Review: Spanninga Pixeo Xba battery taillight

June 10th, 2011 by bostonretrowheelmen

I recently built up a new city bike for my wife.  When it came to lighting, I wanted an inexpensive but effective battery setup. I had used Spanninga lights before, and liked them (Spanninga is a Dutch company, and manufactures the lights for the majority of Dutch bikes… which is to say, a lot of bikes).  When I saw that Spanninga had introduced a new fender-mount taillight with a neat auto mode, I thought I’d give it a try. I thought it would look the part on my wife’s neo-classic mixte, and it was very reasonably priced ( from Peter White Cycles). I was also curious to test the auto mode, and see if the light could truly be used in a “set and forget” way.

The Spanninga Pixeo comes in three flavors, all identical in appearance:  dynamo-powered Xs (left), battery powered Xba (with on/off/auto modes) (center), and  battery powered Xb (on/off, no auto mode) (right).

Spanninga Xba mounted to a VO fender.

Installation
The light is very lightweight, and would work well on just about any properly mounted plastic or aluminum fender without inducing fender instability or wobble problems. It is designed strictly for fender mounting, with a curved shell to match the curvature of a fender.  It requires two 5mm holes to be drilled into the fender, 20mm apart vertically.  One hole serves as a positioner, accepting a molded plastic tab on the back of the taillight housing, while the other receives a 5mm threaded stud.  A 5mm nut and star washer are included. Two Duracell AAA batteries are also included.


Use and impressions
The small push-button switch toggles between “on”, “auto” and “off” positions. The button is also shrouded by the molded taillight shell to protect it from accidentally being switched when bumped, so any button action has to be intentional. The circuitry provides visual feedback when you select “auto” or “off” by blinking twice or once, respectively. Being a European light, there is no flashing mode, only constant. The LED is fairly bright, but not as bright as some of the super-bright lights out there… It also has a somewhat narrow beam, and is brightest and most focused when viewed directly from behind, although it visible from the side. 50% of the time that the bike is ridden by my wife, I am riding directly behind it, so I’ve developed a fairly good sense for what type of light conditions trigger the light to come on when in auto mode.  After leaving the light in auto mode for a month, it seems like a fairly intelligent setting.  The auto mode works by using two sensors: a light sensor and a motion sensor.  Both sensors must be triggered for the light to come on:  the bike must be in motion (or jolted), AND the ambient light must be fairly dim, for the light to switch on.  I’ve found that the light sensor reliably triggers the light on at dusk, or even in midday ambient light if we ride under a shaded bridge or underpass.  It seems to be calibrated to come on more often than you would need it to (such as early dusk, or during a rainstorm), which is a good thing, IMO.  The motion sensor is on a timer and seems to work synergistically with the light sensor:  if we come to a stoplight in low light conditions, the light stays on the entire duration that we’re stopped.  (I haven’t timed it, but it’s claimed to be four minutes, which seems long enough).  The light sensor does not appear to be on a timer:  if we ride under a dark bridge or tunnel, the light switches on immediately, then switches back off within a few seconds of exiting back into direct daylight. If your bike is routinely stored in a dimly lit area and frequently bumped into (such as in an apartment building foyer), then the auto mode might not work well– the light may switch on frequently enough to drain the batteries prematurely. In that case, no problem– just use it like any other battery light by manually switching it on and off.

After about 5-6 weeks of nearly daily use (but admittedly not much night riding), the two originally supplied AAA batteries are still going strong.  When it comes time to replace them, the only tool needed is a phillips-head screwdriver to remove the lens, which is held on to the rest of the light by a single screw. Although some battery lights use a snap-on cover and don’t require any tools to replace the batteries, I actually prefer this setup because there’s no chance that the lens can pop off if banged into– something that’s happened with other lights I’ve owned.

All in all, it’s a nice little light:  lightweight, inexpensive, easy to use, good looking (IMHO), with an intelligently programmed and reliable auto mode.  I like it enough that I just bought two more for two of my other fender-clad bikes!

