Pedal Power Thread

Seriously considering digging the bike out and getting in shape - was supposed to be a new year thing, but by day 4 of January I'm still only at the stage of thinking about it (y)

I will need some gear if I a, to brave the cold and wet, so recommendations welcome....

Gloves
Jacket/top
Trousers/shorts

Also, what do you guys and girls use for measuring things like distance travelled, cadence, route taken, heart rate etc.

I have used an app called Endomondo which seems good for the GPS bit, but not sure it will link to a heart rate thing?

Thanks in advance
 
bl0at3r said:
Seriously considering digging the bike out and getting in shape - was supposed to be a new year thing, but by day 4 of January I'm still only at the stage of thinking about it (y)

I will need some gear if I a, to brave the cold and wet, so recommendations welcome....

Gloves
Jacket/top
Trousers/shorts

Also, what do you guys and girls use for measuring things like distance travelled, cadence, route taken, heart rate etc.

I have used an app called Endomondo which seems good for the GPS bit, but not sure it will link to a heart rate thing?

Thanks in advance
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Well - Castelli make some nice kit, certainly their Gabba is pretty much my Ultimate foul weather Jersey - and the Mortirolo Due is a fantastic cold weather jacket/softshell. Not cheap mind, but a good few quid south of the price anything Rapha sell... and you won't look like a hipster tool or sky fanboy into the bargain. Assos is fantastic, but leaves you looking like an extra out of Tron and you'd need to sell the house to get a full set of kit.

As far as recording rides, I use a Garmin 800 - now superseded by the 810, works great, good for 8-10 hours in the saddle at a time (or longer with an exchange battery pack) - where mobile phone recording apps will be flat as Stage 3 of the 2014 TdF after 4 hours unless youre very careful with battery optimising. It'll also couple with anything that's ANT+ so I've got the cadence sensors, heart rate belt and a Stages Powermeter (at least on the "best bike" - the crosser, the winter hack and the MTB have to do without)

Tend to use Strava for my "recreational logging" - i.e. stuff i'd post to social media, mainly because it has a security feature that allows you to "blank out" an area of the map - useful for not showing the thieves exactly where you live...

They also do some interesting things like the #stravastory - a video roundup of your year's biking in pictures/numbers...

here's mine for 2014

http://2014story.strava.com/video/165533

pretty crap year for me to be honest, I've been crocked for the last 3 months - so please bear that in mind when you start laughing at the derisory mileage...
 
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I swear by endura shorts and liners. Got some endura waterproof gloves for Xmas, they seem comfy off the bike but first ride will be tomorrow. Summer gloves are 661.

Ride recirding I use a garmin 800 with the cadence and heart sensors. Still a good bit of kit, I think the 810 only has the addition of Bluetooth I think.

If you want to use your phone be aware that it's not as accurate GPS wise but you can get wahoo sensors that work over Bluetooth (the lower power consuming version).

I use strava for stats/ride logging also. You can import straight from smartphone app or garmin connected to pc (Bluetooth version I think can use a smartphone to upload).
 
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bl0at3r said:
Seriously considering digging the bike out and getting in shape - was supposed to be a new year thing, but by day 4 of January I'm still only at the stage of thinking about it (y)
Click to expand...

You also appear to have gained a day, is only the 3rd of January today!

;)
 
So, I have a hankering after something carbon and blingy...

Looking at the Emonda SL5, BMC Teammachine 2 and a condor Squadra. Mmm, shiny carbon...
 
Thanks for the suggestions and advice. I took advantage of Evans Cycles sale and bought an Altura Night Vision Jacket in orange, some thermal waterproof gloves and some new lights - Cateye Rapid 3 front and rear.

0012481_cateye_rapid_3_front_light.jpeg


Signed up to Strava and went out for a short intro ride last night - only 5km, but I've not been on a bike for 18 months. My saddle is a bit hard !

I was using Strava on the iPhone - want to get either a garmin type watch that does heart rate or a BT heart rate monitor to link to the iPhone.

Looking forward to another short ride tonight and then intend to do a bit longer on Saturday during daylight.
 
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I'm on Strava as well. Building up this year to the Prudential Ride 100 London in August so trying to get out as much as possible :). Have sent you guys a follow request.

https://www.strava.com/athletes/4635648
 
Question!
I currently track my rides with strava (when i remember) to use it.
I now have strava sync'd with google fit to share data, however i would like something that allows easier access to the app whilst on the go so was thinking of a smart watch linked to the phone so it still has GPS access.
Are there any recommendations for best devices or would i be better to go for something like a garmin device instead?
 
i'd go for a Bike specific Garmin every time unless you specifically do lots of running / swimming / hiking where one of their hyper-expensive multi-sport watches would be a sensible alternative... I've always found wristwatch units to be a pain in the backside to use - when on the wrist, you have to keep taking your mits off the 'bars, and if on one of those "foam bar mounts" they slip around, and are pretty terrible. Big problem with all the wristwatch ones is that the display is pretty tiny compared to either the 510/810 (never mind the 1000).
 
stupar said:
Question!
I currently track my rides with strava (when i remember) to use it.
I now have strava sync'd with google fit to share data, however i would like something that allows easier access to the app whilst on the go so was thinking of a smart watch linked to the phone so it still has GPS access.
Are there any recommendations for best devices or would i be better to go for something like a garmin device instead?
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I have experience with the Garmin Edge devices.. Currently using the Edge 800, find it brilliant for tracking rides. Plenty of places online to get open source maps for it as well. If you don't want mapping capabilities then the edge 500/510 can still track rides. There is the cheaper edge 200 but have never used it.
 
neil_g said:
another vote for the 800. i believe the newer version only has addition of bluetooth for connecting to internet?
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That's my understanding as well. Allows you to share rides, get weather etc by connecting to mobile phone. Not enough of an upgrade for me from the 800.
 
