cycling stuff

[Leland]

I need to pick up a new helmet, some cheap lights and some other miscellaneous stuff for my bike. What's the cheapest place that I can find this stuff? The 'net? Somewhere in New York City (where I'm located)?

I just commute with my bike, so I'm not looking for hi-end racing stuff. If anyone has a clue, let me know.

 

[Fausto]

There are plenty of places online to dig through:

Performance Bike

Bike Nashbar

Pricepoint

Supergo.com

Colorado Cyclist

Excel Sports

That should keep you busy for a while.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

How many CC's?

 

[Fausto]

Originally posted by: Hayabusarider
How many CC's?

Hmmm. I can knock back about three pints of Guinness at a sitting (roughly 1400cc's), so I guess that makes me a 1971 Fausto1 ZX1400-RRR.

Half a horsepower at the rear wheel, baby!

 

[Leland]

I'd say three pints by 7 p.m. is about right.

Thanks for the links -- time to see what's on clearance. I'm not putting too much money into it since the bike will be stolen soon enough. Maybe I should pick up a second lock while I'm at it, too.

Glad I spent some time living in Amsterdam getting used to seeing my bikes get stolen...

thx.
-L

 

[Fausto]

Originally posted by: Leland
I'd say three pints by 7 p.m. is about right.

Thanks for the links -- time to see what's on clearance. I'm not putting too much money into it since the bike will be stolen soon enough. Maybe I should pick up a second lock while I'm at it, too.

Glad I spent some time living in Amsterdam getting used to seeing my bikes get stolen...

thx.
-L

I'd recommend one (or two) of the honking Kryptonite locks if you really want to keep your bike. Lock it to something sturdy and you should be OK unless the thieves are absolutely on a mission to steal your bike specifically. Making it ugly helps too (a popular trick with the bike messengers). Spray paint and electrical tape are the weapons of choice in that field.

 

[yakko]

If you are buying lights for your commute to be safe then you want to avoid cheap lights. If you feel your safety is only worth the smallest amount you can spend then do not spend anything. You will also want to spend money on a good quality lock or the bike will be gone. If you chain it to a sign post make sure the sign post can't be pulled out of the ground.

 

[Fausto]

Originally posted by: yakko
If you are buying lights for your commute to be safe then you want to avoid cheap lights. If you feel your safety is only worth the smallest amount you can spend then do not spend anything. You will also want to spend money on a good quality lock or the bike will be gone. If you chain it to a sign post make sure the sign post can't be pulled out of the ground.

Ditto on the lights. You really can't be bright enough on the road at night. I run a 12/30/42-watt Nightsun dual-bulb headlight on the bars and a 15-watt spot on top of my head so I can aim it at drivers' heads if I'm not sure whether or not they see me. Also, get a big roll of 3M reflecto-tape and put it all over your bike. Moving surfaces are best (cranks, rims, pedals, etc) so you'll catch the driver's attention. There are a few jackets and vests you can buy that are made with Illuminite fabric which is retroreflective. Really lights up in headlights. I'm sure I look like an alien mothership going down the road at night, but at least I know people can see me.

 

[Armitage]

Heard a story about those big U shaped kryptonite locks.
Anyway, the story was that this guy was about to lock up his bike with one of those locks when a thief tried to snatch it out from him right there.
The guy clobbers the crook with the big U lock and knocks him out. He then slips the lock around the guys neck and locks him to a parking meter, and takes off with the key!

Probably an urban myth, but a good story!