Somerville Illuminations Holiday Bike Tour + 1369 Coffeehouse meetup

December 16th, 2010 by bostonretrowheelmen

This Saturday evening is the Somerville Holiday Illuminations Tour, a trolley tour of decorated homes.  This year there is a twist:  after the last trolley tour, there will be an organized bike version of the tour:

The Somerville Arts Council and Bike Committee announce that, for the first time, the city will offer the annual Illuminations Tour by bicycle Saturday, Dec. 18.

The Illuminations Tours, offering trolleys to neighborhoods in East and Central Somerville for viewing of some of the city’s best decorated homes for the holiday season, departs from City Hall Concourse every half-hour beginning at 4:30 p.m. The bicycle tour will depart one time only, from the concourse, at 7:15 p.m. Those participating in the bike tour are required to wear helmets and bicycle lights. Heavy wind, rain or snow will cancel the bike ride, and in case of inclement weather, participants should call 311 for updates.

For more information on the Illuminations Tour and the Illuminations Bike Tour, visit www.somervilleartscouncil.org, or call 311.

After the bike tour, the Boston Retro Wheelmen are planning to have in informal meet-up at 1369 Coffeehouse in Inman Square, where we’ll (hopefully) meet other local bike bloggers Cycler of Biking in Heels, Charlotte of Chic Cyclist and perhaps others…

Hope to see you there!

Boston’s Bicyclists Movement Of The 1890s – A Retrospective

November 24th, 2010 by bostonretrowheelmen

Although not directly pertaining to vintage bikes, this event seems like an interesting historical retrospective on the social history of cycling in 19th century Boston:

Boston was a hub of black bicyclists in the 1890s, including: The Riverside Cycling Club, an all-black club with membership largely from Boston and Cambridge; Kittie Knox, a seamstress winning prizes for her cycling costumes and challenging the League of American Wheelmen’s “color bar”; Robert Teamoh, the Boston Globe newspaper writer/photographer; and state legislator who obtained a legislative resolution denouncing the “color bar“ in 1895. Learn about the impact of the “color bar” fight on the Good Roads campaign, the Massachusetts Volunteer Militia’s bicycle corps, and the Cambridge races of Major Taylor, an international champion and member of the first integrated professional sports team in the U.S.

Followed by a discussion on what we can learn from history, and join us in January for the 3rd Annual Boston Bikes Report by the City of Boston Bikes Director at the Boston Public Library to hear about what’s happening today.

Lorenz Finison currently teaches program and policy evaluation in the Doctor of Public Health program at Boston University. He is Principal of SigmaWorks, a consulting firm specializing in planning and evaluation. A founding board member of Cycling Through History: The Massachusetts African American Heritage Bike Route, Larry has a strong interest in the social history of cycling, cycling organizations and in social protest movements.

Where:  LivableStreets office, 100 Sidney Street, Cambridge, MA

When:  Tuesday, November 30, 7-9pm

Open to the public. Suggested – donation. For more information, e-mail events@livablestreets.info or call 617-621-1746.

Boston’s Bicyclists Movement Of The 1890s – A Retrospective

November 24th, 2010 by bostonretrowheelmen

Although not directly pertaining to vintage bikes, this event seems like an interesting historical retrospective on the social history of cycling in 19th century Boston:

Boston was a hub of black bicyclists in the 1890s, including: The Riverside Cycling Club, an all-black club with membership largely from Boston and Cambridge; Kittie Knox, a seamstress winning prizes for her cycling costumes and challenging the League of American Wheelmen’s “color bar”; Robert Teamoh, the Boston Globe newspaper writer/photographer; and state legislator who obtained a legislative resolution denouncing the “color bar“ in 1895. Learn about the impact of the “color bar” fight on the Good Roads campaign, the Massachusetts Volunteer Militia’s bicycle corps, and the Cambridge races of Major Taylor, an international champion and member of the first integrated professional sports team in the U.S.

