- Joined
- Mar 27, 2013
- Messages
- 22,536
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Besides being a BAR, there was a long time I was very much into bicycling. Truth be told, I still am, but... Moving away from my apartment in Beaverton Oregon (only 1 block from major public transportation hub, and two blocks to Tammie's Hobbies) really cut into my bicycling time. I now live 25 miles from school (was only 6 miles away in Beaverton). Worse still, between me and school is a couple of nasty climbs/descents, and the location of my last injury crash with a car (I was right hooked while I was riding in a bike lane that time). Suffice it to say, I'm not riding 52 miles/day (minimum).
So, I rediscovered rocketry.
I still however keep an eye on the bike scene and visit the founder and editor of Bikeportland.org on occasion. While visiting him, I came across a new gizmo that he had bought or received as a product test, and he was pretty impressed with it. Having just finished playing dodge pedestrian (I'm halfway through an intersection with a green light in my favor, when some moron looks straight through me (and the 1300 lumens of flashing lights I was using), and steps off the curb, and right into my path, oblivious to the >425lbs of bike, books, and body approaching him at 15mph. I managed to miss him... then had a repeat performance with a fool who looked like he was intentionally trying to get hit only two blocks away from the first), I'm a little miffed at them trying to wreck me and my bike. Gizmo is a light and horn that is very loud (96DB), USB rechargeable, and would fit on my crowded handlebar... maybe.
I order one online, but the company is based out of PDX, so I pick it up there. I got the gizmo, and a remote switch to allow me to keep my hands more firmly on the brakes while operating it, and was given a 2nd one free (no extra switch). Damn! It doesn't fit on the handlebar, but it does fit on the stem of the bike. So, I install it with the person who designed and made it watching and everything is good... Right? I peddle back to school, lean by bike against the bike rack, and the plug snaps off, leaving the male end firmly seated in the jack. I call the guy up, and he agrees to send me (free) a 2nd switch, but I'd like to get the remains of the damaged plug out of the original gizmo. He doesn't want to take the damaged one back, and fix it.
I proposed a solution to the problem. The plug sticks straight out of the device, is thin, and long. It is inviting a problem. My solution, use a thicker (stronger) plug, AND angle it at 90 degrees, so once it exits the jack, it will present a smaller "target" for damage, and the body of the unit can reinforce it through whatever is threatening to snap it off. This would be a nonstandard jack shape (more of a flattened S shape instead of an "-" shape or an squarish "7" shape). They are not interested in my solution.
I'm waiting for the replacement switch to arrive, but I KNOW that it is vulnerable to damage, I KNOW that it is difficult (if not impossible to fix). I'm afraid I'll break this in no time, and then where am I?
I'm thinking that I should just return both, along with the new switch before something happens to it. I don't want to blast them on forums, I think they're on to something, but it IMHO needs further refining, or else they're going to be getting a lot of these back damaged.
What do all you think? What would you do?
Thanks!
Jim
So, I rediscovered rocketry.
I still however keep an eye on the bike scene and visit the founder and editor of Bikeportland.org on occasion. While visiting him, I came across a new gizmo that he had bought or received as a product test, and he was pretty impressed with it. Having just finished playing dodge pedestrian (I'm halfway through an intersection with a green light in my favor, when some moron looks straight through me (and the 1300 lumens of flashing lights I was using), and steps off the curb, and right into my path, oblivious to the >425lbs of bike, books, and body approaching him at 15mph. I managed to miss him... then had a repeat performance with a fool who looked like he was intentionally trying to get hit only two blocks away from the first), I'm a little miffed at them trying to wreck me and my bike. Gizmo is a light and horn that is very loud (96DB), USB rechargeable, and would fit on my crowded handlebar... maybe.
I order one online, but the company is based out of PDX, so I pick it up there. I got the gizmo, and a remote switch to allow me to keep my hands more firmly on the brakes while operating it, and was given a 2nd one free (no extra switch). Damn! It doesn't fit on the handlebar, but it does fit on the stem of the bike. So, I install it with the person who designed and made it watching and everything is good... Right? I peddle back to school, lean by bike against the bike rack, and the plug snaps off, leaving the male end firmly seated in the jack. I call the guy up, and he agrees to send me (free) a 2nd switch, but I'd like to get the remains of the damaged plug out of the original gizmo. He doesn't want to take the damaged one back, and fix it.
I proposed a solution to the problem. The plug sticks straight out of the device, is thin, and long. It is inviting a problem. My solution, use a thicker (stronger) plug, AND angle it at 90 degrees, so once it exits the jack, it will present a smaller "target" for damage, and the body of the unit can reinforce it through whatever is threatening to snap it off. This would be a nonstandard jack shape (more of a flattened S shape instead of an "-" shape or an squarish "7" shape). They are not interested in my solution.
I'm waiting for the replacement switch to arrive, but I KNOW that it is vulnerable to damage, I KNOW that it is difficult (if not impossible to fix). I'm afraid I'll break this in no time, and then where am I?
I'm thinking that I should just return both, along with the new switch before something happens to it. I don't want to blast them on forums, I think they're on to something, but it IMHO needs further refining, or else they're going to be getting a lot of these back damaged.
What do all you think? What would you do?
Thanks!
Jim