(can you see the AirTag above? It’s hidden under the water bottle.) 6 months in: How’s the bike AirTag holder? The Bike Sight AirTag mount has been working great. It’s been through 2 or 3 atmospheric rivers so far (so a ton of rain) and I haven’t had to touch it. Physically, how is the AirTag bike mount doing? I haven’t had to touch it it at all, but visually it looks great. I’m confident that there’s been no water ingress due to the weatherproofing gasket. I forget that it’s there most of the time. I also don’t really notice it because it’s hidden under the water bottle cage. When do I use the AirTag with my bike? I find myself using the AirTag when I have left my bike parked somewhere for a while and just want to make […]
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Frog 55 20″ Kids bike: Quick thoughts
We briefly had a Frog 55 kids bike (20″ wheels) to try out for a bit and so I wanted to share some thoughts about it. Frog Bikes is a UK-based company that designs and makes lightweight children’s bikes. Like other bike brands (Islabike comes to mind) they were founded by parents looking for nicer bike options for their kids. Their goals are to make riding easy, comfortable and enjoyable for kids. The Frog 55 is a slightly larger 20″ bike than the Frog 52, where the “52” and “55” correspond to the child’s minimum inside leg measurement to ride that bike. Slightly aggressive geometry My kid currently rides a bike that is the same size (20″ wheels). She said that the Frog 55 bike feels more stretched out than her other bike, but she didn’t mind too much. On […]
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Biking the kids to school in light rain? Not too bad of a Bike Bus today.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nSk8ngGlwI&feature=youtu.be We might have overdressed today but it was not a bad ride to school in the rain. Our fingers got a little cold but the rest worked out fine. Here’s what made the ride more comfortable: Fenders Waterproof pants and jackets A bike safety flag for visibility Bike Bus Friends! A waterproof backpack cover Good headlights Riding through puddles Here are some general tips for riding your bike in the rain. And here are tips specifically for riding bikes with kids in the rain. Or follow along for updates:
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Cars parked in the bike lane. It’s dangerous, but surprisingly not illegal.
The other night, I was riding home from UC Berkeley with my kid. We rode through a bad stretch of Dana Street, where the bike lane is on the left side. It’s a one-way street with heavy car traffic. As usual (unfortunately), someone was parked in the bike lane, blocking us. We scanned for traffic behind us, looking for an opening in traffic. We found a break in traffic, and tried to go around as fast as possible. More cars arrived as we started to go around. The driver blocking the lane was playing on their phone while idling their car. Oblivious or ignorant to the problems they were causing. Perhaps they were waiting to pick somebody up? It’s unsettling to watch your child ride while surrounded by moving cars. You already feel vulnerable, and your child looks even more […]
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How to attach a bike flag (Bike Beam)
How to attach a bike flag, a guide Bicycle safety is probably a top priority for you, and one way to increase your visibility is to attach a bike safety flag. Where do I mount the bike safety flag? Attaching the bike safety flag is a relatively simple process. First, you need to choose a suitable location to mount the bicycle flag. The Bike Beam comes with either a rack mount or axle mount. But you can also attach it to a trailer. Other safety flags usually come with an axle mount or can also fit into the bike flag mounting hole of a trailer. You’ll usually want the flag at the rear of your bike. Different types of bike flag mounts There are 3 main types of bike flag mounts: Axle or quick release bike flag mount: This […]
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BikeIndex: the best place to report your bike stolen online
Bike theft sucks. A couple friends reported having their bikes stolen in the last 2 months, and it got me to thinking about how worthwhile it is to list your bikes on BikeIndex. If you’re worrying about your bike being stolen, or if your bike has been stolen and you need help getting it back, BikeIndex can be a really helpful resource. BikeIndex is the best place to report your stolen bike online BikeIndex is a free, online, non-profit, database where people can list their bikes and report their stolen bikes. It’s the biggest database that I know of, so if your bike is stolen, you have a better chance of searchers finding you. BikeIndex sends out alerts when bikes are marked stolen to broaden potential group people who can find your bike. As of this writing, nearly 12,000 bikes […]
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Which 3 settings should you use for AirTag (anti-theft bike GPS tracker)
Recommended iPhone settings for an AirTag bike mount If you’ve bought our weatherproof AirTag bike mount (style: under water bottle holder), Apple’s FindMy app is what you will use to locate your bike. It functions as a bike GPS tracker by harnessing Apple’s network of hundreds of millions of devices. Here are the settings that I recommend and why I think they’re important. Notify when found: usually Disabled, Enabled if you bike has been stolen. If this setting is disabled, you will need to visit the FindMy app to determine whether your bike can be located. You probably want to keep this setting disabled so you don’t get false positive notifications if your bike is in a known location. You cannot enable this setting if the FindMy network has located your bike. Notify when left behind: Enabled, except for at […]
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How much does a bike light cost?
How much does a bike light cost? I was chatting with another parent at the school bike racks last week, and he mentioned how his kid’s been inspired to ride to school lately but was a little concerned about riding home in the evenings. School’s over around 2:50pm, but often kids have after school programs and as such, many kids don’t leave for home until maybe 5:30pm. We chatted about types of bike lights that are available and how he just wanted to make sure his kid was visible on the road. There’s a wide spectrum of different bike lights available at different prices (I looked at a bunch of different ones in the bike lights for kids guide) and here is a summary of what one can expect. Bike headlights: Great for being seen, lighting up the road, and […]
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How much is a kids bike? How much should kids bikes cost?
When it comes to buying a kids bike, you may wonder how much should kids bikes cost? The cost can vary greatly depending on the brand, model and features. One note is that the prices below are related to the original MSRP of a bike, which may be different than your purchase price. There is a lot of value in checking the used bicycle market. Also, smaller children’s bikes (of course) generally cost less. A balance bike will probably cost less than a 16″ wheel bike, which in turn costs less than a 20″, 24″ and 26″ kids bike. Lower-priced kids bikes: under $250 MSRP You can find perfectly functional bikes in this price range. These kids bikes are typically made with less expensive (and heavier) materials and may have poorer quality components compared to higher-priced models. They are going […]
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How are bikes usually stolen? 12+ Helpful tips about bike theft.
How are bikes usually stolen? Bikes are great. They are a convenient, eco-friendly way to get around, and help you get healthy physical activity. They also allow kids to independently transport themselves. Bike theft is a huge issue especially in the Bay Area. When I first moved here, I bought a “beater bike” for errands and commuting, because I didn’t want to risk having my nice bike be stolen. Reading Craigslist “stolen bike” posts over the years I’ve read and gathered some data from Craigslist post over the years. I’ve been casually studying and observing bike theft for more than a decade. Bikes are stolen in several ways, but some are much more common. Bikes are often stolen during a home break-in Perhaps surprisingly many are stolen during a home break-in. People often store their bikes in their garage, and […]
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