Followed by a discussion on what we can learn from history, and join us in January for the 3rd Annual Boston Bikes Report by the City of Boston Bikes Director at the Boston Public Library to hear about what’s happening today.

Lorenz Finison currently teaches program and policy evaluation in the Doctor of Public Health program at Boston University. He is Principal of SigmaWorks, a consulting firm specializing in planning and evaluation. A founding board member of Cycling Through History: The Massachusetts African American Heritage Bike Route, Larry has a strong interest in the social history of cycling, cycling organizations and in social protest movements.

Where:  LivableStreets office, 100 Sidney Street, Cambridge, MA

When:  Tuesday, November 30, 7-9pm

Open to the public. Suggested – donation. For more information, e-mail events@livablestreets.info or call 617-621-1746.

Boston Area Bike Swap this Thursday!

November 17th, 2010 by bostonretrowheelmen

Although not at all “retro”, this sounds like it could be fun and potentially useful.  I hope I can make it:

Back Bay Cycling Club 1st Annual Bike Swap and Gear Sale, Presented by The Record Company
 

WHEN: November 18, 2010 – 5-11pm
 

WHERE: 960 Massachusetts Ave, 3rd Floor, Boston, MA 02118 (in the Newmarket Industrial District)
 

WHY: To sell or buy things.
 

HOW MUCH: for a selling space, to enter. Spaces can be shared.
Please contact Greg Whitney (gregwhits@gmail.com) to reserve a space.
 

WHAT ELSE: Parking is available in the adjacent lot. Nearby Bus and Train — 8 and 10 bus, Boston Medical Center Orange Line. click here for more information:
 

WHO: Back Bay Cycling Club (B2C2) is a competitive cycling team based in Boston, Mass. For more information about the team, visit http://www.backbaycyclingclub.com
 

The Record Company (TRC) is a non-profit recording studio committed to the revival of youth music education and the advancement of independent record-making in New England. For more information, visit http://www.therecordco.org

Boston Area Bike Swap this Thursday!

November 17th, 2010 by bostonretrowheelmen

Although not at all “retro”, this sounds like it could be fun and potentially useful.  I hope I can make it:

Back Bay Cycling Club 1st Annual Bike Swap and Gear Sale, Presented by The Record Company
 

WHEN: November 18, 2010 – 5-11pm
 

WHERE: 960 Massachusetts Ave, 3rd Floor, Boston, MA 02118 (in the Newmarket Industrial District)
 

WHY: To sell or buy things.
 

HOW MUCH: for a selling space, to enter. Spaces can be shared.
Please contact Greg Whitney (gregwhits@gmail.com) to reserve a space.
 

WHAT ELSE: Parking is available in the adjacent lot. Nearby Bus and Train — 8 and 10 bus, Boston Medical Center Orange Line. click here for more information:
 

WHO: Back Bay Cycling Club (B2C2) is a competitive cycling team based in Boston, Mass. For more information about the team, visit http://www.backbaycyclingclub.com
 

The Record Company (TRC) is a non-profit recording studio committed to the revival of youth music education and the advancement of independent record-making in New England. For more information, visit http://www.therecordco.org

