Pedal Power Thread

TheBigYin said:
yeah, theyr'e a bit complex... the physio/trainer guy I go to uses one, and they're pretty fiendish things from a setup point of view, but it's possible to get not only your roadbike setup pretty much spot on (albeit with funny handlebars) but the power measurment side of things is fantastic and I love the pedalling analysis stuff - came in really handy when I was getting my knee sorted and so on...
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Thanks Mark.

So, one more question. What does the cadence meter add? I usually just cycle where I am comfortable cadence wise. What else would it add?
 
well - if it's the GSC10 (the combined speed and cadence sensor) it also helps with the accuracy on distance - especially in "urban canyons" - roads between tall bulildings, or under thick tree cover - but there is a cadence that is the most efficient in terms of minimising muscle fatigue and maximising power, problem is it's different for everyone - so it's a metric that really comes into play for "proper" training... lots of training drills are based around keeping up a fast cadence, or conversely doing "power" work - low cadence high speed stuff.

For me, it's more that I know if I pedal slow and "lever" the cranks round, the next day my knees hurt, so I keep a cadence display up just to remind me to keep pedalling at around 80-90...
 
Very tempted to make a trip to Gisburn tomorrow morning but the weather is looking a bit grim.
 
TheBigYin said:
well - if it's the GSC10 (the combined speed and cadence sensor) it also helps with the accuracy on distance - especially in "urban canyons" - roads between tall bulildings, or under thick tree cover - but there is a cadence that is the most efficient in terms of minimising muscle fatigue and maximising power, problem is it's different for everyone - so it's a metric that really comes into play for "proper" training... lots of training drills are based around keeping up a fast cadence, or conversely doing "power" work - low cadence high speed stuff.

For me, it's more that I know if I pedal slow and "lever" the cranks round, the next day my knees hurt, so I keep a cadence display up just to remind me to keep pedalling at around 80-90...
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Thanks Mark. I will have a think and work out whether it is just HR I really want or cadence/speed too.
 


Don't think this has been posted. Enjoyable adventure, scenery and photography if you can spare the time.
 
Had a bit of a play with the new cheapie ActionCamera and the Kinomap application.

Pity the battery only lasts around 3 hours as it misses the end of the ride.

http://www.kinomap.com/watch/6tcuy6
http://www.kinomap.com/watch/jdgukd
http://www.kinomap.com/watch/knp5m8
http://www.kinomap.com/watch/emkpj3

clever bit is how it interfaces with the Wahoo Kickr indoor trainer (and hopefully a few other of the smart indoor trainer when they finally thrash out a "open standard" for ANT+ trainer interfaces and upgrade the firmware....) - turning a video'ed ride and a .TCX file into a virtual workout.

I've actually got a friend over in America who's in one of the snowbound areas and he's already badgering me to go out and record another ride like this as he really enjoyed "virtually tagging along with me" :lol:
 
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TheBigYin said:
Had a bit of a play with the new cheapie ActionCamera and the Kinomap application.

Pity the battery only lasts around 3 hours as it misses the end of the ride.

http://www.kinomap.com/watch/6tcuy6
http://www.kinomap.com/watch/jdgukd
http://www.kinomap.com/watch/knp5m8
http://www.kinomap.com/watch/emkpj3

clever bit is how it interfaces with the Wahoo Kickr indoor trainer (and hopefully a few other of the smart indoor trainer when they finally thrash out a "open standard" for ANT+ trainer interfaces and upgrade the firmware....) - turning a video'ed ride and a .TCX file into a virtual workout.

I've actually got a friend over in America who's in one of the snowbound areas and he's already badgering me to go out and record another ride like this as he really enjoyed "virtually tagging along with me" :LOL:
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Greta videos. I'm interested in how you got your elevation, speed and the route on the map. Is it all through that site and do you have to record a video? I actually found a way to destroy a GoPro, so I don't have one anymore :( and the camera on my mobile is so scratched you can't see a picture.
 
