Government Ceiling Fan Light Kit Regulation Has Opposite Effect as Intended

Big surprise in the title, huh? The regulation, explained here, was designed to limit the wattage that lights could draw on a ceiling fan light kit. They put an upper bound of 190W on the entire kit. There's some stuff that doesn't make sense, like how it's not a "fan" if it doesn't have a downrod. WTF?

Anyway, the 190W limit is enforced by a device that acts as a dimmer. Somehow, as if that dimmer weren't enough to limit wattage, they decided it would be a good idea to make the bulbs candelabra base too. Why does that matter if the wattage limiting device does its job?

Here are my personal complaints: 1. a light in Jen's room started smoking! I called the company and they said that the wattage limiting device acts as a dimmer (something that isn't mentioned in the installation paperwork or anything included with the fan when you buy it). Most candelabra base CFLs aren't compatible with a dimmer and that's what caused it to almost catch fire (actually, this site says that they won't actually combust).

2. I had to buy new effing light bulbs for the new fan light kits. What of the other spare medium base bulbs I had lying around the house? Or the lights from the old fan. Making me buy new stuff is not energy efficient.

3. Since dimmable, candelabra base CFLs cost about $10 each at Lowe's (compared to about $10 for a 4-pack of medium base, non-dimmable CFLs), I ended up INCREASING THE WATTAGE that the light kit uses! I used to use 52W and now I'm running 4 x 40W incandescents (which also generate heat that I'll have to cool with the A/C)...I have MORE THAN TRIPLED THE WATTAGE CONSUMED BY MY LIGHT KIT DUE TO THE NEW "ENERGY SAVING" REGULATION!

4. It shouldn't have been a surprise that when I was facing the decision of whether to purchase $10 special light bulbs or buy regular incandescent bulbs at 1/8 the cost, I picked the incandescents. And I consider myself to be more pro-energy saving than the average bear.

Urban Uno, Parade of Homes, and Bike-In Movies

I've been riding my KHS Urban Uno for a little over a week now. I like it. It makes me sore a little bit because it makes me use muscles that other bikes don't. I've been able to take it up big hills, but it really sucks having to get it started up a steep hill. I think it will end up making me a better rider. Just today I had the opportunity to test the fenders...they work pretty well.

Yesterday I went to an event called Parade of Homes (3). Basically, it's a big group bike ride (not the fast kind) where you go from one location to another and bands are playing at each location. As you might guess from the name, most of the locations are homes, but it started at Krank It Up. I actually split halfway through the parade to go to another event. I saw a couple good bands and they'll make it to my pick of the week coming up soon.

I've also had an idea, mainly for the triathlon club: bike-in movies. Bring a trainer and your bike and we can set up a projector or something and cycle while watching a movie. Preferably something upbeat and inspirational. For people without trainers, I thought that we could take shifts...ride for 25-30 min, then hop off and eat while someone else takes over that trainer. It would be part workout, part social, part cool thing to do. I don't have a venue for it yet, so if you have a big enough place and think it would be cool to do at your house, let me know.

Pick #206

Billy Ray Cyrus - "Words by Heart" from It Won't Be The Last

Coasting Uphill

I've seen lots of people on bikes (people who I might hesitate to call cyclists) riding around and coasting up hills. This happens mostly on campus and I have a feeling that they might just be riding from dorm room to classroom, but why would anyone ever coast up a hill? That just makes forward progress even harder. If you want to go easy up a hill, a good even easy pace is better than bursts of power followed by zero effort. You can coast on the way down if you like.

2 Brakes & a Helmet

So I built my KHS Urban Uno up as a 44x15 fixed gear but with a 16t BMX cog in the rear in case I want it. So far it's been treating me pretty well. I think I might lose some street cred with fixed gear kids though because: it's got the coaster on the other side, it has 2 brakes!!!, and I wear a helmet. I guess that makes me not as cool.

I don't think I'll ever remove the brakes, but I have noticed that after riding for a few miles, my instinct to slow down has been to resist the forward motion of the pedals instead of pulling the brake lever. It might get to a point where I don't use the brakes, but I don't think I'll take them off...mainly because I might want to use it as a single speed.

While riding, I found myself reaching for phantom shifters to change gears. Maybe that habit will disappear over time. I think that I shift more than most people on geared bikes. Not being able to drop gears makes me have to recruit more power from my legs when climbing...which I hope will turn me into a better climber when I can switch gears.

I had to take off the stock pedals. I put on Power Grips instead because I wasn't getting much power out of the upstroke on those plastic toe clips. I hate toe clips anyway...but the ones without the straps aren't as bad.

If anyone's thinking about switching to riding fixed, I would offer the following advice: wear a helmet and equip your bike with 2 brakes. You don't have to use them, but you might want to have the option. At least use a front brake because you can stop way faster if you use a front brake in conjunction with a skid stop (I haven't been able to get a good skid stop in yet...but physics will tell you that my previous statement is true).

Pick #205

Over It - "Waiting" from Silverstrand

KHS Urban Uno

I'm getting a KHS Urban Uno fixed/single speed bike. Brand new. I didn't think I'd get a new bike after I bought my road bike, but working at Damn Good Bikes gives me Damn Good prices (even better than the ones that regular people get) and it's pretty affordable to get a new bike. In fact, it would probably have been more expensive to modify a used bike to get it just how I want.