Bicycle thread

[Richard]

I got out for a ride today. My usual short route. Chilly ride today so arm and leg warmers and a base layer.

The sky even sprinkled on me a bit at the harbor.
Good ride.

 

[ZoomerP]

Yes, I have the adventure controller. It works with DMD2 and Guru Maps Pro.
Garmin exists primarily for aircraft. That is their main business. Everything else is just there.

I figure to eliminate the DMD2 because the old 990R is not compliant with the engine metrics part of the tool and I'm unlikely to bother with roadbooks much in the future. The Tab A7-Lite is very limited as far as storage. DMD2 doesn't use the memory card for maps or routes or roadbooks so becomes a memory hog.
Guru Maps Pro store maps on the card just fine.
Playing with roadbooks led me to DMD2 initially because I was looking for a bar controller then playing with the Beta app I liked how they handled roadbooks, which is specifically why DMD2 was created, not as a map-based navigation tool.

The controller is the three red lights and toggle stick next to the left mirror on the bar.

If you're interested in DMD3, you might check it out on your Tab A7-Lite to see if it works any better.

Running Garmin's consumer division must be like herding cats or unifying tribal warlords. The aviation and commercial managers probably point and laugh.

---

[UWSL]I don't recall the Android version that opened up usage of removable media, but that may be affecting your tablet more than a direct limitation of DMD2. I know the Android limitation is a problem for many storage intensive apps on older devices, like the tablet I use with Gaia in my truck.[/UWSL]

 

[Richard]

If you're interested in DMD3, you might check it out on your Tab A7-Lite to see if it works any better.

Running Garmin's consumer division must be like herding cats or unifying tribal warlords. The aviation and commercial managers probably point and laugh.

---

[UWSL]I don't recall the Android version that opened up usage of removable media, but that may be affecting your tablet more than a direct limitation of DMD2. I know the Android limitation is a problem for many storage intensive apps on older devices, like the tablet I use with Gaia in my truck.[/UWSL]

I finally decided to remove DMD2. The storage is full to the point I couldn't update the OS. DMD2 was not really giving me anything I needed. So, it's gone.

The other issue on a motorcycle with navigation devices is brightness. The Tab A7-Lite is about 400 nits I think. Quite a bit less than a real navigation tablet. Garmin makes one. Expensive. If Google is limiting use of the SD card for map storage, it makes the device useless with the limited storage that gets filled with all the bloatware Samsung, Android and Google install by default.

 

[ZoomerP]

I finally decided to remove DMD2. The storage is full to the point I couldn't update the OS. DMD2 was not really giving me anything I needed. So, it's gone.

The other issue on a motorcycle with navigation devices is brightness. The Tab A7-Lite is about 400 nits I think. Quite a bit less than a real navigation tablet. Garmin makes one. Expensive. If Google is limiting use of the SD card for map storage, it makes the device useless with the limited storage that gets filled with all the bloatware Samsung, Android and Google install by default.

Sorry to hear that. I've never been happy with the extra crap Samsung ships on phones. Google Pixel phones ship with more bloat than I like, but quite a bit of it can be easily removed. I know it's possible to delete more by digging deeper, but I haven't bothered with it.

The Android external memory limitation ended with v6/Marshmallow in 2015. Unfortunately, Android tablet development has lagged iOS, so tablets shipped for years with a pre-Marshmallow OS.

Direct sunlight is hard to overcome. The Garmin Zumo XT/XT2 and Tread are all around 1000 nits on a 6" screen and priced around $500, with good environmental protection. I haven't ridden with my new Tread yet, but it's bright enough that I can read it fine in sunlight.

 

[CTG]

I finally decided to remove DMD2. The storage is full to the point I couldn't update the OS. DMD2 was not really giving me anything I needed. So, it's gone.

The other issue on a motorcycle with navigation devices is brightness. The Tab A7-Lite is about 400 nits I think. Quite a bit less than a real navigation tablet. Garmin makes one. Expensive. If Google is limiting use of the SD card for map storage, it makes the device useless with the limited storage that gets filled with all the bloatware Samsung, Android and Google install by default.

