13 January 2022

Steady away into a headwind for 12 miles followed by a tailwind on the way back - Hownsgill Viaduct

 


Yet another glorious day here in Co Durham with the sun blazing away so it was time for another spin out on the bike. I set away up the old railway line to Consett then along to Hownsgill Viaduct with a massive 20+mph headwind all the way up. On the plus side the lines have dried up even most of the wooded sections. The wind kept the temperature down to around 6 degrees on the Garmin. There was not that many others out n about on the way up. I took a short video clip on the viaduct before turning and heading straight back down again. This time I had a massive tailwind which made it much more pleasant but there was loads more people out making it very slow down / speed up leg. All in just over 22miles in 1hr 43mins with just under 1000ft of climbing. 
Below are a few snaps from the ride inc the short video clip at the bottom of the blog, enjoy and hopefully more soon - 






















12 January 2022

Local spin out on the roads- Sunny and warm



Well its been a fair while since I have been out on the Creo road bike so it was time to knock the dust off it and try out all the new parts I have fitted over the last few weeks. The sun was out and was warmer than I thought it was. I had my full winter kit on but by the time I got to the top of the first climb my gloves were off and my jacket and long sleeved jersey zips were opened up. At the top of the second climb my merino hat was off so the wind could blow through my hair. By the time I reached Easington Lane the temperature had dropped but was still warm. The roads were very busy as ever with only a couple of close passes, so I have not missed anything new. It was lovely to get back out again getting a few miles in. Below are a few snaps from the ride. All in just over 29 miles in 1hr 53mins, ave 15.4mph with 1800ft of climbing. 
Enjoy and hopefully more soon - 










9 January 2022

Fresh Goods Sunday - Exposure Sirius MK9 DayBright - Gun Metal Black 2022 Front light

 


After another Lezyne front light failing at the start of the dark season I have give up with Lezyne front lights after three failures on different models over the years. I was undecided what to go for and thought I would give Exposure (USE) Lights another go. I have had mixed success over the years with Exposure lights but I wanted something light, small, bright, integrated battery and the Sirius model fitted the bill. I fitted the bracket that come in the box to my road Creo handlebars and have used it in the dark and daylight on flashing mode over the past few months. It has a good spread of light pattern and adequate distance of light for the speeds I ride at on the roads. I cannot get my head around the sequence of pressing / holding the button but can get it on the brightest mode and flashing so that will do me. I think I need more practice and have yet another read of the instructions. The changing colour / light on the back indicates how much battery is left but I have found this to be a little hit n miss. At first the colour does not change for ages then drops two levels within 30 mins. To date the light has never gone flat during a ride. Recharging is simple enough, plug the rubber cap off the charging port to the rear and insert the cable. The cable supplied comes with a USB end so I use my Garmin USB / 3 pin plug. Runs times are on the Exposure website apart from the day bright flashing mode so I emailed USE and they come back stating 12 hours which is impressive and way more than I will ever need lol. 
I have a new stem mounted accessory bracket coming for the Creo stem so I can fix the Exposure bracket convertor underneath and Garmin on top to tidy up my handlebars. 
I also purchased a helmet mounted bracket for the Sirius and have used it off road and its a total game changer. I have never used a helmet mounted front light before and combined with my handlebar mounted mtb Lupine light its more than enough for even the darkest of rides. 
|I will post separate Fresh Goods Sunday blogs about the different brackets / mounts in the future. 

RRP £100 and I paid £87.99 inc 48 hour p&p from SDJ Sports - Discount 12%. I have seen them cheaper than this on the internet since I bought mine. Again always shop around. It will soon be the end of the light season and shops will be looking to sell off that they have left. 

Manufacturers blurb - 
The perfect commuter light that crosses the boundaries of ‘to see’ and ‘be seen’ now at 850 lumens. For the rider who wants a minimalist light and a high output. An array of runtime options selected via the OMS can cater for different rides and conditions, whilst side illumination maintains safety throughout the urban jungle. Also featuring our DayBright pulse pattern, this slick unit lights up the streets both day and night.

Can be helmet mounted (helmet mount sold separately).
Also available in a pack with TraceR Mk2 ReAKT for the ultimate set-up.

Bespoke pulse pattern designed for daylight use which is more conspicuous than a regular pulse and visible from over a kilometre away, even in the brightest conditions. DayBright mode will get you noticed. Be Seen Be Safe.

Patented circuitry within the light will reduce power to the LEDs, if they go beyond the optimum temperature, keeping the light as efficient as possible to maximise output and battery capacity. Once the light has cooled, the power is automatically restored. 

Various programs in the lights can easily be selected to offer a choice of run times and modes so you can find the right one for your ride, be it an all-night adventure or an intense blast.

ED Configuration
1 x White XPL2
Lumens
Max 850 (Measured)
Battery
2900mAh Lithium Ion
Runtime
1.5 - 36 hours
Charge Time
5 hours
Weight
84g
Material
Anodised 6063 Aluminium
Water Resistance
IP6
Length
110mm
Head Diameter
28mm
In The Box
Sirius MK9, Handlebar Bracket, USB Charge Cable, QS Guide