Lights

I have been riding the commuting Trek in the pre-dawn hours using only its Novatech dyno hub and B and M front and rear LED lights. The front Lumotec is adequate for darkish and semi-lit suburban streets. But it doesn't illuminate road signs, parked cars, walkers, or oncoming unlit bicycles. So, as a compromise, I have starting use my Princetontec EOS headlamp on blinking mode, which will supposedly last 25 hours at full power, so I don't need to worry about recharging it very often.

It perfectly lights up signs, reflective pedestrians, parked cars, and even the road ahead--albeit every other second. This is a pretty good solution. Although I love the EOS light at full power, unblinking, it needs to be charged every three days. And if I ride home in the dark, it needs to be charged more often. Slight pain.

I built a dyno wheel for the slush mobile, too. So if it ever snows (I have my doubts), I'll be ready.

More Hi-Viz and Sun Protection

I continue to experiment with all things hi-viz. I like hi-viz t-shirts for riding in, but I don't like having my arms exposed to the sun for long periods. That crusty, leathery look can't be good; my startled doctor suggested maybe I should consider covering my arms.

For a number of summers I wore a long-sleeved, super lightweight Melanzana polyester base layer, but it only came in blue and tan, so I needed to wear a hot vest in order to be hi-viz. Then I switched to long-sleeved hi-viz biking jerseys, but they were, well, biking jerseys. The pockets in back are handy, but otherwise, not what I want. So last summer I tried out arm coolers, super-thin wicking fabric that stays cool even in heat. Worn with an ordinary hi-viz t-shirt, it has been a pretty nice solution.
 


So next summer I'm going to try another hi-viz/sun shade product, namely a neck shade that I can fasten to my helmet. It's designed for a hard hat, not a bicycle helmet, but it fits perfectly. And it's HI_VIZ! Perhaps it's enough hi-viz that I don't need to wear a hi-viz shirt! It's certainly dorky enough that I don't need to wear a big red nose in order to look like a clown.