Rear light

Yesterday, I took a ride across the border to the Netherlands, to visit a Profile bicycle shop ( which is a major chain of bicycle shops all across the Netherlands and some here in Belgium ) to try to buy a LED rear light with a safe stop function (meaning the light keeps burning for a couple of minutes after you stop riding). Unfortunately, they did not have any. It's weird, 'cause a lot of Dutch manufacturers such as AXA and SPANNINGA offer rear LED lights with a safe stop function, but I can't seem to find them in any bicycle shop anywhere ! Out of options, I ordered one through the internet (on a Dutch bicycle shop retailer!), that'll cost me more but at least I will have one by the end of this week.

I rode my new XP for only a couple of times so far (mainly because of the rain -don't wanna expose my brand new XP to the elements right away !), but I got the impression that the 8-speeds which I have right now, are adequate ( I live in a flat area and every ride I take starts at home ). Once up to speed I ride in 6th gear, meaning I ride at a speed of 15,5 -17 mph. I only rode in 7th gear once, at that time my speed was around 19 mph, which is more than fast enough for me, since the XP is not supposed to be a racing bike. I have not checked the rear cog yet, but I can change that one easily (range is from 16 cogs up to 23 cogs).

Starting after stopping is gettig a little bit better, but is still not as fluent as with my other Stratus. Practice makes perfect, I guess ....