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The Water Cooler, Scuttlebutt, Chit Chat Thread

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The Water Cooler, Scuttlebutt, Chit Chat Thread

Old 03-06-20, 06:48 AM
  #4476  
Wylde06
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Last day at my current job, start the new one Monday.

Its been rough staying motivated this week. Lets see if I actually make it a full day today.
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Old 03-06-20, 02:17 PM
  #4477  
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I'm really concerned about the race season, specifically relating to the Coronavirus. Not that I'll get it, but bike racing runs on such tight margins if we get a percentage of racers not coming out that may be the final nail in the coffin for some promoters.
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Old 03-06-20, 06:38 PM
  #4478  
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Originally Posted by furiousferret
I'm really concerned about the race season, specifically relating to the Coronavirus. Not that I'll get it, but bike racing runs on such tight margins if we get a percentage of racers not coming out that may be the final nail in the coffin for some promoters.
I heard they canceled Sea Otter. Might reschedule it.
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Old 03-07-20, 10:11 AM
  #4479  
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Big pro races that draw thousands of people might be a coronavirus risk, but our local race with a 30-80 person pack, virtually no spectators and an outdoor venue out in an empty rural parking seems like very low risk. Just hold back on the mid pack snot rockets and we'll all be fine. No need at all to stay home from local road races.
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Old 03-09-20, 08:49 AM
  #4480  
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I've got goodly sums of money and PTO sunk into BWR this year. It would absolutely crush my spirit if it got cancelled due to media-driven paranoia of a virus that only kills people that are already on death's door.

We (Oregon) got put on a state of emergency by our (moron of a) governor. We have 7 (SEVEN) active COVID-19 cases in our entire state, and out of the 7, 4 of the infected are "at home recovering with mild symptoms."

The hysteria is sickening (pun unintended). One of our local hospitals only has 2 (TWO!) N95 masks left in their entire hospital and they can't source more. Costco resupplied on toilet paper and had to implement a limit-2 on it, so people bought two of every brand. I grew up wearing washable diapers, and I'm not above doing that again. Hell, I'll just use my shower wand.
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Old 03-09-20, 09:12 AM
  #4481  
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Originally Posted by Cypress
Costco resupplied on toilet paper and had to implement a limit-2 on it, so people bought two of every brand. I grew up wearing washable diapers, and I'm not above doing that again. Hell, I'll just use my shower wand.
You can get a $30 attachment to give your toilet bidet functions if you're that concerned about toilet paper shortages (just checked, and we've just about used up our last Costco pack from a couple months back, damn...). Leaves you feeling...brisk...Still would be nice to have some paper to pat yourself dry with afterward, but it might be better than nothing.
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Old 03-09-20, 09:23 AM
  #4482  
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Can't decide between a Flux 2 or Core through REI (easy returns in first year) versus a Neo 2 bought online.

Or, a Cycleops Hammer online or local but not from REI.

Advantages and disadvantages to each. Aware of the Core issue pre-mid-2019 build time. Etc.....

Ughhhhh. Decisions. I want direct drive I decided, and at least 16% grade (do the Alpe). Otherwise, reliability and easy support or return in year 1 is what I'm after.
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Old 03-09-20, 09:32 AM
  #4483  
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Originally Posted by himespau
You can get a $30 attachment to give your toilet bidet functions if you're that concerned about toilet paper shortages (just checked, and we've just about used up our last Costco pack from a couple months back, damn...). Leaves you feeling...brisk...Still would be nice to have some paper to pat yourself dry with afterward, but it might be better than nothing.
I'm a plumber, yo. Don't think for one second I wouldn't have a recirc line feeding a thermostatic mixing valve keeping my bidet supply at an anus-welcoming 97F.
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Old 03-09-20, 09:46 AM
  #4484  
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Originally Posted by burnthesheep
Can't decide between a Flux 2 or Core through REI (easy returns in first year) versus a Neo 2 bought online.

Or, a Cycleops Hammer online or local but not from REI.

Advantages and disadvantages to each. Aware of the Core issue pre-mid-2019 build time. Etc.....

