[Other Sport] Cycling geeks

[Pogue Mahone]

Oh I tried that. All I got was a couple of grazed knuckles. The new spanner sorted it though. New shoes have a little movement on the pedal which is pleasing (not in need of tightening). Just done a shakedown round the block and it was like changing up from the MTB again. Felt looser generally. Was not expecting that.

Anyone noticed that there are no jerseys at the Amex? Sold out? Surely not.

I'm well chuffed with my garminge2 [MENTION=19321]Pogue Mahone[/MENTION]. Oddly, last ride out Strava underdid the elevation. I put the ride into bikehut, which was much closer to the Garmin Connect figure.

Stepping up to 40 miles on Monday. Rehab going well.

Garmin and Strava elevations were much more similar today, so I am not worried about that so much anymore. Keep up the good work, Moto.

 

[1066familyman]

Need to pick the geeks' brains about the London 2 Brighton.

We're coming from Dorset so easy enough to get the train to Clapham in the morning (no bike ban on South West trains), however the return of proving difficult. Any tips?

If we had to leave a car near Brighton the day before, any suggestions?

Anyone know how keenly they enforce the bike ban?

I know most of you will be local anyway but thought I'd ask.

P.s crank bolt located. Bike port photos to follow soon.

Being a Sunday, and therefore 'off peak', you can take your bike on Southern.

Our peak cycle restrictions are shown on the map below. Regular (non-folding) cycles cannot be carried:

On services due to arrive into London/Brighton or Kensington Olympia (the Red zones) between 07:00 and 10:00 Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays)
On services due to depart from London/Brighton or Kensington Olympia (the Red zones) between 16:00 – 19:00 Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays)
Regular cycles may be carried at any time on services for journeys made wholly within the Green zone.

Unless I'm missing something? Maybe they have a ban in place for that particular day because of the event?

Here's the relevant link: http://www.southernrailway.com/your-journey/cycle-policy/

 

[Indurain's Lungs]

Being a Sunday, and therefore 'off peak', you can take your bike on Southern.

Our peak cycle restrictions are shown on the map below. Regular (non-folding) cycles cannot be carried:

On services due to arrive into London/Brighton or Kensington Olympia (the Red zones) between 07:00 and 10:00 Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays)
On services due to depart from London/Brighton or Kensington Olympia (the Red zones) between 16:00 – 19:00 Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays)
Regular cycles may be carried at any time on services for journeys made wholly within the Green zone.

Unless I'm missing something? Maybe they have a ban in place for that particular day because of the event?

Here's the relevant link: http://www.southernrailway.com/your-journey/cycle-policy/

Cheers 1066 but unfortunately not -

http://www.southernrailway.com/your-journey/cycle-policy/bike-ride/

 

[1066familyman]

I finally bit the bullet and bought a Garmin - just a basic 200, they were on sale at Wiggle, and it was my birthday.

I used it alongside my phone/Strava yesterday, and it was great. However, the elevation gain for the Garmin is half of that recorded on Strava. Is this normal? Is there something I can do about it?

If I use my Garmin for Strava, I don't want it to look as if I've suddenly stopped climbing!

Glad you mention a Garmin 'basic' purchase. I've just discovered that Endomondo on my Nokia N8 drains a full battery on a 4 hour plus ride. My battery was as good as full and gave up the ghost after 3hours 10mins. I've no intention of getting a different phone (lack of Strava support is a shame but I'm not desperate to be on Strava) so for the meantime I've downloaded Sports Tracker to see how that works for battery performance.

If push comes to shove I may have to invest in a bog standard Garmin and was wondering what their most basic model was and what's the cheapest I can pick one up for? Also, are secondhand ones worth buying or are they likely to play up? Besides which I seem to remember seeing that secondhand Garmins can go for nearly as much as new anyway. All I want is the basic features I get from Endomondo, whereby I can see my rides and their basic data on a computer afterwards.

 

[1066familyman]

Cheers 1066 but unfortunately not -

http://www.southernrailway.com/your-journey/cycle-policy/bike-ride/

That's a shame, but understandable I suppose, given the numbers on the day.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Need to pick the geeks' brains about the London 2 Brighton.

We're coming from Dorset so easy enough to get the train to Clapham in the morning (no bike ban on South West trains), however the return of proving difficult. Any tips?

