RCS latest upgrades

Crazyworld

Member
Hello, here are a few pictures of the latest upgraded for my RCS. Here is the list:

1. Mirrycle MTB Bar End Mountain Bicycle Mirror.

2. Back light - Magicshine Seemee 60 Bike Tailligh

3. Small Water bottle - NALGENE Tritan 1-Pint Narrow Mouth - Thank you @Reid

4. 31.5 Stem - KRSCT BIKE 31.8 Stem 50mm Bike Stem

5. Bell - Crane ne Bicycle Bell

6. Stem Extender - OUTERDO Bike Fork Stem Extender Bicycle Handlebar Riser Adaptor

7. Rockbro bag - RockBros Bicycle Handlebar Bag Cycling Frame Bag for 5.7" 6.0" Touch Screen

8. RockBros Bike Bag Rear Carrier Bag Rear Pack Trunk Pannier

9. BONMIXC Bike Pedals 9/16 Cycling Sealed Bearing Bicycle Pedals

10. ESI XXL 8.25" Chunky Grips

11. Bushwhacker Shasta Red - Insulated Bike Water

12. Lock one - and Lock two

13. Fortified 31.8MM CLAMP - RED

14. Body Float with Wrap

15. Jones bars

16. Topeak Mountain Morph

17. Axiom Bag Axiom Pannier Seymour O-Weave P55+

18. Brooks Flyer

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Crazy - did you are get your

13. Fortified 31.8MM CLAMP - RED?

Looks very interesting. I am locking my seatpost with Hexlox
------

Today I did the following:

Replaced the seat post quick release with a normal collar that has a steel hex bolt
Replaced the front quick release skewer with a one that has a steel hex bolt
Added 2 HexLox magnetic inserts + 1 Hexlox key

This will A) Lock the front tire and the seat post to the bike B) Has negligible weight impact .. I think changing to steel hex bolts + hexlox added 12-14g.

I just tested them with those tiny super powerful buckyball magnets -- can't pull the lock out of the bolt that way.

I still plan on getting my dual Abus Bordo 6500 + the portable bolt-cutter proof heavy chain+lock combo. So 4' of chain + ~3ft folding lock still is over 15lbs, but that saves me from the weight of a 3rd lock. (Not the expense, the hexlox's aren't cheap ~$45 + $30 in skewer/seat collar).

---- Amazon Links the Good---
I am also happy with (Link Removed - No Longer Exists) this reflective vest for riding at night. Not a fashion statement, except that I think staying alive is sexy. :)

With 1 day of usage this bungie net is working well, also from amazon: (Link Removed - No Longer Exists)

--- Amazon things going back ---

Unfortunately I think I am going to have to return the pair of "Wald 582 Folding Rear Bicycle Basket" - it was hard to install while protecting the rack but I used some foam liner to get there.
But even then - it fits my reusable grocery bags but too much of the bag sticks up, out the top. The only thing that made it work is the bungie net I recommend above. If it was just 2" deeper, then I could put full grocery bag in with confidence - still use the net to make sure things don't bounce out -- but right now its ALL bungie net holding 30-40% of the bag..


Another thing going back is the "Vibrelli Mini Bike Pump & Glueless Puncture Repair Kit " - the product seems fine but in a test run it just can't seem to handle the high volume of the 4" tires

---Still Looking for...---

Still looking for a good portable pump/gauge for these fat tires. I am going to try to more expensive CrankBro Klic HV with CO2. I am hoping to use both the airpump and the CO2 - either pump for the initial 100-200 hundred pumps and then top it off with the CO2 or start with the CO2 to get the first 30-50% (call it 7-10PSI) and then use the air pump to finish it off

I think 575 full pumps to get 8-9 psi is unacceptable.


--- Still evaluating ---
"G Keni Wireless Brake Bike Warning Light Rechargeable, Smart Bike Daylight Sensing Taillight"
Pros -
  1. So far I have not had to remember to turn it on.
  2. In cloudy daylight, it flashes while the bike is moving, as long as there a small amount of vibration up-down (I have only tested using Walk-the-Bike mode so I can watch the back of the bike -- in the next day or two I hope to have a friend follow behind to confirm
  3. In daytime, if you tilt the bike over, more than say 30 degrees, then the light thinks you might have fallen over and goes into an SOS bright flashing pattern. I wasn't 100% sure this was a good thing until Crazy's posts about taking a spill in the dark.
  4. Its only $19.99 from Amazon.
Cons --
  1. It has a semi-ridged clip on the back body housing, that slips into a holder that's really designed to wrap around a seatpost. I have been able to get it attached where the normal battery powered real light should fit - but it flops around a bit and bangs when you hit a speed bump
  2. If the bike senses vibration, it "wakes up" , and at least flashes a couple of times.
  3. It must be mounted vertically for the motion sensing features to work
Untested so far --
  • If I am travelling at speed I don't yet know if the bright "brake" light automatically turns on, and if so for how long. I'll need someone to follow me to test
  • It claims to have between 8-14 hours of active biking usage and a standby time of 15 days.
  • I haven't yet ridden with the light while its "Dark" so can't yet confirm that behavior.
 
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The QRs on the seatpost and wheel were odd (i.e. dumb) design choices. Only reason I could see them doing it is to save a quarter. Put steel bolts in and sell hexlox as a $50 accessory with the bike = more sales.

I have hexlox and am very happy with them.

Why such a short stem?

I have the Postino handlebar which is similar to Jones with the bendy bar, but lighter and cheaper.
 
@NeilCruz I did get the fortified seat clamp in red. Seems to work well. Does have a security type torx head. Did not want the seat post to walk away too easy. When I do stop, I use the big lock to a post that is cemented into the ground and small lock for front wheel to frame. Also watch out the window if I can. When I ride to work, bike is next to my desk which is cool. Also the axiom panniers can carrier a Dell 15.6 in laptop in the factory shipping box, so shipping is a lot easier now for work.

I will check out that light, my mom and wife also want me the configure the GPS to send updates while riding. So I will mess around with the GPS site to see how.

@Asher I saw a post from @Reid about a more uprite riding position using the taller stem extender and shorter stem for the CCS. The RCS stock bars had me more hunched over than i liked. Have not tried tbe jones yet, but will also try the stock stem out also when back on bike. Weather has been great, just not feeling well enough to ride yet.
 
A note to other RCS owners: If you get the ABUS Bordo 6500 lock, the default one ($175 approx.) is only 85cm. This is just barely enough to lock the bike frame to a bike lock if you can get really close.

I found out that ABUS makes the 6500 in a 110cm length for $199. I wish I had purchased that.

I love the RCS ride, but locking the frame+1 tire + enough slack to get to a bike rack takes longer than 85cm.

Too bad you can't get the Abus Bordo Granit X-Plus 6500/100cm on Amazon-prime in the US. (And If you find such a link, please let me know!)
 
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