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New bars, grips, light and a nice night for riding.

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Beach Cruisers Do you love balloon tires and fenders? Do you love riding the simplicity of a single gear and coaster brakes or a single gear cluster? Do you love the classic curves in the tubing of a cruiser that takes you back to the 1950's and 1960's, stylistically? Here's your home! Welcome to the Beach Cruisers and Cruisers forum!

New bars, grips, light and a nice night for riding.

Old 09-14-19, 08:48 PM
  #1  
3S1M
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New bars, grips, light and a nice night for riding.

Went to a local bike shop today that was really really nice. It's called South Shore Cyclery. It was waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay better than the Trek store I went to a couple of weeks ago.

Used bikes and tons of parts and other brand names than just two for bikes (seemed like the Trek shop just had Trek and a few other brands, this place had a bunch). I didn't ride on any but I dig the way the Haro BMX bikes looked.

Anyways.... The bars look totally out of place on my bike but I like the way the feel. The handlebars are made or sold by "cyclists choice" and they are alloy. The grips are "endzone". And the light is from a company called "Delta" and it's called something like wearable light beacon. It's got a clip for a pocket or a bracket that wraps around the bars. It's not quite as bright as a two LED light Schwinn light I have but it's pretty good. I like it cuz it was USB chargeable. I didn't really feel like swapping CR2032 in a light. The schwinn one is also chargeable. They were both about 15 bucks each.




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Old 09-15-19, 12:38 PM
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I love those kind of bars.

Makes me think of my motorcycle days and they feel good while riding, too.
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Old 09-15-19, 12:49 PM
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Don't forget to get one for the rear!......
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Old 09-15-19, 02:25 PM
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Originally Posted by FiftySix
I love those kind of bars.

Makes me think of my motorcycle days and they feel good while riding, too.
Yeah, I'm going for that dirtbike feel without needing a new stem. LOL. I wouldn't mind some bmx bars but I think I eventually just want to get a complete BMX bike. Or a bmx / cruiser type bike. I keep going back and forth if I'm too old to be trying to do wheelies and bunny hops. LOL.
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Old 09-15-19, 02:31 PM
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Originally Posted by Speedway2
Don't forget to get one for the rear!......
Yeah. I have a reflector on the rear, down by where the rim attaches. I zip tied it to there. It was the easiest way to do it without fashioning something from for higher up. Which I should do.

As for as more ligths and rear lights, budget is an issue. We've got 4 riders at times and I'm trying to outfit us all as we go. It probably would've been better to get more safety stuff than new bars but whatever. At least now we'll have two bikes with headlights. I should at least get one more headlight first. It's rare all four of us go at the same time. Most of the time it's either just me, or three of us.

I wouldn't mind a helmet for myself too. I have a hello kitty one that I might start wearing but I need to clean it and epoxy the styrofoam insert into it. It's real old and the inside part came unglued from the outer shell. I had to do that with another helmet we had too and it worked well. So.....

Then I have to see if I should paint it or just keep wearing it as Hello Kitty. All this girly stuff we have. LOL. My daughter uses an all black one and I would've worn that one but it's too small.

So many things to get, too little money. My car needs new tires, we have 6 ash trees that died that need to be cut down. And I want a motorcycle for trail riding. LOL.
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Old 09-15-19, 03:44 PM
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Night riding can be fun !
It’s still too humid around here to ride at night .
I’ve got some BMX style bars on order for my Specialized Hardrock turned Cruiser .
BMX bars came on my Specialized Roll and I’ve grown to like them .
I plan on adding an LED flashlight using a TwoFish flashlight holder for night riding . .
you should get a new helmet . Bike helmet should be disposed of if they have an issue .
Amazon sells the Schwinn Intercept Adult Micro Bicycle Helmet for less than $20 . I read it got high ratings in a test done by a college research team .

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Old 09-15-19, 04:07 PM
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Sweet looking bike! Hope you're having a lot of fun on it before the winter sets in...it has already snowed in Utah and maybe Wyoming, as it tends to at this time of year!
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Old 09-15-19, 04:13 PM
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There's a local store near here that sells LED bike lights for under 2 bucks each with 5 leds in each and multifunction (blinking and solid). If you're looking for lights, there are lots of cheap options out there. Just remember, you get what you pay for. I use rechargeable bats in all my lights and electronics. And yes, I definitely like those bars over the standard beach cruiser set ups.
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Old 09-16-19, 03:43 AM
  #9  
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Hello 3S1M and everyone else that might be looking for a decent and comfortable inexpensive helmet.