Somerville Bicycle Swap Meet of 2010

October 4th, 2010 by bostonretrowheelmen
Today was the Bicycle Swap Meet of 2010 held in Olive Square, Somerville, Mass. It was organised by Metro Pedal Power with Electric City Cycles. Present were ANT Bicycle’s Mike Flanigan and many others with tables full of bike components, frames and complete bikes set up along-side the fence. I saw tons of hidden bike goodies just waiting to swap owners.
Mike Flanigan brought his new Porteur frames, complete with a front basket, his own bottom bracket-mounted chain case and low trail fork geometry designed to carry front loads. Here they are with Mr. ANT behind them:
There were some really nice goodies that–sadly–I had to pass up on, including a brand new SON hub, an Edelux light and a Dura Ace bar-end shifter kit for less money than I am willing to admit on here. Ugh. Why am I always down to food money when the time comes for swap meets? There were several tables like this one, with–if you know what to look for–better bargains than I’ve seen online or in bike stores anywhere:
In addition to bike parts, there was a miniature vegetable market set up and a truck full of electric bikes, several racks of clothing all amidst a chaotic atmosphere with people coming and going in groups. The commuter rail train would suddenly appear in the background under the bridge (so close to us!) and rattle the square. I would guess 100 to 150 people showed up and briskly picked out the goodies among the junk piles. The best items were gone quickly, but I did not see many frames or complete bikes sold. Perhaps people were more interested in bargain components.
I counted half a dozen ANT bikes in addition to Mike’s own, some of which I’ve seen ridden around Boston before and a few I’ve not yet had the pleasure of meeting. Fellow cyclists who I didn’t know were ANT owners brought theirs to the swap meet for some show and tell–thank you! I’ve seen this couple of ANT bikes around on local trails:
It was a great swap meet. I hope to be better prepared for the next one. I did manage to grab one item: Nitto Rando bars, the price was just too good to pass up. I have a few more pictures of the event on Flickr.

A Classic Tool Kit for Roadside Repair

September 25th, 2010 by bostonretrowheelmen
I have assembled a tool kit that I carry with me in a saddle or handlebar bag every time I ride a significant distance from home. It’s in a small nylon zip-up case that I remember buying in an art supply store. The zipper is holding up fine even though the case is stuffed to the brim with tools.
The case is about 8″ by 4″, and about 3lbs. Here is what it looks like:

The tools inside are in individual pouches, most frequently used ones on top and rarely used stuff (like tire irons and patch kit–crossing my fingers here) on the very bottom.

I usually know which tool I want and can get to it, but sometimes I begin by laying out the individual pouches on the ground. I haven’t had many situations where I actually had to do complicated bike repair in the middle of nowhere, but every time I work on one of our bikes in the home shop I first think about whether the job can be done with just the tools in my tool kit. Sure, the big at-home tool kit has larger and more comfortable tools (like a larger set of allen wrenches), specialized tools (headset wrenches and bottom bracket & cassette tools, diagonal wire cutters and so on), but the basic stuff can be completed anywhere. If anything, it is often the bike stand I most wish for, but you can’t put a stand into any tool kit. Here is the stuff lying on the ground:
If I extract every little tool from its case and open it up, it looks like a hardware store exploded all over the cement tiles. It’s a lot of stuff to carry with you on bike trips, but most of it is there for a reason. Here it is in all of its glory:

