mountain bike: August 2010

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

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Portland Design Works Fenderbot: A Review

Back in May I reviewed the Portland Design Works RADBOT 1000. I'm happy to report the RADBOT is still going strong and it's still my favorite tail light. At the time of that review an astute reader posted a comment noting that the shape of that light and wondered if it could be modified to mount onto a fender. It turns out the fellows at Portland Design Works were already thinking along those lines and they now make a light specifically designed to mount on a fender. It's called the Fenderbot.

As you can see by the pictures, the Fenderbot looks very similar to the RADBOT. Like the RADBOT, it has a built-in reflector and it is powered by 2 AAA batteries. Close inspection reveals that the Fenderbot isn't just a repackaged RADBOT, however. Instead of the RADBOT's myriad quick-release mounting options, the Fenderbot mounts permanently to your fender. You drill two holes in your fender and bolt the light in place. The holes in the package serve as a handy drill guide.

It took me a grand total of two minutes to mount the Fenderbot on Christine's bike. I didn't even need to dig out my drill, the reamer on my Swiss Army Knife did a fine job drilling the two necessary holes. An 8mm nut and lock washer hold the Fenderbot in place.

Like the RADBOT, the changing batteries in the Fenderbot involves loosening a single screw. This screw is right above the reflector, just below the power switch and you can change the batteries without having to unbolt the light from the fender.

The Fenderbot is bright, but not as bright as the dazzling RADBOT 1000. Still plenty visible even in daylight, but drawing less power. Based on the ratings on their respective packages (200 hours vs 50 hours) the Fenderbot draws 1/4 the power that the RADBOT requires. The Fenderbot can be set to either flash or steady but lacks the the RADBOT's fancy flash-flash-POW pattern.

The Fenderbot seems light enough that it shouldn't weigh down a fender too much. If your fenders run super close to your tires I suppose clearance for the mounting bolt could be tight but it clears fine on Christine's bike. Being bolted in place, the light looks nicely integrated with the bike and (at least in theory) a bolted down light is less likely to be stolen by some light-fingered scumbag.

You may have to hunt a bit to find a Fenderbot. It's a fairly new product and Dan at PDW tells me that at least one big bike shop supplier thought the Fenderbot was "too much of niche product" and decided not to stock it. By the way, it's disclaimer time. PDW sent me this light for review and I don't have to give it back, so make of that what you will. I've known Dan through the internet since the days back when he was at Planet Bike and I was with the Bike Alliance of Washington and he helped me get a great deal on lights for our Get Lit project. Dan and the crew at PDW are folks who ride bikes and care about the stuff they make. In my last email conversation with Dan, he was really excited about the "PDW company car" which is an Aherne Cycle Truck.

So that's the lowdown on the light. Good light, secure mounting, made by good people.

Keep 'em rolling,

Kent

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Sinaia - Piatra Arsa - Cota 2000 - Sinaia

Duminica am tras o tura mai lunga cu baietii, pe post de antrenament premergator maratonului Geiger de weekendul viitor. Profilul traseului si lungimea lui sunt foarte asemanatore cu tura scurta de la Sibiu la care ne-am inscris cu totii.
Tura am inceput-o in Sinaia la conacul amicului Victor de unde am urcat cam 6-7 km pe sosea spre Targoviste, am iesit pe forestiere spre Cabana Cuibul Dorului, la deal pana pe platoul Bucegi si de aici Cabana Piatra Arsa, Cota 2000 pe sub telegondola, Cota 1400 si inapoi in Sinaia. Traseul GPS in gasiti aici: BikeMap.net Route.
Fiind prima oara cu bicicleta in muntii Bucegi am gasit traseul unul usor si foarte placut, o urcare lunga dar domoala pana pe platou si de aici doar forestiere prafuite si valurile. Coborarea a fost una interesanta, gen Drumul Rosu din Postavaru, multi bolovani, panta destul de abrupta si serpentine scurte pana jos in Sinaia.
Finalul a fost unul delicios...un gratar complet, 2 beri si un somn de voie in masina pana la Brasov. Mii de multumiri baieti pentru tura, sa ne vedem la fel de bine si la finalul Geigerului ;)

Poze aici: Picasa Web Albums

Varful Moldoveanu (14-15 August)

Intr-o miercuri seara, dupa 3 beri, ma enervez si scot harta muntilor Fagaras, studiez traseele si imi e clar ca trebuie sa merg pe varful Moldoveanu – cel mai inalt punct din Romania. Cu putina logistica ne strangem sambata dimineata vreo 10 la complexul Sambata si plecam la drum cu rucsacii in spate.

Planul era unul clar, in functie de vreme si starea noastra fizica urma sa facem in cele 2 zile cate 8-9 ore de mers. Sambata: Complex Sambata-Cabana Sambata-Fereastra Mare-Muntele Slanina-Galasescu Mic-Galasescu Mare-Hartopu Ursului-Refugiul Vistea Mare. Duminica: Varful Vistea Mare-Varful Moldoveanu-coborarea pe Valea Vistei Mari-Complex Sambata.

Am fost norocosi ca am prins o vreme de vis, am avut parte de cativa stropi de ploaie la inceput, pe creasta ne-au protejat norii de razele soarelui, temperatura a fost potrivita iar claritatea atmosferei a fost una rar intalnita in Muntii Fagaras, fara ceata …

Prima zi a fost placuta, urcusul spre Fereastra Mare si apoi curbele de nivel de pe creasta le-am trecut incet dar cu bine. Am campat la corturi langa refugiul Vistea Mare pe un platou mic, ferit de vant, plasat deasupra vaii Vistei si cu un peisaj incredibil. Slanina, ceapa si palinca de Zalau nu au lipsit inainte de somn. In acea noapte am avut cel mai linistit somn in cort de pana acum, a fost si prima oara cand am dormit pe creasta, la 2320m altitudine.

Dimineata ne-am trezit la ora 6 si cat de curand s-a putut am plecat spre Moldovenu fara rucsaci. Urcusul pe Vistea a fost destul de accentuat, dar usor de facut fara rucsaci in spate. Aici am inceput sa resimt frica de inaltime, sus mi-au trebuit cateva secunde sa ma acomodez cu privelistea din jur. Vistea este al 3-lea varf din Romania ca si inaltime si cel mai inalt pe care am urcat. Desi mai aveam doar 10 minute de mers si 17m altitudine nu am mai reusit sa ajung pana pe Moldoveanu. Frica de inaltime m-a invins si de data asta, exista un pasaj destul de expus intre Vistea si Moldoveanu asa ca am ramas sa privesc doar cum urca ceilalti pe acoperisul tarii.

Coborararea am facut-o pe valea Vistei Mari, o vale ocolita de multi muntomani, probabil din cauza dificultatii si lungimii ei. Primele 2-3 ore au fost dificile cand am coborat pe o vale inclinata si plina de bolovani punand genunchi la lucru. Dar odata intrati in padure Vistea Mare si-a aratat frumusetile: un rau zbuciumat, o padure linistita si o poteca placuta ce tot sarea raul dintr-o parte in alta. Finalul a fost mai greu, deja obositi am mai facut vreo 6-7 km de forestier plat pana la Complexul Sambata, iar pe ultimul km ne-a prins o ploaie de toata pomina…o clasica.

Galeria foto o gasiti p'aici: Picasa Web Albums