$6.97 FREE SHIPPING directimports1899 (#263829406290 on the bay)
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Carbon-Bicy...rkparms=aid%3D

This is the BEST super-inexpensive helmet that you will find anywhere on the bay or amazon or any other direct from china...

I bought this exact model in August 2019 from directimports1899 on the bay (see above).
I looked at hundreds of different super-inexpensive helmets from more than fifty Chinese sellers in mainland China.
I bought it with the intention of giving it to my neighbor, if it was comfortable and worth a dang.
It is a really good helmet. I gave it to my neighbor. He likes it, and prefers to use it WITHOUT the flimsy, lightweight snap-on black visor.
-----------
inside the helmet on the decal:
CE

DIN
________

EN 1078

-------------------------------------
------------------------------------
It is a pretty helmet too. My neighbor really likes the "conservative" BLACK+SILVER look that looks similar to carbon fiber from a distance.
My neighbor is an old guy that until about Dec 2018, had not been on any bike since 1967.
My overall impression of this $6.97 HELMET is it is at least as good as the $21 helmets at Wallyworld and Tar-Jay, the padding in this Chinese $6.97 helmet is better than those more expensive Wallyworld/Target helmets that are three times its cost.
No Joke, it is a decent helmet.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here is the exact model helmet that I wear everyday:
GUB CITY (L)
there are several sellers on the bay (#233299811713 Dayton NJ $29.59) and (#332708976105 CHINA $24.56)
The GUB CITY (L) comes in four colors, RED, WHITE, BLUE, or BLACK
The GUB CITY (L) has a molded intergral visor and the greatest skull coverage around the ears and in back. It also has perhaps the best padding of any helmet.
The GUB CITY (L) has better padding (pads) than the $6.97 helmet that I mentioned above. The GUB CITY (L) covers more of the skull.
I own every color of the GUB CITY (L) except black. I have five of these, at my residence, and at my beach house, and at my brother-in-law's mountain house.
I bought all of them from various Chinese sellers in early 2018 for various prices in the $19 to $22 range if memory serves me.
These are great helmets that are comfortable with the integral visor that is the best there is.
This GUB CITY (L) helmet IS NOT AERO SHAPED as THE REAR IS SHAPED LIKE A POLICE BIKE HELMET/FOOTBALL HELMET.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Another Helmet that might be work a look is THE YELLOW COLOR HELMET #273991747705 on the bay (bloodbike 99.7% CHINA)$16.80 free ship
I have not seen this helmet in person. A friend mentioned this particular helmet and said she really likes it. I've only seen this in the pictures on bloodbike's listing and web/phone pictures/video of her wearing her yellow helmet. She likes the bright yellow as it is pretty and can be seen. I agree that it looks good in yellow. That is certainly a color that will make you easily seen.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In the recent helmet thread, I think that I mentioned that ROCKBROS has a great yellow helmet and a helmet with a built in light too, but that helmet is around fifty bucks.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

THESE ARE JUST SUGGESTIONS THAT MIGHT HELP SOMEONE FIND A DECENT HELMET THAT THEY WILL WEAR BECAUSE IT IS COMFORTABLE ENOUGH TO WEAR, and yet Inexpensive enough so they actually get a helmet to wear.
You aren't gonna find any $7 used helmet at the GOODWILL or SALVATION ARMY thrift store that is nearly as nice as that $6.97 HELMET linked above.
I seriously doubt that you'll find a new helmet locally at Target or Walmart for $21 that is better than that exact $6.97 HELMET from directimports1899 in CHINA.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PLEASE, Think About It, YOU ARE WORTH IT! If not for you, please wear a helmet for all the loved ones in your life! Helmet hair is not nearly as bad as your skull doing the humpty-dumpty on the pavement. Yes, the odds that it might happen are low, but look at it this way, it is more likely than you getting struck by lightning or getting bit by a shark.... Wear some helmet, even if is old and beat up..........something is better than nothing.....
I probably should stop mentioning Helmet importance because people probably are tired of it, but it is important enough that I cannot.
Hopefully, folks that are aren't wearing one, will consider getting one and wearing it, BEFORE THE UNTHINKABLE HAPPENS.
Football season is back on tv. When I was a little kid, there were NO facemasks on football helmets. They allowed those that came into the NFL before the facemask requirement to be play without facemask. I recall Bobby Lane was without one, when everybody else had one. This was in the early days of the NFL on tv around 1960 or so. NHL Hockey players didn't wear helmets until after I graduated from college. There were no baseball batting helmets either..................
Hockey players had no teeth and plenty of baseball players were too dazed to play in a doubleheader after getting beaned........concussions......uh.....yep, they didn't really take them seriously at a sport level before about 1970................as it was the how many fingers test, and where are you, who am i Questions.
Adventure BEFORE DEMENTIA, The Older You Get, The More Important it is to NOT ACT YOUR AGE!
Great, but you've got to stay in good physical health to maximize that adventure. WEAR A HELMET, AND WEAR CLOTHING THAT CAN BE SEEN IF YOU WILL BE RIDING ON THE ROAD IN HIGH TRAFFIC AREAS.
Enjoy your bicycle and ride it as often you can when the weather permits. You may want to consider your route that you ride based on traffic and weather and time of day. Be smart. Have fun!
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Old 09-16-19, 08:37 AM
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Good lighting at night sure is necessary if you have any car traffic around you.

