*shrugs* The hinge part doesn't move up and down and is attached to the bars, so it doesn't really look like a 'stem' to me. Every other adjustable stem I've ever seen just moves up and down.

Thanks for the explanation though.

Hmm, maybe I'm wrong. It wouldn't be the first time. I'm picturing your bike has a typical adjustable quill type stem like this:



If not, I stand corrected and would be interested in seeing a picture of the part you speak of.

It's a bit like that, but the joint is a little further up. It was definitely weird to my eyes, but maybe it's just a different kind of adjusting stem. I like it a lot though, being short as I am.

I really don't know where to begin. I've read this whole thread. It reminded me why I took a hiatus from BikeForums. There were a couple of lone voices in the wilderness preaching wisdom re: the necessity of an AirZounds. I've been riding for decades without one. Or any kind of horn for that matter. They are necessary in some states to be legal. We have one on our tandem. I put it on the stoker bars so my SO could entertain gawkers. I never have known what the horns on any of the cars I've owned sounded like. I've never used them! When I want to say hi to someone I flick my brights at them. You are on borrowed time if you really believe it was your big, bad, airhorn that kept that clueless soccermom from nailing you. Likely you also scrubbed off a little speed or took some other kind of evasive without even thinking about it. As you should. The horn was to work off anger. Did it work? Nope, because next day (same day?) you are here telling the forum about it. If the OP wants a bell the Incredibell by the Mirrycle people should do fine and last forever. The mirror they make is also pretty darn good. I like bike mounted mirrors but they can get busted if you drop your bike (I don't, it falls over on its own). I love the super large (2.25" diam) helmet mirror by Efficient Velo Accessories. I do not believe in multiple super bright rear flashers. One flasher for the bike and maybe another for the back of my helmet, whatevers on sale and/or cheap. Planet Bike makes good stuff in this category. Onguard Akita Cable Lock if you live outside NYC. If you live in NYC do not lock your bike, get a folding bike and keep it with you at all times.

H

Enjoyed the post and especially agree with your take on the horn. Curious why you wouldn't want to be as visible as possible though. I'm not talking about multiple lights, you only need two but why not use the better ones if you can (Cygo, Magicshine, Dinotte)?

So you took a hiatus from the forums because not everyone agreed with your line of thinking? The OP was asking "What else can you guys not live without on your rides", the necessity of a AirZound was just my personal opinion. I assure you that I don't use it to vent anger, it's just one of the tools I use in my vigilant battle to not get hit, which in my opinion is the ultimate necessity.

If you choose to not use all the safety gear available, more power to you. I just hope you never find yourself in a situation where an AirZound could of saved you injury or worse.

Maybe one could rig the trigger so that it's easily accessible by thumb while turning? Best of both worlds?

I love my MagicShine! Just completed its second full season. Would get another if I could afford it. Everyone raves about Dinotte rear flashers because they are bright enough to use in the daytime... ... well... IMO that means they are likely too bright to use at night. I mean we spend a lot of time talking about how we should behave as cyclists so as not to p.o. the cagers and then go out and assault their eyeballs with the mobile laser light shows that are modern flashers. A flourescent jacket sends way more light back to a cager in a meaningful beam pattern (human shaped) than any amount of dazzle that comes out of a multi-pattern flasher.

Having had a couple of super-bright flashers, I won't ride without one anymore. I have had many motorists give me compliments on my taillights and say that they appreciate a cyclist making sure that they're visible. I've seen many cyclists at night riding with lights that were so dim that even after I noticed them they were barely visible.

As for multiples, IMO if you need one at all, you need two, because you won't notice when (not if) it fails. I guess it's reasonable to use something like a PBSF as the 2nd backup, but since really bright lights are so cheap these days, might as well run two of those.

As for horns, 90% of the time I'm just tooting "hello" back at someone who tooted and waved at me. But it has stopped incidents a few times, mainly when I'm coming down a hill in town at the speed limit (25 MPH) and someone starts to back out of an angle parking lot with a van next to them or something so they can't see. If I didn't have the horn I'd go wide of them, but that's dangerous too since sometimes when people back out of spaces they pull way too far out and I've even seen them go into oncoming lanes.

But at night it takes light to illuminate. A top quality rear light makes you visible before their lights hit you.