Brighter-Lights

Not to spoil all your fun here... But I would be cautious to buy anything from Thys. A few months back he approached me and showed interest to buy one of my lights. Next, he wanted to become my biz partner and offered his professional photography services to me. For someone who wanted to buy a light, he asked way too many questions. Even wanted to hear where I buy my parts from. At the time I thought what cheek! It cost me many lessons before I found reliable suppliers. Anyway, his emails continued. Wanted to SEE my Solo 580. I then found out that he asked questions to one of my customers... what batteries, what this and that? In the meantime I stopped replying because I was figuring that this guy just want to see my lights to get ideas for his lights. So when I saw this thread at first I was upset and then I relaxed because the lights mean nothing without reliable battery systems. It's when he posted the ref to Troutie-MTB when I smelled grass. He called him his mate in the UK... just like he wanted to be buddies with me to get closer to my lights. So I send Troutie-MTB the link - I didn't say anything yet, because it was not my thread. But Troutie-MTB did reply to me... VERY unhappy. Using Troutie-MTB's photos to market supernova lights is a copyright violation. The technology is available now, anyone can build lights. I started out long ago when everything weren't heard of yet... I spend $$$$$'s and hours... So ANYONE can build a light with a little research. But then do research and don't pretend to be mates to steal info. Use your own stuff, own ideas, or use others idea's for inspiration. Don't steal ideas and or photos. Especially not if you're a professional photographer! A real engineer uses his own ideas to make money. ----- Original Message ----- From: Thys Meades To: johannes@brighter-lights.com Sent: Thursday, May 07, 2009 1:21 PM Subject: From thys I didn?t mention to you that I am a professional photographer and could help you with the new pics of you rev 1 replacement and rev 4 replacement. Product pics as well as nite shots / performance pics. For website/brochures/marketing. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Thys Meades" <thys@randcivils.co.za> To: <johannes@brighter-lights.com> Sent: Wednesday, June 03, 2009 7:44 AM Subject: LED program Hi Johannes, hope the solo 580 is coming on nicely. Can't wait to see it. Good luck! .......You probably don't need it but it helps an amateur like me. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Thys Meades" <thys@randcivils.co.za> To: "Brighter-Lights" <johannes@brighter-lights.com> Sent: Wednesday, June 03, 2009 9:17 AM Subject: LED program No worries, you keep at it. Your hard work will be rewarded! Can't wait to see the final product. Regards Thys ----- Original Message ----- From: Thys Meades To: Brighter-Lights Sent: Tuesday, June 09, 2009 12:17 PM Subject: Smart charger Hi Johannes, hope all is well, can?t wait to see the final product.<?: prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /> Do you have a smart charger to sell. If so, how much? My cheapie battery charger just packed up. Regards Thys ----- Original Message ----- From: Thys Meades To: Brighter-Lights Sent: Tuesday, June 09, 2009 1:35 PM Subject: RE: Smart charger Hi Johannes, I need to charge 4 li-ion cells, (arranged in series in a homemade cell pack) but I want a smart charger which will charge from 2 ? 5 or 6 cells (I will eventually get some lithium polymers when I find the right ones) I was thinking of buying this one for about $40.00. Have you got something for me. I am actually desperate at the moment as my cells just ran out of juice this morning (half way on my ride) so I had to ride home in the dark!! If you can help please let know. Thys ----- Original Message ----- From: Thys Meades To: Brighter-Lights Sent: Tuesday, June 09, 2009 2:42 PM Subject: RE: Smart charger But you haven?t answered my question. Do you have for me, I will pay, in dollars!!!! J Even a second hand one you use to charge your penlights for your remotes!!! Please help!! ----- Original Message ----- From: Thys Meades To: Brighter-Lights Sent: Wednesday, June 24, 2009 4:14 PM Subject: solo 580 Hi Johannes, hope you are going alright. Getting worried that you are stuck in a hole somewhere and never coming out. Can?t wait to see the light. Are you almost there? Remember to contact me if you need pics done. Thys Brighter-Lights2009-07-31 07:24:31