If we had to leave a car near Brighton the day before, any suggestions?

Anyone know how keenly they enforce the bike ban?

I know most of you will be local anyway but thought I'd ask.

P.s crank bolt located. Bike port photos to follow soon.

One suggestion if you didn't bring the car is to cycle out to say Portslade station and get on there with your bikes as there are no barrier controls, presumably changing at Southampton.

 

[Stat Brother]

Pogue, the elevation has always been 'odd' on my Garmin 705.
It doesn't make a great deal of sense to me anyway, so it's not something I worry about.

1066, they do turn up on bikeradar classifieds but are much sort after.
If you see one at a fair price, you'll not have thinking time.

Indurain, firstly for peace of mind, check you're incoming train is ok.
Southern is pretty hot on it from Saturday mid to late PM.
Depending on if you're companions have the legs, a post ride jaunt along the coast will eventually turn up a 'friendly' station.
Either a small station like Southwick or a bigger station further out such as Worthing, esp as you'll be travelling West.

Moto jerseys must have been sale or return.
I'd hazard a guess the lack of sales (surely nobody bought them) will mean we're unlikely to see any other jerseys, anytime soon.
Even with a guaranteed Pogue sale, on arrival day.


Right back off to watch the last part of Endevour, now I've stopped the 'long blinks'.

 

[Indurain's Lungs]

Indurain, firstly for peace of mind, check you're incoming train is ok.
Southern is pretty hot on it from Saturday mid to late PM.
Depending on if you're companions have the legs, a post ride jaunt along the coast will eventually turn up a 'friendly' station.
Either a small station like Southwick or a bigger station further out such as Worthing, esp as you'll be travelling West.

Thanks. My fellow riders include one bloke who does a bit of commuting and another of 16 stone who is doing it on his mountain bike with slicks - he's going to be in pieces!

 

[Bold Seagull]

Thanks. My fellow riders include one bloke who does a bit of commuting and another of 16 stone who is doing it on his mountain bike with slicks - he's going to be in pieces!

You'll be back in Dorset by the time he finishes!

 

[Indurain's Lungs]

You'll be back in Dorset by the time he finishes!

I'm sticking with him! Not going to put the hammer down!

 

[Motogull]

When I did the L2B my Mrs parked up in Moulscombe to train in to see me come in. Parking was free. Now there is permit parking for 'event's. If that is just home matches, should be fine there. I trained up from Tonbridge to London Bridge. On first morning train there were lots of bikes.

I done a bit of ebay bidding for a garmine2 but it got daft. Virtually no difference in buying new. The one I got was a monster fluke. Bloke nearby had barely used it and I was in like Flint. Everything in original wrapping, he'd not used it. Hope you get as lucky.

Strava seems to have added some more elevation. Not the full lot mind.

 

[1066familyman]

1066, they do turn up on bikeradar classifieds but are much sort after.
If you see one at a fair price, you'll not have thinking time.

Thanks SB. I had a brief look at Edge 200 new prices and was not impressed. I can't seem to get bikeradar to work properly anymore either. Won't let me login for some reason, and all links to the site come up in a basic format as well.

Good news is that the Sports Tracker app could be my saviour. Was out with the kids today for about 3 good hours with the app running, with only just over an hour of that actually moving on the bikes at 5yr old pace and constant stop and look at bloody junctions in the cycle path (we won't be doing that route again!). The app performed superbly using autopause to only record what we rode and saving the battery a treat. Just created an account and uploaded the ride and all looks good. If it works as well on my next solo long ride then I've found my solution

I'm particularly liking the 'autopause' setting. Hopefully give a more realistic set of data as currently Endomondo is always out of sync with my little wireless cateye as it keeps running whenever I'm stuck in traffic and at traffic lights whilst the cateye doesn't. Hopefully Sports Tracker should sync up nicely.

Edit: Thanks Moto for Garmin purchase feedback too. It was your discussion on here then that revealed that secondhand prices aren't much better than new. Now I rememeber.

 

[Stat Brother]

IL what is your start time?

Any later than 7am and you'll be walking to the M25!!

 

[Motogull]

To add, I got mine via Bikeradar too. Another quality lead from SB.

 

[Indurain's Lungs]

IL what is your start time?

Any later than 7am and you'll be walking to the M25!!

I reckoned on that, I think it's 9.30 or something. Can't get up there much earlier with the trains anyway.

