Psychalist

Lost World

2011-09-06T11:00:00.000+01:00

Lost World

Sunny lunchtimes are too good to miss out on having a quick ride. I decided on the cycling equivalent of a photowalk, the photoride.

Within a short distance of work there are some interesting places, such as the few mill buildings that stand as reminders of Blackburn's cotton industry heritage.

Way of the Roses

2011-09-05T00:18:00.000+01:00

We were hoping for some good weather this week as four of us take a trip across the Pennines on a 3 day mini cycle tour along the Way of the Roses (WOTR). This new Coast to Coast route joins the red rose of Lancashire with the white rose of Yorkshire in a 170 mile route inaugurated in September 2010. It runs south of the other C2C routes along an west-east line between Morecambe in Lancashire and Bridlington in Yorkshire. Last year we rode the northerly C2C route, Hadrian's Cycle Way. On that route, at the end of the first day we we're still on the west coast with more of the Solway coast to do on the morning of day two. It was a very enjoyable and interesting 'Roman' themed ride. There were the usual strange Sustrans detours but on the whole a great route.

We're anticipating a nice (leisurely) few days on the Way of the Roses. This isn't going to be a daft dash like some folk. We've planned to do it over 3 days, but because Morecambe is relatively near home, we've decided to make it more interesting by adding 35 miles to day one in order to ride to the start. I figured that after we'd cycled to the station, waited for the train and ridden from the station, there wouldn't be much difference in time and by riding there we get to have a brew and some cake overlooking Morecambe bay at the Cafe de Lune. The others went along with the suggestion but I suspect it may come back to bite me by the time we reach Settle and the bigger hills. This might come either from Puffing Billy, who is in denial about needing to be fit for the trip, having hardly ridden a bike since last year's C2C outing, or Crasher Sid who's been training just a bit too hard and is carrying the wounds of her latest crash to the start (she managed to hold out until the second day before crashing last time).

Tracklogs for the route are ready for downloading to the GPS. I just need to get a few bits together for my saddlebag and give the tourer the once over and we're good to go.

Voies Verte

2011-06-30T18:20:00.003+01:00

Green ways in France - the traffic free parcours velo. Like most European countries, France is actively adding traffic free routes for recreational cycling called Voies Verte. We tried a number on our recent tour. My favourite was the Voie Verte de la Moselotte, which starts in Remiremont and ends in Cornimont-La Bresse. It's part of the Voie Verte des Hautes Vosges utilising an old railway track taking you past steep sided gorges, wood mills, granite quarries and old settlements with weaving mills. It's very quiet, very beautiful and best of all it climbs gently into the heart of the high Vosges mountains.

Gammy leg

2011-06-30T18:12:00.003+01:00

A picture might be a step too far, rather like a medical journal. I'm disappointed this week, having got into shape after daily touring miles in the last weeks, to end up with a bad leg. Whilst cycling along the Canal du Marne au Rhine, I was stung near my ankle by something going in the opposite direction. It must have objected to being stopped in its tracks, so to speak. The sting was big enough to be removed with fingers suggesting it was a big blighter, whatever it was.

Normally, I don't react badly to stings and bites and everything was alright for a few days - just some mild irritation and localised swelling as might be expected. A week later however and my ankle is raging with an infection, making riding difficult and not advised. Good job I'm not on the TdF - I wouldn't pass doping rules now!

Good to be out

2011-03-09T22:08:00.000Z

What fine weather it was for a ride at the weekend. A bit cold, but the brightness was welcome.

40+

2011-03-07T22:46:00.008Z

In the two miles of the A666 I cycle on of a morning's commute, you can see over 40 marked up potholes identified for repair by Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council.

Those are only the holes earmarked for fixing, there are plenty more that didn't make the cut. Scale that up to borough or county level and you can easily understand why potholes are big news and why Blackburn is fated to always be remembered for its 4000 holes.

Some potholes get marked more than once because of the way this council goes about its repairs. In marked contrast to neighbouring Lancashire, who seem to visit a reported pothole within a couple of days with material and fill in the hole, Blackburn uses a two-step process.

Firstly someone surveys the problem
and if they decide it is a hazard or worth fixing, marks the limit of the repair with white paint. Later someone comes along with tarmac to fill the hole.