So, in no particular order:
(1) a set of 5 Craftsman wrenches: 6/8, 7/9, 10/11, 12/14, and 13/15mm. It covers the range from 6mm (small nuts in fender-mount lights) to 15mm (axle lug nuts). The set is held together by a spring-steel clip. It’s very secure and does not rattle.
(2) a set of small Craftsman mini-wrenches: 4, 4.5, 5, 5.5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11mm and a Brooks Saddle Tension Tool (specialized thin 13mm). Why do I carry an extra set of these mini-wrenches? Well, modern bikes often use an allen bolt and a metric nut, but classic bikes need two wrenches, often the same size, i.e. 2 10mm or a 9 and 10mm to tighten a brake cable straddle, some rack attachment points and many other small jobs that just cannot be done if all you have is a single metric wrench. Some people prefer to carry an adjustable wrench for this, and I have one, just not in this tool kit. A good-quality adjustable is an excellent tool if used carefully. Sometimes it is too bulky to fit into tight spaces around the bike frame. The Brooks tool is often the only thing that can properly adjust a saddle and it’s relatively small and light.
(3) an allen multi-tool: slot, philips, 2, 2.5, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8mm allen, T25 (common for disc brakes), and a chain tool. Can’t go without a chain tool, and this is a good one that has served me well. Always test a chain tool on an old chain before it’s part of your tool kit, some are crap and break before the chain does.
(4) tri-flow oil bottle, Brooks Proofide tin, 2 “Quick Stik” tire irons (you only need 1, the 2nd is a backup–this is by far my favourite tire iron solution for classic roadsters as well as vintage and modern road bikes), the contents of 2 REMA (Sheldon’s favourite) patch kits shoved into one box and a super spoke wrench ring. More about this spoke tool: many modern spoke keys don’t include large spoke gauges. This thing made by Hozan in Japan has gauges 10, 12, 13, 14 and 15. It’s the only spoke wrench big enough for the crazy motorcycle-style spokes Pashley (and I think vintage Gazelle) use on their bikes.
(5) a Leatherman Wave multi-tool with a complete set of bits that resides in its own pouch. Why do I need a heavy multi-tool with me? Well, last Spring on the Cape (miles away from home) I bought a Greenfield kick stand that needed to be shortened. The saw went through the aluminum like butter. Do you have a saw in your tool kit? I am sure you have a can/bottle opener, but what about an eyeglass repair screwdriver? There were other cases where the multi-tool saved the day and kept me safe and independent. The pliers are fairly strong, have a built-in wire cutter/stripper. In fact, I’ve installed Honjo fenders (including made the proper holes) with only the tools pictured here. At home, the bike stand, dremel, drill and bolt cutters allow the job to happen much quicker, but who knows when you’ll need to do an emergency fender installation (or do something else weird, like repair the leather straps or canvas of your saddle bag–I suppose on a long tour a heavy duty sewing kit, leather tools/awl wouldn’t hurt). Anyway, the Leatherman bit driver is a very neat way of taking every imaginable bit with you in a very small package. Here is a close-up:
There are quite a few bits in the Leatherman kit. Here is a quick rundown: a bunch of hex/allen/torx bits in every imaginable size. These bits are flat, so they have to be used carefully. I use the bike multi-tool first, and at home I prefer to use the full size allen wrenches. But it will do the job on the road. The bit kit also has every size of slotted and philips bits, common square and pozi bits and a replacement small slotted/philips eyeglass bit. The bit kit weighs practically nothing and occupies very little space.
If a bike ride takes you far away from cities and stores, I would recommend packing several inner tubes in addition to the patch kit, also several flashlights and a lantern with batteries, replacement spokes, gaffer’s and electrical tape, and a well thought-out medical kit. I’ll write about my medi-kit in another post.
Add a cell phone + money, the best tools for getting someone to come and rescue you.

A homemade bicycle headlight mount

September 3rd, 2010 by bostonretrowheelmen

Most battery powered bicycle headlights come with mounting hardware that fastens the lights to your handlebars. Most of the time, this works just fine, but sometimes you don’t want to clutter up your handlebars with accessories: it can get seriously crowded once you add a bell, computer and headlight; most of all these accessories are made to mount on your handlebars and there aren’t a lot of alternative mounting options included “right out of the box”. Some people prefer to mount their headlights lower, like at the fork crown or on the fork. Some claim doing so provides better illumination of the road; others feel it makes the bicycle less visible to oncoming traffic. But if your bike has a front mounted basket, it might not make sense to keep a headlight mounted to the handlebars, especially if you carry bulky loads that obscure the headlight. I’ve had this happen to me when carrying loaded shopping bags. With a front basket, it makes more sense to mount the headlight below the basket, or in front of it. Fortunately, there are some alternative light mounting accessories designed to let you mount your headlight in places other than your handlebars. Cronometro makes a fork mount called the NOB. It’s a simple plastic cylinder the same diameter as the handlebars, attached to an adjustable hose clamp that mounts anywhere on your fork. Most headlights (or computers) designed for mounting onto handlebars can mount directly to the NOB. A similar mount is the Minoura Besso. If you have low-rider pannier racks that make the front fork inaccessible, or if you don’t like the idea of marring your fork’s paint with a clamp-style mount, VO sells two versions of their “Low Down” light mounts, which mount directly to the front axle’s quick release skewer.