You record the video on the action camera and record the route with (in my case) my Garmin 800. The software on that site willl work with any .TCX file (so you can just export it from Endomondo/Strava/Garmin Connect or whatever - indeed you could probably record the route stuff on a GPS enabled smartphone with the correct app) Then you just import the video and .TCX file, "synchronise" them - i.e. find a spot on the video where you know exactly where it is - say a junction or traffic light, and point the pushpin on the map to the same spot. From there, the site basically works out a offset on the file and does all the heavy lifting :lol:
 
TheBigYin said:
You record the video on the action camera and record the route with (in my case) my Garmin 800. The software on that site willl work with any .TCX file (so you can just export it from Endomondo/Strava/Garmin Connect or whatever - indeed you could probably record the route stuff on a GPS enabled smartphone with the correct app) Then you just import the video and .TCX file, "synchronise" them - i.e. find a spot on the video where you know exactly where it is - say a junction or traffic light, and point the pushpin on the map to the same spot. From there, the site basically works out a offset on the file and does all the heavy lifting :LOL:
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Cheers. Going to sign up and check it out.
 
here's my fuji. i've been particularly lazy over the winter... i don't mind the cold so much, but i'm sick of the rain. roll on spring i say!

7915793650_96ee137f21_c.jpg
 
Nice. I am getting a bit of a thing for TT bikes and I have never even done one. Perhaps I should try!
 
I swore I'd never ride another TT after my last big accident, but last year I did eventually weaken and ride the local club 10. Felt a little under-biked and ill-attired as I just rocked up on the Dolan in my normal kit and lid... Amazingly to me, I turned in the second best time of the night of the people that were "Merckx-ing" it - though in fairness, there were only 4 of us, 2 kids and a guy who was eligeable for his bus pass.

Still, I beat the kids :lol:
 
One club round here does TT. Might be worth the trip one evening.

HRM arrived. Am sitting here working and my HR is hovering around 52. Not bad! Goodness knows what it will do when cycling!
 
menthel said:
One club round here does TT. Might be worth the trip one evening.

HRM arrived. Am sitting here working and my HR is hovering around 52. Not bad! Goodness knows what it will do when cycling!
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Go for it - can't beat 27* minutes of tasting blood at the back of your mouth followed by falling sideways off the bike and throwing up as a way to spend an evening...

* (yes I know 27mins is bloody slow, but I'm fat, slow and the wrong side of 50 and coming back to riding after a 20 year hiatus between my last competitive efforts...)

52's not bad per-se as a RHR, but really it's more the measure of how quick it comes back down AFTER maximal stuff that's more critical. Resting HR is however a pretty good pre-indication of if you're over-training or potentially coming down with something. I generally check every morning - partly to see if i'm still alive - and partly to see if i've recovered well enough to get out training that day. It's normally between 46-50, anything over 60 and I take a day off (unless there's an obvious reason why I may have woken up startled.)
 
Anyone going to bike show? I'm going Saturday
 
bastic said:
Anyone going to bike show? I'm going Saturday
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Was there anything good at the bike show?
I had to replace my cassette at the weekend (after having done the chain the week before and later finding out that the cassette was very worn too) - I even had to manufacturer a chain whip from an old chain as I didn't have one!
 
Not really.Not for me at least...would be great if there would be more shop stands with more stuff. And no major deals...specially if you pay at the entrance fit tickets....am disappointed
 
That's a shame, you'd hope that there would be some good deals to have :thinking:
 
Mitch78 said:
Here's one of mine:
LMX_8093.jpg
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That brings me back. I used to have a Bullit nearly exactly the same as that, even the same forks. It got stolen though and I never managed to get it back. I would accuse you but my frame was completely silver, not black and silver lol
 
LOL! It was Lime green with Boxxers when I got it. Other than the prototype, it was the first one in the country, most people I met back then hadn't even heard of Santa Cruz, never mind know what the Bullit was. This was taken just after a respray and rebuild (only time it would be allowed in the living room!). I regret swapping to the shivers though, the Boxxers were in a different league.
 
My previous bike was stolen and never found too. A Klein Adroit. Weighed less than most road bikes. :(

This is almost exactly the same as mine was, same forks etc, but I had a Flite saddle and white Onza Porcupines front and back. :)

klein_adroit_orange.jpg
 
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I need to get mum to dig out a photo of my old atx. That was a bit of an oldskool beast. Even Steve Geall commented on it at buckland rings once :D

Found photos of my last two bikes, I'll put them up a bit later on.

Got a mode of transport again now, hopefully I can get myself across to the South Downs this weekend and away from most of the mud. I seem to have turned into a bit of a weight weenie while I haven't been riding, getting obsessed with taking the trek sub 30lb. Got to 30.1lb without throwing too much money at it :-/
 
here we go..

ignoring the rubbish i had early on (muddy fox), i then had a GT Zaskar which I dont think I have any photos of. then the ATX1200 frameset, bullet bros zzyzx monster. then my ridonculous DS-1 from back in the day.. the zzyzx forks were off of the ATX and I never really got around to swapping them out for something more sensible for a DJ..