This process often breaks down as it can be months between reporting a hole and it eventually getting repaired. Sometimes the markings just disappear through weather and wear and tear.

This pothole has been marked twice:

First in February

and now in March.

In contrast, this is one of Cumbria

County Council's marked up holes:

Some local roads are breaking up so badly they're beyond repair - they are either a continuous series of patches or the metalling of the road is just falling apart.

The only solution is to properly re-surface but that's likely to happen in only the most severe cases given the current economic climate.

Avoiding potholes on a cycle whilst riding on roads with motorised traffic is not easy, when you can see them - in the dark it's even worse.

A fireman from Nelson fell foul of a pothole at night and is lucky to be alive. Here's hoping things improve soon before more people are injured on the road.

Ride safe and keep reporting those holes.

Anyone for Raclet?

2011-03-03T19:57:00.000Z

When planning cycling tours, I've often wondered how difficult it would be to carry all the gear needed for camping. It seems someone has the answer - a camping trailer. Not what you might call a lightweight solution.

Butty shop V3

2011-02-24T19:35:00.003Z

Been open a while now. This one seems to be lasting better.

Road slime

2010-12-16T21:56:00.001Z

I got caught out this week on a ride home from work. I've cycled to work for many years and, although the location has changed over the years, much of my route has remained the same. I don't know how many times I've crossed over the mini-roundabouts on Whalley Old Road in Little Harwood but it must be in excess of ten thousand commutes. That's all year every year, even during snow, ice and heavy rain. For any readers unaware of what mini-roundabouts are (I know roundabouts are uncommon in the USA as a four-way stop is more the norm), it is a smaller version of a conventional roundabout but where the island, around which traffic circulates, is much smaller. The normal traffic rules of a roundabout apply even though the mini-roundabout may just be a painted circle in a regular road junction. That is what the ones in Whalley Old Road are, painted circles on what is an old road.

I know road paint provides less friction than tarmac and so usually make allowance when turning on it. Everything was going well with little traffic around and the ride was flowing nicely. When I got the the junction, the line I took was over the roundabout circle as there were no cars around and it makes the turn less sharp but does mean going across the paint. I misjudged the conditions contributing to a lack of traction and got caught out when my front wheel went from under me and both my bike and myself ended up sliding sideways across the road. Luckily I only suffered a bashed arm and bruised shoulder as I hit the road and a jacket that instantly went from day-glow yellow to black on the right side.

The weather had been dry for a few days but the roads, which were been covered with a concentration of road salt and were still damp. As it had dissolved, the salt instead of drying out had turned into a greasy, slimy damp black film. This is quite common in our damp north-west climate. Even tarmac becomes slippery when covered with this film as was demonstrated the next morning by a car skidding as it set off from a side road. I'm normally wary of this salt slime as there are one or two places where the tarmac is quite smooth and I've felt a loss of traction when turning. I allow for it and take the turn slowly, keeping as upright as possible. Now I'm even more wary and there's a lot of winter still to get through.

Safe (winter) cycling...

Never mind cling film Mr Wiggins

2010-12-06T08:56:00.001Z

Snow boots for me for this morning's commute - absolutely necessary for the first and last few metres which were sheet ice. Some of the main roads weren't much better.
Saw 3 other cyclists braving the conditions. Minus 8 Celcius again already matching last winter's coldest mornings. Low temperature grease is looking a must have item for the Christmas stocking.

Rough and smooth

2010-12-05T18:25:00.003Z

Conditions in this bridleway near Dinas Powys, South Wales were interesting when recently, I looked for a bit of rough-stuff cycling and found the cold early winter conditions provided some smooth going. I'd thrown the folder into the car on a recent visit in the hope of doing a little exercise. I wasn't sure what to expect but once off the tarmac, it coped amazingly well. This lane receives a lot of run-off water draining from the neighbouring fields. It had created a thick layer of ice along most of its length, which made progress slow but interesting - I was glad I was going uphill. I got some strange looks, perhaps because onlookers were amazed anyone would ride what is essentially a shopping bike on a bridleway, also because I don't think many cyclists explore bridleways around this part of South Wales.