I wanted something like the Minoura Besso or the Cronometro NOB, but with a direct attachment method similar to the Low Down that would allow me to use the existing 5mm threaded eyelets on my front fork: I happen to have a plethora of unused threaded eyelets: one on the dropout, another midway up the front fork, designed for a low-rider pannier rack, and two on the front rack, designed specifically for mounting lights. I was thinking of buying a Low Down mount, then threading it to some threaded rod, and finally threading that into one of the eyelets, but I didn’t feel like paying just to relocate my headlight. Instead, I decided to go the DIY route. I raided my parts bins and found an old flat handlebar from an 80s mountain bike:

Perfect! I figured I could cut off a piece, skewer it with some 5mm threaded rod between a couple of washers. For .50 worth of hardware, i could make my own mount. Here’s how I did it:

First, I sawed off about 2.5″ of handlebar to serve as the main part of the headlight mount. I could have gone shorter, but if I ever decide to upgrade my lighting to something really large and bulky, I may want the extra length:

Next, I soaked it in some paint stripper and scrubbed off the white paint, exposing the bare aluminum. To assemble it all together, I needed to figure out how to keep the long 5mm threaded rod centered inside the aluminum cylinder. I was going to use a wine bottle cork stuffed inside the cylinder, but I couldn’t find one narrow enough to fit. I ended up centering the rod inside the cylinder and cementing it in place with hot glue (the kind that come as sticks, and must be dispensed from a hot-glue gun):

Lastly, I fitted galvanized fender washers to both ends, capped off one end of the rod with a 5mm stainless steel dome nut, and fitted a small aluminum spacer to the other end:

I chose to thread the mount to my low-rider threaded boss:

The result is a very sturdy, rustproof headlight mount that utilizes a pre-existing 5mm threaded boss, and that cost me only .50. I’ve never had a headlight mounted so low before, and I haven’t ridden it at night yet, so I can’t yet comment on whether I like it there. As mentioned above, some people prefer this location since it is supposed to provide better illumination of the road, but if I decide I don’t like the headlight mounted so low (for a city bike, I prefer to have illumination that maximizes my visibility to others, as opposed to maximizing my visibility of the road), I can simply relocate it higher up to a threaded eyelet on the front rack (included on the rack for just that purpose), which would place the headlight directly underneath the basket (see above photo, zoomed in below):

If anyone is interested in making one of these, I’d be happy to provide a piece of handlebar stock… I’ve got plenty! I may even be tempted to make a few of these complete mounts for sale at a modest price.

What Is It About Vintage Trek?

August 31st, 2010 by bostonretrowheelmen

Over the summer, my BRW co-author somervillain and I both acquired vintage Trek roadbikes. These events were completely unrelated, and the bicycles themselves are of different models and vintage. And yet we had similar reactions to these intriguing creatures.

Initially, somervillain had planned to “flip” his 1988 Trek 560. As an aggressive, racy roadbike, it was not really his style, he thought. But the more he tried riding it, the more surprised he was to discover that it was a comfortable and pleasant ride – despite the aggressive handling.

Fast forward a month and the bicycle became a keeper. Fenders were installed, handlebars wrapped in cork tape and shellacked, a bell was mounted, and a Carradice bag attached. Not your typical Trek 560 set-up, but who needs typical?

My 1982 Trek 610 was a similar experience. I wanted to try this type of roadbike just for fun, but did not expect to keep it. I already had a perfectly good touring bicycle and did not need anything more aggressive. Well, I guess I did need it, because the Trek remains with me and is ridden frequently. Like somervillain, what got me hooked is that (unlike other vintage roadbikes), the Trek feels comfortable despite its racy handling. Riding it is downright addictive.

Vintage Trek collecting is its own microcosm, and if you are interested in exploring it the best place to start is vintage-trek.com. There you can learn the date and model of your Trek by its serial number, and even find the specs of its build in scans of the original catalogues. These bicycles have a mystique and a cult following that I did not understand until I got one myself.