Azonic DS-1 by neilgates, on Flickr

then there was a long break with no bike until i got my combi-r. here it is in avimore..


Commencal Combi R by neilgates, on Flickr

then another long break before getting the trek.
 
neil_g said:
here we go..

ignoring the rubbish i had early on (muddy fox), i then had a GT Zaskar which I dont think I have any photos of. then the ATX1200 frameset, bullet bros zzyzx monster. then my ridonculous DS-1 from back in the day.. the zzyzx forks were off of the ATX and I never really got around to swapping them out for something more sensible for a DJ..


Azonic DS-1 by neilgates, on Flickr

then there was a long break with no bike until i got my combi-r. here it is in avimore..


Commencal Combi R by neilgates, on Flickr

then another long break before getting the trek.
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I had the same Azonic frame a good while ago. Swapped it to a friend for an RC car lol. Also, when you say Avimore in the picture of the Combi-r, did you mean Aviemore in Scotland?
 
neil_g said:
the DS-1 was solid, sold it to a mate who swapped the fork for a more sensible option and was real nice.

yes Aviemore, sorry typo :)
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Thought so lol. Small world, I was born and bred in Aviemore. Still live around the area.
 
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So, have been using the HR strap and it all looks very interesting. Does anyone know how strava calculate their zones? I notice its 5 but the british cycling site has 6. Is there a better way of calculating zones?
 
Had another little play with the Video Camera today, plus a little "Dashboard Overlay" action... (looks better in 720 if you've the bandwidth)


(the gauges use real-time information recorded on the Garmin, complete with speed, power, cadence and HR data, plus a "moving map" display and clinometer.)
 
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menthel said:
So, have been using the HR strap and it all looks very interesting. Does anyone know how strava calculate their zones? I notice its 5 but the british cycling site has 6. Is there a better way of calculating zones?
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In fairness, since I've had the Stages Powermeter, frankly I don't really take a lot of notice of the HR stuff anymore, unless it's on time-trials or max-tests.

But, I tend to have set up a 5 zone system, based on HrMax percentages...

Z1 = < 58%
Z2 = 58 > 66%
Z3 = 67 > 76%
Z4 = 77 > 88%
Z5 = > 89%

primarily because it's what I was told to use by the physio who was handling the rehab. after my knee op. and he just got me to do a max test every couple of months. Plus, a 5 zone system works well with the Garmin, and it's nice to have the same zones set in the Head Unit, Garmin Connect, Strava, Training Peaks et. al.

Of course, unless you have a proper figure for the HrMax, then frankly, it's all a bit of an exercise in nailing jelly to a tree...
 
TheBigYin said:
In fairness, since I've had the Stages Powermeter, frankly I don't really take a lot of notice of the HR stuff anymore, unless it's on time-trials or max-tests.

But, I tend to have set up a 5 zone system, based on HrMax percentages...

Z1 = < 58%
Z2 = 58 > 66%
Z3 = 67 > 76%
Z4 = 77 > 88%
Z5 = > 89%

primarily because it's what I was told to use by the physio who was handling the rehab. after my knee op. and he just got me to do a max test every couple of months. Plus, a 5 zone system works well with the Garmin, and it's nice to have the same zones set in the Head Unit, Garmin Connect, Strava, Training Peaks et. al.

Of course, unless you have a proper figure for the HrMax, then frankly, it's all a bit of an exercise in nailing jelly to a tree...
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Mmm, jelly! ;)

I have grabbed a couple of PDFs from the wattbike site and they have a few different tests that you can do, including heart rate and power tests (not that the power ones are of any use to me as I am not spending out on a power meter!) so I might well take myself to the gym once I have worked it out and then have a go. It seems a shame that no one at my gym knows how they work. There is about 10k worth of Wattbikes sat there being used like bog standard exercise bikes at present!

Nice commute in this morning, cycled with wife as far as Clapham Common and then went on from there. The sun was out and all was good. So good that ther fairy came to visit. Luckily it was a massive sherd and easily removed and the offending hole pathced without a full tyre ad tube removal. Lets hope it is all ok when I go down at lunch to let out he CO2 and replaceit with real air! ;)
 
I wasn't on my bike for a while..again...parked bike on balcony when we had visitors and it is still parked there ;)
need to clap myself and get on it latest monday :)
 
I'm getting my Rose Pro Cross DX 4400 tomorrow. Sadly I'm also moving house so there's not a hope I'll get a chance to ride it for at least another week. Oh well, I've waited 6 or 7 weeks to get it already so one more can't hurt!
 
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