The Vale of Glamorgan Rights Of Way Improvement Plan acknowledges that there are limited opportunities for cycling. It has only 27km of bridleways in its 550 km network of public rights of way and many are still poorly signposted or maintained. Their Local Access Forum represents all types of users of rights of way including the Cyclist Touring Club. In their survey they concur that signposting and maintenance is a problem. I didn't have to go far to find an example. This bridleway on Pen-y-turnpike road isn't signposted and has a locked gate.

View Larger Map

The Public Spending Review is likely to have an adverse effect on the future of public rights of way with maintenance and signposting receiving less funding as local authorities try to balance their books in the face of reduced budgets. I do hope it won't become a case of 'use 'em or lose 'em as there are many ancient ways that have been lost in the past and not all authorities treat them with equal priority.

Keep exploring - on two wheels.

On tour again

2010-09-02T07:02:00.000+01:00

I love the run up to going cycle touring. Now that I have most of the kit, well, most importantly, a bike, preparation this year has come down to gathering the small number of possessions required and some fitness training. Unlike last year, the planning and arrangements have been done by others, which has helped enormously. Adding small refinements and new equipment adds to the pleasure and anticipation, with past experience helping to provide some confidence that plans will turn out OK and be fun rather than too challenging or problematic. I would have liked to have done more long rides beforehand to help with training but I've had limited time available this year due to other commitments. Even so, I think we're fit enough to enjoy the 60 odd miles planned each day.

Recent runs for testing and training included a loop in the Bowland Fells with a climb up Beacon Fell (the one on the left in the picture). It doesn't look much, but it has nice steady climbs approached from most directions and commands impressive views of the Fylde coast, since it sits on the eastern edge of the coastal plain. It has a visitor's centre and forest trails and was very busy on the bank holiday. The cafe had tea and sandwiches in reward for the climb. I was trying out a birthday present of a Carradice saddlebag. I am very pleased with it and feel it is going to work much better than panniers for our short tour.

A previous weekend we did a ride around the Lune Valley taking in Barbondale. What a fine spot that is. We had hoped to meet up for the RSF ride that weekend but time didn't allow.

One of the joys of touring for me is the freedom knowing two wheels are going to carry us to a new destination each day with scenery and wildlife to enjoy along the way. A bike makes places more accessible and it is easy just to stop and take in the sights.

We'll be following NCN72 Hadrian's cycleway, which provides a mixture of traffic free paths and country lanes across the country as an alternative sea to sea (C2C). Extensive details are available on Doug Ridgway's excellent Hadrian's Cycleway web site. The route follows Roman antiquities across the north of England, starting at Glannaventa Roman bath house in Ravenglass, it works its way up the west coast of Cumbria and follows Hadrian's wall from Bowness on Solway. After Carlisle, the route visits Roman signal posts and forts along the wall and ends at Arbeia fort in South Shields.

The route is in the GPS, the bikes just need a last clean and lube and we're good to go. If this high pressure lasts it should be splendid riding in the sun with friends. On the other hand, if it is raining, we might be miserable, but I doubt it.

Mill roof collapse

2010-08-14T10:06:00.002+01:00

Blackburn increased in size and population during the 1800's due to expansion of the cotton industry. The town became famous for the many mill chimneys dominating its sky line. Now, nearly all the chimneys are gone, along with most of the weaving and spinning. Many of the mill buildings are still standing but are used for other purposes.

My cycle route to work passes a couple of mills, one of which is Carr Cottage Mill. Part of the building has been derelict for some time. In July, the roof collapsed leaving the road-side boundary wall unstable. This is the part adjoining Florence Mill but the other (undamaged) part of Carr Cottage Mill houses a process plant business. One carriageway of the main A666 Whalley New Road has been closed for safety whilst the owners of the building sort it out. It looks like the whole lot is coming down but it's too early to tell. We'll have to wait and see. Meanwhile the traffic lights mean a small to delay to commuters, including me (he wrote, being a good law abiding citizen).

I looked for some information on the history of the mill. It appears previous owners of the mill were bankrupted in the 1800's when there was a cotton famine caused by supply shortages during the American civil war. During that time, many workers existed on welfare handouts of food and fuel and temporary jobs labouring.