I'm amused... On average, I ride about 16 000km offroad per year. Each 32 000km I go through: 4 sets of derailleur pulleys (R800) 8 chains (R1000) 2 sets of chainrings (R1300) 2 cassettes (R1000) 2 sets wheel bearings (American Classic wheels) (R600) 1 rear derailleur (R700) I drilled the cable guides to accept full length outer housing. It's a fact that I spend a lot less on my bike than most people. I don't pay R300 for a bike clean. I power wash it (5 mins) and once a month or second month do a bearing/lube service (1 hour) (pop the bearing seals out, add new grease, clean if needed) How much does the everage rider spend per year on bike services and time in the shop? + parts because of poor maintenance? How much water can enter a chain? or how much water can enter your chainrings and cassette? you have to be really stupid to argue with this one - or never have used a pressure cleaner and inspected / disassebled the parts afterwards... Using parrafin does a lot more harm, it goes past seals and wash out grease. If you don't aim the pressure spray near the seals, it can't get in. Period.

Two words: water intrusion No more water intrusion than riding in the rain, or than cleaning with soapy water! After cleaning I leave the bike in the sun for a few mins and when the chain is dry I relube... I don't worry about water intrusion because there's none. I've taken the crank off after cleaning with a WAP and there's not a drop of water inside the BB.... Once every month I relube derailleur pivots. If you're stupid enough to sit and scrub your chain for 30 minutes that your problem. I've also done that in the past. Use oil for lube... Use WAP to clean. Chains does get wet when riding anyway. WAP removes crud in seconds... If you're aiming the WAP at the seal then you need help... I stand by the WAP... and real OIL... my experience has tought me the most effective and quickest way. Nobody's opinion will change my mind.

High Pressure Cleaner - 3 words.... I don't take the chain off, with the chain on big ring, I just aim the cleaner at an angle and the crank starts rotating. At the same time, my crank gets cleaned. Takes 3 minutes to clean my cassette, crank and chain. I relube with Castol chainsaw oil, or Wynns aerosol chain lube. I've wasted far too many hours cleaning the chain in degreaser, taking it off, washing in parrafin, washing with soap. etc. etc. I don't have time to waste washing my bike when I could've been riding it....

Nicely done. I've used the plastic micro irrigation fittings with thread on both sides of the nut. No drilling required.

Jy kan eintlik 'n baie goedkoop mtb opbou deur parte van hulle 'sale' te kies.... daar's goekoop wiele, Shimano XT crank R1600, XTR agter der R580 ens ens.... baie bargains... maak dit die prys werd om UPS shipping te kies...

DT Swiss XRC 100 2009 Now 5428.32 ZARhttp://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Interface/Offers/Sale.gif RRP 9893.51 ZARSave 37%

540 Shimano's - lasts forever.

Anyone know of a local shop with good prices for Polar? A PE bikeshop have the CS200 for R1800-00. I can get the CS400 with shipping and duties for R2400-00 from the US. I'll only buy local if it's R200 or R300 diff and if it can be at my door 2 days later.

Thanks a lot for all the input! I'm not really after GPS function and mapping.... I want a training tool which tells me speed/HR/Altitude info which is downloadable for review on the PC afterwards... As it seems now... the garmin won't work well for me bc of the short battery life.... I need something that will take me through a 24hr solo... The Garmin could work if I use the external battery pack through the USB port... (somethign I'll be able to make up) After a little more research.... I can get a Polar CS400 for R2000 + duties from the States... But the CS400 is only 'splash' proof.... I wonder how it will hold up in rain and mud... tired of riding with shrinkwrap over my computer... I'm still deciding and Trans Baviaans comign closer....

