Accessories for a Carrera Crossfire 3

[vickster]

Maybe it’s time to fly the coop and save a load of angst (assuming you’re over 16?)

 

[Milena]

Maybe it’s time to fly the coop and save a load of angst (assuming you’re over 16?)

You don't know my circumstances. I suggest you stop harassing me now. I'm a victim of ongoing lifelong domestic abuse and I have health issues. I'm not going to go any deeper than that. Don't talk about my personal life or what I should or shouldn't be doing with my life.

 

[classic33]

Accessories for a Carrera Crossfire 3
Let's start with mudguards.

My cycle has front suspension. I live in the United Kingdom in a small town called Whitstable. Sometimes I'll cycle to Canterbury and lock my bike up there. Haven't done it yet as I don't have the security accessories yet.

I ride for fun and supermarket shopping.

I ride gravel, rarely a bit of mud, and road or asphalt whatever it's called that cycle paths are made of.

Some quick research shows me this

https://www.tweekscycles.com/rrp-proguard-v2-front-mudguard-2016021/

mudguard is the best for front suspension. Will this fit and work on my cycle?

I want full maximum coverage. I also need a rear one.
I don't want people behind me getting sprayed.

I want a pannier rack. Don't know where to start. Some have spring mechanisms, others don't. Don't know anything about cycles really.

I need bike lights.

I need a way to transport bulky items like a large bucket for example.

I need to transport groceries. I buy big items sometimes like the biggest bag of pasta that's like 5kg or something. So it needs to be able to transport bigger grocery loads not little ones that's like a days worth of food.

Need somewhere to store my locks. I have a d lock kryptonite std gold secure, and I'm planning on buying a cable lock maybe. Both tyre's come as standard with quick release.
Is it worth buying hexlox magnetic ones? They cost about £100.

My bike is worth £400. Well that's how much I paid for it in June this year.

Or should I get a chain lock or a cable lock instead to secure the front wheel?

I need a kick stand.

Waterproof case for my phone that will still let me operate it normally and a way to mount it to the handlebars.

Puncture repair kit and or spare inner tubes.

Water bottles.

Helmet.

Waterproof clothing.

Maybe a front detachable basket?

Collared comfy ergonomic grips so they don't rotate, as the ones that come as standard rotate while cycling, causing tendinitus in my wrists for 3+ months.

A decent bell. The one that comes as standard is garbage.

Cleaning kit. Lube. What needs lubricating on a bike other than the chain?

Thanks

Missing from that list are lights, which are a legal requirement at either end of the day, and advisable in poor light.
Given that you're looking at carrying a load on a rack, consider where you'll be placing the rear light, when buying. Seat post mounted rear lights may not be visible with a rack in place.

Do you need/want lights to see with or be seen with? Given that the evenings get darker in two days time, a decent rear light is worth more consideration than a replacement bell*(In my opinion).

*Only has to be present/on the bike at the time of sale, which is why the ones that come supplied with a new bike are cheap ones.

 

[Milena]

Missing from that list are lights, which are a legal requirement at either end of the day, and advisable in poor light.
Given that you're looking at carrying a load on a rack, consider where you'll be placing the rear light, when buying. Seat post mounted rear lights may not be visible with a rack in place.

Do you need/want lights to see with or be seen with? Given that the evenings get darker in two days time, a decent rear light is worth more consideration than a replacement bell*(In my opinion).

*Only has to be present/on the bike at the time of sale, which is why the ones that come supplied with a new bike are cheap ones.

Did I not mention lights? I did look at lights. Looked at tredz these ones - https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Cateye-AMPP-500-ViZ-150-Bike-Light-Set_238568.htm?sku=796187.
I would like to ride at night for fun. Never done that before. I wanna experience that, but not on roads. It would be in places with minimal to no lighting.
Would also be super useful if the front light could be removed and head mounted for performing a puncture repair for example.

