[ 2013 ] Bicycle Computers? Advice, please.

[heathpack]

I get it. After all, it's what makes the world go 'round. You're in the mainstream of the cycling demographic. You ride for you, and no one else. That's cool, and it's the reason most people ride. Others ride for other reasons, whether to better their own personal best, competition, long distance, sprinting, velodrome tactics, social interaction, etc. Enjoy it! It's a wonderful sport! It's whatever you want it to be.

I may have missed it - What bike are you buying? make/model?

BMC GF01. It's a newer bike, only out for a few years now. It's big selling point is long distance comfort, but it is raced in long distance races too, so it's not a slug. I'm holding out for the 2014 model which is not yet available for a few weeks.

Here's a link to an article on the bike. The picture in the article is a different year/model. Mine will be "Stealth" color, which is black frame with white letters and white bar tape. But I am switching out the bar tape. I will leave it as a surprise what color I bought.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/larryolmsted/2013/07/14/why-you-need-want-a-new-road-bike/

H

 

[heathpack]

Rode my Century Ride today....

104 miles (personal best distance) in 6 hr 59 min. I really wanted to ride it under 7 hours so I am very happy. Y'all should have seen me for the last 10 miles- I had to really step pretty lively to make my time goal. My typical average pace is 13-13.5 mph (which is pretty slow), today's ride was 14.8 mph. So the "under 7 hour" goal was pretty ambitious, I'm totally stoked!



H

 

[MULTIZ321]

104 miles (personal best distance) in 6 hr 59 min. I really wanted to ride it under 7 hours so I am very happy. Y'all should have seen me for the last 10 miles- I had to really step pretty lively to make my time goal. My typical average pace is 13-13.5 mph (which is pretty slow), today's ride was 14.8 mph. So the "under 7 hour" goal was pretty ambitious, I'm totally stoked!



H

Terrific! I'd be stoked too. Congratuations on your personal best.

Thanks for the updates.

Richard

 

[ottawasquaw]

104 miles (personal best distance) in 6 hr 59 min. I really wanted to ride it under 7 hours so I am very happy. Y'all should have seen me for the last 10 miles- I had to really step pretty lively to make my time goal. My typical average pace is 13-13.5 mph (which is pretty slow), today's ride was 14.8 mph. So the "under 7 hour" goal was pretty ambitious, I'm totally stoked!



H

I just came across your thread and your mileage is impressive! Yes, I'd say you've been bit hard. Is your bike carbon fiber? Nice! I was given a cateye computer for my bike years ago and they are handy!
Like you, I wanted to track my cadence. I wanted to build my endurance though I'm not sure I'll ever get a century under my belt unless it's a metric. The computer my local bike shop had came with a HRM and I don't regret it. Of course, it's after the ride that I am tracking most of these numbers. Still, it's the best way to track your progress through the season.
Your fitter sounds a bit like my experience in getting fit for custom golf clubs. Glad to hear you've gotten so much enjoyment out of your investment!

 

[heathpack]

I just came across your thread and your mileage is impressive! Yes, I'd say you've been bit hard. Is your bike carbon fiber? Nice! I was given a cateye computer for my bike years ago and they are handy!
Like you, I wanted to track my cadence. I wanted to build my endurance though I'm not sure I'll ever get a century under my belt unless it's a metric. The computer my local bike shop had came with a HRM and I don't regret it. Of course, it's after the ride that I am tracking most of these numbers. Still, it's the best way to track your progress through the season.
Your fitter sounds a bit like my experience in getting fit for custom golf clubs. Glad to hear you've gotten so much enjoyment out of your investment!

Yes, it's a carbon bike. It will be the easiest 5 pounds I ever lost.

H

 

[heathpack]

I got the new bike finally and I love it beyond words. I am floored by how much better it is than my old bike. Easily 10x better. Lol, which is great news because I paid 10x for it compared to my previous bike. It's probably a good thing though, it'll keep me from buying another timeshare for awhile.

H

 

[ace2000]

Holy Cow! I am so jealous! Nice choice.

 

[ace2000]

I ride my bike 15 miles to and from work everyday, depending on the weather. Also, joined the local bike club last year. I have a couple of used Craigslist "specials" (paid about $700 used). Both of them had to black, just like yours. Heath, I've enjoyed reading about your journey here.

That's the nicest looking bike I've seen!

