something cheap, like this for $10. My intention was to get rid of the case and just use the guts
So I took the case apart with the idea of trying to make it smaller so I could put it under the seat
Everything came apart easily except that I had to cut the case to get the switch out
The plastic was harder to cut than I thought
but I had a small pair of wire cutters that did the job
It seems like a well made unit. I even like the part that screws into your tire valve, instead of those spring loaded ones. It even has a pressure gauge attached
I have cigarette lighter adapters installed on both of my bikes
On Black Friday I also managed to purchase a Spot2
I was on the fence about buying a spot tracker but next year I am riding into uncharted territory and I thought it would be a good idea for people to know that I was okay, or not. You just never know when you might need help somewhere with no cell service.
Nice job removing the clutter on the compressor! I carry a small hand/foot pump that has so far been used twice.
ReplyDeleteI keep thinking that my solo riding perfectly justifies a Spot but haven't done it yet. I do think it is a wise and considerate thing to have along. Mrs. Skoots will be able to monitor your every move. :)
Coop:
DeleteI think I may also buy a small hand pump. The more stuff you carry, the less you may need to use it, that's my theory I have been thinking about the Spot for a while now and I passed up a deal back in September for the same price, but it's not the price -- it's the yearly subscription fees.
As you are aware, I am going farther afield next year and I thought about safety and I will designate a couple of people here to keep track of me, otherwise I may just put a link on my blog for the Spot tracker.
I also need a new GPS. The Zumo's are too expensive so I was looking at the GPSMAPS 62x, or the Oregon 550/450. I think the Montana is too expensive for me too. With the 62x you can also geocache and get terrain maps. I like the idea of "tracks" and being able to load tracks from others which the Nuvi's can't do
I thought the Zumo 350 series is worth a look but you are right, they are fairly expensive. I also thought about the Montana, but so far I think I'll stay with my GPSMap 60CSx. I had a 62S that I disliked so much (user interface), that I returned it and bought the older, slower, less memory 60CSx. Fairly happy with it, but I use it mainly for tracking and only occasionally for navigating.
DeleteIf you're looking for a manual pump, I thought the Original MiniFootPump is worth a look. I'll add one to my next order from Twisted Throttle. Currently I just carry a small bicycle pump with the right adaptor. Though I never tried whether it will actually do me any good. That's what I have a AAA card and a cell phone for ... ;-)
Guido:
Deletethat foot pump looks good. Much better than using your elbows at a funny angle and it could be zip tied somewhere. I'm still on the fence about which GPS. I still have some Nuvi car ones I can use with a zip lock bag, but I was thinking about a waterproof one for bike use
I ordered the foot pump this morning as I wanted to add some 20mm risers to the Tiger anyways. Might be able to give a review by the end of next week. And while at it, I also ordered a tire fix kit for tubeless and tubed. The travel kit is now mostly complete. I only need a companion who knows how to use it ... ;-)
DeleteThe MiniFootPump from Twisted Throttle is the one I have; it has held up well both in use and in riding along with me.
DeleteAs far as GPS goes, I've been a bottom feeder, unwilling to spend Zumo kind of money on what for me has been a useful toy. I bought two Quest's over time, both re-furbished, neither of them cost more than $130. One of them failed, but the other one has been very reliable.
I've had a re-furbed Nuvi 500 now for a couple of years, a cheap Zumo as far as I'm concerned. It's waterproof and easily allows me to load my pre-planned Routes that I create at home, which I do more often than I don't. It sounds like the Oregon and Montana are great units, but again, they've been pricier than I was ready for. The Nuvi shows as much topo info as I really can make use of and since I spend so little time off-road, my units have served me very well.