Mini Tour to the Lakes and back

2010-06-27T18:30:00.006+01:00

I got to the Lake District and back to Lancashire again in one piece. A total of 119 miles over two days. Some great countryside and very quiet lanes.

I know about it now though. Partly I think the heat was tiring, but distance, long hours in the saddle and my lack of training on that particular bike were big factors. Not that I'm exhausted, just enjoyably tired after all the exercise and looking forward to some food.

Whilst I was heading north, the South Lakes Group of the RSF crossed east and had a good day out on the Bowland fells.

My original plan took in a return via Dent, Deepdale, Kingsdale, Tatham Fells and home, but that would have been 7000 ft of climbing on day 2 after the near 3000ft on day 1, so I decided to stay west of the hills and come down by the coast for the return trip/

Whilst having a brew at the Cafe D'Lune some guy drove past with his family's mountain bikes on the roof of his 4x4 and didn't notice the gantry barrier at the entrance to the car park. It took some time to sort the mess out after he hit it and stopping a good car's length the other side. It looked like most of the damage was to the roof rack, though his expensive looking bikes took a fair wallop.

I got off early this morning to avoid the heat of the day, but might as well have enjoyed more recovery time since the football didn't go our way. There were a few dog walkers out first thing plus a balloon flight, a deer, a dead grass snake and some other wildlife that made the journey interesting.

Later there were plenty of cyclists out for their Sunday run including a guy who looked like he was doing a time trial that passed me as though I was standing still, and at that time I was actually going reasonably quickly!

The sting in the tail was crossing the Ribble Valley and climbing up the other side. Back in the saddle for a short ride to work tomorrow.

Near solstice ride

2010-06-25T20:56:00.006+01:00

There's so much going on at the moment but there isn't much evidence of it on here. The cycling summer is firing away full bore with events and rides all over the place and I've been occupied too much to write anything. Seeing my previous entry showing a picture of snow reminds me how absent I've been. That's got to change. With long daylight hours, it's possible to cram a lot into a day, so no excuses.

My recent non-commute riding has been off-road, exploring the countryside. I've joined a couple of the Rough Stuff Fellowship rides recently. One with the Lancashire Group and one with the South Lakes Group. A smashing bunch of folk with so much to share. They have rides going on most weekends including family rides. For example, this weekend:

Saturday 26th Lancashire Group Family Ride: Cocklet Hill car park, Gisburn Forest, map ref SD745550. Meet at 10-00am for a cuppa, the ride will start at 10-20am

Saturday 26th South Lakes Group ride to Dunsop Bridge: Meet at 10am at the Cafe d' Lune at Conder Green.

Sunday 27th Lancashire Group ride: At 10-00am. Meet on the public car park near Wycoller Village, SD 925394.

Sunday 27th Welsh Borders Group ride: Meet at 10am at Tudor Tea Room , North Gate, Bridgenorth.

Sunday 27th Home Counties Group ride: Meet at 10am at the Polly Tearooms, High Street, Marlborough, Wilts.

More details and plenty of great photos up on the RSF web sites including glorious cake shots. Did you spot a theme to the rides? Yes - cafes.

I decided a while ago that I needed a long road ride around the time of the solstice and so that's what I'm doing this weekend. I'm heading up to the Lake District tomorrow from Blackburn. It means I miss the RSF rides and also the Pendle national road race with famous names from elite racing and the cyclo sportive, but I figure I'll enjoy doing more than watching. I'll likely cover some of the same route as the cyclo sportive but, because of a lack of preparation and fitness, I'll be taking it easy. Steady away.

Hopefully it'll be a good ride to end bike week.

Happy pedalling.

Transition

2010-03-05T21:56:00.001Z

March is here and with it, first signs of spring. Snowdrops are out and other bulbs are poking their heads out of the soil. This first week of the month marked a change to cycling to work without lights in both the morning and evening. I don't remember the change last year. Maybe that indicates a yearning on my part for warmer, lighter rides or my subconscious telling me it's been a long hard winter. The extra visibility has allowed damage the winter has had on the local roads to be seen more easily. The battle of the potholes continues, but my impression is that councils are losing the war, because more holes appear as fast as they can fill the old ones. The white paint vandals have been out spraying the roads marking hazards ready for the repair teams. I counted fifteen repairs marked on the way home. The trouble is if they don't fix them promptly, the markings disappear and some of the holes, especially around ironworks, grids and grates are getting huge.

