Tight Fits

¾ lengths, tights and fluro training jackets have been the order of this week thanks to falling temperatures, cobalt skies and regular cloudburst. These GT are old favourites, staples, entering their fourteenth year of service. Had a sibling pair, though these were written off during a  tangle with terra-firma  back in December 2001.

After some further deliberation and experimentation, I’ve acquired a remote trigger for the Geonaute, thus overcoming the push button lottery when seeking to capture short action sequences.

This is a genuine part-I’ve had mixed results pairing pattern triggers and still cameras, so wasn’t prepared to risk buying twice and wasting money.  A receptive range of five metres gives plenty of scope.

Handlebar was the most obvious choice but since I regularly alternate between fixer and tubby tourer (let alone test mounts), tethering via crocodile clip to nelson/breast pockets of my various technical jackets seemed a better solution.

This avoids potential interference with wireless computers and makes best use of said action cam’s user friendly features. Therefore, £12 well spent, bringing the running total to £162. Question is; can I resist further, organic upgrading-bolt on playback screens, spare Li-on cells and similar goodies? 

Frankly, it’s a matter of reining myself in and maximising its existing potential.

While primarily purchased with a positive ride-capturing mind-set, it would appear road users of all denominations are increasingly acquiring action cams to demonstrate poor/dangerous road craft and mitigate themselves from any wrong-doing.

Anecdotally, the past few outings suggest drivers are more aware of the helmet mounting, thus overtake and generally behave more graciously, though there remains a hardcore of “punishment passers” and not just cars/commercial vehicles.

Curiously enough, some lone riders sporting club colours have literally overtaken within a hairs’ breadth of my elbow, despite turning a steady 18-20mph and clear, wide roads. Thankfully, they’re very much the exception and usually strike when I’m aboard the Univega…

Frankly, policing other people’s behaviour, or discussing the finer points of road etiquette aren’t my fortes, thus I simply respond with a polite, cheery greeting and hustle along at 80-90rpm.  

By contrast, I’m drawn to other people’s lighting systems-blinkies in particular have a really hypnotic effect along unlit roads characterised by dense, overhanging forestry.  

Driving home at dusk the other evening, I slowed behind a rider winching himself along the intensifying incline. Dropping the KA into second and easing past with a ten foot gap, I admired the 29er but was most captivated by the pulsing of his high power lamp.

Indicating and gradually easing back to the left, glancing in the rear view mirror confirmed they were using either a Magic Shine MJ808-E, or One23 Extreme Bright 1000-my fixer’s default see-by winter lamp.

Despite a slightly low-rent lens and reflector, its’ surprising just how spellbinding this sort of output is and how effectively the aluminium headlamp diffuses glare. Some uber systems can be painfully uncomfortable for the rider, let alone other road users or small mammals.

Nonetheless, I’ve resurrected its 2000lumen sibling, which also offers phenomenal bang for very modest buck. However, my sample was let down by a slightly whippy bracket that chattered annoyingly over washboard tarmac. Introducing some silicone putty to proceedings has cured this particular ill.

Talking of lights, while my latest temp gig keeps the lights on and cupboards relatively full, it’s not “feeding my soul” and fuelling some underlying frustrations. Therefore, the solution lies in a creative role capable of nurturing existing soils. 

Staffer’s jobs, let alone anything contract or part time have become rare as hen’s teeth. Time for some serious miles to stimulate lateral thought and those all important reactive sparks...

Reportage!

The 32gb Micro SD card’s arrival coincided with my own, somewhat reluctant return from the marvellous midlands…

K-Edge and modified Delkin Brackets seem to be doing their thing handsomely, although given the levels of distortion, I’m now convinced resin handlebar tidies/extension beams aren’t ideal platforms. Thankfully the padded leather bar wrap proves a better host. In any case, I picked up a model specific helmet kit while mooching around Decathlon on Friday evening.

This present spec would bring the total cost to around £150, though includes the biggest card possible, some lateral thought and experimentation. Like the idea of a plug in LCD screen but this is a luxury for another time-if at all.

