The Water Cooler, Scuttlebutt, Chit Chat Thread
#4476
Senior Member
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.
Its been rough staying motivated this week. Lets see if I actually make it a full day today.
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#4477
Senior Member
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.
#4478
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: In the foothills of Los Angeles County
Posts: 26,280
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I heard they canceled Sea Otter. Might reschedule it.
#4479
Senior Member
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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#4480
Globo Gym lifetime member
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Redmond, Oregon
Posts: 5,204
Bikes: Fast ones
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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.
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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#4481
Senior Member
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#4482
Newbie racer
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.
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.
#4483
Globo Gym lifetime member
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Redmond, Oregon
Posts: 5,204
Bikes: Fast ones
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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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#4484
Version 7.0
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.
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.
Last edited by Hermes; 03-09-20 at 09:55 AM.
#4485
Version 7.0
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#4486
Newbie racer
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.
#4487
Senior Member
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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#4488
Senior Member
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.
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.
#4489
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Southern California, USA
Posts: 10,499
Bikes: 1979 Raleigh Team 753
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*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?
...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?
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.
#4490
Newbie racer
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.
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.
#4491
Senior Member
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
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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#4492
Not actually Tmonk
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: San Diego, CA
Posts: 15,096
Bikes: road, track, mtb
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What does the Difficulty setting do in a smart trainer, exactly?
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"Your beauty is an aeroplane;
so high, my heart cannot bear the strain." -A.C. Jobim, Triste
"Your beauty is an aeroplane;
so high, my heart cannot bear the strain." -A.C. Jobim, Triste
#4493
Senior Member
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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#4494
Newbie racer
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
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
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.
#4495
Senior Member
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
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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#4496
Senior Member
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
#4497
out walking the earth
This seems interesting. Kickr E-FLEX ? Inside Ride
#4498
Nonsense
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Vagabond
Posts: 13,918
Bikes: Affirmative
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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.
#4499
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: In the foothills of Los Angeles County
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