We Brits are known for our obsession with the weather, but everyone is if their climate is changeable. The met office tell us this winter has been the coldest for 31 years in England and the coldest since 1962/63 in Scotland. Of course, in the intervening years, technology and the way we live our lives changed immensely. A comparison in absolute terms may be irrefutable, but, when compared on a perceptual level, I doubt if most people thought it was so cold. I'm always amazed to see what people wear. Some don't seem to change their clothing habits to suit the seasons or daily weather. I see folk wandering around in shorts and T-shirts when the mercury is sub zero and 'dressed-up to the nines', even when the weather is mild. It defies logic, or perhaps indicates a better or worse tolerance of temperature change. It could also indicate their heating is very good, and that is where technology comes in, either at home or in the car. Remember the days of iced up house windows? There's not many that will see that on the inside of window panes these days but it was commonplace when I was a child.

This winter has certainly presented its challenges and, where commuting is concerned, will be remembered by many, for the inconvenience caused. Cycling to work this winter, in general, hasn't seemed more difficult, except for the couple of weeks when we had snow and ice. Then, although difficult, riding turned out to be the most effective way to get to work. If anything the colder weather has been better. I can only remember getting wet a couple of times, which is quite astounding really since we live in a wet climate. If next year presents us with the same challenging weather, I won't hesitate to do some more bike walking to work and may even think of a more suitable machine for the job. I intend, by then, to have a different bike to commute on and will consider adding some contingency options for riding in snow, such as a change of tyres, as it can be quite a lot of fun.

Pothole update

2010-02-05T20:50:00.003Z

I reported three potholes this week via www.fillthathole.org.uk, including the one shown in the previous post. Two last Sunday and one on Wednesday. Two in Lancashire County Council's patch had been filled by yesterday - one of them was the one reported on Wednesday. I tested them last night and concluded they were filled in a hurry because there is never enough material or too much material, just to remind us that they are there ;-)

It's a great response from LCC and proves what a useful site the CTC have. The other in Blackburn has been inspected and marked for repair.

Potholes in the news

2010-01-30T18:12:00.003Z

Have you noticed potholes in roads are suddenly big news?
Since the 'Big Freeze', it's become obvious the bad weather had a big effect on our roads. Motorists noticed and started complaining in their droves. Motoring organisations took up cause and demanded authorities sort them out. The media quickly recognised what was going on and followed with headlines about broken budgets and failing councils. Google not only shows an increase in news but also in an increasing trend in search for information about potholes.

This has come about because the holes are big enough to damage motorists vehicles and make motoring dangerous. Unfortunately for us cyclists, many of the worn-out roads already had potholes that damage our machines and are dangerous to cycle on but our voice is insufficient to be heard. When motorists start claiming for repairs for punctures, broken wheels and suspension, councils start taking notice.

I've probably mentioned previously about my broken spokes on poor roads around Blackburn but I've never claimed off the council. I doubt it would make any difference. Even though cyclists might not have a huge influence on the authorities responsible for roads, now is probably a good time to get those holes reported whilst the subject is in focus. Apparently www.fillthathole.org.uk the CTC pothole reporting site has been busy of late receiving new reports of potholes around the country. Get yours on your council's list now.

The hole shown in the pictures is on the A666 Whalley Road opposite Langho post office. It's a real rim breaker. I spotted it the other night doing about 25mph - a bit too late to swerve and avoid it but soon enough to bunny hop it. Today, the daylight revealed just how dangerous it is. There were loads of others on my ride today but this is probably the worst.

The light, the light...

2010-01-27T07:25:00.000Z

Yes it cometh. Whilst I may still be commuting at both ends of the day with lights on, my sense of lengthening daylight hours is palpable. It's only a matter of days before commuting in light returns and I'm quite excited at the prospect. Not because of my commuting, for which it makes a difference - despite me enjoying riding in the dark. No, it's more for the fact it opens up prospects of longer rides during both the day and night. This is something I've done more and more of last year and I'm looking forward to this spring, as well as not having frozen toes.

