[Other Sport] Cycling geeks

[1066familyman]

[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.

Kids don't get to the Legolands and the likes of this world in our house without Clubcard vouchers, so that's that route knocked well and truly on the head Good thinking though.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

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.

I bought the Garmin for similar reasons. Strava runs my phone battery down too quickly - it only recorded 2/3 of the Paris-Roubaix sportive, and has run out before 100 miles every time I've done a ton.

I'm doing l'etape this year, and the thought of not having this recorded fills me with dread - as my mates tell me, if it's not on Strava, you didn't do it. So that deal, and cash from my mum for my birthday...it was a no-brainer!

 

[Stat Brother]

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.

Right back in my early days, I was warned off newfangled mumbo-jumbo like cadence sensor, by an LBS old dog.

I now couldn't disagree more.

Being able to match, gear, cadence & climb % is fairly invaluable.
I did use a 'proper' equation to work out my optimum climbing rate, and riding with that knowledge (I've now forgot) certainly improved my abilities.

As for heart rate, struggling to get the elasticated sensor round my chest, made it pretty obvious it'll be working overtime

 

[1066familyman]

I bought the Garmin for similar reasons. Strava runs my phone battery down too quickly - it only recorded 2/3 of the Paris-Roubaix sportive, and has run out before 100 miles every time I've done a ton.

I'm doing l'etape this year, and the thought of not having this recorded fills me with dread - as my mates tell me, if it's not on Strava, you didn't do it. So that deal, and cash from my mum for my birthday...it was a no-brainer!

Loving that line - "...every time I've done a ton."

Throw in the - "...it only recorded 2/3 of the Paris-Roubaix sportive..." and ... "I'm doing l'etape this year..."

Quite possibly it's time I got my coat

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Right back in my early days, I was warned off newfangled mumbo-jumbo like cadence sensor, by an LBS old dog.

I now couldn't disagree more.

Being able to match, gear, cadence & climb % is fairly invaluable.
I did use a 'proper' equation to work out my optimum climbing rate, and riding with that knowledge (I've now forgot) certainly improved my abilities.

As for heart rate, struggling to get the elasticated sensor round my chest, made it pretty obvious it'll be working overtime

My approach to climbing is that if it feels too hard, go down another gear. Then get really pissed off when there isn't another available.

And I'm with you on the heart rate monitor. They look so uncomfortable, and would surely constrict your breathing.

 

[Indurain's Lungs]

- as my mates tell me, if it's not on Strava, you didn't do it.

Really! Is that how things work these days!?

As for heart rate and cadence, they're very useful tools to help you get the most out of training though I think most people find that 'feel' takes over after a while. It doesn't matter to me what my cadence is on a climb, I just go at whatever I settle into. That happens to be a lot slower than it used to be though!

 

[Stat Brother]

My approach to climbing is that if it feels too hard, go down another gear. Then get really pissed off when there isn't another available.

And I'm with youy on the heart rate monitor. They look so uncomfortable, and would surely constrict your breathing.

The monitors are fine to wear.
I've currently lost the sensor part, and it's no great loss.

Not having cadence definitely slows me up.
A steep climb is a steep climb that's simple.
But for rolling along, false flats, and TT work outs, it's great to know where I can squeeze in an extra gear without over cooking it.

We've all done it.
Pushed on a gear only for it to be one to many, and blow up 30 seconds later.
A cadence sensor kind of does away with that.

Assuming I've got a decent speed, @ 87 rpm.
Then, for no reason, creep up to 90 rpm, I know I can do another gear, knock my rpm back to 87 but increase my speed.
Chances are I either wouldn't notice the subtle difference or would move the gear on too far and blow.

 

[Stat Brother]

Really! Is that how things work these days!?

As for heart rate and cadence, they're very useful tools to help you get the most out of training though I think most people find that 'feel' takes over after a while. It doesn't matter to me what my cadence is on a climb, I just go at whatever I settle into. That happens to be a lot slower than it used to be though!

I was going to reference you in my last post, along the lines of:-

'Pro's like IL will just know this stuff, but people like us need reminding'.

 

[1066familyman]

I see what SB is saying on rolling terrain, that could be useful, but on some of the climbs round here on my bike with my ability (or lack thereof) I pretty much always find myself running out of gears anyway and unable to 'spin it' at the rate I probably should. So a cadence sensor reminding me of that fact would probably only add to the frustration.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Really! Is that how things work these days!?

It is if your friends are evil sods, like mine.

 

[Stat Brother]

I see what SB is saying on rolling terrain, that could be useful, but on some of the climbs round here on my bike with my ability (or lack thereof) I pretty much always find myself running out of gears anyway and unable to 'spin it' at the rate I probably should. So a cadence sensor reminding me of that fact would probably only add to the frustration.

The thing with 'no gears left' climbs is that's not going to alter your rpm.
If your grinding out 50 rpm but you know you ground out 60 rpm last week, you might be able to push on.

 

[Stat Brother]

Niki Terpstra's Strava file for Roubaix:-

http://www.strava.com/activities/130432764

 

[Bold Seagull]

Niki Terpstra's Strava file for Roubaix:-

http://www.strava.com/activities/130432764

Import this one [MENTION=19321]Pogue Mahone[/MENTION]? Probably similar....

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Import this one [MENTION=19321]Pogue Mahone[/MENTION]? Probably similar....

Almost identical.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/racing/paris-roubaix/paris-roubaix-pills-found-120446

It's good to see that they're all racing clean now...

 

[1066familyman]

Quick!, get on it!

Live Brabantse Pijl stream here with 15km to go:

http://www.sportlemon.tv/20140416/vv534e0890116540.95105781-798717.html

 

[The Birdman]

Don't forget the great Haywards Heath Bike ride 18th May 4 routes and a small children's ride in the Broadway. Raise money for your own charity.

 

[Stat Brother]

Quick!, get on it!

Live Brabantse Pijl stream here with 15km to go:

http://www.sportlemon.tv/20140416/vv534e0890116540.95105781-798717.html

Lucky the final sprint was on a wide road .

 

[1066familyman]

I'll tell you what, I'm bloody great at betting e/w on riders that come..................FOURTH!

Barely into The Ardennes and my winnings kitty from last year has nearly been spent already

 

[Stat Brother]

Don't worry Gilbert will get relegated to last and you're man will be up to third