Newsletter Issue No. 1217
March 26, 2026
Quick Review: Cat Eye’s BM-45 Bar End Mirror
Jim’s Tech Talk
By Jim Langley
Recently, some aggressive drivers have inspired me to use a rear view mirror again. I didn’t want a helmet-mount model, the type that I used when riding across the country in 1979. It worked fine on that trip, except that I knocked it off the helmet walking into things forgetting the mirror was there and bumped it out of position when laying the helmet down sometimes too. Read more.
Hey, Hey, Hey, Could It Be Time to Rethink Your Cycling Goals?
By Kevin Kolodziejski
Mick Jagger’s been around seemingly forever, as well as the song he’ll be linked to for just as long: “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction.” But hey, hey, hey, that’s just what I say.
If what you say is that there’s no reason to mention this in a cycling column, I won’t tell you how white your shirts should be. I’ll just tell you that you’re wrong . . . and what some guy far smarter than I says about the song. Read more.
Ravemen FR500 Front Bike Light – Quick Review
By Sheri Rosenbaum
Wandering the aisles at the CABDA Midwest show in February, I stumbled upon a brand called Ravemen. While the name wasn’t immediately familiar, I recognized one of their front bike lights because several of my friends had bought the FR160 a few years back. Read more.
Road Bike Cycling Shorts Basics for Men and Women
By Jim Langley, Sheri Rosenbaum and Stan Purdum
QUESTION: I’m doing longer rides and am often in the saddle for 3-5 hours. There are so many road bike shorts options from $30 to $200 that the choices are dizzying. Is it necessary to pay for expensive shorts, or are the cheap ones just as good? — Steve Jones
RBR REPLIES: To some degree, finding the best shorts is an experimental process for each rider. Generally speaking, more expensive road shorts are made of higher quality materials with more attention to design and fit — but the differences aren’t always as dramatic as the price gap would suggest. Read more.
With all the numbers on a tire, how do I know what size tube to buy for my bike?
QUESTION: How do I know what size tube to buy for my bike? I bought a road bike used, and I need a new tube. A friend told me to look on the sidewall of the tire but there are a lot of numbers on there, so which one do I use? —Pat R.
RBR’S STAN PURDUM REPLIES: The very first thing to determine is whether you actually need a tube. Many bikes produced in recent years have tubeless tires. So ask the seller or google the model of tire to determine if you need a tube or have to repair the tire itself (which is another whole article). You can also take the wheel and tire with you to your local bike shop and have them tell you, and if you do need a tube, they’ll happily sell you one in the correct size. Read more.
Other Cool Things to Read
YouTube: A new short film from Shimano, We Are Cyclists, shows what cycling looks like when everyone is welcome
SciTechDaily: New 10-year study links cycling to longer, healthier lives
BikeRadar: This airbag for pro cyclists fits inside bib shorts — and a WorldTour team is already using it
Canadian Cycling: 10 tech trends we’re watching for in 2026
Question of the Week
What’s your post-ride nutrition like?
Most Clicked Last Week
Lon Haldeman’s Cleats Tip for Curing Hot Foot Problems
End Notes