 

[heathpack]

I ride my bike 15 miles to and from work everyday, depending on the weather. Also, joined the local bike club last year. I have a couple of used Craigslist "specials" (paid about $700 used). Both of them had to black, just like yours. Heath, I've enjoyed reading about your journey here.

That's the nicest looking bike I've seen!

Ace, it's all carbon, 5 pounds lighter than my previous bike. Electronic shifting, which is so smooth it's unbelievable. Shorter cranks, which has increased my pedal speed but resulted in this "light" feeling to my feet as I pedal, so much different and really great. Very brilliantly engineered bike, it's stiff where it needs to be stiff and bendy where it needs to be bendy. Very fluid and balanced in its movements. I am a pretty new cyclist & I was afraid I would not be able to appreciate but it is totally awesome in every way. I can't believe how much I love this bike.

H

 

[Elan]

Ace, it's all carbon, 5 pounds lighter than my previous bike. Electronic shifting, which is so smooth it's unbelievable. Shorter cranks, which has increased my pedal speed but resulted in this "light" feeling to my feet as I pedal, so much different and really great. Very brilliantly engineered bike, it's stiff where it needs to be stiff and bendy where it needs to be bendy. Very fluid and balanced in its movements. I am a pretty new cyclist & I was afraid I would not be able to appreciate but it is totally awesome in every way. I can't believe how much I love this bike.

H

CF is a different feel, isn't it? If you want a really sweet feeling ride, find a seventies or eighties vintage upper end touring bike with a steel frame.

Nice bike, BTW! Looks quite similar to my Giant.

 

[heathpack]

CF is a different feel, isn't it? If you want a really sweet feeling ride, find a seventies or eighties vintage upper end touring bike with a steel frame.

Nice bike, BTW! Looks quite similar to my Giant.

Pics, please, Elan. I want to see your bicycle.

Yes the carbon is a great feeling, but beyond that is the specific engineering/design of this bike. It's light, flexible and stiff all at the same time. It just feels "right"

H

 

[Elan]

Pics, please, Elan. I want to see your bicycle.

Yes the carbon is a great feeling, but beyond that is the specific engineering/design of this bike. It's light, flexible and stiff all at the same time. It just feels "right"

H

I'll try to get some pic's this weekend. Given that we're just now escaping winter up here, I'll need to wipe the dust off before it's "picture worthy".

 

[heathpack]

I'll try to get some pic's this weekend. Given that we're just now escaping winter up here, I'll need to wipe the dust off before it's "picture worthy".

Staying tuned...

H

 

[Elan]

Staying tuned...

H

Here's a quick and dirty, literally. It's raining here, or I'd drag it out into the sunlight where it looks much better. It's black CF with royal blue and white as you go toward the head tube and rear dropout.

Ignore the garage clutter in the background.

 

[heathpack]

Here's a quick and dirty, literally. It's raining here, or I'd drag it out into the sunlight where it looks much better. It's black CF with royal blue and white as you go toward the head tube and rear dropout.

Ignore the garage clutter in the background.

Hey Jim, yes get a pic in the sun but that is a good looking bike. I like the black/blue color scheme, as you can tell by my bike which is black, white & blue.



H

 

[Passepartout]

I have no intention to hijack the thread, but do any of you have feelings one way or another about electric bikes? I have a mountain bike that I take on the occasional ride on paved paths through a couple of the canyons that skirt the town. I have thought that perhaps if I felt like there were less uphills (or the wind was always pushing) I'd ride more. I see these are available at a local bike shop, or on Amazon. 20mph with 30-50 mile range- more by peddling. It weighs nearly 60 lbs, so just hefting it up to hang from the garage ceiling for winter storage is no small item- or loading into the pickup.
http://prodecotech.com/bikes/phantom-x3-2014/ It is available also as a folder- which might come in handy with the RV trailer.

I guess the question is, (which only I could answer) would I actually get out and ride enough to justify it which I don't now on a perfectly suitable 'comfort/mountain' bike? And would I use it to run errands around town if a suitable basket or panniers could be used to carry stuff?

I don't foresee squeezing my aged semi-fluffy self into day-glo official biking duds to go for a ride hunched over on a high tech road bike with 1/2" wide tires.