I've got the 800 myself, and only really recommended the 810 because the 800's pretty much a developmental dead end now, last 2 patches that it's had have only been to add features to support other Garmin kit (some metrics for the Vector pedals, and to add Virb control protocols) - but there's still a few residual bugs that appear to have been quietly forgotten about (navigation glitches etc) whereas at least the 810 is getting the occasional fix.

I must admit however, that I chose not to upgrade when the 810 came out because there really wasn't anything other than the Bluetooth support added over the 800 - perhaps the forthcoming 820 may actually have something worthwhile to make the upgrade for... who knows.
 
TheBigYin said:
I've got the 800 myself, and only really recommended the 810 because the 800's pretty much a developmental dead end now, last 2 patches that it's had have only been to add features to support other Garmin kit (some metrics for the Vector pedals, and to add Virb control protocols) - but there's still a few residual bugs that appear to have been quietly forgotten about (navigation glitches etc) whereas at least the 810 is getting the occasional fix.

I must admit however, that I chose not to upgrade when the 810 came out because there really wasn't anything other than the Bluetooth support added over the 800 - perhaps the forthcoming 820 may actually have something worthwhile to make the upgrade for... who knows.
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Do you think they'll bring out an 820?
I know they released the 1000 a little while ago.
 
Garmin are notorious for playing any potential new hardware release cards close to their chest... however, iirc, the 705 was launched in aug 2007, 800 was launched in aug 2010, the 810 launched in jan 2013, so I'd expect a 2-3 year product cycle...
 
New Year, new bike build going to happen.

It's going to be based either around this frameset...

zero-frameset.jpg


or this one...

fenix%20carbon.jpg


Very excited!

One is non-disc oriented, one is disc oriented. The fantastic LBS stocks both.
 
Thanks for all suggestions re cycle specific Garmin devices. Having done some thorough research I think the best way forward is one of there devices.
Time to get saving!!!
 
Lovely looking frameset (y)

A little update.....
I'm really getting back into cycling - even bought a cycling magazine the other day !

I have picked up a Wahoo Tickr and a Blue SC so I can see heart rate, speed and cadence - oh also so that I can keep track of distance and power when I'm in the garage on the turbo trainer that I bought the other day. It can be a little too dark, cold, wet and slippery outside at this time of the year so didn't want to dampen my enthusiasm at all.

Also installed and used Kinomap Trainer a few times after a friend recommended it - you can sit and watch a video of a bike ride whilst on the turbo - I rode round Central Park in NYC last week :)

Just been outside for a ride in the open air and am really looking forward to the spring.
 
SaintSLR said:
Have created a "virtual club" on Strava if anyone is interested - hopefully can then all motivate each other!
Also if anyone is local to each other and fancy joining up for a ride.

https://www.strava.com/clubs/123931
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would be rude not to... ;)

Don't expect much from me at the moment though - i'm on the binnacle list, doctors orders... Currently about 900km down on planned distance as set up in october last year, before I started with the current bout of chest problems which have pretty much already scuppered my ambitions for 2015's riding... not only have I missed all winter's base conditioning work, but I've been unable to do any intensity stuff indoors either. All considered, it feels like it's wiped out anything up to a year or more's worth of training.

Pity, as I was hoping to get over and have a shot at the Ronde Van Vlaanderen sportive this year :(
 
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Im thinking about a return to the road this year, mainly to lose some lard that's made its way onto my body. So looking at a sportive type road bike rather than an out and out race machine ( cracked my L2 and it still pains me ).

Looking at the Planet X pro carbon and a wilier gtr, but liking the ultegra kit on the cheaper Planet X..

Thoughts ?
 
Planet-X are hard to beat for Value... the Pro-Carbon isn't the most refined or stiffest of carbon frames - it's kindo of showing it's age, being at least a 3-4 year old design, and superseded by a few of their newer/better models - the RT57 RT58 the N2A and the Nanolights... personally, for a grand I'd be looking at the RT-58 with Ultegra 6800 - it's a bit less "nervous" geometry, more suited for longer days in the saddle (i.e. a bit more comfortable and less likely to feel like they've been holding the early rounds of a snooker tournament around your kidneys...)

I've had a couple of frames from them - the Superlight Road frame and a On-One 456 MTB, and they've always been decent people to deal with... plus, they're only 12 miles down the road from me, so I could actually collect instead of waiting in all day for a courier...
 
I don't mind spending up to 1.5, certainly don't want to get in to stupid money for a start off bike. Just need something comfy that will allow me to push a bit and lose a few lb
 
in that case i'd say the RT-58/Ultegra 5800 would be just the thing (and keep a few bob back to be able to swap the saddle if you find you don't get on with it...)
 
I've got a Scott's CR1 which I've upgraded to full Ultegra as it had some inferior brakes and chainset when bought. This was to replace by Bianchi which was stolen. Not had chance to try it out yet though as I've injured my knee.

 
Spec and description on the Planet X site contradict, need further investigation me thinks.
 
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