nmanhipot

Well folks, I hope you've all been enjoying your commuting lately and that you're keeping the rubber-side down. I also hope you haven't started to think about leg and arm warmers and insulated gloves yet (oops - sorry!). With fall edging closer and closer, I've been running my lights more on that early morning commute and have been appreciating the advance of lighting technology - lighter, brighter, longer-lasting, more durable head lights with improved battery technology, etc. While I have to admit that my new lighting system has helped me relax more in the dark knowing that it's obnoxiously bright and more reliable than my old system, what I've really enjoyed lately is a new GPS we received as a gift from a family member. I don't have a bike-specific GPS, but instead have one of the new sleek units commonly found in a car. Very quickly I purchased two bar-mounts for it for the road bike and the commuter-mobile.

I recently over-cooked the start of a century ride and had to bail out early and with a few touches of the screen, I knocked at least 15 miles off my route and was able to coast-easy back to the start-finish. While I was somewhat disappointed about not finishing my goal, at least I didn't have to worry about vultures pecking at my eyeballs ten miles from the car, so, I nominate the GPS as my new "favorite toy of the year."

What's yours? What piece of equipment, clothing or accessory has brightened your day or maybe even saved your bacon?

Edit: Note: The VLCC is open to everyone who wishes to participate. The concept is to encourage those who in their minds have a "very long" commute. There is no mileage standard, feel free to come in and hang out.

Navy_Chief

Right now my favorite is my new Crank Brothers Quattro pedals. Much more comfortable than the Forte CR-150's I was riding before. We will have to see how things shake out but I think that the 150's were the cause of the Neuromas I developed in my feet, they definitely feel much better on the new pedals. Now if I could just learn the correct technique for getting clipped into these...

Chief

nubcake

right now its my rack/panniers because carrying a backpack was getting old very quickly...actually it was making me feel old, it killed my back.

Other than that im still lusting for my new road frame which is a lightspeed classic, it rides soooo much better than my old giant

nmanhipot

Yep. The backpack was the first thing to go when I got serious about commuting. I'm sure it works for a lot of people, but if feels so liberating having that weight literally off your back.

Just to clarify, do you have the Lightspeed Classic now?

bayareawheeler

hooking dad up PHAT!

he came up to visit so i sent him home with a full carbon roadie with ultegra, and just purchased a garmin 305 to ship out to him also...just hoping this thing takes off or im out some money haha. He is also excited (currently rides the gym bikes for hours, now is going to ride to the gym etc)

awesome to watch and help (of course since dad got the Garmin I ordered myself some carbon tubies haha - dont tell the wife, o dear )

nmanhipot

What a good son you are! He won't hardly be able to ride that thing for all the time he'll spend bragging to everybody about you.

MnHillBilly

My fave new toy is my combo headlight/horn/FM/AM radio that clamps to the handlebars - keeps me motivated when trying to climb my own personal Aple d'Huez on the way home. It isn't always appreciated by passers-by, but it's safer than wearing earphones and keeps me at least heard if not seen.

evblazer

Reflectix radient barrier insulation!
Made a nice little pouch for my (edit: camelback) bladder and wrapped my hose in it. A simple tyvek bubble wrap envelope was working pretty well but I hope this works even better at keeping my water cool plus it will keep the water in the hose cool too.
I tried the camelback black hose thing but it doesn't help very much in the heat.

Zin

What qualifies as a "Very Long Commute?"

Tyrell

My favorite toy: Definitely by bell! It makes such a happy sound...sometimes I ring it just to hear it and smile (I ride some out-there-all-alone roads on my commute).

Although not a toy, my panniers have been wonderful additions for my commute!! Never liked wearing a backpack and bungee-cording a bag onto the rear rack was a bit awkward.

evblazer

A commute that is very long to you. Even if you don't have a commute that is very long to you I think you can feel free to read and contribute.