Ughhhhh. Decisions. I want direct drive I decided, and at least 16% grade (do the Alpe). Otherwise, reliability and easy support or return in year 1 is what I'm after.
thekillerpenguine did a 20 hour week on a smart trainer. That is the one I want. Of course, he sold his soul to the devil but that is another matter.

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Old 03-09-20, 09:51 AM
  #4485  
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Originally Posted by Cypress
I'm a plumber, yo. Don't think for one second I wouldn't have a recirc line feeding a thermostatic mixing valve keeping my bidet supply at an anus-welcoming 97F.
Shark Tank material for sure. Mark Cuban would be all over that idea.
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Old 03-09-20, 11:14 AM
  #4486  
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Originally Posted by Hermes
thekillerpenguine did a 20 hour week on a smart trainer. That is the one I want. Of course, he sold his soul to the devil but that is another matter.
That's my thing, if I'm going to do some 3 hr rides on the thing. I need something to challenge my lizard brain just enough to convince me to keep going. Some fake KOM jersey, some fake hill resistance, whatever.

I really want the REI connection so I can dump it on their doorstep for warranty issues, but, then again..........some freaking sweet deals out there online right now also on some stellar units.
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Old 03-09-20, 11:21 AM
  #4487  
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Originally Posted by Cypress
I'm a plumber, yo. Don't think for one second I wouldn't have a recirc line feeding a thermostatic mixing valve keeping my bidet supply at an anus-welcoming 97F.
Eh, if you have a hot water line handy, they sell ones that allow you to set the temp just like a faucet. Or, if an outlet is handy, ones with electric heaters. Sounds nice. I'd love heating coils under my bathroom tiles too.
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Old 03-09-20, 11:23 AM
  #4488  
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Originally Posted by burnthesheep
That's my thing, if I'm going to do some 3 hr rides on the thing. I need something to challenge my lizard brain just enough to convince me to keep going. Some fake KOM jersey, some fake hill resistance, whatever.

I really want the REI connection so I can dump it on their doorstep for warranty issues, but, then again..........some freaking sweet deals out there online right now also on some stellar units.
There's a part of me that irrationally wants to say what I have no longer works for me I have reason to buy something Wahoo in order to get the climb.
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Old 03-09-20, 09:47 PM
  #4489  
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Originally Posted by Cypress
*cough*


...I also have an inside man feeding me data on Quinn. If he can hold it together, the Classics are going to be a bloodbath. Bllodbath, as in 3-minute power of 639W at 77 kg. That's 0.74 W/kg more than Cancellara at his peak.

We'll see if he can hold this madness into some meaningful results. At some point, his body is going to crack...right?
This year - junior (Hot Tubes) wins VOS pro, sets new ITT record. Was Quinn's teammate at worlds.
Did you see the LUX team schedule this year?
Put them on the same equipment and I'd bet they are the best in the USA.
Races | LUX Cycling
Still on junior gears because USAC has not put two and two together yet.
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Old 03-10-20, 11:06 AM
  #4490  
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Hoping to head home with a direct drive trainer tonight, assuming the serial # matches up as a build date after the updates were made.

Been tired of pretending by gearing up/down.

I think though using the thing at 100% difficulty may be really tough in places given I went 53/39 to better match my local terrain outdoors. I can always turn the difficulty down I guess.
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Old 03-10-20, 02:47 PM
  #4491  
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I just got the Kickr last night.

Going to swap the cassette as it was super noisy for me, my RD may be a little out of whack though, or just not a good match to my chain or something.

I rode it in sim mode with 100% difficulty this morning. The 10-15% stuff was hard but doable, just have to be ok with lower cadence. I dropped down to about 55 rpm to stay in Z2.

Power tracked pretty well with my Quarq, except for some reason on some of the steeper stuff the Kickr read 5-15w high, and on descents it read 5-15w low. I suspect if I put the difficulty back down to 50% it should track really close. Anything between was pretty much a wash between the trainer and the PM.

