Mounts, brackets, and attachments…

In getting my new ADV 3.1 bike ready for action, I’ve been installing a lot of brackets and mounts.  A bracket for the rear reflector on the seat post.  A bracket for the front reflector on the handlebars.  A strap mount for the front light on the handlebars.  A strap mount for the rear light on the seat post, which may get switched over to two red rear lights, one on each side of the back of the rear rack.  Mounting the rear rack itself (thank goodness for Matt at REI, who mounted that for me!).  Attaching the frame bag (also done by Matt at REI).  Strap mount for the U-lock to the seat tube…  That’s going to be an interesting one.  I have to install that one this morning, and go and buy a heavy-duty padlock for my 7′ Kryptonite cable as a secondary means of locking my bike up and a further deterrent to any attempts of bike theft.  I like that my U-lock has its own mount.  That’s cool.  One less thing to have to cram in a bag of some sort on my bike and carry around with me while I’m not with my bike…

I’m really paranoid about somebody stealing and/or messing with my bike.  This is a huge investment for me and one that I wouldn’t be able to replace if it got lost, wrecked, or stolen.  The attachments, mounts, brackets, and accessories are expensive and add up, too, even when you’r not going with the top-of-the-line products!  “Top-of-the-line” actually means something with some accessories and not with others, by the way.  Price doesn’t always dictate or indicate quality or purpose-worthy performance.  Do yourself a favor in the bike shop and let somebody who’s on a budget and that knows bikes and accessories help you with outfitting your bike.  It’ll save you a ton of money and headaches.  They know what they’re doing and what’s important.

After I read the directions and figure out how exactly I’m going to mount my U-lock bracket on my bike, it should be ready to roll.  I’ll have the U-lock for a padlock, if nothing else, until I get an actual heavy-duty padlock.  I think I’ll go to the local bike shop for a padlock for my cable when they open this morning.  That’s probably the best place to find one that’s bike-specific and harder to get at from the theft perspective.  I’ll look around for a few other things while I’m there, too.