RollCNY

Isn't there a Bloom County version of that photo? Every time I see that pic I think it should be a cartoon with Steve Dallas.

DoubleTap

I don't know if it would help you, but they offer a RFLKT+ bike computer, one that somebody mentioned earlier.

For my specific purposes, I use a Garmin 800, Quarq and Powertap PM's, Wahoo TICKR HR strap, Wahoo Blue Speed/Cadence sensor, and a Wahoo KICKR trainer with built-in power. I've never used the Wahoo products with my phone, because they all synch fine with my Garmin 800. I do frequent rides of 6-8 hours and haven't had a problem with the Garmin or the other parts, whereas some of the Garmin accessories (HR, speed/cadence) were a big disappointment.

I was endorsing Wahoo products in general, not specific to your situation. But, if they have an application that works for you, I'd look closely because of the quality and excellent customer support.

Edit: One correction to the above; I do use an old Iphone 4 on the trainer, and it synchs well with all the Wahoo products during my trainer workouts. So it might be an option if you have a spare phone, although I think battery life would still be an issue.

rpenmanparker 

DoubleTap, because the screen isn't active on the phone when it is interacting with the RFLKT device, the battery life is significantly extended. Battery packs can extend it much further. As can turning off the cell functions so the phone works only as a computer, not a phone until you need it. I can't say how much total battery time you could get, but it is significant.

Also as you say, the phone used for the computer can be a spare and doesn't need cell service to do the job. The "safety" phone can be kept in reserve for emergencies.

LAJ

That's a lot of phones to carry around for 200 miles.

rjones28 

Indeed.

Doug28450

Messing with Student Naval Pilots was fun.

Doug28450

I told you not to post that picture of me.

DoubleTap

I think we're only suggesting two phones, not a gross of them.

Bah Humbug

There absolutely is. I actually hadn't seen the original until just now.

BillyD

They get lighter as the batteries drain.

gc3

Garmin 810 or nothing for me. Don't need the 1000. Any issues I have with any Garmin I've owned (Edge 605-705-800-810) have been intermittent, sporadic, etc. So the firmware is never perfect, big deal. @Heathpack I suspect your problems have arisen because you ride the bike to such lofty altitudes so often that the thin air affects the flow of electrons. Seriously, ditch the 510 POS and get the big boy. All them other things is pretenders...I asked an expert...

Heathpack 

Honestly, I would buy anything that I could be pretty sure would work reliably. There is no amount of money that is worth the time I have spent dealing with Garmin on this problem with no progress. But I would still get the an 800 series Garmin if I knew for sure it would work. My coach sent me some ideas of head units to check out today. So I will google those plus the suggestions here.

Speaking of lofty rides, we are riding up to Mt Wilson on Sat. Looking forward to it, I've never done that ride. I texted my hill-climbing consultant, ie Mt Boy Racer. Hey I need a 60-80 mile route for Sat with 7000 ish feet of climbing. I was thinking of a loop ride that we call Aliso Canyon. I've ridden out to Aliso Canyon before and up to Mill Creek Summit but never beyond and the "beyond" part goes up Angeles Crest Hwy, which is supposed to be really nice. But after a few texts back and forth, we settled on Mt Wilson, because we can do a 60ish mile ride, go up to Mount Wilson and then beyond to Newcomb Ranch Restaurant for lunch. He then suggests another 5 mile climb up to Cloudburst Summit post-lunch if we want to go for 72ish miles and 8500 feet of climbing, I will see what everyone wants to do.

This club that I'm a member of, Adobo Velo puts on four rides per year which are called Tour De Francis rides. Francis is one of the founders of the club. The motto of these rides is "Francis likes to make us suffer". Lol not really but the idea with these TdFr rides is that they are to prepare you for the double centuries and Francis tries to expose you to whatever kind of adverse conditions you might encounter on a double. For example, the first ride I ever did with this club was the Palmdale version back in July. You start in the desert, ride around a bit, up to Devil's Punchbowl, just a little climb. Then you really start climbing up up up to Dawson's Saddle to the top on the San Gabriel Mountains, about a 5000 ft continuous climb in the summer heat. Then back down and you are dumped into the desert in the middle of the afternoon into brutally hot head winds. Epic. These rides are 100 miles and 10,000 ft climbing. Anyway, there is one coming up on Jan 31, this one is close to my house, its a maybe 10 mile ride to the start from my house. Francis has lots of up and downs planned for us, a good dose of head winds and he is hoping for some cold temps. But he will personally cook us a big Filipino lunch afterwards and feed us very well. Sunday we're going to ride part of that course, a local ride for me, I really love this route.

