I've been riding home with a pair of helmet mounted Lumicycles since they arrived at the end of November. I've had the occasional problem where the cable running from the back of my helmet to the battery in my pocket has looped round the back of the seat on my bent, preventing me from leaning forward when I want to negotiate tight obstacles at low speeds, or get a good view at a junction. Generally I just give it a flick and I'm OK.
This evening, as I approached a cyclepath barrier, I tried to perform my usual leap off the front of the bike as I stopped. But this time it didn't work - I was tied to the bike and we ended up in a heap of muscle and metal on the floor. Doh!
I'm gonna have to find something else to do with that cable.
Oh dear, I hope you are okay - I *promise* it wasn't me in paving slab fairy mode taking a swipe at you ;-) Then again - did anyone get this on video where we can watch it??
Cheers, helen s
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This evening, as I approached a cyclepath barrier, I tried to perform my usual leap off the front of the bike as I stopped. But this time it didn't work - I was tied to the bike and we ended up in a heap of muscle and metal on the floor. Doh!
Doh! indeed. I use a roof-mounted spotlight as well - I'm kind of hoping that my mounting mechanism (battery on top of Ortlieb Bike Box, curly cable pointing straignt forward) will release cleanly in an emergency, because the way I used to do it (battery on string around neck under coat) was a nuisance.
I trust that any damage was restricted to your pride?
Guy === ** WARNING ** This posting may contain traces of irony. chapmancentral.comchapmancentral.comOpen ↗ (BT ADSL and dynamic DNS permitting) NOTE: BT Openworld have now blocked port 25 (without notice), so old mail addresses may no longer work. Apologies.
- I *promise* it wasn't me in paving slab fairy mode taking a swipe at you ;-)
I was about to post saying "so I should hope, I wasn't even wearing b*bshorts". Then I remembered that I *was* wearing b*btights. Perhaps I was getting my just desserts (that's a bizarre phrase, isn't it?).
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Then again - did anyone get this on video where we can watch it??
Fortunately there was no-one around to see it, but I'm sure it would have made a great comedy video clip.
Doh! indeed. I use a roof-mounted spotlight as well - I'm kind of hoping that my mounting mechanism (battery on top of Ortlieb Bike Box, curly cable pointing straignt forward) will release cleanly in an emergency, because the way I used to do it (battery on string around neck under coat) was a nuisance.
Hows about cutting the cable and rejoining just by twisting and insulating taping? Then the cable should just come apart at that point in the event of any mishap.
"Pete Biggs" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...
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Hows about cutting the cable and rejoining just by twisting and insulating taping? Then the cable should just come apart at that point in the event of any mishap.
How about not wanting to introduce a dodgy failure-prone and not very weatherproof junction into what started out as a fairly robust and effective system...
Routing the cable under some clothing would presumably solve the problem too, if it's possible.
"Pete Biggs" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>... <snip>
Quoted message said:
Hows about cutting the cable and rejoining just by twisting and insulating taping? Then the cable should just come apart at that point in the event of any mishap.
Or maybe just a 3.5mm mono headphone inline plug and socket? It would be a bit bulkier, but neater, plus it would be simply a matter of plugging it back in once you've picked yourself of the ground.
Have fun! (and don't burn yourself on your soldering iron)
hoping [...] cable pointing straight forward) will release in an emergency, because the way I used to do it (battery on string around neck under coat) was a nuisance.
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Hows about cutting the cable and rejoining just by twisting and insulating taping?
How would that be better than a plug-and-socket joint with low pullout force? I have an inline plug and socket on my Petzl, but the pullout force there is much higher than the Nightstick plug. Which is OK, because I use that on the wedgie, so the battery is in my back pocket.
-- Guy === I wonder if you wouldn't mind piecing out our imperfections with your thoughts; and while you're about it perhaps you could think when we talk of bicycles, that you see them printing their proud wheels i' the receiving earth; thanks awfully.
Hows about cutting the cable and rejoining just by twisting and insulating taping?
How would that be better than a plug-and-socket joint with low pullout force?
I wouldn't be better if the pug and socket was ideally placed and really did have low pullout force (at any angle). But the broken wire technique is simple and cheap and would be guaranteed to break when pulled - which, admittedly, might also happen when you don't want it to.
Self-amalgamating rubber tape instead of insulating tape would help with the weather proofing.
Many types of plug and socket are also prone to various reliability problems as well - so I don't think there's much in it on that front.
Or maybe just a 3.5mm mono headphone inline plug and socket? It would be a bit bulkier, but neater, plus it would be simply a matter of plugging it back in once you've picked yourself of the ground.
I've messed around a lot with 3.5 jack sockets. They're rubbish. Come undone accidently, contacts fail & break, etc, etc.
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and don't burn yourself on your soldering iron)
That is nasty isn't it. I once picked up a hot soldering iron by the hot end with a firm grip :-(
Yeah, understood. I have enough trouble already with bloody wires, though, without adding twisted joints :-)
-- Guy === I wonder if you wouldn't mind piecing out our imperfections with your thoughts; and while you're about it perhaps you could think when we talk of bicycles, that you see them printing their proud wheels i' the receiving earth; thanks awfully.
I trust that any damage was restricted to your pride?
The handlebar twisted slightly, but I discovered that when I checked the bike over before riding on and twisted it back again. I didn't find any serious damage - at least, not until I tried to ring the bell this morning!
The bell had been mounted at the point where the underseat handlebar turns up, conveniently positioned for me to ring it with the heel of my hand. When I dropped the bike, the whole 40lb + weight landed on the bell. It's beyond repair.
Fortunately I had a couple of spares lying around, so I've now fitted one of them. But it's not as good as the one I broke :-(
Routing the cable under some clothing would presumably solve the problem too, if it's possible.
Yup, that's what I did today. It's such a simple solution - by letting a little more cable out of the battery bag, I had enough to route it under my Gore Tex instead of over. I can't believe I didn't think of it before.
The bell had been mounted at the point where the underseat handlebar turns up, conveniently positioned for me to ring it with the heel of my hand. When I dropped the bike, the whole 40lb + weight landed on the bell. It's beyond repair.
I was kind of wondering about the theory of handlebars as roll cage - surely the outside of the hands might sustain injuries? Anyway, I dropped mine today - I felt it go and put hand and foot down, so essentially I stood up and the bike didn't. I hurt my finger a little bit. I'm not so sure I could fall off an upright bike so painlessly!
Guy === ** WARNING ** This posting may contain traces of irony. chapmancentral.comchapmancentral.comOpen ↗ (BT ADSL and dynamic DNS permitting) NOTE: BT Openworld have now blocked port 25 (without notice), so old mail addresses may no longer work. Apologies.
