Do you see the light ?

Last Monday, I was finally able to finish setting up our bikes with rear lights so we could start commuting to work. While the front lights were a breeze fit, the rear lights were a problem as the mounts for the light go on the seat post, yet we already have a bike lock mounted there on my bike and a tool bag on Polka Dot Lisa’s bike.

After much looking and planning, I figured out that I could bolt a hand made aluminum bracket to the seat mount bolt where it sticks out under the seat. For my bike a longer bolt was required to allow the bracket and nut to fit while Polka Dot Lisa’s bike just required a nut.

First of all I started on my bike as it looked like it was going to be the easier of the two. I purchased a strip of 20mm wide aluminum from Bunnings for a few dollars and drilled a hole to fit over the seat bolt. I then determined the length required, cut and filed it nice and clean and then drilled a hole to bolt the light mount onto. I couldn’t mount the light bracket yet as it would have gotten in the way of bolting on the bracket to the seat mount bolt. Once bolted firm under the seat, I bolted the light mount on and then checked the position of the light. A few attempts taking the bracket off and on to give it a few strategic bends, resulted in the light tucked in close and neat to the seat. It looks like it was made to work with the seat from the factory- good job!

Polka Dot Lisa’s bike was another matter. The tool bag mount clamps onto the seat rails, leaving bugger all access to the seat mount bolt and even if I did make a bracket, the light would get in the way of the bags zipper. So what to do? I started making a similar bracket to my bike but that soon turned sour so I tried bending a bracket to slip into the loop on the back of the bag. Unfortunately, that was flimsy at best and I couldn’t be sure that a few big bumps wouldn’t see the light falling off. Back to plan A and a bracket off the seat mount bolt.

My second attempt at a direct bolt bracket saw more attention being paid to the bends in it to- 1. Allow access to the bolt to tighten it up; 2. Enable the bracket to clear the tool bag mounts and; 3. Sit hard down on the tool bags zipper (to stop the bracket wobbling and vibrating over every bump) but far enough out from the seat to allow the bracket to be pushed up when you want to open the bags zipper. While this meant that the light wasn’t tucked up under the seat as well as my bike, given the restrictions of the tool bag- it was a pretty good result all in all.

The next day (Tuesday) we rode to work in the morning via Rushall Station and down Brunswick Street. It may not be the most direct route but we don’t have to deal with Queens Parade and the cars zooming by. The only annoying part is we have to dismount and walk the bikes under the station underpass.

I have to wear my cycling shoes with my pedals so I jam my skate sneakers into my bag (which is a bit of a squeeze) and change shoes at work. After trying to remove my shoes from my backpack at work (which is also holding my laptop, mouse, power brick, discs, keys, wallet, mobile, wireless modem, diary and plenty more) I contemplate buying some shoes to keep at work for ride to work days. It will mean one less thing to lug about and cram into my already over stuffed bag.

I also wear the pants protector that my mum made for me, around my right ankle to keep my jeans out of the chain ring. I figured I would need something like this for commuting and tucking into socks doesn’t really work that well, so I enlisted mum into sewing one for me with some reflective ribbon I purchased for safety. It works a charm, is comfortable and we are at work in about 10 minutes.

After work we ride home in the dark and we're happy with how the lights work. No cars hit us and in the dark back streets of North Fitzroy we change the front light from blinking to steady beam so we can actually see the road (yeah- its THAT dark). The ride across the foot bridge over the creek was a tad spooky in the dark but it’s all ok and we are home before we know it.

Overall the ride is a nice start to the day and I can see us riding to work several times a week, which mean more exercise in my weight dropping regime.

Do you see the light ?