Anyway, I was getting reined in this past week, its good to get some long rides on the schedule. I have a bit of riding to get done before I leave on my cruise, then the TdFr ride the weekend after I get back.

Sorry @LAJ to post about road rides. Colorado will melt soon. Hopefully.

Doug28450

The temperature here is 9*. So, I rode the stationary bike at the YMCA for 35 minutes while my daughter attended a teen fitness class. At the end of my ride the bike data showed that I rode 12.0 miles and climbed 3900 feet. I just looked at my Garmin Connect data quickly. I think I climbed more in that 35 minutes than I did in one month on the roads.

Hermes

Electronics.... I have the Garmin 800, Garmin 810 and Garmin 500. I have Quarq PM, Power Tap and Vector power meters. The Garmin 800 and 810 have worked better for me with the Vector PM and the Quarq than the 500.

The Garmin 500 was not able to reliably calibrate the Vector PM or display power fast enough. I have had extensive discussions with Garmin and they agree that there is a difference in power measurement between the 500 and 800 series units. The 800 series has a faster processor. I returned one of my 500s for a credit and negotiated new price for an 810.

Garmin will argue that the variance is within spec such that the 500 and the 800 will work with Vector. In reality, the 500 is too slow and fails to capture power for a period of time so transient performance is poor. Steady state performance is within spec.

Furthermore, Garmin (all units) record 1 second intervals. For fast transient changes in power, that is insufficient. My advice is do not purchase any head unit that does not record data at least every second. New Quarq units with reed switches and an accelerometer can generate data every 1/6 of a second. So it is possible to couple a Quarq PM with an SRM PC7 to get more accurate transient data.

I have found Garmin head units susceptible to power line interference and there are sections of roads where the Garmin records higher power values. That was true with the Power Tap on Mount San Bruno on Radio Road.

I did extensive testing using two power meters on my road bike and Garmin 500 and Garmin 800 head units. It was only with direct comparison of the transient response of the Garmin units and Vector / Quarq power meters that I discovered the transient problems. I only use Garmin 800 series on power meters today. The 500 is a backup.

When I confronted Garmin directly with the specific data, they agreed with me but from a commercial viewpoint, their advertising and promotion are correct. It is a like wanting to play a sophisticated game on a slow computer. Sure the game works and runs but the user experience is subpar compared to the latest technology.

I cannot comment on other head units other than to say that if I would have not done the head to head comparison with the two power meters and two different Garmin head units running simultaneously, I would not have known the difference.

Unfortunately, in the world of electronics, other than the SRM and PC 7 combination, it is a pick of a bad litter. YMMV

Back to your regular programming and wind in your hair.

Edit...for those that have hair.

LAJ

Thanks @Heathpack. It's OK. We're in a big melt, then freeze at night, so no way am I riding in that. Weights at 4:30 am, then after work, an hour on the TT bike. It was good, and I guess I was happy I didn't have to shine a heater on my feet.

3alarmer

.
...well, all I can say is that once word gets out on the street that Garmin can cross @Heathpack, and there is not hell to pay, it will create confusion and disrespect.

Could this be the beginning of the zombie apocalypse ? I predict civil unrest and a general state of disorder in the greater LA metropolitan area. #sad_sad_day

3alarmer

...I alwasy wanted to go there to see the Observatory. A lot of great work was done there.

Bunyanderman

Quick question on the junior gearing limits. For road I see they allow a maximum gearing of 52x14, I have a compact being 34/50. Would the 50x13 be "harder" or roll out longer than the 52x14? If I can only use a 50x14, is it worth the upgrade to go to a 52x14?

3alarmer

...I think it depends on your cadence and riding style.

LesterOfPuppets

Proto RAAM rider. Dude runs some SLACK chain on a microdrive setup. Maybe the chainslap keeps the mountain lions away.

datlas 

I notice he has a rather large kitten too.

datlas 

Stupid weather ruins another Wednesday club ride. Instead I will try to get motivated to ride the rollers in the basement....and my wife gave me a honey-do list.

FLvector

Do you have those rollers down yet? Care to post a video to share your progress? I'm very tempted to buy a set, but since our weather usually doesn't prevent me from riding, they may get very limited use. Getting chilly down here tonight - into the upper 30's. Cold for us, warm for you.

datlas 

I just finished my roller ride. I do ok on them. I have to keep both hands on the bars. No way I am good enough to post a vid of roller tricks.

Speaking of videos, I have recently discovered GCN on YouTube. Those guys are pretty cool, maybe we should invite them to Addiction??

I finished up the short workout with my famous datlas core exercises.

rjones28 

I'll bet he could fit a laptop in that frame bag.