Headlamp on my Road Bike

So, I broke down the other day and installed my old halogen headlamp on my road bike (only when commuting to work)... I have to admit, it looks funny on my nice road bike. And I had to get creative with the mounting bracket because of the tapered handlebars. But, I can certainly tell the difference in how drivers react when they see me compared to when I didn't have a headlamp. Especially in the morning since there's not as much daylight. I can tell that drivers generally give me more space before pulling out in front of me than they did before. Also, my headlamp is just about the same height as most side view mirrors, so when I'm cruising by cars parked on the side of the road near the "door zone" the light shines in the side view mirrors letting drivers know I'm there.

The headlamp bracket stays on the bike all the time now, but I can slip the actual lamp off very easily when not commuting to work.

Weight Loss - Surprisingly Rapid

In my estimation, I've been quite active my entire life. Throughout my working life, I've managed to run and bike throughout the week and weekends, though not religiously. Meaning, I didn't keep a regular schedule that dictated I run x miles on this day and ride x miles on that day (unless I was "training" for an upcoming race). Having said that, I considered myself to be within 2-3 lbs of my optimum weight for my height. Over the last few years I've been around 185 lbs (at 6'1" tall). A couple of years ago I do recall getting up to 187 during the holiday season.

But, after moving to Los Angeles in July 2007, I ran a half marathon in December 2007 and began riding my bike to work a few months ago about three times a week. On the weekends I generally run about 3 to 5 miles (if I feel like it) or have a longer ride. As a result, I've noticed the weight shed, and shed. When I graduated high school I weighed 175 lbs. Yesterday I weighed myself and the scale hit 168 lbs. OK, so that was right after a relatively long ride and I was slightly dehydrated. But, after re-hydrating I checked my weight again and the scale reads 170 lbs. I've lost 15-17 lbs in one year. The good thing about that is that I'm not really going to a gym and exercising. I'm just getting myself to work and back. So, when I get home, I've already had my exercise and I'm free to lay around the house!

I felt that this would be a good topic to write about because I know that weight loss is a big topic, at least in the US. For those who live within 10 miles of work, perhaps you'd enjoy riding your bike to work a couple of days per week.

Bike Peddler Take A Look Mirror

I've been doing some research on mirrors to use while riding in the city. I'm not a big fan of putting trinkets on my bike, so I've pretty much ruled out the type of mirrors that attach to the handle bars. That narrowed my search down a bit. After reading about mirrors that attach to the helmet, and bike mirrors in general, it became clear that mirrors have a tendency to vibrate with the wind and bumps while riding.

Ultimately, I've decided on getting the Bike Peddler Take A Look Mirror for US$16.00.

It's easily adjustable and it can be attached to either your eye glasses or helmet visor. I do not wear glasses but I use a mountain bike helmet so it's perfect for me.



Several time's I've been riding a long the street in the bike lane and a car or truck flies by with their tires in my lane. Hopefully, with this mirror, I'll be able to see a situation like this coming and I can move over in time to avoid a potential hazard.

Newer Brighter Cycling Jerseys - Performance Bicycle

Over the weekend I found some great deals on cycling jersey's at Performance Bicycles. I wanted to get the brightest colors I could find to increase the chances I'll be seen while riding on the road. I found exactly what I was looking for at Performance at a great price.


Price: US $19.99 (as of 21-Jul-08)

They are having a sale on jersey's so I picked up three. The neon yellow jersey really glows when out in the sunlight. The material is just the right density to allow the sweat to wick away from the body. I really like the feel of a sleeveless jersey, too!

I wore the bright neon yellow jersey this morning while riding to work and I could tell right away that the color makes a huge difference. Joggers on the sidewalk, from the other side of the street, were glancing my way and I know it wasn't because of my bulging muscles, it had to be the jersey. A lot of times when going through intersections I'll look at the people sitting in the cars waiting their turn at the light. This morning, I had a feeling that more people were watching me cross the street than usual. You could argue that I was more sensitive to this because I was trying to watch peoples reactions more closely, but I truly believe the bright jersey makes a very big difference.

Savings Calculator for Commuting by Bicycle vs. Car

Previously, I discussed my own personal cost savings calculation that illustrates how much money I can save in fuel. Since that article, I've run across a nice little online tool that takes a few inputs from you and estimates fiscal impact as well as health details that prove to be very interesting:

Inputs:
Vehicle Type
Vehicle Fuel Efficiency
Gas Price per Gallon
Daily Commute (round trip)
Days you commute by bike
Your Body Weight
Riding Speed

After entering my information, the figures are very close to what I come up with (go figure):



Click here to try it out for yourself using your personal data.

Potential Savings for Riding Your Bike to Work

So, last night I was thinking about how many times I've ridden my bike to work over the past month. I have classes on Tuesday and Thursday nights, and I usually drive to work on those days so I can go to school without smelling foul... So, I have been riding my bike to work three days a week. Actually, I kind of like that schedule. It keeps me from getting burned out on riding my bike. Let's face it, the rituals required to ride to work are a little more intensive than those to drive. But, my point is that you don't have to ride your bike to work every single day to gain from it. If you haven't noticed, I'm advocating riding your bike to work. If not everyday, at least a few times a week. You don't have to decide one day that you're going to start riding your bike to work and then throw your car away. I put together some figures that reflect my own scenario and noticed quite a huge savings thus far.

Have a look at the table below to begin to realize the cost savings. Now, the only thing I have considered is pure fuel cost. Consider that maintenance intervals on your vehicle are generally marked by mileage and you can see that not only are you spreading out the fuel re-fill instances, but also maintenance intervals. This would include many things like oil, oil filters, air filters, tires, plugs, etc...



Now, you'll probably say to yourself, 13 miles per gallon, that's terrible. Well, my Jeep is rated to get 17 miles per gallon in the city. Do I actually get that, No. Simply because there is so much idle time in my commute. An idling engine gets 0 miles per gallon. Couple that with acceleration from a complete stop all the way home and you can begin to see how that mile per gallon figure can quickly fluctuate.