This morning, I left the house around 5:50am to drive downtown for a service call. I was driving my minivan down a posted 30 mph street near my destination around 6:30am and came across two cyclists riding down the 4 lane road.

One on a road bike wearing lycra, but he only had a rear red flasher. He was invisible from the front.

Another was riding in regular clothing and had panniers with an apparent load, he had no lights front or rear. He was invisible until within close range.

The streets were lit, but the bicyclists disappeared amongst the car lights.

Funny thing is I was next to a HPD SUV during this time with a full sized rear window decal declaring the safe passing distance city law for vehicles to bikes. 3' for cars and 6' for commercial trucks. The HPD SUV didn't bother to roll down their window and tell the bicyclists to light up.

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Old 09-16-19, 11:43 AM
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I really like the handlebars. They do seem to change the feel of the bike, cuz they're lighter and smaller. The balance almost feels a little strange but my hands are in a much more comfy position. My wrists don't feel like they're in an awkward position. When first riding the bike I really liked the crusier bars but after a while I starting longing for something straighter.

Lights for a couple of dollars are CHEAP. Wow. I've not seen them that low. The Schwinn one I bought at Kmart works really well. But I do see the set with the red one for the rear too. I should pick up some of those.

Helmets.... LOL. I don't like the way most of them look. I should probably get over looks and get the cheap on for safety. But they are seriously ugly. I like a normal looking type helmet. But these are expensive. LOL:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...KIKX0DER&psc=1

I pumped up my tires last night too and it felt like a different bike. They're at about 50 psi now but they had gotten a little soft from the last time I pumped them up. I think one was at a little over 40 and the other one was at 35. Blaaaaaaah. I'm tempted to try it even harder than 50. My tire says 40-65. It's weird though. My wifes bike has very similar tires and it says 40psi on them. No range..... 40 does seem kind of low though.
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Old 09-20-19, 03:23 PM
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Old 09-20-19, 09:11 PM
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Nice bars. Who cares what they look like. Comfort is king!

The beacon is not a bad light at 50 lumens for $15 and rechargeable. I'd prefer something brighter but I understand about budgets and outfitting multiple bikes for the family.
It's great if you're just tooling around the neighborhood and if multiple bikes are running them, you have better visibility.

Careful with cheap rear lights. Too many rely on them and assume they can be seen. Yes those basic $10 AAA battery lights work but only at night and be sure to keep good batteries in them. Too many riders have a false sense of security running them but don't realize how poor they are as the batteries get weak.

Looks like on a few of the bikes you have stock pedals with reflector inserts which are actually quite effective for being seen. Many young folks run around without lights in dark clothing but if they at least have the pedal reflectors I can see them readily.

Enjoy riding with your family.
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Old 09-21-19, 01:34 PM
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Yeah, all 4 of the bikes have pedal reflectors.
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Old 09-22-19, 03:18 PM
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I tried riding my wifes bike last night because it had rained and the streets were a little wet. But her seat / saddle is very uncomfy for me. It's got that concaveness to it and wants you in a specific spot. Mine is flat and more forgiving and I can slide back further on it.

So I just put up with possibly getting wet. I didn't though.
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