Tips on winter commuting/riding in the dark

[andyoxon]

I'm using a couple of 'anti-glare' front lights  - not bad, pretty bright with good beam shape.  Hi & Low, also with slow burst flash.   Not great life of 2hrs+ on max output with built in battery (fine for commuting), but they will operate off a battery pack.  Not sure exactly how 'waterproof' they are yet.   Metal construction.  Rear light is fairly useless.  Never use the mount supplied - TwoFish lockblock instead.

Look like this... (£10-15+)


LED is in top surface, & anti-glare beam shaped by mirror surface.

PXL_led1 by a oxon, on Flickr

[velosam]

I think most things have been covered. I used to commute that distance and on reflection this is what worked for me-
1. Keeping my feet warm. I had winter boots but they are heavy and could really feel the weight. So maybe non vented shoes and decent socks

2. Staying dry helps, so decent gear.

3. Take your time, so not rushing means that you acan enjoy the ride.

4. M+ tired. You can't do quick anyway and it's all good training, so these are a must for me.

5. I would add headphones. Having a podcast or music on long featureless stretches is a boon.

6. Good lighting and hi viz. As long as you feel you are well lit up, mentally it's just helps relax a little bit more

Happy riding

[BFC]

A quick check over of the bike after each journey reduces panic repairs before setting off on the next one. Basic check is a visual once over, and does the bike steer and bounce as normal without any unusual rattles (checks tyre pressures and what is due to fall off soon).
A mid shift tyre check is worthwhile.

If you have not had cause to use the pump on the bike for a while, test it at home when doing a routine pressure test/top up. I have had a few pumps that became dodgy or totally failed, some were not fixable without replacement parts, not a big problem on a group ride but not many sociable cyclists on the average commute.

I always traveled with spare tubes, but did keep puncture kit, a spare tube and a spare tyre at work and had access to a full range of tools in a nice warm building with a rather large "garage" area. The regular cyclists in the building brought a workstand and track pump from Aldi/Lidl which I assume are still there (I have retired).

[Kim]

If you have not had cause to use the pump on the bike for a while, test it at home when doing a routine pressure test/top up. I have had a few pumps that became dodgy or totally failed, some were not fixable without replacement parts, not a big problem on a group ride but not many sociable cyclists on the average commute.

Very good advice.  Similarly, regularly check the state of the glue in your repair kit.

I tend to carry a CO2 inflator as well.  Mainly as insurance against hanging around too long in the cold, but it saved me from pump-related doom (wrong valve, rather than broken pump) on one occasion.

One of those adaptors that lets a Schrader pump fit a Presta valve is well into "Items so small and potentially useful you might as well carry them" territory, as your chances of begging/borrowing/stealing a Schrader-only pump from a non-roadie cyclist or motorist are generally greater.

[quixoticgeek]

One of those adaptors that lets a Schrader pump fit a Presta valve is well into "Items so small and potentially useful you might as well carry them" territory, as your chances of begging/borrowing/stealing a Schrader-only pump from a non-roadie cyclist or motorist are generally greater.

I keep mine fitted to my valves all the time, I have a nice dust cap for them, and they stay fitted, one on each wheel. They are so so so so so so so so useful. One saved my RatN, when my pump wouldn't seal on the presta side, but would on the schraeder side. Also mean you can use compressors at petrol stations.

J

[telstarbox]

Can you (K or QG) recommend a particular one of those please?

[Kim]

I'm not sure where mine came from.  Possibly Home Bargains puncture repair kits or similar.  Or they just breed at the bottom of a sufficiently well-stocked box of bike junk.

[quixoticgeek]

Can you (K or QG) recommend a particular one of those please?

I got mine on ebay in 2017. Item is amazingly not listed anymore...

But the title was "2 x Presta to Schrader Valve Adapter Converter" I got them sent within the UK, and they cost was £4.19 for the pair delivered...

Mine do not have orings in them.

J

[LittleWheelsandBig]

Kool-Stop made the first good presta adaptor on the market. http://www.koolstop.com/english/accessories.html

[quixoticgeek]

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001591820496.html

These are close to what I have (I just took it off the bike, under the dirt it's black and there is an oring in there afterall).

I have these dust caps:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32835584698.html

I have silver ones on the Brompton. Red ones on the big bike.

Other sources are available.

J

[quixoticgeek]

My light arrived from ali express. First impressions, do not look at light while turning on... also ow. Also bright.

I wanna try it on the Brompton, only thing I'm not sure about is a) which battery pack to use, and b) where to mount it so it's dry.

A small update on this light:



Cycling home from the station last night, the light fell off it's mount. Looks like the screw has rattled loose...

J

[Cudzoziemiec]

Arrived at railway station Friday morning with my permanently on dyno lights. Pressed the discharge capacitor switch to turn off the B&M Topline at the rear. Great. Later, riding again, noticed that the rear light was not working. Not a problem, didn't anticipate any night riding, but annoying. Suspected wiring, but all looked okay. Suspected capacitor discharge switch doing something odd. Beyond my level of checkability. But one of the people I was camping with is an electrician. However, getting into a B&M rear light is not really non-destructively possible, it being a glued body. However, we confirmed that the problem was definitely in the rear light itself. There was some condensation visible in one corner. On Sunday evening, it miraculously worked again. There was no condensation visible. Perhaps the condensation had caused some short circuit? Dunno, but it's a good light when it works.

[Genosse Brymbo]

..., but it's a good light when it works.

And there you have my experience of B&M lights in a nutshell.

[Kim]

Arrived at railway station Friday morning with my permanently on dyno lights. Pressed the discharge capacitor switch to turn off the B&M Topline at the rear. Great. Later, riding again, noticed that the rear light was not working. Not a problem, didn't anticipate any night riding, but annoying. Suspected wiring, but all looked okay. Suspected capacitor discharge switch doing something odd. Beyond my level of checkability. But one of the people I was camping with is an electrician. However, getting into a B&M rear light is not really non-destructively possible, it being a glued body. However, we confirmed that the problem was definitely in the rear light itself. There was some condensation visible in one corner. On Sunday evening, it miraculously worked again. There was no condensation visible. Perhaps the condensation had caused some short circuit? Dunno, but it's a good light when it works.

Seems likely.  I expect the discharge button triggers a FET or thyristor or something (which will keep it discharging until there's no charge left to keep the discharge circuit working, so you only need a quick press of the button), so potentially only a very small current would have to flow to trigger it.  Quite possibly through the switch itself, which you can't apply a waterproof coating to the innards of the way you can a circuit board.

B&M have previous for optimistic choice of switches for rear lights.  My 4DToplight Multis both got an annual squirt of silicone switch lubricant to prevent misbehaviour when wet.

I suppose there aren't any good positions for breather holes on a rear light, which is potentially subject to upward spray from the tyre as well as downward spray from the weather.

[Cudzoziemiec]

The one I have has an additional feature of "straight in" connectors for bare wires in addition to the normal spade switches. These are on the top of the light, IIRC.

[Kim]

The one I have has an additional feature of "straight in" connectors for bare wires in addition to the normal spade switches. These are on the top of the light, IIRC.

Oh yes, I'd forgotten about those.   

[Cudzoziemiec]

TBH the only thought I'd given them until now was "why?" but now I can add to the "why not" list.

[Kim]

I used them when I fitted the tailbox to the Baron, as they meant I could fit the light flush against the flat vertical surface without any lumpy bits.  They work well enough as connectors, but yes, obvious point of water ingress.