Coop:
DeleteI think I will buy that MiniFootPump, it beats pumping with your arms. I am like you, Frugal. I think I may just use the ones I have. There's nothing wrong with them and I will just use the zip lock bag waterproof system
The new compressor is a little smaller but may be more difficult to use. When it is operating, what would you hold onto? Just suspend it between the hose and the power cord? The motor and the compressor housing would both get pretty hot.Maybe use the two screw hole to attach it to something that you can hold onto or may just use a pair of pliers.
ReplyDeleteMy bike came with a hand pump under the seat and I tried using it once but it really takes a lot of pumps to even raise the tire pressure a couple of pounds. That's why I now have the battery powered compressor. When your pump didn't work in Baker City, I was tempted to offer you the hand pump....
I'm with Guido on the 60CSx for the tracking and ability to use while hiking or walking. Keep in mind that the hand held models don't normally come with full street maps and POIs. Five years ago when I picked mine up, it was an extra $100 for the North American street maps. Maybe they have a different pricing model now. I do use it for navigating but there are no voice commands or an audio out. You just have to see watch the screen. I initially picked mine up for geocaching and navigating in other cities outside of Alaska. On the bike, I mostly use it as an accurate speedometer/odometer but also navigating last summer. I don't know about the newer models but the 60CSx still has the old, much sturdier 4 pin connector in addition to the much more fragile mini-usb.
Richard:
DeleteI have the same problem ordering the CyclePump with being in Canada. If I could buy one somewhere "off the shelf" when I am down in SFO I would. No one carries them up here. I just missed out on the Black Friday special of $100. which included the tire gauge. I may buy the foot pump that Guido mentioned above
If you want me to order something for you, let me know.
DeleteSet up a Spotwalla account to use with your Spot2 device. You can then make areal private or delete locations from the publicized tracks. For example, I have locations like my home and my mom's home in Corvallis set up as private so the exact locations aren't shown on the map. And, for example, I was able to edit my track to remove the location of B&B's house as well. Others are more conscience of this and make sure that the unit isn't on when arriving or leaving a location that they don't want public.
ReplyDeleteRichard:
DeleteI'll be sure to ask you more questions when I get my subscription when Spring gets closer so I can figure it out. I haven't yet decided whether to post a link or not. I may just "request" a couple of people to keep tabs on me and they will have all my emergency contact information.
I am also respectful of privacy but I may also forget to turn the unit off before I arrive at sensitive destinations
+1 on Spotwalla
ReplyDeleteCoop:
DeleteOk, one more thing to learn. I understand that I need to start an account there and then block out sensitive areas, but I don't know how to relate it to the spottracker from findmespot.com sounds too complicated for me but I can always sell it if I can't figure it out. I guess they have to be linked somehow. I can't work on it until Spring when I activate it cause I'm not going anywhere right now
Bob, you are so inventive sometimes. Most, like me, would have carried the full thing with me and struggled to carry it.
ReplyDeleteGary:
DeleteMany riders have taken theirs apart. I have run the unit and you just have to keep those spinning wheels from hitting the ground. Perhaps cradle it. The electric motor turns a crankshaft which moves a piston up and down. I always wondered how these things worked
One of my sons just looked over my shoulder at your blog post. "That guy is just so weird. Why does he include a picture of his feet in every post?"
ReplyDeleteI must admit to not knowing the answer to that, so I have to ask, why do you do that and how did you get the idea?
Gary:
DeleteI was always a shy person and it's a long story that started around 1978 when I bought a Honda CL350 twin, sight unseen from someone 500 miles away.
It's amazing how many people have hang ups with certain parts of their body. Some people will never wear shorts, others will never wear sandals. This was the case with me when we went to Hawai'i for the first time around 1975. I wore blue jeans, running shoes and was such a prude. I think I got heat exhaustion. Everyone was telling me to wear lighter clothing but I wouldn't listen and my feet swelled up and I could barely walk. A switch in my mind flipped upside down and I have gone the other way. Now when I am on vacation I don't bring shoes and only wear tank tops and sandals (sometimes), but I always wear full gear when riding my Motorcycle.