I've been getting out for other rides in the dark, which on one hand, is quite relaxing - rather like listening to music - it creates a kind of bubble where you can lose yourself in your own thoughts. On the other hand it is quite restricting with limited view of where I'm going or what I'm riding over, so I'm ready for lighter rides. Bring it on.

Flowing free

2010-01-19T21:01:00.003Z

What a difference a week makes. The 'Big Freeze', as our prolonged cold spell in the UK became known, ended over the weekend and all the snow melted. It seems like a distant memory now. As the days passed, most debris that collected on the roads has been cleared up and things are getting back to normal. It's only after the event, I realise just how much extra effort the really cold weather required. Everything just took longer. More preparation, slower to do anything, more time to clear up afterwards. Even existing indoors seemed like hibernation as we migrated towards the greatest source of warmth, the fire.

Out on the bike, it is like a veil has been lifted. Flowing movement has returned. I can pedal in a continuous rhythm for more than a few hundred metres and feel joy of power and motion without worrying if that patch ahead is a slick of ice. For readers from colder climes, this may sound a bit wussy, but it was an issue here because many roads, even minor ones, get quite a lot of motorised traffic. This compressed the snow into a wet layer and turned it to ice, which then remained around until the thaw. There was no treatment or clearing of many minor or rural roads. It wasn't so bad when the temperatures were well below freezing but when they increased to near melting point or above, there was no grip on the polished ice.

This week is so different with the mercury hovering in single figures (above freezing). Even the light is better and the days are noticeably longer. A couple of non-commute rides have removed that stir crazy feel and restored a degree of fitness. For those training for competition this must feel like a real release. I'm not, but the sensation is still noticeable. Enjoy, before the excitement of snow returns!

Winter biking

2010-01-11T22:21:00.002Z

Last week's commuting was a learning curve in new bike skills due to the snow and ice. There's was plenty of opportunity to practice balance, smooth slow turning, acceleration and braking along with quick reactions when wheels twitched on ice or soft snow. Surprisingly I haven't had many moments and made steady progress with only slightly extended commute times. Most motorists were considerate and took time to find the right place to overtake. One exception was a driver that passed just as the road narrowed and nearly forced me onto some ice. Then, he blew his horn after passing. I wasn't impressed.

It's proved to be a an expedient way of getting to work, and as the week has progressed, For many leaving the car at home was the most sensible option and therefore alternative modes of transport were needed, many taking to the train or walking. The UK really isn't geared up to handle a prolonged wintry weather like this. Since it is uncommon, there aren't the resources to manage it, whether it be snow clearing or cars with winter tyres. Some must regard cycling in this weather as madness, but it has been a way of avoiding treacherous pavements (side-walks) and making reasonable progress. I've seen other people taking to cycling as a way to get about and the local paper carried stories of other cyclists who got to where they needed to be by using a bike, including a doctor who got to his surgery and patients during the worst of the snow on Tuesday.

Bearing in mind my commuter bike is a road bike not a bike well suited for riding snow and ice, this winter cycling was far removed from true snow biking. I've been doing it on narrow tyres. Where too much snow or ice was still on the road, I got off an walked to the next safer bit of road. I also changed my pedals because clips were a hindrance to getting my foot down quickly if I was losing control.

A snow bike on the other hand, is adapted for riding in snow, taking mountain biking to a new level with emphasis not on suspension and comfort, but on making progress. To do this in snow requires very wide tyres at low pressure and with plenty of frame clearance. Ice requires studded tyres and those are uncommon. My ride couldn't be further from a snow bike and and it showed. Progress was impeded by its inappropriate features. A times, riding on the flat seemed like going uphill or using a turbo trainer, the resistance coming from collected ice and snow in the mudguards (fenders). I think the moving parts were also a bit sluggish because the morning temperature has been -5C to -10C. The week ended with my front brake cable shearing the nipple - a possible failure due to thermal stresses at the end of the cable or just a fault?

Commuting off to a good start

2010-01-05T20:58:00.002Z

The weather is causing havoc with the return to work for many in the UK. Myself, I managed to navigate the snow yesterday, riding about 75% of the way to work and returning pretty much all the way on two wheels, albeit gingerly because of the frozen slush and tramlines of cars.

