cLin

Hey guys, I went to the Bicycle Kitchen today and holy crap did I learn a lot. I got my brakes adjusted, dérailleurs fixed, I also trued my wheels and just learned a crapload. Now my bike is ready to ride but I still need protective/safety gear.

I was wondering what kind of helmets people recommend? I want to spend around 30-50$ but will spend more if I need to. Also, I see myself night riding a lot since I work at day but want to exercise still. I am picking up a Planet Bike Superflash taillight as I was told that was pretty good for its price. Any tips for reflective gear? I heard reflective shirts are really effective so I want to look into that.

And any tips for lights? I remember seeing a review where someone showed pictures of what lights look like shined on a wall but can't seem to find it. Can someone recommend a light that is most bang for my buck? Someone mentioned the Fenix p3d which looks nice for me. i don't want to spend too much money since I know there are lights worth 100+ which is a little stretching it for me now.

And locks? I am leaning towards a ulock and I know of the OnGuard and Kryptonite but they have quite a few models. Got any recommendations?

All this with a college student budget, which is a lot to ask. And i am searching through this forum as well, there's a lot of information to digest!

ralph12

My helmet is the cheapest kind of Louis Garneau. If I remember right it was 'round $40 or so, and it's pretty comfortable.

As for a lock, I use a simple cable lock that I'm not sure I'd use if I lived in an area with a higher rate of bike theft. Over here in suburban Tennessee, a $5 lock is sufficient, but if I lived where most of my friends do (northeast Tri-State area), that'd probably be a different story.

I think the newer Cat Eyes look pretty good; I had an older model last year that was nice, but by no means durable. I'm currently using a Wal-Mart light which gets the job done, but it's tough to keep it centered.

cLin

Link to the cat eyes? Also, I am planning on going tonight to my local bike shop to check helmets so it'll be nice to have some brands off the top of my head.

ralph12

https://brandscycle.com/itemlist.cfm?...sort=pricedesc

There's a whole list of them there. Personally, I'd choose the EL300; it's a good price, and it seems like it would stay aligned. But, I don't know that much about lights really; I tend to prefer the more basic models.

As far as helmets, I think my LBS stocks mostly L.G. and Giro, but there's also Bell.

cLin

Is that a bad thing they stock those brands? I heard helmets were all just as safe, just that the price differs due to style/air vents so I just wanted to see what people wore since I figured that should be a good brand.

nova

Get your self some tires with reflective sidewalls a good taillight (you already have one so good there) and a good headlight that will let you be seen and will let you see. Id not worry to much about reflective clothing other than say make sure your shoes are bright colored on the heals or reflective. And maybe a pair of nice gloves with reflective trim.

Basically you want to make your profile noticeable with your gear. I say no need on a reflective jersey just get a bright colored one.

When car lights hit me i light up like a xmas tree and i don't have any jerseys. My side walls of my tires (till recently were reflective) My shoes are old Vitoria with reflective heals and Velcro straps. I have a red tail light blinky and a plain old white reflector up front. No rim reflectors as they are more dangerous than helpful on road bikes when at speed and redundant with reflective side walls

Treker

Try Googling "Best bicycle helmets" and then read the consumer research reports. Lots of good info there.
As you say you're planning on lots of riding, the number of vents becomes important.

Good luck

cLin

The number of vents just allow your head to be cooler right? Is there any other reasons for the vents?

Raiyn

There are advancements in the design that allow the vents to work better, make the helmet lighter, as well as make the helmet more attractive (?) Unfortunately everyone's head is different and what works great for me, might not fit you as well. Try on several brands to see what fits you best.

As for adding visibility to the bike check out this thread

AndrewP

I found that the Louis Garneau $50 helmet was more comfortable for my head than the $30 one. The LED lights by Cateye or Planet Bike are economical, but you probably cant ride at full speed with them. I bought 6 LED light at a $ store for $3 to check it out. I use it at work, but it would require some ingenuity with duct tape, velcro or elastic bands to use on a bike. I have bits of reflective tape on my rims and cranks.