I

mage and build quality continue to impress and functions are intuitive, allowing easy operation, even when hurtling into hairpin descents. However, I need to resolve low-level vibration before its true potential is realised, or anything serious committed to you tube.

Talking of tubes, the resin end of my uber long workshop tyre fitting wand mysteriously fractured, so I contacted Cyclo’s distributors, seeking to purchase a replacement directly.

Despite being a couple of months outside of warrantee, Weldtite kindly sent me another free of charge along with some other “taster” products. A lovely gesture and means I can resume effortless tyre (or indeed, tire) swapping.  www.weldtite.co.uk

Elsewhere, we’re reaching the penultimate stages in our collaboration, so hopefully herculean effort will translate into tangible reward very, very shortly.   

       

Back to the Bodge Box

Well, after all that fuss n’ fanfare, the K-Edge & Geonaute polycarbonate shell combo proved decidedly disappointing. Specifically, persistent low-level road vibrations induced perpetual and distinctly infuriating slippage. Clearly struck by a Eureka moment, I returned from an early evening’s backwater blast and began rifling through a series of clear Perspex boxes.

By this point, frustration was such that I was thinking of helmet mounting when ten minutes later-Bingo! The Wingman’s resin bar bracket materialised, proving fully compatible with case and oversized bulge diameters, though I had to forgo the standard bolt in favour of a super stocky UV resistant zip-tie.

Successive dry runs along the lane confirmed rock solid, blur-free tenure, inducing a tremendous sense of achievement (not to mention uncharacteristically large grin).

Knog’s Qudos action video light materialised at the tail end of last week, which is similarly pleasing. Coming from a design company, I wasn’t surprised (though suitably impressed) by the sleek metal box and foam packaging which keeps everything safe and secure in storage/transit. Foraging inside revealed a beautifully executed light, slightly reminiscent of their Blinder Road2 lamp fed a steroid diet.

Ours was anodised black, though silver is no less alluring and will arguably age more gracefully. Now, somewhat sensibly, the mounting bracket is a Go-Pro pattern, so I’d anticipated some compatibility challenges with the G-Eye.

First and foremost insufficient spacing meant the two were literally butting heads, especially with the cameras’ polycarbonate housing in situ. After much head scratching/trial n’ error, I overcame this obstacle by resurrecting the Wingman and K-Edge brackets before reintroducing said gizmos as separates.

Knog also include a cold shoe tripod mount designed compatible with DSLR convergence work (another area of image making that has slowly but surely pricked my consciousness) in mind. Indeed, the Qudos is another example of the Australian marque’s consistently improving build quality.

Aluminium is an obvious choice for headlamp housings-rugged and lightweight it also displaces heat more efficiently than cheaper resins, so those three Cree diodes and circuitry stand a sporting chance of enjoying old age. Its’ also water resistant to 40 metres-130ft or so, giving potential for scuba and other submergible action. 

Now, 400lumens sounds impressive and in bike lighting terms is good enough for sprightly canters in semi-rural contexts.However, despite the Sports Action tag; I have suspicions this will require support from an uber lumen handlebar amp for capturing moonlit blasts, let alone trail antics. 

Those looking for more subtle illumination will be pleased to note its 70 lumen setting is claimed to sip the fully loaded 1,000 m AH lithium polymer cell for four hours, whereas the former is reckoned good for 40odd minutes.

That said; batteries are available separately and I’m thinking there’s some scope for emergency bike lighting, should your mains system flake out in sticksville.  Well, I’ll leave it here for now and will report back once a bigger micro SD card arrives…

The staying prowess of Btwin Teflon lube continues to astound me. We cruised through the 1100mile barrier on a single application and though about due replenishment, my fixer’s stainless steel chain still sported a protective film and minimal contaminant. 

Let’s see what the season of falling leaves, rich colours and damper roads reveals. Talking of which; I must crawl beneath the KA and give its underside and sills a routine basting of home brewed corrosion inhibitor before too long.