Light it Up

I read an article in Bicycling magazine (which I curiously can't find right now) that showed the main ways in which cyclists are hit by cars. I wish I could find it, but one number really stuck out at me - over 60% of the time they are hit from the rear. I can't recall the other numbers, but do remember that this was over double any other direction.

This really struck me (bad pun, I know...). I have a rear light, but until I read this article, I was a bit too casual about turning it on. Mostly I'd use it on late rides at dusk. Not now. Every. Freakin'. Time. Cyclists are hard enough to see from the side or three-quarters perspective, but from the rear -- we practically disappear.

I'm a big fan of Lezyne products. They're beautifully engineered and manufactured. And they WORK. My Classic Floor Drive pump is the best pump I've ever owned. Today on Facebook I see a post on their newest rear light - the Zecto Auto. I'm getting one. Now. It's tempting to order one each for the road and cross bikes, but they're a bit spendy. So, this cool light has technology that senses motion and turns on. And after three minutes stopped, it shuts off. Presto! No more forgetting to turn the blinker light on. Beyond awesome! I like when I can easily build in safety to my rides.

-Sean-

Product Review: Lezyne Steel Drive Floor Pump

Regular readers will know - I'm a sucker for beautifully manufactured gear. My Abel fly reels are machined masterpieces. My Giant Defy road bike frame is a thing of beauty. And I find the unsanded blanks of my Scott A4 series fly rods unique in a sea of sameness. I lust for the Kingpin centerpin because my Kingpin Spey is such a perfect reel.

A couple of years back, I discovered the bike tools and components of Lezyne. Wow. Impressive. The kind of stunning machining, just-right heft, and rugged but elegant style that I go for. Thus far, I'd never run across a need for their gear. Until recently when I decided I needed a new tire pump. My Serfas pump has become increasingly inconsistent, so I hopped in the Interwebs to check out Lezyne. Sure enough, they have one. Wood handle. Steel body. machined solid brass chuck. Now you're talking!

So, I've added a Lezyne Steel Drive Floor Pump to my quiver. Of course the aesthetics are marvelous. The machine brass chuck feels hefty in-hand and turns butter smooth. The wooden handle makes plastic-handled pumps seem so -- well -- wrong. But how does it work?

Much like the classic Silca pumps of old, the Lezyne has a thread-on chuck. No more of this "depress the chuck, flip the lever, hope it seals..." as with so-called "modern" pumps. The Lezyne is precise and powerful. But best of all, this chuck design makes you slow down. It makes you appreciate the experience and live in the moment. Kind of cool in today's wired-24/7 world. If you don't go slow, it doesn't work.

The pump stroke is absolute genius. Smooth, consistent, and controlled. The first stroke pressurizes the gauge system and then each adds 2-3 psi per stroke. Like everything else on this fine piece of gear, it just works. In a way that suggests that this was exactly like a pump was intended to feel.

 So, if you appreciate fine craftsmanship over the latest whiz-bang features, check this one out. You'll likely dig it as much as I do!

-Sean-