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News March 31, 2020

Fitbit announces Charge 3 with GPS, er… the Charge 4

There certainly are people who loved the Charge 3, but really, really, really wanted to leave their phone at home when stepping out for a run, hike, cycle. I wasn’t one of these, and frankly I don’t why you would leave the phone at home – it’s your lifeline should anything bad happen while you’re out. Of course, built-in GPS doesn’t solve the real problem with Fitbit. But hey, if GPS and…

News March 26, 2020

Connect is down!?! Government overreach, or fat fingers? We may never know the truth!

I was willing to roll with this whole shut-it-all-down thing, until I found out that included Garmin Connect. I can only hope that this is actually an error, Garmin are working [remotely] as quickly as they can, and it’s not part of our government’s attempt to keep us from riding our bikes or running outside. Because I really need a data fix RIGHT NOW!!! “If there are people out there, and unfortunately…

News March 24, 2020

As someone who loves data, I don’t get it

I love data, and I love toys. But, speaking as someone who knows what my favorite gears are (50/15 & 50/17) and pays attention to my shift count, I do not get SRAM’s play here. Or, I guess I should say, I understand why they want the data, I don’t understand the value in sharing it with them. Maybe it’s because I’m anal AF, but I know the battery level of my…

News March 24, 2020

Huh, turns out it was a Garmin issue

I was reasonably confident the Fenix 6/Zwift Running issue was a Garmin issue (take that CSR ;)), and when I woke up this morning to a “Bluetooth software (or maybe firmware, it was early) updated” message on my watch, I made a point to load up Zwift and check it out while making breakfast. In retrospect, I should have pushed the CSR harder, because the answer was actually in the release notes…

News March 23, 2020

Zwift stabs running, injures my commitment

Figures that Zwift killed (not really, but definitely made a move in that direction) Running the same day I tried to try it for the first time. But as DCR notes, the real story is the doubling down on hardware. I like Zwift. I find it motivating and easy to use. I do not like expensive hardware that locks me to a specific subscription based platform (cough, Peloton). So no matter how…

News March 23, 2020

Cover your base

Like every video Dylan puts out, this one is an excellent, science based examination of whether training helps/hurts your immune system and what you should do given that every early summer event is getting postponed or canceled. You’ll have to watch the video to get the skinny, but I know what I’ll be doing. Working on base in the vain hope that this will have blown over by mid-summer, and we can…

News March 20, 2020

What if maximum stiffness isn’t the goal?

This video from PeakTorque is incredibly detailed in its explanation of why carbon fiber (CF), despite being an incredibly stiff material, isn’t nearly as stiff in the finished product as it may seem initially. But what if maximum stiffness isn’t the goal? It’s common knowledge that CF seat posts and handlebars are great because they incorporate stiffness in some directions and compliance in others. Less well known, but still true AFAIK, is…

News March 17, 2020

Elite Sterzo is cool, overpriced, and really ought to have straps…

I really like that platforms like Zwift are adding features like steering which make the experience more interactive. So the Sterzo block from Elite is great, but that doesn’t mean that it’s perfect. Besides the $69 price (ouch), this really ought to have straps to ensure that the wheel stays in the block. When I sprint, it’s pretty common for the wheel to twist, come up, and slightly out of my current…

News March 16, 2020

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times: Pioneer Power Meter Closeout

If you’re in the market for a dual-sided power meter, and willing to take the risk on one from Pioneer (who recently sold off their PM assets to Shimano), this sale at The Pro’s Closet is massive. All of the meters I looked at are new, so if they are covered by warranty (an open point that would need to be confirmed with TPC), they are an incredible value. Especially considering the…

News March 16, 2020

Argh – Rough Road 100 Postponed

I totally get why, expected, and I think they did the right thing, but that doesn’t make it an easier pill to swallow. Like a lot of cyclists, having an event to train for drops the RPE for all of the work put in to get ready for the event. So while I support the decision to postpone Rough Road 100, it still sucks. Hopefully the HHH doesn’t suffer the same fate.…

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