Planet Bike The Chain Bicyle Lock Review

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(More customer reviews)I've switched to a tray-style hitch mount bicycle rack from a fork-mount roof rack because I have to deal with lots of parking decks and didn't like the wind noise and fuel economy hit. I'm very happy with this choice, but now there's no good locking mechanism built in to the rack.
I can easily loop this chain over the trailer hitch bar underneath my vehicle and use the large ring to take full advantage of the length. I then pass a high quality U-lock between the end of this chain, the rear wheel, and the frame of my bicycle. I feel very comfortable that a criminal would have to unbolt the trailer hitch or take parts off of my bike before easily walking off with it, which makes the rack much more useful.
This chain is quite heavy, but compared to similar products and even bulk security chain from industrial suppliers I think it is a reasonable price.
The protective cover is a good feature, but it tends to ride up on the chain so I'm tempted to use a zip-tie to hold it in place.
(Update 1/2011: I installed zip-ties on each end of the protective cover by poking them through the fabric before the end stitching to keep protective cover from sliding down the chain, after seeing another similar chain with this sort of solution and I think it is an improvement.)
Overall, an excellent product that makes riding easier!

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Planet Bike Clip-On Front and Rear Bike Fender Set (Hybrid/Road) Review

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(More customer reviews)I have to remove the front fender when putting the bike inside the car, and this one is fast and convenient to put on/take off. The rear fender works better with a rack than on its own. I like how light and simple these are, and am ready to put up with some flimsiness and reduced coverage compared to more heavy-duty fenders. Other reviewers were frustrated by the hardware not fitting their bikes well; it worked OK for my Bianchi Avenue, which does provide the requisite hole in the fork (1 3/4" above the tire).

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Planet Bike SpeedEZ ATB Front and Rear Bicycle Fender Set (60mm Wide) Review

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(More customer reviews)I have an old rigid frame/fork ATB and originally bought for it the 'Planet Bike Hardcore ATB Fenders'--the ones that attach via screws into eyelets on your frame. They fit perfectly and solidly. However the rear fender interfered with my rear rack's mounting; both preferred the same eyelets and I would've had to bend the stays on the fender to get them to coexist. So I reluctantly returned that set for this SpeedEZ fender set with the eyelet-less attachment mechanism.
Now the rear fender fits nicely underneath my rack, but the front fender is quite unstable using only the given mounting fixtures. The part of the front fender covering the back arc of the wheel is well supported by the fender stays, but nothing secures the section of fender at the top of the wheel from rattling around between my rigid fork when on bumpy terrain. The problem is easily remedied by threading a wire through the holes in the bend of my fork and then through holes in the plastic of the fender, but it would have been nice to have the option of the metal bracket extending perpendicular from the top of the fender to screw into the fork bend that you see in the other fender set model (and in the inaccurate picture shown here).
Also the rubber-strap based mechanism of holding the fender stays to the frame is a bit lame in my opinion. Seems like they could have come up with something cleaner and more durable without giving up versatility--perhaps flexible metal clamps with rubber cushioning and screws to tighten.
All-in-all they are durable and do the job.
This after about 1 1/2 months of use: The tab at the end of the rear fender that attaches to your bike frame (with a zip-tie) broke off at the point where it narrows in from the rest of the plastic fender to become a tab. I repaired the fender by drilling a couple holes above the break-off and affixing a metal bracket to hang down as the tab once had and then attaching that to the frame instead. Indestructible? I think not. But there sure aren't many choices out there for full fenders.

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SKS Beavertail Bicycle Fender Set (26 and 28-Inch Bikes) Review

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(More customer reviews)I purchased this fender set to install on a TREK 4300.
The installation of the front fender was very easy, took no alterations of the mounting hardware and took less than 5 minutes.
The back fender required bending of the mounting bracket. The rear bracket is bent to a 90 degree angle and meant to mount to a rear facing threaded hole. My bike has the threaded hole pointing down toward the tire, so it required the bracket to be bent so that it was straight. It also appeared to require removal of the rear rim to get to the screw to install it. I did find that by letting the air out of the rear tire, I could get the screw mounted with a right angle screw driver (one of those small ones that have a bend on each end for reaching tight places).
In all, it only took about 15 minutes to bend the bracket and mount it, so the installation was still fairly easy.
The front fender is very stable, however because the rear fender is longer and only has one mounting point, it tended to slip out of alignment. I also mounted a Topeak rear rack on the bike, and I found that I could mount a small 90 degree angle bracket to one of the holes that was intended for a light, and then attach it to the rear of the fender. It now is very stable, however, it would be harder to remove. I leave my fenders on all of the time, so it doesn't create any problems for me.
Generally, I think the fenders are great and do an excellent job, even with the wide tires (2.00 x 26). I will mention that since the fenders are intended to work with either 26 or 28 inch tires, they are curved a little less than might be desired for a tight fit on the 26 inch tires. I heated them with a heat gun and found that I could bend them to a tighter curve, so that they fit the tires a little better.

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Planet Bike 3018-1 Rack Blinky 5- 5 LED Tail Light with Rack Mount and Batteries Review

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(More customer reviews)I installed a bike rack that had a mount and standard reflector, but since my neighborhood jaunts take through traffic at times, I wanted something a little more visible to cars.
This blinky has 5 bright LEDs, two lighting options (blink or steady), and an option to clip it to clothing or bags, mount it to your seatpost or attach it to a reflector mount on your rack. Both mounts are included in the package, along with batteries. At least one of these mounts, the Planet Bike Rear Rack Taillight Mount 3108, sells separately as well.
The bracket mounted to the rack easily, and the light clip snaps into a groove. I did take the precaution of hanging the light so that it must be slid up to remove it after bending back the catch, rather than slid down.
Its obscenely bright, but that's what I wanted, and doesn't hang too low in the rear bracket, but fits perfectly under the rear of my Bontrager trunk rack. When I start commuting, I think I'll get a second to mount on the seat post, and then unclip the light and attach it to the trunk-bag when it's on the rack.

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