at helmet lights (battery packs would go in my backpack).

Then it turns out my CatEye that wasn’t charging is either because the rechargeable AA batteries are dead or the charger is busted – so easily fixable. No clue on make/model for the CatEye. (It’s not a super bright light but perfectly fine for for when it’s not pitch black plus it was free.)

All are charging right now so I’ll post beam pics (and weights) of each when they’re done.

Editing with more details. I’m too lazy to take pics and post them all so you’re going to have to trust my assessments!

All three external battery packs seem to be interchangeable and now I have no clue which one went with which light. They weigh 274, 216, and 208 grams and all came with little velcro packs to strap onto your bike. I have a triangle-shaped frame bag that fits under my top tube so I can’t just toss the batter pack in there. At least now I have use for that pack because it’s usually empty.

The light and motion urban 800 is super bright with a large even beam. It’s only 121 grams, no external battery pack although what I don’t like (minor nit pick) is that the mounting is all or nothing, meaning there’s no separate mount to attach to the handle bars and the light clips on and off. So it’s the light (and mount) on the bars or all of it off. My Cat Eye has a slide in mount that I kinda like. But…it’s 121 grams with no external battery pack! And plenty bright. Digging it.

The Bright Eyes headlight was only $35 when I bought it although now it’s priced at $41. It has a flashlight type effect, meaning there’s a bright center spot and then a less bright outer ring. I bought a diffuser lens which turns the round center bright spot into…a longer oblong circle. The light itself only weighs 88 grams so for $35, I’ll hang onto it as a spare. It mounts similar to a garmin with those little elastic rubber bands. The two SecurityIng lights use this mounting style as well (and they all actually can be mounted to your helmet but the set up looks way too complicated).

The SecurityIng 5600 is 173 grams and has three modes (high, bright strobe). It’s the heaviest (173g) and plenty bright. But it’s the heaviest. The two SecurityIng lights came in nondescript boxes and now at this point I can’t tell which battery pack/accessories came with what so I’ll keep it. It was cheap and I’m crazy enough to need two back up lights. Maybe I’ll keep it at work in case my light fails on the ride on in.

The other SecurityIng light (3600) I think is actually brighter than the 5600 light and it has four modes: obnoxiously blinding, super bright, bright, low and strobe. It’s 137 grams and was only $28 (wut?). I’m thinking for really dark ride rides I’ll use this as my bar light and my L&M urban 800 on my helmet.

I’ll have to test drive the L&M and the SecurityIng 3600 to see which one I’ll use on my commute. I like them both but it will depend on how easy on/off the L&M light is since I don’t want to leave it on my bike in the bike cage at work. If someone steals the SecurityIng light I won’t really care since it was so cheap.

Edit Sept 03 – I absolutely loathe the rubber band mounts of the SecurityIng and L&M Urban 800 lights. They’re a pain to put on and take off (don’t want to leave them on my bike while bike is locked up) and THEY MOVE. Ugh.

[Tania]

I’m a 13 Colonies marshal! WOOT!

[Tania]

Schaefer, where I got a little too cocky and likely cracked some ribs. D’oh.

It was a BEAUTIFUL day though and a fun ride.

[Tania]

Question on the vis360 helmet mounted light – how easy is it to switch on and off while you’re riding? I want the extra light but would like to be able to turn it on/off as needed.

[Tania]

@Dirt 122113 wrote:

Whatever you do, don’t go off chasing Karen around Haynes Point.

Three quarters of the way around I regretted this decision.

Tania: “OMG are we almost done?”

Karen: “Nope.”

Tania: “Ok, now are we almost done?”

Karen: (Shake head and pedals harder)

Tania: “Now?!?”

Karen: “See that stop sign? That’s it”

Tania: (silently cries tears of joy at the thought of being able to breathe again)

[Tania]

Are blinky be-seen lights enough? I forgot to charge up my headlight and now that I’ve plugged it in, I’m not even getting a charging indicator. D’oh. (Driving into city)

[Tania]

8:15 this morning.

You: the DB too important to wait to pass an older woman with minimal control of her hybrid cruiser as she passed a pedestrian on the climb to Virginia Lane headed east on the W&OD. You almost made her crash when you passed her on the right as she was trying to get back into her lane after completing her pass of the pedestrian.

Me: the bicyclist you passed a few seconds earlier (calling your pass AFTER you pulled ahead of me) who apologized to woman and pedestrian for your behavior.

I have three words for you: strava fly-bys, jerk.

[Tania]

@DismalScientist 121657 wrote:

Or for the National Bike Challenge. That’s (or at least should be) cheating.:rolleyes:

Only if they don’t get a TUE for their inhaler.

[Tania]

@consularrider 121646 wrote:

Hey, I (used to) resemble that remark! :p

And moving to the Ukraine given its current situation is perfectly normal. :p

(We miss you BTW)

[Tania]

You’re right. There are WAY too many crazy people who live near the East Falls Church metro station. Loonies, all of them.

[Tania]

@vvill 121623 wrote:

Interesting commute for me.

First I saw this guy on the Custis (dinged my bell before passing him)
http://www.arlnow.com/2015/08/06/man-with-confederate-flag-spotted-marching-down-lee-highway/

Wonder if that’s Dread’s Knife Guy?

[Tania]

@dplasters 121608 wrote:

Speaking of following other cyclists, I was at the place that isn’t the Kennedy Center but is instead the National Opera House according to Google for The Book of Mormon and the cringe-worthiness of bicycle and car and pedestrian traffic at the circle in front of the Watergate. Oh. My. God. That intersection is crazy. Now I know how someone thought up Fairfax Circle.

I ride through there on my commute (both ways) and it’s not so bad. Going home when I have to ride through and around the circle I just ride in the center of my lane and clearly signal where I’m going – I think it’s easier for cars to see me that way. The only time I’ve been frustrated through there is when I tried to use the designated crosswalk (uh, no) and the sidewalk which I’m told is the trail (also, no). In fact I’m usually relieved to hit the circle since the threat of pedestrians popping out from between parked cars is mostly gone.

For someone who used to be horrified at the notion of road riding, I can’t believe I just typed that.

(Biking past the White House and crossing 17th to continue on G is WAY worse.)

[Author]

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