You are pretty creative on taking that pump apart. I'd be worried I'd never get it to work after that. Good job.
ReplyDeleteHow's your weather? Still getting hammered with rain and wind? Ours is sporadic.
Trobairitz:
DeleteI actually took two air compressors apart, but this one was better than the other one. The first one didn't work. I found out after I took it apart so I couldn't return it, but I got it working. It was just a cold solder joint. I was thinking of just zipstrapping it to the frame after I put it in a tube to keep it clean from the road dirt. I don't mind taking things apart. It's the putting back together that I have problems with
It has been pouring rain here too. Too much pooling water to ride. Even with windshield wipers it is hard to see. I even had to use the high speed setting which is very rare
Bob, I'll have to check out the foot pump from Twistedthrottle. I carry a tubeless tire repair kit, Stop and Go brand I believe. I worry that the CO2 cartridges might not be enough to fill a 190/55-17 tire....
ReplyDeleteAlso, I use a Nuvi on my Zx-14. I just carry along a small plastic bag in case of rain. I never could justify the $$$ expense of the "waterproof" GPS's.
Erik:
DeleteI also have a "stop and Go" plug mushroom plug set. Plus I carry those worms. We have a Twisted Throttle dealer here so I can order and they will bring it in with their shipments.
as for the GPS, I may just buy a Nuvi and use the zip lock bag waterproof system. I want one with the Lifetime maps and bluetooth
Bob, I have an old 12V compressor that is now very old. I makes an ungodly staccato clatter that will make you deaf and vibrates all over the place at the end of its short air hose tether, and with each clackitty cycle it injects a tiny puff of air into the tire. Still, I got for an old rusty Subaru Chaser that was my canoeing car whose tires would go flat in a about two weeks. It took a while, but it could pump those tires right up. It does get hot though. I think that heat and vibration combined with dirt from the ground getting in between the two exposed gears between the motor and the compressor are going to make it a challenge to use. Come to think of it, if those Crocs of yours are silicone, you could lie on the ground and cradle the pump with your feet while wearing the Crocs. If they aren't silicone, they just melt all over your feet.
ReplyDeleteAs for the GPS, I have a Nuvi 550 on my Xmas list. That should do the trick as long as I stay on paved roads. Vespas are not well suited to trails anyway.
I also have a Senna headset on my Xmas list. That's the thing I really want. Time will tell.
David:
DeleteThis compressor doesn't sound that loud. I plugged it into the car lighter and doesn't vibrate much either. I may not have room for my Croc©, I'll know when I assemble my stuff
If you get the Sena SMH10 make sure it is the BT V3.0 which can communicate with 4 riders.
I guess I should probably think about putting together a small toolkit that consists of more than a CAA card and a cell phone.....
ReplyDeleteCanajun:
DeleteI am working on a toolkit, not for me, but to make sure I have the right tools for the person who helps me when I am stranded. I think most places will have the tools, but perhaps not the torx bits to remove the panels, nor the torque specs for the wheels. I may have to buy the bit required to remove the wheels, as they are a special size
Bob - Me thinks you doth stress too much ... But I do love my Zumo 660 (and wish I had the 990). I got an incredible Best Buy, price match deal - watch the on line ads (I love Garmin Dan ... and for everything else there is blackberry)
ReplyDeleteKaren:
DeleteI'm not stressed. I am just trying to finish loose ends. I could just use the one I used last year but what fun would that be. Everytime I turn it on it warns me that my maps are outdated. Anyway I still have lots of time before I actually need it . . .
or starbucks or mcdonalds or tim hortans ...
ReplyDeleteKaren:
DeleteI am an over planner, and you are a free spirit and go with the flow, but I'm learning
Bob, somebody has contacted me asking if I have an opinion on SPOT Connect or Gen3 for solo adventure riding. Did you ever do a write up about how you got on with the SPOT or why you chose that one and not the Gen3?
ReplyDelete