Mart Gnosis

February 2, 2010

How to Stay Safe while Biking in the Dark

Filed under: Bikes + Parts — admin @ 3:28 am

Biking is a brilliant way to increase your cardiovascular capacity, save money, while assisting in keeping the environment clean. Cycling also doesn’t impact your joints that running and working out in the gym can. It’s also practical in that one is able to keep fit by travelling to the shops, or to the workplace, so it’s not like you’re having to put time aside for working out as nearly all other forms of workout enforce on you.

So what sort of cycle to buy? One that is comfortable for you as you’re biking, and has plenty of gears so you can ride up inclines with relative ease - we don’t all live in East Anglia! You ought to be able to lift your bicycle with relative ease as you’ll find yourself needing to do so sometimes, e.g over a low hurdle. Claud Butler mountain bikes are a good range of bikes to start looking at.

Further more, make sure you buy decent add-ons for your bicycle : front and back light, a pump, reflector lights, reflective jacket, mudguards, helmet and strong lock. These will help you stay secure in the dark, and the cycle secure from robbery. Make sure you lock the cycle in a somewhat public place.

Last of all, it’s a useful idea to commit some time into bicycle repairs. You don’t need to be an expert, but it’s handy if you can work out how to set the brake cables and brake pads as these often require fine-tuning following use. Also make sure you keep the bike well oiled and the tyres pumped up to a reasonable pressure to make riding less effort. And of course, take great care on the streets - use your arms to indicate while turning, and stay on the left at all times.

April 1, 2008

Snowmobile Lighting

Filed under: Bikes + Parts — admin @ 12:06 pm

With the high cost of fuel riding a snowmobile idea costs lots of money. For those who live in the sticks, we know that sometimes it is about the only way to get around during the tough winters up in high country. Unfortunately high fuel prices and lack of supply is taking its toll on a back countryman’s budget indeed. We must conserve fuel and one way to do this is to use more efficient lighting bypassing the electrical system.

Fuel prices have seen sharp increases in the last few years in our nation. The bumps on the trails we use can power up the headlights using electromagnetic induction technology to charge a capacitor instead of the headlights working off a battery. Currently there are some nifty micro-flashlights being used which you can buy which use a similar technique and are available thanks to the Everlite Flashlight technology research lab. These smaller flashlights work by shaking them for about thirty seconds and shine for about 6 minutes and they shine quite bright since they use a very bright LED light. Here is a link to this home use flashlight:

http://www.modernoutpost.com/gear/details/ee_shakelight.html

Here is a quick movie you can watch online to see how this technology works.

http://www.modernoutpost.com/gear/movies/ee_forever.MPG

I propose we use the engine rumble to light the dashboard lights, taillight and headlights. Generally you have to wait twenty seconds for the engine’s oil pressure to come up anyway. This does not mean that the headlights would not be hooked up to a battery, only that you would not be asking for any juice, thus the alternator does not have as much drag on the engine and saves fuel consumption. Once the engine comes up to oil pressure the snowmobile can then drive and each bump along the way keeps the lights running. If they get too dim from too smooth of a road, yah, we wish, then the system would revert back to the battery. Perhaps this is a good way to save fuel on your snowmobile? Think on this.

Lance Winslow - EzineArticles Expert Author

“Lance Winslow” - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

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