Blue Order

A cable lock is useless, ESPECIALLY in a college town. Just hang a "free bike" sign on your bike instead and spend the money on beer.

Or...

You can buy a real lock. The best one out there is the Kryptonite NewYork Fahgettaboudit. It will cost you $90, and it will work. Anything else is a lesser level of protection. If it keeps just one thief from stealing your bike, it will have paid for itself.

One more thing. The primary factor in most bike thefts is somebody leaving their bike unlocked for "just a minute." The second most common factor is somebody using a cable lock. The third most common factor is somebody using improper locking technique. The lesson to be learned from all of this is to buy a good lock, learn how to use it properly, and use it every time.

Here's some advice on proper locking technique:

Seldon Brown's Lock Strategy

mechBgon's Bicycle Locking Ideas

Some final suggestions not covered above:

* Never lock to something that can be easily disassembled (for example, with a wrench).
* Never lock to wooden railing or a tree-- they can be and have been cut.
* Never lock to a chain link fence-- they can be and have been cut.
* Never lock to a pole that is anchored in dirt-- they can be and have been lifted out of the ground.
* Never lock to a sign pole-- the bike can be lifted over the top of the pole once the signs are removed (and watch out for "sucker poles"-- a pole that has been cut or unbolted at the bottom and can be easily lifted once you've locked up and walked away).
* Always lock to a pole that is firmly anchored in cement.
* Always lock up in a well-lit, well-traveled location.
* Always lock up near bikes that are locked with cable locks (the thief will pass your better lock by in favor of the cable lock.).
* Never leave your bike locked up outside overnight-- bring it in.
* If you're in a dorm, don't leave your bike unlocked inside while you're away.

Good luck!

Blue Order

Check out mechBgon on lights, lots of good info there, including the link to Eddy's Bike Shop, which has the comparative light test you asked about.

Blue Order

Retroreflective material has been shown to increase driver perception at night, even with drivers who are DUI. The most important place to place reflective material is on your arms and legs, because the motion of your arms and legs gives drivers a clue that you are a cyclist. Tires with reflective sidewalls will also give drivers to your sides an important visual clue that you are a cyclist.

Blue Order

A consumer's Guide to Bicycle Helmets

cLin

Thank you Blue Order! And that eddy's page comparing lights was the page I was looking for! What do you think about the fenix p3d? I figured I could double it as a flashlight if I go camping plus it doesn't cost that much compared to the other lights on eddy's page

Blue Order

Something I forgot, fluorescent colors will significantly improve your daytime and low light conspicuity. The most effective is fluorescent yellow-green, but fluorescent yellow, fluorescent orange, and fluorescent green are also good at increasing your conspicuity. Jerseys and jackets, and also helmets, in a fluorescent color will be high enough and large enough for a driver to see you, even on the periphery of the driver's vision. If you do go that route, don't make the mistake I see a lot of cyclists make-- they wear a fluorescent jersey, and then cover it up with a pack so that from the rear, you can't see the fluorescent color. If you have to, get a rack and panniers to carry stuff, so drivers can readily see your bright fluorescent colors.

Blue Order

I didn't see that one on his page. For safety, the brighter the light, the closer the driver will perceive you to be, while the dimmer the light, the farther the driver will perceive you to be. If they perceive you as being farther away than you really are, they won't react in time. Thus, for night-time safety, you should always choose the brightest light-- front and rear-- that you can afford.

Blue Order

One more type of lock to think about, once you've locked your bike:

Pitlocks

trackhub

I congratulate you on putting safety as a priority.

Helmet: I don't recommend buying one mail order. The only way to find one that fits properly and is comfortable, is to buy one in person. A helmet form one manufacturer will feel different than one of the same size from another manufacturer. Confusing, but frequently shoes are the same way. I prefer a solid white helmet, as these are quite visible at night. Ditto for a solid white Jersey.

Headlight: I ride at night in suburban areas, and my Cateye EL500 works great. At 1000 candlepower, people do see this light. Cateye introduced the El530 earlier this year. More power, but there is more overhead in battery consumption. The EL500 won't drive you to the poor house in battery costs.

