Author Topic: Bike Check?  (Read 15144 times)

Re: Bike Check?
« Reply #75 on: 14 August, 2019, 10:42:00 am »
From the PBP website (
https://www.paris-brest-paris.org/index2.php?lang=en&cat=preparation&page=conseils)


Your lighting system :
You should be equipped with 2 red tail lights, one firmly attached to the bike and the other one as a backup light. Some roads are uneven, what often causes the loss of the lights.
The front light is your own choice. Some riders have only one, others have 2 or more. I use 2 front lights powered by a dynamo. The main advantage is not having to worry about carrying extra batteries or recharging a battery. Dynamo overcomes potential problems of different electrical standards in France.
To attach a light on your helmet will help you in reading map, cue sheet or road signage, in repairing a puncture, etc.

Sent from my LLD-L31 using Tapatalk


bairn again

Re: Bike Check?
« Reply #76 on: 14 August, 2019, 11:11:03 am »
From the PBP website (
https://www.paris-brest-paris.org/index2.php?lang=en&cat=preparation&page=conseils)


Your lighting system :
You should be equipped with 2 red tail lights, one firmly attached to the bike and the other one as a backup light. Some roads are uneven, what often causes the loss of the lights.
The front light is your own choice. Some riders have only one, others have 2 or more. I use 2 front lights powered by a dynamo. The main advantage is not having to worry about carrying extra batteries or recharging a battery. Dynamo overcomes potential problems of different electrical standards in France.
To attach a light on your helmet will help you in reading map, cue sheet or road signage, in repairing a puncture, etc.

Sent from my LLD-L31 using Tapatalk

I set up my lights last night - and was wondering if 2 rear lights were essential or not - so thanks for ^. 

Ive got one on my rear stay (shifted to L from R now) and another fixed to my saddlepack with another spare one in my bag just in case. 

Front light is dynohub and I've got a small battery powered front light as an emergency.  It will still be more powerful than a good few others mind.

Im scheduled for 1100 bike check Saturday but I'm aiming to get in and out as early as I can on Saturday.  I don't recall there being any kind of check on timings previously.     

Re: Bike Check?
« Reply #77 on: 14 August, 2019, 12:02:20 pm »
You willhave plenty of opportunities to pick up spare lights - normally after the first cobbled section

quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: Bike Check?
« Reply #78 on: 14 August, 2019, 12:18:04 pm »
You willhave plenty of opportunities to pick up spare lights - normally after the first cobbled section

Damn, now I need to clean my drink off the keyboard...

J
--
Beer, bikes, and backpacking
http://b.42q.eu/

FifeingEejit

  • Not Small
Re: Bike Check?
« Reply #79 on: 14 August, 2019, 04:29:05 pm »
Got 2 dynamo and 2 battery rears

A toplight on the bagman
A battery secula on the left chainstay above the guard bridge (so basically just off centre)
A dynamo secula on the right chainstay above the guard bridge (so basically just off centre)
A clip on thing on the bag loop

Hope that's enough

Front lights I've got a B&M IQ Premium and B&M IQ-X; both on a bar extender, hoping I've got the IQ-X central enough :-S

simonp

Re: Bike Check?
« Reply #80 on: 14 August, 2019, 04:48:19 pm »
I've got a Schmidt EDelux mounted centrally under the stem; a B&M IQ Speed Premium which I'll move to the left of the bars; I've made my own replacement battery which should last the whole ride*, so the dynamo is there for backup.

For rear lighting I've no dynamo light, so I'm fitting two Smart lights each with 60h run-time, on the left seat stay.

* I used this light in 2015 with the original battery. My home-made battery is lighter with 50% more capacity. I had carried a second spare battery which I never used; so this time I'm going to take a single battery for the whole ride. I didn't use a dynamo last time so had two B&M lights just in case one failed.



Re: Bike Check?
« Reply #81 on: 14 August, 2019, 05:23:36 pm »
I'm packing a second rear light mount specifically for the bike check which I won't be taking on the ride, as I don't intend having all my bags fitted for the check but don't want to just have my other light in my hand saying "don't worry, it'll be fitted on the day".

Re: Bike Check?
« Reply #82 on: 15 August, 2019, 10:50:34 am »
two lights (one red, one white and mounted on the proper side)

This is probably a silly question, but which is the proper side ? I *think* it should be the left for France, but I can't find any explicit mention of it anywhere.

FifeingEejit

  • Not Small
Re: Bike Check?
« Reply #83 on: 15 August, 2019, 11:03:51 am »
Unece lighting regs say that Lights should sit on the centre line or the offside

Sent from my BKL-L09 using Tapatalk


Re: Bike Check?
« Reply #84 on: 15 August, 2019, 11:33:41 am »
I don't intend having all my bags fitted for the check

So the bike checker doesn't get to attempt to bounce your bags off ? That seems slightly unsporting :)

Aunt Maud

  • Le Flâneur.
Re: Bike Check?
« Reply #85 on: 15 August, 2019, 12:52:48 pm »
The right side is the left side. HTH.

simonp

Re: Bike Check?
« Reply #86 on: 15 August, 2019, 12:54:59 pm »
The right side is the left side. HTH.

