Hoping to increase driver passing distance at night, I've glued front and rear reflectors to my wing mirrors.

[guerney]

The cheapo 3.5v to 36V 2A power supply has finally arrived, from China. USA plug. Actually 36.7V according to it's display, and a tiny bit less than that according to my multimeter. It'll do for testing lights. Probably a bad idea attempting to charge my 36V ebike batteries with this in a pinch, as I wouldn't get much range, even if it didn't blow up my battery.

 

[guerney]

Paypal has informed me that AliExpress has agreed to refund me the full £14.49, but only if I post the item to China at my own expense... which will cost more than £14.49. Lol, I'm not doing that, and I'll avoid buying from AliExpress in future. It's proper buyer beware on AliExpress!

 

[saneagle]

Paypal might fail me - I've read reports saying Paypal simply close the case against AliExpress after a time. If they do that, I'll be writing to the FCA.

After the seller kept copy/pasting the same reply over and over, then blocking me lol... I had a long chat with a AE rep last night. She wanted a screenshot of the lack of option to upload evidence in any form other than video, when trying to open a dispute. I said I couldn't do that, because they had locked the order. She said the order was locked because I had opened a case at Paypal. I had opened a case at Paypal because the AE site insisted that only video proof could be uploaded. She told me to close the Paypal case, said that I should have confirmed delivery of the item. I said I wouldn't that, because then there's no hope at all of ever get my money back, because their website insisted on video to open a dispute. On and on... I think it's a dark pattern, and only video upload would be accepted (no photo option) because I hadn't confirmed delivery. Evri sent me an email confirming delievery lol. I pointed out that the only browser on Windows 7 capable of viewing and facilitating the use of AliExpress was Vivaldi... not Firefox, Chrome or Opera. Told them they could be helping their sellers to swindle a larger customer base than they do now, with wider browser support. If that was a chat with a ebay rep, they would have opened a dispute with the seller and I'd have been refunded by now. The AE rep said she didn't have access to that function. She eventually got sick of me, tried to play for time, kept telling me to remain silent and hold the line... for the chat window to timeout... but because I have a tri-monitor setup I spotted it in time. I requested the issue be escalated higher up the food chain. She wanted my email address, I said she already had it, she said my email address was obscured in her view of the system. A bigger shark may or may not get in touch by email "within 2 working days". Fsck AliExpress.

I'm not fussed about a refund, just interested in how this goes. Out of a total of 4 orders on AliExpress, 3 have gone south. AliExpress is for sellers.

I also wrote to the Chinese Embassy explaining that these fraudulent guys are ruining the reputation and confidence in all Chinese sellers. There's a special section for reporting scam sellers. Maybe the Chinese police come to their houses and disappear them. We can only hope.

 

[guerney]

When I threatened Paypal with a compaint to the FCA recently about another purchase elsewhere, after demanding to speak to a manager via webchat, I was suprised at being called swiftly afterwards from their office in Ireland - I rejected the call, because I prefer a paper trail. Seems the FCA makes Paypal nervous, and I'm not surprised - all those irrational and lengthy payment holds etc... Etsy tried something similar recently:

Etsy U-turn in row over withholding sellers' money

Etsy U-turn in row over withholding sellers' money

The online marketplace faced calls from sellers to boycott its site over money being held in reserve.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[pudding835]

View attachment 52950

Hey, it's been a while but im still interested, especially now it's December.

I wasn't sure how/where you were attaching your GuerneySiderating Illumimakers™ to the handlebars. I thought you were using this handlebar mount https://www.amazon.co.uk/Forevercam-360°Rotation-0-6-1-3inch-All-Aluminum-Motorcycle/dp/B092VMMN64/ you posted earlier but I was thinking it'd get in the way while riding.

But that photo shows it's hanging off your bar end. What mount did you use to secure the Go Pro dual mount adapter to your bike?

 

[guerney]

What mount did you use to secure the Go Pro dual mount adapter to your bike?

A customer! I'll dust off the till.