 

[Stat Brother]

Thanks SB. I had a brief look at Edge 200 new prices and was not impressed. I can't seem to get bikeradar to work properly anymore either. Won't let me login for some reason, and all links to the site come up in a basic format as well.

Good news is that the Sports Tracker app could be my saviour. Was out with the kids today for about 3 good hours with the app running, with only just over an hour of that actually moving on the bikes at 5yr old pace and constant stop and look at bloody junctions in the cycle path (we won't be doing that route again!). The app performed superbly using autopause to only record what we rode and saving the battery a treat. Just created an account and uploaded the ride and all looks good. If it works as well on my next solo long ride then I've found my solution

I'm particularly liking the 'autopause' setting. Hopefully give a more realistic set of data as currently Endomondo is always out of sync with my little wireless cateye as it keeps running whenever I'm stuck in traffic and at traffic lights whilst the cateye doesn't. Hopefully Sports Tracker should sync up nicely.

Edit: Thanks Moto for Garmin purchase feedback too. It was your discussion on here then that revealed that secondhand prices aren't much better than new. Now I rememeber.

Garmins are definitely not an Ebay purchase.
But as said, they are a guaranteed, quick, fair price, 'radar sale.
The 1000 has just been released, so some older versions might turn up from people wanting to upgrade and looking for a faff free sell on.

 

[Stat Brother]

I reckoned on that, I think it's 9.30 or something. Can't get up there much earlier with the trains anyway.

Ouch, that's a shame, there will be a lot of walking, sorry.

We used to go up the Saturday afternoon.
Wearing linen clothing.
Eat in a smokey BBQ 'Old Orleans' type restaurant.
Stay in a no star hotel by the common.
Be kept awake all night because of the sirens whizzing past the room.
Post our clothing back to ourselves.
Then ride home, at 6:30am.

Happy days!!

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Glad you mention a Garmin 'basic' purchase. I've just discovered that Endomondo on my Nokia N8 drains a full battery on a 4 hour plus ride. My battery was as good as full and gave up the ghost after 3hours 10mins. I've no intention of getting a different phone (lack of Strava support is a shame but I'm not desperate to be on Strava) so for the meantime I've downloaded Sports Tracker to see how that works for battery performance.

If push comes to shove I may have to invest in a bog standard Garmin and was wondering what their most basic model was and what's the cheapest I can pick one up for? Also, are secondhand ones worth buying or are they likely to play up? Besides which I seem to remember seeing that secondhand Garmins can go for nearly as much as new anyway. All I want is the basic features I get from Endomondo, whereby I can see my rides and their basic data on a computer afterwards.

This is what I got: http://www.wiggle.co.uk/garmin-edge-200-gps-cycle-computer/

I read loads of customer reviews, and it does everything I need, me not being one who cares about checking my heart rate or cadence. Seems a really good deal to me, you'd be lucky to get a second hand one for much cheaper. I've already been having fun with it, and I've only used it for two rides.

Get in there while you can!

 

[Motogull]

[MENTION=10856]1066familyman[/MENTION] do you have Tesco clubcard vouchers? They sell it for £109 last time I looked, but from time to time it goes in the voucher counts double value deal. I was a gnat's cock away from getting one that way but the Mrs had earmarked our vouchers. Mine cost £60 when I went via the classifieds. SB is right, there will be some upgrading going on, so keep 'em peeled.

 

[1066familyman]

This is what I got: http://www.wiggle.co.uk/garmin-edge-200-gps-cycle-computer/

I read loads of customer reviews, and it does everything I need, me not being one who cares about checking my heart rate or cadence. Seems a really good deal to me, you'd be lucky to get a second hand one for much cheaper. I've already been having fun with it, and I've only used it for two rides.

Get in there while you can!

Cheers Pogue. I'm sure it's good value for what it is, but watching the pennies means it's more than I really want to pay, unless I really need to.

Of course, in the real world I'd never ever 'need' such a device but I've enjoyed using Endomondo and seeing my rides back home on my computer, and so I'm sold on tracking rides now. Endomondo itself has been ideal, but it's battery drain that's becoming an issue as I go further afield. Hopefully Sports Tracker will sort this, if not I'll probably bite the bullet and go for the Garmin you've got as heart rate/cadence and bells and whistles aren't for me either.