Down Low Glow: 1st impressions

[jobob]

Based on the discussions here, I ordered a Down Low Glow light from Rock the Bike.

I finally got around to installing it today, and here are my first impressions and some photos.

It's available in several different colors, but I got the amber, in part because it's supposedly the brightest, and in part because it seemed to be the most "street legal" color - some jurisdictions might have issues with blue & red lights, for instance, so I thought I would just play it safe.

Plus I thought the amber would look really nice with Pokey's blue color.

My commute includes a mile or two of frontage road, which can sometimes be quite busy during commute hours, esp if if the freeway alongside it is backed up. In the homeward direction a good part of that has absolutely no shoulder and runs right alongside a sound wall. So, at night, I want to be lit up like freakin' Times Square at New Years along this part of road.

Here are a few photos I took inside our garage. More can be found at http://s88.photobucket.com/albums/k1...2/DownLowGlow/. We're still fiddling with the set up and I haven't taken it out for an actual ride yet - hopefully tonight.



With the garage light on:



And with the garage light off:



View from the rear: Doesn't LeeBob have nice calves?



Diagonal view from the rear:



I'd say the only real downside is that the battery pack weights a ton. So while it'll be fine for commuting (mine is 15 flat miles each way), I wouldn't want to lug it along on a late-night long distance ride.

Also, the cable connecting the battery is fairly short. I'd like to be able to keep the brick, er, battery in my saddle bag rather than lash it onto the frame, so Lee & I are going to Radio Shack later to see if we can find an extension cable.

More impressions to follow when I actually get out & ride around with it.

[Veronica]

Could it go in a water bottle cage?

V.

[jobob]

Huh, I bet it could. I could do with only 1 bottle on my commute. Great idea !


ed to add:
Yep, it works like a charm. I took a Tour of CA bottle that I'd never use anyhow (small, narrow mouth), cut a couple of vertical slits in the bottle to allow the brick to get past the mouth, ran the cable thru one of the slits, screwed the lid back on, and perfecto.

[Technotart]

I wonder if it could be mounted elsewhere on the bike besides the bottom tube?

[maillotpois]

That's cool - almost looks like a spaceship. I doubt I could get the commuter in the family to put it on his Colnago.

(Nice calves, Lee. )

[KnottedYet]

Do you think it would be worth it to order the Two Fish block/clamp thing for the battery? I was thinking about it, but then considering I do ride in the rain maybe I'd be better off doing the cool thing with the water bottle like you did.

Does the battery look like it'd die in Seattle rain?

(I haven't ordered my dual-tube green get up yet, so I have decisions to make about the battery and the charger. I'm thinking about your very nifty bottle trick, and I'll probably go with the trickle charger.)

[jobob]

Sorry, dunno. The battery has a rubber covering, but Lee isn't sure if the cable connections are waterproof.

You might want to ask the folks at Rock the Bike.

[jobob]

Just got home & took the bike out for a quick spin up & down our street. The pictures didn't come out well, but here's an artsy-fartsy one.

[farrellcollie]

I have gotten mine in the mail but haven't had a chance to put in on the bike yet - how long did it take you? I am a little worried as I am not technically or mechanically apt.

[jobob]

It didn't take long at all, the installation was very simple.

The X-shaped rubber clip straps very easily to the down tube, the light clicks into the opening, and the x-shaped rubber piece secures it. Here's a view from underneath (I haven't trimmed the excess lengths of rubber straps yet).




At the moment the transformer thingie (the power driver box) is attached to the bottom of the seat tube using a couple of cable ties. I might use the adhesive backed velcro that was provided, or I might use thin velcro strips instead, since I plan to remove the assembly when I'm not using it. I'm still fiddling with it at this point.



The brick, er, battery went into the water bottle, as described above.

Plug the ends of the cables from the power box and the battery together, and you're good to go. Easy-peasy.

Watch the clearance between the uppermost part of the light tube and your front tire (or in my case, front fender). I had plenty of room, but if you have a small frame, be careful where you place the light in relation to the front tire.

I wrapped a velcro strip around the uppermost part of the light and the downtube because I'm paranoid. I might move the velcro strip, or add another one to the bottom of the light tube. Still fiddling.

[PscyclePath]

I strapped the control box and the battery together, and put them in one of the bottle cages; the other bottle cage holds my headlight battery. My evening rides have been about an hour and a half to two hours lately, so I stick my water bottle in a jersey pocket or just stop off here and there for a coke, or at one of the public fountains along the trail.

[Velobambina]

Jo---That bike looks excellent, decked out in her glow. Enjoy. Will be perfect for riding in your pea soup Bay Area fog.