Très gauche.

Re: Bike Check?
« Reply #87 on: 15 August, 2019, 01:29:57 pm »
The right side is the left side. HTH.

Thanks. The previous reply left out the word left, but that's his right.

TOBY

  • hello
Re: Bike Check?
« Reply #88 on: 15 August, 2019, 07:50:17 pm »
I don't intend having all my bags fitted for the check

So the bike checker doesn't get to attempt to bounce your bags off ? That seems slightly unsporting :)

It's not a Hollywood audition

Re: Bike Check?
« Reply #89 on: 15 August, 2019, 08:38:45 pm »
Fnarr

Re: Bike Check?
« Reply #90 on: 17 August, 2019, 09:21:56 am »
What's the story with the frame badge? Does it need to be on show? I don't really have the space for it...

marcusjb

  • Full of bon courage.
Re: Bike Check?
« Reply #91 on: 17 August, 2019, 09:37:23 am »
What's the story with the frame badge? Does it need to be on show? I don't really have the space for it...

There's always a place for it - top of the rear triangle is a sensible alternative to in the main triangle (assuming you're using a diamond-frame machine!).

Edit to add - I haven't seen the thing yet - but it must be in a vertical plane, so not on top of saddlebags etc. otherwise the chip may not read well.
Right! What's next?

Ooooh. That sounds like a daft idea.  I am in!

rogerzilla

  • When n+1 gets out of hand
Re: Bike Check?
« Reply #92 on: 17 August, 2019, 10:28:18 am »
Most (but not all*) lights that mount around the seatpost with a rubber band are contoured so they are roughly horizontal when mounted.  If you mount them on the seatstay of a fairly large frame, they are usually still horizontal provided you mount them upside down.  Being designed for a thicker tube, they will often slip around, though.

*the little Velaa rechargeable LED I use for commuting makes no attempt to allow for seat angle and assumes it will be mounted to a vertical tube -  not many of those on a bike.  I superglued a thick strip of rubber padding onto the body so that it mounts perfectly level.
Hard work sometimes pays off in the end, but laziness ALWAYS pays off NOW.

Feanor

  • It's mostly downhill from here.
Re: Bike Check?
« Reply #93 on: 17 August, 2019, 04:36:45 pm »
Ive had to clean my bike down again after the clayfest bike parking at the bikecheck.

Pushing the bike along to park it up and I head a grinding noise... both front and rear brakes are choked solid with wet clay! And my cleats are not even visible beneath an inch of the stuff!

It was a fair job to wash the sticky stuff off.

Check itself was fairly cursory.
Turn lights on.
They squeezed the brakes looking for play, but didn't test their effectiveness by pushing against them.
Wiggled the bottle cages.
Never glanced at the aero bars.
C'est bon.

Feanor

  • It's mostly downhill from here.
Re: Bike Check?
« Reply #94 on: 17 August, 2019, 04:43:37 pm »
What's the story with the frame badge? Does it need to be on show? I don't really have the space for it...

There's always a place for it - top of the rear triangle is a sensible alternative to in the main triangle (assuming you're using a diamond-frame machine!).

Edit to add - I haven't seen the thing yet - but it must be in a vertical plane, so not on top of saddlebags etc. otherwise the chip may not read well.

Heres a photo of the sign which shows acceptable mounting..
https://flic.kr/p/2gYZYvc

Re: Bike Check?
« Reply #95 on: 17 August, 2019, 05:19:16 pm »
It was a fair job to wash the sticky stuff off.

There were Japanese guys outside the hotel cleaning their bikes off with a toothbrush before they went inside.

Zed43

  • prefers UK hills over Dutch mountains
Re: Bike Check?
« Reply #96 on: 17 August, 2019, 09:10:51 pm »
I got a thorough check to see if the mudguards and bottle/bottle holders were firmly attached. Also a real check of how well the brakes and lights worked. Even had to show that the backup rear light does have a solid / non-flashing mode.

The aerobars, which are borderline within regulations, didn't get *any* attention...

Judging by the bicycles that were at the concours destination machines aerobars are here to stay.

Re: Bike Check?
« Reply #97 on: 17 August, 2019, 09:15:48 pm »
Quote from: Feanor link=topic=112612.msg2419475#msg2419475

date=1566056205
It was a fair job to wash the sticky stuff off.

There were Japanese guys outside the hotel cleaning their bikes off with a toothbrush before they went inside.


Mmm.. they have my full respect.. excellent etiquette.

I cleanedmy bike before wheeling it in to the hotel

FifeingEejit

  • Not Small
Re: Bike Check?
« Reply #98 on: 17 August, 2019, 09:48:13 pm »
It was a fair job to wash the sticky stuff off.

There were Japanese guys outside the hotel cleaning their bikes off with a toothbrush before they went inside.
I just rode around in the rain a bit more...

Sent from my BKL-L09 using Tapatalk


Re: Bike Check?
« Reply #99 on: 18 August, 2019, 07:30:39 am »
I've got the frame badge (with the chip on) mounted OK, but what's the deal with the smaller one? Does that need to go on also or is one enough? If it is obligatoire, is there a specific place for it?