This always seems to come up. I think whoever makes the first post for the week needs to stick something like that at the bottom of their post (just the first post not like forever in their signature)


Oh and my new favorite toy tommorow hopefully will be my new bag. My angletech aerotrunk. I don't think it'll make the bike faster then without any bags (although some claim it does) but it has to be better then with two ortlieb bags flanking the rear wheel making a nice parachute. At least that is what I'm going to keep telling myself.

nmanhipot

That would be subjective. If it's "long" to you, welcome to the club, but the thread is for anyone who's interested in the subject at hand.

nmanhipot

Duly noted. Will edit the OP.

nmanhipot

I'm glad you're enjoying the new pegs. I hate cheap pedals with a passion! When I purchased my budget commuter bike a last year, the pedals wore out within about three months. I took them apart with the intention of rebuilding them, but the bearings had rusted with all the rain and subsequent bike washes we had. There were I think 19 bearings on one side and 15 on the outside. I was all set to rebuild until I found out I couldn't even find replacement BB's at the nearest bike shop or the hardware store, so I pitched them. After trying a few different models out, I finally went to back to my Dura-Ace road pedals. Zero worries there - ever!

Zin

Thanks for the clarification!

My new toy, once I pay it off, will be a 2008 Trek Portland. I currently commute on the single speed or the MTB. Single speed is killing my knees, and I'm just way to lazy to push the MTB everyday.

nmanhipot

That is a sweet, sweet ride. Some people dis' on recumbents, but I like anything that pedals. The bag looks ample for everything. I'm using a Trek Interchange trunk bag and I constantly complain to myself about the limited space - even with the side pockets. It has the zip-out panniers, but the Fred-factor just goes through the sky when I start fastening the zip ties loops to the rear skewer. Brrrr! I need a better set-up.

nmanhipot

How do you like it? That was my dream bike when I was shopping around. I settled on my Schwinn DBX which has been a faithful, but highly-modified steed. I'm going to have to take some pics of it and have a "name that bike" contest. It's all black and Freddy so I was thinking about "The black swine" or something equally denigrating.

Zin

I have only been able to test ride it. I have it on layaway at the LBS. Can't wait to get it on the road!
On the test ride it felt Awesome! I'll be putting full fenders and the Topeak disc/rack on it to go along with my Topeak bag/pannier combo.

I should have it out some time in September, I hope!

I'll let you know how it works out once I get it on the road.

Marylandnewbie

Not so much a new toy comment, but does anyone have problems with the Cateye Velo 8 bike computer incorrectly registering distance? I ride the same route every day, but depending upon the speed of my ride the length of my commute can vary by more than a quarter mile. Some variation could occur just from weaving in and out of obstacles, but a quarter mile or more seems excessive.

nubcake

yup, she's still my daily driver.

maryland newbie check to make sure the wheel magnet is as close to the sensor as possible without touching and other than that do you ever notice your computer reads 0mph while ridding randomly because if thats the case and the magnet is close to the sensor then the wiring harness might be dying. You can order a new one pretty cheap or you can be like me and get sick of dealing with them dying and just upgrade to a wireless. still dont know why my road bike kills harnesses without any obvious reason (wire looks perfect) but my mtn bike has had the same one for years and it see's ALOT of abuse??

kokomo61

I had to read the whole post twice to realize you were talking about a Camelbak-type bladder, and not sticking insulation down your shorts.

Marylandnewbie

I'll have to check magnet alignment, although I thought it was fine. I just started using this computer at the beginning of the summer so I doubt its a battery issue could be a wiring harness problem, although the wire looks fine. I've not seen a 0 mph display, but on previous computers when that cropped up it was a fading battery. Most vexing of all is the fact that some days it seems to work fine, but other days it gets the distance wrong.

evblazer

Ok when you quote just that part of the post it really sounds uhm.. disturbing.

I prefer newspaper for winter breeze control.

evblazer

Days you ride with a really really low tire pressure? Taking off the computer and walking it somedays and not others? 1/4 mile does seem like a bit though but just because the computer is new to you doesn't mean it didn't sit on the shelf for years before you got it.