Jim

 

[heathpack]

I have no intention to hijack the thread, but do any of you have feelings one way or another about electric bikes? I have a mountain bike that I take on the occasional ride on paved paths through a couple of the canyons that skirt the town. I have thought that perhaps if I felt like there were less uphills (or the wind was always pushing) I'd ride more. I see these are available at a local bike shop, or on Amazon. 20mph with 30-50 mile range- more by peddling. It weighs nearly 60 lbs, so just hefting it up to hang from the garage ceiling for winter storage is no small item- or loading into the pickup.
http://prodecotech.com/bikes/phantom-x3-2014/ It is available also as a folder- which might come in handy with the RV trailer.

I guess the question is, (which only I could answer) would I actually get out and ride enough to justify it which I don't now on a perfectly suitable 'comfort/mountain' bike? And would I use it to run errands around town if a suitable basket or panniers could be used to carry stuff?

I don't foresee squeezing my aged semi-fluffy self into day-glo official biking duds to go for a ride hunched over on a high tech road bike with 1/2" wide tires.

Jim

Hi Jim,

I don't know the first hand answer to your question, maybe somebody who does will post here. But I can't imagine that it would be fun to ride a 60 pound bike during the times you pedal it. It's just too heavy. Maybe weigh your current bike? I would guess its probably around 30 pounds.

If your issue is going uphill/into wind (basically the same thing), you want some small gears (which you probably have on your mt bike), narrower tires, well-inflated tires (per manufacturer specs, inflated to pressure for every ride), lubricated chain/tuned up bike, and the lightest person-bike complex you can get (ie lose weight from either yourself or your bike or both, I mean that purely based on physics, no judging anyone else's weight ). The other thing is you just have to do it & it gets easier and easier.

C'mon, you know you want to ride your bike, right?

H

 

[ace2000]

Here's a picture of my bike. Bought "like new" off Craigslist for $700. The bike is actually about 5 years old, but in perfect shape. In a few years, I'll be looking for a bike in your category Heath.

 

[ace2000]

While shopping, I was overwhelmed by all the choices. Heath (or Elan) , how did you go about deciding on what to buy? What made you select that one?

I spent some time searching for a new bike and made a few test rides. I had a hard time figuring out what bike feature was worth the price. So, I just decided to go "used" Cannondale R1000 this time, and then make a more informed choice in the future. I knew my limit was $1000. I also "had" to have a black one.

During the same time period, I also purchased a one-speed Kona Paddy Wagon. Also, "like new" for $400. I will typically ride this one or my mountain bike (in bad weather) to work each day.

 

[heathpack]

While shopping, I was overwhelmed by all the choices. Heath (or Elan) , how did you go about deciding on what to buy? What made you select that one?

I spent some time searching for a new bike and made a few test rides. I had a hard time figuring out what bike feature was worth the price. So, I just decided to go "used" Cannondale R1000 this time, and then make a more informed choice in the future. I knew my limit was $1000. I also "had" to have a black one.

During the same time period, I also purchased a one-speed Kona Paddy Wagon. Also, "like new" for $400. I will typically ride this one or my mountain bike (in bad weather) to work each day.

When I first started cycling, I bought the cheapest decent bike that I could find until I decided whether I liked cycling and if I liked it, where I wanted to go with the sport. Until very recently, I was riding that bike which cost $600 new. In the first 8 months I had the bike I discovered that my "thing" is endurance riding- my interest/aptitude is for long distance events, in the ballpark of 100 miles. I also ride in California which has lots of big hills. So I need a bike that is geared for hills and ideally is as light as I can afford (the lighter the better when climbing hills). Also wanted a bike made of a more compliant material than aluminum (which is light but stiff). I ruled out steel (compliant) because of weight, which put me looking for a carbon fiber bike. And finally, there are bike designed for endurance riding, with optimized engineering, design, frame geometry, components, etc, to ride comfortably very long distances. Once you narrow all that down, there are only really 6-8 candidate bikes to consider.

In my case, a friend who is an avid cyclist recommended that I see her fitter. The guy has an adjustable bike and he can dial in the frame geometry of various candidate bikes and tell you prior to purchase which would be best for your personal physique. So that's what I did and he narrowed my shopping list down to three bikes.

From there I test rode two of the three candidate bikes and once I rode the BMC, the shopping process was done for me. I was in love and 100% had to have it.

I would suggest that if you're not sure what you want, just ride your current bike until you know where you want to go with cycling. Your current bike is after all, very attractive.

H