Today was another matter as snow hit at peak commuting time and continued until mid afternoon. Having walked before Christmas, I knew how long it would be and set off in time with my bike for company. I succeeded in travelling a few hundred yards on the bike, the rest was a trudge through 10-15cm of snow. Returning this evening, the roads were quiet and I went by the most major route, a 50mph dual carriageway, in order to actual ride some.

Bike walking has proved quite successful. One advantage is not having to worry about abandoning the car. Quite what it's doing to the mechanicals I'm not sure, but like last year, I aim to keep on top of maintaining my commuter bike so I can always use it.

Hike-a-bike

2009-12-22T23:00:00.005Z

Same conditions again this morning. Whilst I enjoy an hour or so walking, this adverse weather is a challenge that has to be met. Bikes I have, which might be more suitable for these conditions are either unavailable or in bits so it fell to my trusty old commuter road bike to be tested in today's snow.

The first part of the journey was a walk as the snow and ice was treacherous. Once on the main road, I followed the tramlines all the other vehicles were following. Even this morning, in hazardous conditions, I had someone overtake me whilst I was navigating round a parked bus resulting in the oncoming car having to brake sharply. Why is it drivers don't associate passing a cyclist with normal overtake rules? It's like speed and distance judgement goes straight out the window.

Once off the main road again, it was back to a bit of walking, then cycling. Overall I enjoyed it, so I'm not complaining, unlike many of the motoring minded majority (which is OK if you can't walk, bike or use public transport). I quite like the maxim of Bob Harrison, a Rough Stuff Federation member, who said "I never go for a walk without my bike", though I've yet to take hike-a-bike to those extremes. I'm also not sure about using snow boots with clips - that bit needs refining I think!

I saw another cyclist on the way home in the dark. He was gliding along the other side of the road dressed in black without lights on. Maybe it was a mirage - certainly the looks I got today suggest I'm viewed as somewhat unhinged being on two wheels but, since more people left their cars at home and were walking today, maybe tomorrow there will be load more snow bikers out there.

Solstice Commute

2009-12-21T23:05:00.003Z

Great weather for a white Christmas. Very scenic, but not good timing for commuting today, on the shortest day of the year. Especially by bike, none of which spotted whilst walking this morning.

Smart Polaris II Light Set Review

2009-12-20T21:32:00.000Z

5 LED front and 317 Rear

At the beginning of last year to improve my chances of being seen on roads at night, I added a set of flashing lights to my bike. My existing static lights, although visible, didn't seem to alert road users to my presence. From experience as a motorist, I believed adding flashing lights would enable me to be seen better and sooner. Experience soon bore that out as I sensed cars and pedestrians taking extra caution around me. What I hadn't anticipated was how bright the lights were and so how successful they would be at improving my visibility to others.

The Polaris II's 3 LED front + 5 LED rear lights I got are still going strong and, despite initial feedback to the contrary from others, have proved faultless in their reliability. In the third winter of using them, I've already benefiting from the extra safety they provide as dark nights arrived.

Further details of the Smart Polaris II 3 LED front and 7 LED rear are in my original Smart Polaris review and follow-up.

I have taken the opportunity to check out the light-set next up the Smart Polaris range. The 5 LED front and 317 rear distributed by Fisher Outdoor and available from numerous retailers, mine coming from Wiggle and their latest offer (currently out of stock). The set comes in the same format packaging and with the same mounts as the previous set. Batteries are supplied, 2 x AA for the front and 2 x AAA for the rear. I'll not repeat the details of the mounting, the descriptions of the light housings and general operation as they are the same as before, so I refer you to my original review. One thing I noticed from the packaging I didn't mention previously, is the diameter supported for the front mount. It's stated to support handlebar diameters of 25.4mm through to 31.8mm. I have used it on bars at both ends of that range quite successfully and transferring the light is easy and requires no tools.

To make this review shorter, I'm concentrating on the differences this new set brings. All the experiences of the original set are had with this uprated version. The quality is there and the same neat clean design provides a performant bike light set that should last many years. The difference is in the amount of light emitted from those powerful Nichia Japanese LEDs.