I used this short alloy Gopro extension arm, after cutting off a prong and filing it down. The elastic band was replaced with heat resistant kapton tape, held on with a ziptie. I also replaced the bolt with a quick release clasp bolt, from an old cheapo jaw-style clamp for a torch light, to secure the Oxford Safety Arm - that's very useful for when I feel like allowing drivers space on narrow roads (I angle it inwards by 30 or 45 degrees, or 90 degrees if the road is very narrow, or on the rare occasions I feel generous), because it provides easy adjustment of angle and tension as needed. This product works wonderfully, it keeps drivers away.

Alloy Extension Arms - GoPro type fittings | eBay

Alloy Extension Arms. You can also order them with 3 or 4 Black Alloy Bolts. The 54mm Short arm is 13g.

www.ebay.co.uk

The plastic version would have broken, this hasn't. My GuerneySiderating Illumimaker™ has been in continuous use.

Quick release bolt from this:

Bicycle Bike Cycling Flashlight Torch LED Mount Holder Clip Clamp 360°Swivel | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Bicycle Bike Cycling Flashlight Torch LED Mount Holder Clip Clamp 360°Swivel at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products.

www.ebay.co.uk

 

[soundwave]

 

[pudding835]

I used this short alloy Gopro extension arm, after cutting off a prong and filing it down.

If the light hangs off the cut down extension arm, where does the combined dual mount+ball joint arm+lollipop attach?

Ah, then the whole thing attaches to your handlebar mirror. Seems I'll need open ended bar grips for an internal fitting bar mirror like this

https://www.zefal.com/en/mirrors/426-dooback-ii.html

Or use a handlebar extension and Go Pro extension arm, and attach the ball joint arm to that. Must do more Googling

 

[Saracen]

My rear ends

 

[guerney]

If the light hangs off the cut down extension arm, where does the combined dual mount+ball joint arm+lollipop attach?

The ball joint arm+lollipop attaches to one lower mounting point of one of these, and the light attaches to the other mounting point. It would have been helpful, if I had taken photos of the entire assembled thing in oblique.

Alloy Dual Camera Bridge Mount - for GoPro type fittings | eBay

Great for vlogging, selfies, flash mounts, general video production, and loads more. Perfect for bicycle related, and other load intensive applications.

www.ebay.co.uk

 

[Nealh]

Saracen is that a frac on the skytee ?

 

[guerney]

Saracen is that a frac on the skytee ?

I was going to ask about that telescope, but assumed his bike was appreciating the picture in microscopic detail.

 

[Saracen]

I was going to ask about that telescope, but assumed his bike was appreciating the picture in microscopic detail.

120mm Eprit ED, I designed and built the drive

 

[guerney]

120mm Eprit ED, I designed and built the drive

View attachment 55337View attachment 55338

Very cool. @Nealh is more interested in that sort of thing than I am - I'd rather rent a much bigger and better telescope than I can possibly afford, have room and favourable site for:

Premium Telescopes — iTelescope

Live Internet Telescopes ~ USA, Australia, Chile, Spain, La Palma ~

www.itelescope.net

 

[Saracen]

Very cool. @Nealh is more interested in that sort of thing than I am, I'd rather rent a much bigger and better telescope than I can possibly afford, have room and favourable site for:

Premium Telescopes — iTelescope

Live Internet Telescopes ~ USA, Australia, Chile, Spain, La Palma ~

www.itelescope.net

Mine fits a car and can go to star parties

 

[pudding835]

The ball joint arm+lollipop attaches to one lower mounting point of one of these, and the light attaches to the other mounting point.

Understood now, thanks. I was confused by the photo of the rear light on the cut off extension arm, which in the final product is the dual mount adapter.

 

[guerney]

Understood now, thanks. I was confused by the photo of the rear light on the cut off extension arm, which in the final product is the dual mount adapter.

I really should have taken clearer photos. Here's a side view of that bit, dust and all (because I'm a very dirty guy).

 

[StuartsProjects]

Puzzled I am.

If you need a telescope to see who is coming, maybe its time to slow down a bit ?

 

[Saracen]

Very cool. @Nealh is more interested in that sort of thing than I am - I'd rather rent a much bigger and better telescope than I can possibly afford, have room and favourable site for:

Premium Telescopes — iTelescope

Live Internet Telescopes ~ USA, Australia, Chile, Spain, La Palma ~

www.itelescope.net

Yes but I own mine

 

[AndyBike]

Might be the longest, but certainly not the fastest, or most exciting.