Looking forward to messing with ERG mode tomorrow
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Old 03-11-20, 07:14 AM
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What does the Difficulty setting do in a smart trainer, exactly?
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Old 03-11-20, 07:27 AM
  #4493  
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Originally Posted by TMonk
What does the Difficulty setting do in a smart trainer, exactly?
The way I like to see it, it basically changes how much resistance change one would see, at 0% you've effectively got a dumb trainer, whereas at 100% you really feel the resistance going up hills and none going down hill and have to shift a lot more like on the road. So the lower you go, the "flatter" the profile feels for you.
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Old 03-11-20, 12:03 PM
  #4494  
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Originally Posted by wktmeow
I just got the Kickr last night.

Going to swap the cassette as it was super noisy for me, my RD may be a little out of whack though, or just not a good match to my chain or something.

I rode it in sim mode with 100% difficulty this morning. The 10-15% stuff was hard but doable, just have to be ok with lower cadence. I dropped down to about 55 rpm to stay in Z2.

Power tracked pretty well with my Quarq, except for some reason on some of the steeper stuff the Kickr read 5-15w high, and on descents it read 5-15w low. I suspect if I put the difficulty back down to 50% it should track really close. Anything between was pretty much a wash between the trainer and the PM.

Looking forward to messing with ERG mode tomorrow
Must think alike. I got a Kickr Core last night. REI. 10% cash back at end of year.

I turned the resistace to 100% and did the greater London route with one of the "hills". Yeah, 12% at actual 12% resistance on a 53/39 ring ain't no joke!

I went ahead and hammered the tougher spots. Having that "over" aspect to climbs now makes it a LOT harder than riding a dumb trainer in Zwift and being able to nail a zone down and maximize your power output. Having to go over some lowers the overall.

It was fun. Can't wait to use it when I have my fan running and can actually make some power! And the kids aren't watching their stupid before bed show on the big-screen TV.

I'm totally going to build a rocker plate. At first I thought building one you would lose power in the motion. However, it seems to claim through muscle recruitment improvements and muscle rest in the "sway" you actual put out a touch more than a rock-solid stationary. Hmmmmmm. Don't really care, I just want it to move a touch.

Can't decide if skateboard trucks method or rubber isolator style.
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Old 03-11-20, 01:04 PM
  #4495  
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Let me know what you end up doing. I'm already pretty used to long trainer sessions but rocker plate still seems neat. My worry would be storage, wife is getting antsy about how much stuff is in the garage now. Doesn't help that we just got a concept 2 rower as well. (Is it sad that the only toys I ever want to buy with tax refund are fitness related?)

My goal with erg mode is to be able to hold z2 without any focus required. With a dumb trainer it's too mentally taxing to try to keep an eye on power and heart rate while also watching a movie or something. My first attempt was with erg power smoothing enabled and compared to my quarq power it was reading way low. I turned smoothing off in the wahoo app but not sure if I had to restart Zwift to get it to stick, as it still wasn't tracking great. Gearing I suspect also has something to do with it. I'll need to experiment some more
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Old 03-11-20, 05:47 PM
  #4496  
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Oh I missed the trainer recommendation stuff, I would have wholeheartedly recommended the first gen Hammer. I've had mine 3 years now and it's been life changing, really accurate (verified with other PMs) and huge flywheel. If you can pick up a Hammer for cheap, do it. It's as good as the H3, supposedly less quiet but I don't notice the noise when I have my fans going anyway. Definitely wouldn't trade mine in for anything, my only regret was paying early adopter price of $1200 lol
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Old 03-11-20, 06:35 PM
  #4497  
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This seems interesting. Kickr E-FLEX ? Inside Ride
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Old 03-11-20, 09:52 PM
  #4498  
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Originally Posted by Hermes
thekillerpenguine did a 20 hour week on a smart trainer. That is the one I want. Of course, he sold his soul to the devil but that is another matter.
25.5 hours thank you very much!

I am using an Elite Direto and it is fine. I went with it because my LBS is awesome and I decided to buy what they had in stock. I would assume that at this point just about any smart trainer is roughly interchangeable.
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Old 03-11-20, 10:18 PM
  #4499  
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Originally Posted by thekillerpenguin
25.5 hours thank you very much!.
omfg!
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Old 03-11-20, 10:40 PM
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It was really cold out and I had many seasons of Curb Your Enthusiasm to keep me company!
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