Out yesterday on my new Planet X Pro Carbon, as I approached a set of traffic lights I commonly pass I did my normal slow down and weave side to side on the sensor strips -nothing, nada, no green light. So I did a u turn and tried again, still red, even after waiting a couple of miutes. It's lights at a railway bridge on a very quiet road, so I assumed they were bust and cautiously rode through. The same palaver on the way back. Any thoughts anyone?
Do carbon bikes have a major flaw
- Thread starter whoosh
- Start date
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mcshroom
Bionic Subsonic
- Location
- Egremont, Cumbria
Some traffic lights use magnetic sensors, and CF won't set them off. Usually Alu and even steel bikes struggle to set them off if they aren't sensitive enough though. It would be worth reporting them to the local council. I did that with a set round here (after 6 months of them not responding to my alu/steel bike), and they changed the sensitivity sensor the following weekend so it now works 
Keith Oates
Janner
- Location
- Penarth, Wales
Perhaps the thread title should look at it from a different angle and read 'do some traffic lights have a major flaw'!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
the_mikey
Legendary Member
- Location
- South Gloucestershire
Vehicle detection loops are optimised for large steel objects, no consideration goes into use with bicycles at the planning stage. In general, I doubt that the planners even have the awareness or technical knowledge to implement such a system, one traffic light system is often a carbon copy of a previous one, even motorbikes have problems using them. The only way to change this would be for bicycles to be specified as a particular interest at the planning stage.
fossyant
Ride It Like You Stole It!
- Location
- South Manchester
Happens with steel bikes as well. It's designed for vehicles.
smokeysmoo
Legendary Member
- Location
- Bolton, not very far from Nob End
Yes, they are made from carbon fibre
djb1971
Legendary Member
- Location
- Far Far Away
Some traffic lights use magnetic sensors, and CF won't set them off. Usually Alu and even steel bikes struggle to set them off if they aren't sensitive enough though. It would be worth reporting them to the local council. I did that with a set round here (after 6 months of them not responding to my alu/steel bike), and they changed the sensitivity sensor the following weekend so it now works
This.
I'm in the process of continually reporting a set that won't change unless a car triggers the lights for me. To be fair the person I'm dealing with is very good, says he's a cyclist too. They've adjusted the sensor and it's still not working so they're going to dig the road up. I only keep reporting it because I've had a couple of close shaves going through on red with idiots speeding through them. I'm not getting off and using the pavement, I ride like a road user so I want to be treated as one, I wouldn't mount the pavement in my car.
Report it.
winjim
Smash the cistern
What's a bike then?
John the Monkey
Frivolous Cyclist
- Location
- Crewe
I can make most of 'em work on my commuting bikes (Brompton, Surly Long Haul Trucker). There's one (on a no through road for motors) that needs the bike positioning diagonally to work, but that's the only funny I can think of.
Supersuperleeds
Legendary Member
- Location
- Leicester
10 posts and no one has pointed out the major flaw of carbon is that it melts in the rain!
Does it not also stick out to thunder like a sore thumb?
T.M.H.N.E.T
Rainbows aren't just for world champions
- Location
- Northern Ireland
I rode mine in the rain last week. The return journey was rather embarrassing as the crankset cut my shorts open and I have rubber burns up my back.
the_mikey
Legendary Member
- Location
- South Gloucestershire
Don't put too much faith in the council turning the sensitivity up on these loop sensors, they'll do it and probably a week later it willl materialise that a quiet side road is getting more 'green light' than traffic levels can justify, find the sensor is stuck permanently detecting even when there is no vehicle present and the sensitivity will have to be turned down. (I know this from experience sadly 
)
Also look out for bad loop positioning, ie on top of railway bridges, or in lanes where cars can park, and then the council wonder why the light phasing isn't working properly.
)Also look out for bad loop positioning, ie on top of railway bridges, or in lanes where cars can park, and then the council wonder why the light phasing isn't working properly.
