(Part 2) Best products from r/lowcar

David Byrne - Bicycle Diaries

Perhaps this is at a frequency Americans can hear?

Bike Snob Abroad, informative and funny.

If I were you I would get the cheapest Polar watch and mount it on your handlebar, as all you need to know is your current heart-rate. A ft1 costs $40:
https://www.amazon.com/Polar-Heart-Rate-Monitor-Black/dp/B003HT88JQ/

I have a Polar Ft4 and an expensive Garmin 520 bike computer and heart-rate strap for the Garmin. The downside is the Polar is not as convenient on the handlebars, it doesn't do distance, speed, it is only backlight during night after I press the button for a few seconds.

The gist of Maffetone's system:
Take 180, take your age and/or add an extra 10 for major health issues or an extra five for allergies/asthma. The result is your maximum aerobic heart-rate you should not try to exceed or else you becoming anaerobic and overtraining by taxing your muscles.

Example I am 34 and have seasonal allergies and sniffle constantly during the cold so I add an extra 5.
180 - (34+5)= 141

If my heart-rate goes over 141 I either let it go if it is not too high over, or dismount and walk the bike, or just lower my gears and cadence till it lowers down. But honestly when I am mountain biking I often let it go over 141 as you need bursts or power or you cannot really do much on trails, but I don't mtb often.

If there's a plug nearby, you might want to pick up a battery tender. This should monitor and keep a "float" charge on the battery.

Example: http://www.amazon.com/Deltran-Battery-Tender-021-0128-Charger/dp/B00068XCQU

There's a cheaper Jr version that might be more appropriate for you.

Also, your battery may need replacement anyway since deep discharges damage the battery chemistry.

We used a Bell child's trailer for a while. It has a clamp that screwed onto the chainstay. Didn't require any hardware mounted on the bike itself.

Move swiftly, carry a bright light.

I do a lot of walking in less safe neighbourhoods. But they're not so unsafe that I feel like I'm at risk every day. I just have a very intense fear of the dark. Safety is always relative.

• Don't carry a weapon you can't handle. Don't go buy pepper spray or mace or a knife or a gun. You don't sound like you're confident with them. If you really want one, learn to use one first.
  
• The only way to win a fight is to avoid it in the first place.
  
• If you're walking, carry a strong flashlight. There's a good one on Amazon.ca/.com for a few dollars (http://www.amazon.ca/300lm-Flashlight-Torch-Adjustable-Focus/dp/B006E0QAFY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1410499041&sr=8-1&keywords=flashlight). Buy some li-on batteries for it. Turn it on briefly; you don't want people to know what you're looking at. If you feel threatened, flash in their eyes and run.
  
• Be resourceful, be cautious. Always have a plan, and have backups in case you panic. In many cities you will have arterial roads and many feeder roads that connect, know which ones are good to dive into and which ones lead to dead ends.
  
• Know bad neighbourhoods, and the signs to spot them; dealers love parks. The rich and do-gooders don't abandon shopping carts. Students often seek out quiet areas for adventurous sex. Know what local wildlife sound like; it might be silly, but you never know when you're going to run into a coyote or turkey trying to cross the road, or get scared to death because a rabbit leaped into the bush next to you.
  
• It's up to you whether to ride on backroads, where you'll be totally alone, or arterials, where you'll run into all kinds of people. I take the latter, because I am deathly afraid of the dark. I would rather risk the 0.0001% chance of a drunk driver going on a 2-lane 50km/h street than be alone on a dark and unlit path.
  
• Don't stop for any reason, unless you're out on a road that you feel is safe (my rule is 2-lane or more, well lit, and either absolutely nobody around or plenty of diverse people around, or I know the neighbourhood is "safe").
  
• Obey traffic laws. This is where people with actual 'hood experience will be more help. Where I ride, it's unlikely I get mugged; it is more to keep me calm. If you're worried about being attacked, ride closer to the middle of the road. If you're worried about being hit, ride on the rightmost lane without parked cars, in the middle of the lane.
  
• Have lights on your bike. I'm not sure whether brighter is better. I like to think so.
  
• Don't stop to help people. It's cruel but if you feel bad, report it from a distance. Your job is to get home safe, not help strangers.
  
• All weapons can and will be used against you. If you spot someone, don't panic, just keep moving. If you have to dismount (or stop if you're walking) you're past a point of no return. Be prepared to fend for yourself; sometimes it's better to try and make a break for it, because you could easily get swarmed if it's a really bad neighbourhood.
  
• Tactical flashlights are your friend: like I said, quickly flash in their eyes, keep it going while you pedal off. Bright headlights can also be used that way. Those metal braces on flashlights aren't useful; if you have to use violence, you're going to be outgunned, because thugs spend all their lives doing this.
  
• You're a cyclist. You're not invincible, but you have strong legs. For a last resort against one or two assailants, kick in their legs from the sides.
  
• A u-lock is a dangerous weapon.
  
• Always flee.
  
  Most importantly:
  
  Humans are the weak point in any security plan. This cuts both ways: it's humans that will make you feel safest. Pay attention to potential friends during the day time. People who will see you coming and going. Build a pattern and a rapport, and they'll notice you.
  
  If you're concerned about being predictable, have two routes, alternate at random between the two. Just flip a coin and go with that one.