Minor frustrations

[lnr]

Brackets arrived. Fitted front one, and discovered my handlebars are apparently an odd width. With one bit of padding the clamp fits, but if I do it up really tight then the end of the screw protudes too much and the light won't go on. If I try use both bits of padding the ends of the clamp won't meet and screw together at all. Left it on slightly loose, so have to make sure it doesn't slip and suddenly dip in use. Will try and manage something better with 1.5 bits of padding at some point.

As for the back light: bracket also arrived, but with these ones apparently the clamp bit comes separately. So popped into Howes and bought one for a quid on the way into work. Got to the office and tried to fit it, only to discover that in fact the reason they're sold separately is that they vary quite a bit in size, and in fact this one wouldn't fit through my seat stay, the stay being far too fat. So as an interim measure attached light to rack with means of sellotape, so I could actually get home.

On way home swapped clamp for larger one, and checked it would really fit, but figured I'd fit it properly in the morning when it was light. So went to the pub and left bike chained up outside, with light still taped on (since it was too fiddly to remove and refit). Guess what wasn't there when I came back out? So now I've gone from light but no bracket to bracket and no light. It feels like it can't possibly be real. But I guess it means more shopping tomorrow.

In other less irritating news I came out of my hermit's shell a bit today to go and do the quiz at the Carlton, and had a very pleasant evening. And Becky and Mike's friend Matt helped us win, by a whole one point lead. Go us! The kids books round was a blessing. And I'm gradually getting used to riding the bike. It has good points, even if it keeps reminding me how different it is from the old one. Getting more done at work than I was does make me feel a bit better about it at least as well, which has got to be a good thing. A million and one appointments lined up (OK one a week til mid January) to try and fix me. I think I was happier just pretending not to be broken, but we'll see how it goes. This evening has definitely helped lots, and I have things to look forward to over the next week.

Comments

[feanelwa.livejournal.com]

You forgot rule one: No bicycle part is too fiddly to remove or too small to steal from the point of view a sixteen-year-old who needs more heroin and cannot see many other bikes.

Also I've had Cat-Eye brackets that just don't fit on the handlebars. Eventually I fixed it on with elephant tape and kept it behind some other people's really flash bikes with rear suspension, which then got stolen instead of my light. The permanent solution I found was: Buy a cheap set of Halfords own brand lights. But there must be some better solution. I suppose you could put layers and layers of rough gaffer tape onto the handlebar and then put the rubber bit over the top, and then fit the bracket over that. [Stop sniggering in the back there about the use of "rough" and "rubber" in the same sentence.]

[damerell.livejournal.com]

Duct tape works extremely well, actually, because it not only increases the size of the bar, but also is much grippier. The heavier of my two battery lights has a layer of duct tape beneath it for just this reason.

[songster.livejournal.com]

Shorten the screw, if you have a hacksaw...?

[pseudomonas.livejournal.com]

If you try this, make sure the nut is on the screw before you slice it, otherwise chances are it won't go on afterwards.

[feanelwa.livejournal.com]

Oh! I spent a summer cutting steel studding with hacksaws to make bits of experiment. You have to take off the bits where the thread has been mashed into itself using one of those tiny little Chinese needle files. This is much easier when you have warm fingers.

[mpinna.livejournal.com]

When I reached my bike after leaving you last night I discovered that both my front and rear lights had been stolen, including the attachments that were holding them to my bike. Whoever it was clearly found rich pickings outside the pub last night...
I have now bought new lights, though not looking forward to fitting them as this means venturing into the rain again. The nice chap at Uni Cycles assures me that with these ones it's not possible for them to get welded to the attachments, which was my downfall with the last pair.

[ex-lark-asc.livejournal.com]

Surely cutting the bits of padding would ahve been the answer?

[(Anonymous)]

Um, for the front light yes, as I say this is what I mean to do when I have time. The rear one wouldn't fit with the first clamp even with *no* padding.

I now have a new rear light for fitting later.

(lnr@work)

[ex-lark-asc.livejournal.com]

*too braindead to read things properly* *duhhh*