 

[Milena]

My local bike shop recommends for my carerra crossfire 3, Flinger FD50 mudguards. I need mudguards. I want ones that go all the way to provide max coverage. When I asked him if they are something I can fit myself, he said, well you would think so, but in fact mudguards need trimming down to get them to look nice and fit correctly and other things.

He charges £15 to fit them. £40 for the mudguards.
Is he right about this? Should I pay him to do it or can I fit them myself?
Are those mudguards good?
I COULD buy those mudguards cheaper by about £5 online and get TCBP to fit them for free, but it is raining on the two days he is open to the general public this coming week, Mon and Tues. My bike will get bathed in grit again. That's then another £12 to pay the local bike shop to wash it.

 

[Alex321]

Did I not mention lights? I did look at lights. Looked at tredz these ones - https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Cateye-AMPP-500-ViZ-150-Bike-Light-Set_238568.htm?sku=796187.
I would like to ride at night for fun. Never done that before. I wanna experience that, but not on roads. It would be in places with minimal to no lighting.
Would also be super useful if the front light could be removed and head mounted for performing a puncture repair for example.

Those are decent lights for being seen by.

The front one is OK for seeing with if you are only going to ride on road, and fairly slowly - if you are doing more than about 12-15mph, you will need at least 800 lumens on unlit back roads. On bigger roads, where you are unlikely to find unexpected potholes or debris, the 500 might be enough even at higher speeds.

If riding off road in full darkness, I would suggest you need at least 1200 lumens, and ideally more than that.

This is the light I use, though it is about twice the price of the set you are looking at
https://www.merlincycles.com/ravemen-pr1600-usb-rechargeable-front-light-153348.html

That one is very good for riding quickly on unlit back roads, and has a quick single button press on a wireless remote (fixed to the handlebars )to dip it to avoid dazzling oncoming traffic.

And on full beam it will provide enough light to ride off road in the dark.

 

[Milena]

Those are decent lights for being seen by.

The front one is OK for seeing with if you are only going to ride on road, and fairly slowly - if you are doing more than about 12-15mph, you will need at least 800 lumens on unlit back roads. On bigger roads, where you are unlikely to find unexpected potholes or debris, the 500 might be enough even at higher speeds.

If riding off road in full darkness, I would suggest you need at least 1200 lumens, and ideally more than that.

This is the light I use, though it is about twice the price of the set you are looking at
https://www.merlincycles.com/ravemen-pr1600-usb-rechargeable-front-light-153348.html

That one is very good for riding quickly on unlit back roads, and has a quick single button press on a wireless remote (fixed to the handlebars )to dip it to avoid dazzling oncoming traffic.

And on full beam it will provide enough light to ride off road in the dark.

Oh thank you. Very informative. Didn't realise speed plays a factor in lumen requirement.

Well. I just wanna try riding in the dark in the woods on gravel or some other similar place WITHOUT gravel if it's raining or if the gravel is wet. It won't be something I do regularly.

But what about head mounting as I said? Aren't there lights that come with such a dual system, so it can be removed from the handlebars and head mounted to be used to fix a puncture?

 

[Alex321]

Oh thank you. Very informative. Didn't realise speed plays a factor in lumen requirement.

Well the faster you are going, the more you need to be able to see in front of you. You need to be able to see far enough to have time to react to what you see.

Well. I just wanna try riding in the dark in the woods on gravel or some other similar place WITHOUT gravel if it's raining or if the gravel is wet. I won't be something I do regularly.

But what about head mounting as I said? Aren't there lights that come with such a dual system, so it can be removed from the handlebars and head mounted to be used to fix a puncture?

I haven't come across any, though they may exist.

 

[classic33]

Oh thank you. Very informative. Didn't realise speed plays a factor in lumen requirement.

Well. I just wanna try riding in the dark in the woods on gravel or some other similar place WITHOUT gravel if it's raining or if the gravel is wet. I won't be something I do regularly.

But what about head mounting as I said? Aren't there lights that come with such a dual system, so it can be removed from the handlebars and head mounted to be used to fix a puncture?

Forget the head mount. The legal requirement is for it to be fitted to the bike, not the rider.

