@bikenite A8. We went stone fruit picking and arrived at the orchard by bike. It was a great way to do it.

#BikeNite

@skyfaller @bikenite A7. Yes, probably too many to choose from, but I in general prefer something that's comfortable and light weight (because lighter = more comfortable to me). I have heard that a clear retractable visor is a great feature, if that helps you narrow things down.

#BikeNite

@mdione @jfparis @bikenite A6. Today, I read about someone being yelled at by a driver, and I recalled a separate incident where a driver laid on their horn for a while because someone pulled their car out in front of them.. driving can make people really mad at each other!

I've been ready to not ride my bike anymore, usually on a longer ride, sometimes, but rarely during a commute.

I don't think riding for transportation has gotten boring though. There are enough interesting things to see and if it's a regular commute, there are usually regular acquaintances I see. Exchanging hellos, seeing plants change with the seasons, progress on construction.. it hasn't gotten boring yet.

#BikeNite

@wesley @bikenite A5. I haven't looked too much into this, but separately, I was wondering if an ebike with a rear hub motor could be put onto a trainer for power generation. I learned that most hub motors have some sort of clutch that prevents the motor from engaging while coasting, but that one could disable the clutch to enable power generation.

I don't know how that's done though! Maybe one day I'll turn that idea into a project..

#BikeNite

@cptbutton @bikenite A4. I've definitely seen more backpacking-lite styled backpacks that have a taught mesh frame and suspension, with the actual backpack a half inch or so off of your back.

Like others, I switched to panniers after experiencing a bit too much back pain + back sweat on a ride.

#BikeNite

@grammasaurus @bikenite A3. Last camping trip (not bike camping sadly) I remembered a power bank but forgot the actual cable to charge the phone!

It was on my packing list, but I skimmed through it in a rush because I didn't have my things in order in time. So maybe the easiest thing to forget is to diligently check your packing list!

#BikeNite

@semitones @bikenite A2. I have, but the pain feels like the kind of pain associated with muscle fatigue on longer rides. Not saying this is the same issue, but for me, it usually got better after riding more often.

Sometimes the muscle fatigue seems to work the other way. I had mild back spasms in the past that somehow got better after riding my bike for an exercise-type ride.

I don't know, otherwise, but I hope that you are able to find a good solution!

#BikeNite

Thanks all for the questions tonight. And thanks for answering, reading & discussing.

I think we got through them all this week! Send any new questions with the BikeNitePQ tag.

Reply, boost and favorite to keep it going. Thanks for being a part of this community. And you can follow #BikeNite, if you haven't yet. Use the hashtag to help boost awareness!

And our last question this week, your week in a photo:

Q8. What did you see this week? Reply with a photo if you'd like. Cycling related or not is fine. Tell us about it!

#BikeNiteQ #BikeNite #BikeTooter #Cycling #MastoBikes cc @bikenite

@skyfaller asks:

"At a minimum your helmet should be certified to the Dutch NTA 8776 standard, the only one specifically for ebikes."
https://helmets.org/helmets-for-ebikes/

Virginia Tech rates helmets, and you can filter for "e-bike (NTA)" helmets, but there are 13 helmets with 5 stars (too many), and the highest-rated options are very expensive and bulky. And can I even source them in the USA?
https://www.helmet.beam.vt.edu/bicycle-helmet-ratings.html

Q7. What is the best/safest e-bike helmet?

#BikeNiteQ #BikeNite #BikeTooter cc @bikenite

@mdione asks, via @jfparis:

I take my kids to school by bike, round trip is 15m. Meanwhile, most people take the car, and this area is a traffic knot. So to me it's fun to gently slalom between the cars stopped in a line.

But I wonder if commuting by bike ever becomes as boring as commuting by car? Most people are miserable in traffic.

Q6. Does commuting by bike ever become boring?

full Q: https://en.osm.town/@mdione/116735827479110756

#BikeNiteQ #BikeNite #BikeTooter cc @bikenite

@wesley asks:

Q5. Is it possible/how hard is it to add regenerative braking to an existing store bought ebike? Are there any ways make regenerative braking work with a mid drive motor?

#BikeNiteQ #BikeNite #BikeTooter #Cycling #MastoBikes cc @bikenite

@cptbutton asks

I wear a generic backpack while riding, which means in warm weather my back is soaking wet at the end because there is no air circulation under the backpack.

I have a vague idea that there are backpacks with some kind of mesh standoff that lets air through and avoids this problem.

Q4. Do such backpacks actually exist? If so, what are they called? Any recommendations in the US market?

#BikeNiteQ #BikeNite #BikeTooter #Cycling #MastoBikes cc @bikenite

@pete @bikenite A1. I am in Oakland, California, as usual! I have ridden a bike in.. I think only 3 countries! I hope to increment that by one sometime this year.

#BikeNite

@grammasaurus asks:

I’ll be taking a one week fully supported bike trip in July (yeah, could be a HOT one), and I’m curious what little thing I‘m likely to forget.

I already figured out clothing (I think), and that I’ll really miss having a fan at night (we’ll be in tents) to make sleeping more comfortable….but what am I overlooking that makes a big difference?

Q3. What's easy to forget when packing for a bike trip?

#BikeNiteQ #BikeNite #BikeTooter #Cycling cc @bikenite

@semitones asks:

Q2. Has anyone experienced low back pain with biking, or is familiar with it? I've tried switching to a bike where I sit upright in the saddle and it helps with acute pain but I still hurt the next day. This is for bike commuting.

How can one avoid lower back pain?

#BikeNiteQ #BikeNite #BikeTooter #Cycling #MastoBikes cc @bikenite

Welcome to #BikeNite on Friday, June 12th!

Thanks for joining our chat. Anyone can join, now or later. Reply to what you like, and boost for visibility.

Our intro, and question from @pete:

Q1. Where are you posting from today? Very loosely inspired by the football (or soccer if you must) World Cup's 48 participating nations: How many countries have you ridden a bike in?

#BikeNiteQ #BikeTooter @bikenite

Our community discussion #BikeNite starts in about an hour, at 4pm Pacific (UTC-8). I post cycle-y questions w/ Q1, Q2, Q3; if you answer w/ A1, A2, A3, etc, it's easier to match.

Tag #BikeNite if you want your answer to be more discoverable; follow it to see questions & replies in your feed. Boost & reply to replies to keep the discussion going.

(You can follow the BikeNiteQ tag so questions are easier to find, but don't include this in your answers)

image: @meganL cc @bikenite

Happy Wednesday #BikeNite if you have any questions for this week, see below!
—-

Next #BikeNite is this Friday at 4pm Pacific standard time (UTC-8)!

This is our weekly call for questions. Reply with any you'd like me to add to the discussion on Friday. Please add the BikeNitePQ hashtag so it's easier to find a Proposed Question. There is room for more!

(BikeNite is a Q&A type discussion on the Fediverse.) #BikeTooter cc @bikenite

@bikenite A8. We rode out to a tree to pick up some plums. They were delicious. I made some gelato out of the ones we didn’t snack on.
#BikeNite