Pimp My Bike
My trip to walmart went well. Me and Hannah spent an hour in the hardware, automotive, bicycle, and sporting goods sections getting stuff to attach to my bike. Upon returning home I took care of the tires first. I put about 3/4 can of fix-a-flat in the back tire and the rest in the front. After filling both tires to 65psi I went for a mile ride to let the stuff circulate. It feels much better to ride when the tires are full. We'll find out tomorrow morning if I have to add any more air.
My next "upgrades" were meant to make my bike more visible to prevent getting hit on my commute. First, I added tireflys. They are these little lights that screw into the schrader valves on the wheels. While you move they flicker with bright LEDs. Next, I added a flashing taillight to the back of my helmet. I tried to add it to the bike but I couldn't find a place to hook it to. My trunk is in the way of the seatpost. Finally, I added two 12x18" flags w/poles on the back. It worked out perfectly that the locking brackets on my trunk box have holes that the poles will snugly fit into. As a further safety precaution I added a mirror to the left side of the handlebars. I'm not sure how well it will work. I thought it would fit inside of the handlebar, replacing the endcap. Instead it velcros around the grip on the end and doesn't seem to solid.
My final upgrades were purely for my enjoyment. I got a replacement cell phone a couple months ago that has a built in MP3 player with a speaker on it. I normally fold it over one of the cables on the front. I can hear it great as long as I'm barely moving and there's no wind or traffic. Obviously this is less than ideal. Well, as we were walking to the checkout we passed the electronic department and I saw a little amplified speaker box designed for an Ipod. So I hooked it to the frame with a hose clamp. The wire isn't long enough to connect to my phone's normal spot so I had to mount a cell phone clip on the frame with another hose clamp. The end result is exactly what I wanted -- I now have the perfect volume.
By the time I finished I didn't want to do any elliptical. I'll just log my shopping and tinkering in DP and call it good:)
My next "upgrades" were meant to make my bike more visible to prevent getting hit on my commute. First, I added tireflys. They are these little lights that screw into the schrader valves on the wheels. While you move they flicker with bright LEDs. Next, I added a flashing taillight to the back of my helmet. I tried to add it to the bike but I couldn't find a place to hook it to. My trunk is in the way of the seatpost. Finally, I added two 12x18" flags w/poles on the back. It worked out perfectly that the locking brackets on my trunk box have holes that the poles will snugly fit into. As a further safety precaution I added a mirror to the left side of the handlebars. I'm not sure how well it will work. I thought it would fit inside of the handlebar, replacing the endcap. Instead it velcros around the grip on the end and doesn't seem to solid.
My final upgrades were purely for my enjoyment. I got a replacement cell phone a couple months ago that has a built in MP3 player with a speaker on it. I normally fold it over one of the cables on the front. I can hear it great as long as I'm barely moving and there's no wind or traffic. Obviously this is less than ideal. Well, as we were walking to the checkout we passed the electronic department and I saw a little amplified speaker box designed for an Ipod. So I hooked it to the frame with a hose clamp. The wire isn't long enough to connect to my phone's normal spot so I had to mount a cell phone clip on the frame with another hose clamp. The end result is exactly what I wanted -- I now have the perfect volume.By the time I finished I didn't want to do any elliptical. I'll just log my shopping and tinkering in DP and call it good:)
posted by Ashley Guy at 8:10 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home