Tail light: I bought a Blackburn Mars 3 and works just fine. I like the amber side lights. They provide plenty of side visibility. Only thing is this: It won't stay clipped to by seat bag by itself. It flops about. So, I used a zip tie to secure it. The planet bike superflash is also well-regarded and a good value.

Don't have a suggestion for locks. I've been using the same old Krypto U-Lock for a long time, but I have the benefit of working in a place that has tight security.

LittleBigMan

I don't know if you are a do-it-yourself-er, but I built my own light system. It uses a 12v battery (about $15,) charger (about $20,) rear 100,000 candlepower strobe (about $25,) 35-Watt equivalent headlight (about $25,) some wire ($?,) some electrician's tape ($1,) and plans ($0.) Total, less than $100 including shipping. It's brighter than most and die-hard like a workhorse. My local LBS couldn't offer me the same performance for that price.

You just have to be willing to learn some elementary stuff and enjoy spending time tinkering.

But the standard products out there are pretty much well-tested, reliable, and good-to-go.

(This is the part I love most about BikeForums, sharing information with others. We need to help each other, and the internet is the way it can happen. Too bad Advocacy and Safety is all about bickering. Commuting used to be the place to go for helpful information, and you didn't get the nasty political fights, there. Here's 2 cents.)

ChipSeal

By all means get some reflective tape and cover (COVER!) your helmet with it. It is the highest part of your person while riding and pokes above parked cars and such for traffic coming out of driveways.

Don't scrimp- 3M makes the most reflective brand, and they are worth it. The size of the area that is reflective is important- size really does matter! My helmet is so covered with white reflective tape most of my friends don't realize that it is reflective. (It is a $100+ helmet. The tape is a mosaic of tightly fitted triangular shaped pieces.) If you are creative and take a little time to plan it, you could have some real fun with different colored reflective tape!

Reflective stuff is only marginal, though. The other guy has to be in the narrow reflection of his lights to see it. You *must* have positive light sources to be seen.

In my opinion, blinkies are best, both front and rear. For my riding, 80% urban and suburban, I don't use a front light to see where I am going. Just a blinkie to be seen by. I can see my path well enough because of the streetlights. Again, find what works for you.

Some have attached blinkies and lights to their helmets at night, but I shy away from the weight, as I am riding a racing bike. But it may be an idea for you to consider.

Tailwinds! ChipSeal

markf

The Superflash is an excellent light, but it might be a little too bright sometimes. The Cateye TL-1000 isn't cheap, but it's almost as bright as the Superflash, and the 2 AA cells in it will run a lot longer than the 1 AAA in the Superflash. Run the Superflash on "Blink" mode, and run something like the TL-1000 or another light that takes 2 AA batteries (for longer battery life) on "steady" mode.

Reflectors are good too. I buy DOT C-2 tape (the red and silver stuff they put on trucks and trailers) at auto parts stores and cut it up and put it all over my bikes and my helmet. I wrap the red barber pole style on my rack, and I put the silver on my crank arms and on my rims between the spokes. Clear postal tape will keep it from unravelling.

mark

trickmilla

Lock: On Guard: $35


Helmet: Specialized Airforce 3: $35 (i put reflective tape over the nast logo)


Headligtht: Nite Ride Minewt: $160 I know this is a lot but i simply can not live with out this light.
It lights up the darkest of roads.


Bike Planet Superflash: $30 (1 mile visibility.)


Illuminite reflective jacket $70

trickmilla

I am a cheap bastard .. and the above are the things I came up with after serious searching and consultation. The only one I don't own is the jacket. The rest I just love.

As far as the battery life of the super flash ... I have been using one almost every night for a month or two and I am still on the orginal pair of aaa bateries. I think they claim about 100 hours of battery life in flash mode. Its light and well-made. If it is "too bright" you can always point it down a little so its not in a rider's/ driver's eyes

Blue Order

This illuminite jacket gives you daylight and nightime conspicuity.



On sale now too,

Illuminite Jacket

Illuminite Switchback Jacket/Vest