Some cool gear

While we're plugging stuff I'll put my pitch in for this waterproof iPhone bike mount. Great to have on those slightly rainy days when it's still not too wet to measure, but too wet to have your exposed electronics on your handlebar.

http://www.nashbar.com/bikes/P...000002343&cadevice=c

I like the LED light, Jim. But, I have an even better solution: ride in daylight. With a police escort if you are measuring in the city. I would not think of measuring in downtown D.C. at night - at least not without a police escort.

I like the tail light! Just ordered one.

I like the phone mounts, but both appear to only occupy locations where I already have things mounted. Mark - can the iPhone case be rotated 90° in its mount? I have an Android, but it should still fit.

Lyman (don't want you to feel left out of the reply), you should seriously consider where you live, if you are reluctant to measure at night. I get started before sun-up, as it is less traffic at that time. Jim and Katz have to measure at night. I use my headlight (as opposed to a headlamp) every time I measure, since I start so early. A very pleasant time of day, unless it is winter. Then, it really (is not so comfortable).

The phone fits into a waterproof bag with a hard mount on the back. That mount slides onto a square piece of plastic that attaches to your handle bar. You can slide it on from any side of the square, so 4 possible orientations are possible. But once you slide it on you'd have to slide it off and slide it back on to change orientations. It won't rotate once you mount it.
It's a pretty tight fit in the bag. I would check the product info to make sure your phone would fit before buying it. But that's a pretty good price. I paid quite a bit more at the bike shop. :-(

I ordered the phone bag so I'm hoping it's as cool as it sounds. Thought I would try that mirror they advertised also, I'll let folks know how it all works out.

Lyman, two things: 1, I don't really see a problem measuring in DC at night-- it's really kind of neat to have the freedom you get from almost no traffic. You may need to pay some attention to neighborhoods and you don't want to be measuring right after the bars close, but my experiences with this have been positive, even exhilarating.

Second, advice I first heard in a bike shop: when it's daylight you really need an even more powerful light so that cars will notice you (in addition to a flashing-light vest!)

Maybe this should be a new thread or part of Mike's old thread, but the flashing vest seems to add an extra measure of visibility while measuring, if you're not too "cool" to wear it. I have 2 of them My measuring partner wouldn't turn the lights on for the first few wearings, until I insisted. Additionally, I actually put it on a race volunteer and turned it on, he wore it for about 5 minutes before he manufactured several excuses why he should not wear it and took it off. I don't understand why anyone who would wear a high viability vest wouldn't wear one with flashing lights.

I don't have to carry a flashlight when I measure in the daylight. I can take better notes more easily and I can read the Counter easily. I can see the tangents and upcoming turns much better. Though there is a lot more traffic on most roads in the day, and some courses must be measured at night due to congestion, the newest bike lights are made for daylight. They are much brighter than older lights.

I worry about impaired drivers being more prevalent at night than in the day. I even think most drivers can see you better in daylight. Where I live, it is painfully obvious by observing how some people drive at night that there are a lot of motorists on the roads who have impaired night vision. Finally, I had a bad crash in D.C. once when an SUV driver did not see me in the pre-dawn darkness. My bike sported three bright flashing lights that apparently were effectively invisible to the driver who almost ran over me. I will carry the scars from that encounter as long as I live.

- And, here's an even better way to be visible on the bike: Biking Visibility

Lyman, it is hard to measure while in jail.