I'm looking to buy a new HRM/Computer and have been looking quite a bit into the Garmin Edge 305. I'm not really familiar with Polar products. Does Polar make something comparable to the Garmin Edge 305? I can get the Garmin Edge 305 + cadence kit for R2895-00. Some have suggested Polar S720X? Local shops with good Polar prices? Any suggestions? Experiences? Problems? Thank you JG

Solder gives a much better thermal path than Arctic Silver. Google 'reflow soldering' - you can easily do it in your oven or on a stove plate. I use a butane torch and carefully heat the star. You don't have to tin the IC... just tin the contacts on the board... Best would be solder paste...

K-Way M's Torrential Rain Jacket http://www.capeunionmart.co.za/phpthumb/phpThumb.phpsrc=/images/product/096284/lr_kway_ms_torrential_jacket_blue__096284.tif.jpg&ampw=260&amph=260&ampfar=1&ampbg=ffffff This lightweight rain jacket is 100 % waterproof and seam sealed, ensuring that you stay dry no matter your adventure. http://www.capeunionmart.co.za/images/textcache/cache/season_cb04453331f75b4e87c9c00903067aaa_AvailableColourOptions.gif R450-00

All the above were registered. HK post won't play until the parcel is 'lost' for more than 2 months... they believe that it can still arrive within 2 months... but how can somthing leave HK on a certain date and never arrive or get scanned in SA for weeks? My past experiences were that the parcels get scanned in SA 3 to 7 days after 'leaving HK date' I'll be using FEDEX or DHL from now on and my light prices obviously will go up... Brighter-Lights2009-06-17 08:54:12

In 5 years of buying and selling small items off the internet, over 200 total, I've never lost a parcel with SAPO... The past 3 months I've lost 5 incoming parcels from Hong Kong.... and one from South Korea. Tracking system on HK Post gives a date when item has left HK... When phoning SAPO, they inform you that the item has never been scanned in SA and thus 'not arrived' What do you think the possibility is that SAPO/SARS is dumping a percentage of small parcels to ease their workload...? Or is there a possibility that HK post are loosing the parcels somewhere in transit and it never arrives in SA? 50% of the goods I've bought the last 3 months 'have not arrived' in SA yet, even though HK post gives a date it left HK... (normally 2 to 4 days after order was placed..) Pretty close to giving up.... Brighter-Lights2009-06-12 02:54:17

Someone posted a link to a SA online shop not long ago where the 705 was R4799-00 and the 305 was R2899-00 Will see if I can find the link again.

With UST tyres on normal rims you don't need a Stans kit. Just one layer of fiber strapping tape, and 2 layers of electrical insulation tape over the spoke holes and a tubeless valve. I use the long valves of road bike tubes... just rip one out of a thrashed tube and put a 3x3mm o-ring around it... The UST tyre sits tighter and have a thicker bead... seals very easily... With non UST tyres, use the Stans srip, even though tape works, the strip makes them seal so much easier...

That's a separation in the thread. I've encountered it many times when I worked in 'n fitment centre before. Usually, it happened mostly on taxis and cars doing lots of gravel road. The tyre is pumped too hard, or takes a very hard knock and the bead / plies start stretching, creating a bubble. Tyres with separations WILL burst eventually... I've seen it 3 times on MTB tyres before... Two were samples I tested... appeared like the tyre wasn't seated properly, but they were brand new, and seated properly but had a 'S' shape in one section... could even feel the bike bouncing while riding... The other was a CrossMark LUST and I know the guy (203cm and 120kg) pumped those tyres over 4 bar... I doubt that the stans or sealant could've started the damage. Lots of people have been complaining about blistering, and I've seen photos of it, but I've gone through about 20 tyres the past 4 years and never had a blister problem with any kind of sealant. I think you had a bad tyre and the plies separated after use and abuse... Impressive that the tyre held pressure and didn't blow off... wow! Brighter-Lights2009-05-12 16:30:00

Kenda Karma SWS Appears white with the flash because it's a reflective sidewall. Normally grey and glitter like... Brighter-Lights2009-05-07 03:49:20

I'm using SRAM with Shimano XT Cassette and Deore chain... works well... I've also used SRAM Rocket twisters with Shimano rear der... works too...

Easier is with the battery pack. I put them in the light head unit...