 

[Milena]

Forget the head mount. The legal requirement is for it to be fitted to the bike, not the rider.

Yeah but when you have a puncture, you gotta fix it. Can't do it without light if it's dark. The bike isn't in motion. There's no need for the bike to have a light when it's not in motion. If this took place on a road, keep some reflective emergency breakdown signs maybe with flashing lights too. But with a cycle there's no need. You just wheel your bike on to a nearby pavement or patch of grass or something.

 

[fossyant]

As for somewhere to put the bike, I see two nice fences and a wall at the front, so what's the issue ? I'll lean my bike against wither a wheelie bin, or the hedge in my side garden.

Mudgards aren't difficult to fit, and why are you paying a shop to wash a bike - you could buy a bucket and sponge for less than £5. I'd be bankrupt if I paid someone to wash my bike - get's washed every day if it's a wet commute, and then the mountain bike and others get washed every ride as they get filthy.

 

[vickster]

Yeah but when you have a puncture, you gotta fix it. Can't do it without light if it's dark. The bike isn't in motion. There's no need for the bike to have a light when it's not in motion. If this took place on a road, keep some reflective emergency breakdown signs maybe with flashing lights too. But with a cycle there's no need. You just wheel your bike on to a nearby pavement or patch of grass or something.

put a head torch in your bag
or get a light compatible with this https://www.halfords.com/cycling/bike-accessories/bike-lights/bikehut-front-helmet-mount-684309.html

• Compatibilty : Bikehut 200/500/1000

Or https://alpkit.com/products/helmet-mount

Compatibility​

Phase 400, Phase 800, Ariel, Hadron
https://alpkit.com/collections/bike-lights

I wouldn't bother for the once in a blue moon puncture change in the dark

 

[Milena]

As for somewhere to put the bike, I see two nice fences and a wall at the front, so what's the issue ? I'll lean my bike against wither a wheelie bin, or the hedge in my side garden.

Mudgards aren't difficult to fit, and why are you paying a shop to wash a bike - you could buy a bucket and sponge for less than £5. I'd be bankrupt if I paid someone to wash my bike - get's washed every day if it's a wet commute, and then the mountain bike and others get washed every ride as they get filthy.

Do I need a sponge or brush or a microfibre mitt? It's all so confusing. I've watched many YouTube videos now on how to clean a bicycle. I don't wanna rub grit into my bike.

Where do you see a wall? There's no space between the massive cars.
As I said, if I put my bike behind the lexus, that's out of my view and far away from me. It takes seconds for a bike to be stolen.

The fences are tiny. Very very short in height. Bike won't stay.

 

[fossyant]

Do I need a sponge or brush or a microfibre mitt? It's all so confusing. I've watched many YouTube videos now on how to clean a bicycle.

Where do you see a wall? There's no space between the massive cars.
As I said, if I put my bike behind the lexus, that's out of my view and far away from me. It takes seconds for a bike to be stolen.

It's not confusing at all with washing a bike. I use a soft brush and a sponge - all you really need is a sponge. YouTube will tell you that super expensive mucoff ceramic gold plated cleaning fluid is all you need. Nope, car shampoo or washing up liquid will do. Social media is full of bollix !

There is a wall at the front and a fence, or lean it on the front of the house near the front door. You are being very difficult. Plenty of room for a bike !

 

[Milena]

It's not confusing at all with washing a bike. I use a soft brush and a sponge - all you really need is a sponge. YouTube will tell you that super expensive mucoff ceramic gold plated cleaning fluid is all you need. Nope, car shampoo or washing up liquid will do. Social media is full of bollix !

There is a wall at the front and a fence, or lean it on the front of the house near the front door. You are being very difficult. Plenty of room for a bike !

The front door has a big step. I'm not being difficult. I'm not going to scratch and scuff my bike by not placing it correctly. Or it getting stolen due to where I put it while opening the garage.

I was told never to use car shampoo as usually they have wax in them which will be dangerous with regards to the disc brakes.