Front light

The front light has 5 LEDs and, logically, you might assume 2/3rds more light than the 3-LED version, but the rating is 298 candle power compared with 144 candle power of the 3 LED version, so twice as much incident light. How this is measured is not stated on the packaging. It does suggest this unit is using more efficient LEDs. Both sets are bright but the 5 LED version is like looking at a car with headlights on full beam so the claim to be visible from a mile away is believable. The reach appears similar but the extra brightness is noticeable and, on the road, the alert to road users obvious. Battery life, stated at 100 hours, is excellent (120 hours on 3 LED set) and understandably less because of the current that two extra LEDs draw.

Rear light

The rear light is probably the biggest design difference. Whereas the 7-LED rear of the other Polaris set had two LEDs to the side and two at 45 degrees and three to the rear, this set has three to the rear with the main brightness coming from the powerful 0.5 watt top LED. This has a dedicated clear lens arrangement, but also projects a good deal of light sideways, making up for the loss of the other side LEDs. Rearward, the brightness is significantly more than the 7-LED set and is more akin to a car with fog lights on. This makes it difficult for motorists not to see you at night and presents the option of not using in flashing mode since the extra brightness makes it a perfectly acceptable static rear light. Talking of flashing modes, the 3-LED set has three modes: all flashing, alternating and steady. This set has just flashing and steady. Having never used alternating, it's not a mode I shall miss. Battery life, like the front light, is less than the 7-LED version but still very good at the stated 60 hours. The mounting has a useful clip to hook the light on clothing, saddlebag or rucksack.

Batteries

Experience for each individual light is noted above but some general comments might be useful. The packaging recommends only using alkaline batteries but I use NiMh 2500mAh rechargeables in mine and they last a couple of months of commuting using them in flashing mode, though my commute is quite short. I've always used rechargeable batteries and had no problem. The only downside to not using alkalines is the lights are slightly less bright than fresh alkalines since, with NiMh, the lights only get about 2.5 volts instead of 3 volts and at that level are lower down their specified operating voltage range. Lower voltage, means less current and therefore less light emitted. Typically, for each type of battery, this might be around 70mA/1.8 lumens compared with 150mA / 2.8 lumens per LED for LEDs of similar characteristics. The lower current using NiMh batteries may result in longer operating time depending on battery capacity. Perceptually there is a small difference visible in the light intensity and the choice will be yours, weighing convenience against brightness required. Certainly with both types of battery the units are very bright. Using good alkalines, producing a healthy current at 3V, is the way to achieve the rated luminous intensity but at some point during use, alkalines will produce less light than their rechargeable counterparts due to the way they discharge. Tail-off with partially depleted batteries of either type is gradual, giving a reasonable time to continue cycling before changing batteries although with this set it is quicker than the previous set. For me, this means not carrying spares on the commute but you have to be careful to notice when the lights are losing brightness so you can replace the batteries in good time.

Comparing 7 LED and 3 LED front lights

This is difficult to do as it is quite subjective. Based on perceptual differences with no scientific basis, the 7 LED is brighter both to be seen by and seeing with. How much brighter is difficult to tell really as they are both too bright to look at.

The following two images were taken on an unlit country road with the same exposure for both lights taken from the same position. The brightness has been increased the same on each photo. You still may not be able to see much as a camera isn't as sensitive as the human eye. Consequently you may conclude they aren't for country lanes at night but, combined with a head torch, they are OK as long as you don't go too fast.

7 LED Front Light

3 LED Front Light

If when buying them there is no difference in price, it would seem sensible to get the 7 LED.

Conclusion

Overall, this is a great light set for the money (especially when you find it on offer). Ideal for winter commuting even in extreme cold (rated to -40C). For use on unlit roads or for off-road, this front unit is probably OK for occasional use, but not sufficient for regular full darkness runs or fast riding where a higher specification (and expensive) dedicated off-road light would be better.

RRP £34.99 (Wiggle offer 60% off £14)

Likes: Blindingly bright to look at (don't do it), functionality, easy mounting, battery life, price (on offer)
Dislikes: None


Quality:            9/10
Performance:        9.5/10 (for its target market)
Value for money:    9.5/10 (depending on discount)