That's unfortunate. As much as I dislike Garmin, especially aviation products, the navigators are amongst the best and there are good tools for customising maps. I've put a Zumo with OSM maps on my 890. No messing around, it just works.

 

[Mambo Danny]

Speaking of tablets, I bought my first modern one last week - an Amazon Fire 10.1" one (All-new Amazon Fire HD 10 tablet, built for relaxation, 10.1" vibrant Full HD screen, octa-core processor, 3 GB RAM, latest model (2023 release), 32 GB). Three days later I decided that getting an OBDII Scan Tool was sorta imperative for the old 2006 pickup truck I just bought. I bought a well-reviewed, well-recommended one, Amazon product ASIN B00652G4TS , only to find out that the Fire tablet can't / won't download its app. The damned thing kept suggesting a plethora of other OBDII apps, but not for the one for the very popular device I bought. So now I'm realizing the difference between an iOS, Android, and whatever operating system Amazon chose to use with this tablet. I'm fearing connectivity issues with other things in the future, so I might send it back.

 

[ZoomerP]

That sucks, but isn't a surprise. I've looked at Fire tablets and passed on them because of that potential issue.

Maybe this will help: https://www.howtogeek.com/232726/how-to-install-the-google-play-store-on-your-amazon-fire-tablet/

 

[Mambo Danny]

That sucks, but isn't a surprise. I've looked at Fire tablets and passed on them because of that potential issue.

Maybe this will help: https://www.howtogeek.com/232726/how-to-install-the-google-play-store-on-your-amazon-fire-tablet/

Thank you so much! I figured that one of you might have an idea. I'm coming to realize that I might be more of a caveman than a tech-smart person. I'm good with specs on things like trucks, but following al the ways modern tech can go is something I'm not great at.
Hope to remember to try that this evening when I get home.

 

[Mambo Danny]

This came up on Reddit this morning - fitting for the maps discussion

"When you so much belief in Google maps"

https://packaged-media.redd.it/vyy6xzs9am3c1/pb/m2-res_852p.mp4?m=DASHPlaylist.mpd&v=1&e=1701439200&s=c018bcc455198efb0bbfb772a5687f18fca5ab58#t=0

 

[Madmx]

How much wattage are you putting out on your sprints?!

Not wattage but snap.weight to mpact. Asking any 20 " rider wattage? More like I weigh 180 and stomped the freak out of it. 415 and half link? ..sorry somewhat a whatts up joke from a bmx rider

BTW your Florida rides are epic

 

[CTG]

The only breakages I have seen have been worn, damaged, improperly installed cheap or even counterfeit chains. Otherwise there is nothing a human can do to break a chain.

...

Anyway, 60km coastal flat Saturday club ride. All grades, no drop so it was a relaxed pace. I caught up with a few friends. Some of us rode 40km home in the hills after the ride. A fast 800m gained had to be enough.

 

[Richard]

Got my first ride in for December today. Caught up with Josh after I turned around. We rode back together so my pace was much higher. He lives about four doors down from us. Good to have a young person to chase when he is slowed to recreational mode.

2:17 for the day.

Short cut on the way back because I'd worked pretty hard on the little climbs I found exploring. I worked enough to burn off more than 1,000 calories. Work matters.

A bit chilly when I set out so I had a base layer on with a winter jersey as a jacket over the summer jersey. No arm or leg warmers. Warmed nicely then perfectly comfy.

 

[Richard]

More exploring east of the park. 2:36 today.

Summer kit and a base layer. Worked. Chilly in the shade, but great in full sun.

Some sharp little hills out there to keep me honest.

A good day out.

 

[Mambo Danny]

Me biking beside some lizards.

 

[Mambo Danny]

I took a picture of some foreigner next to this bigger lizard with his camera.

It was an older group. I got chastised for being the one to cause the group to break up at times. I mean, I was nice and everything, but the first ten miles my heart rate never got above 100. I was uncomfortable riding like that... so I asked my buddy if it was OK to be free a little, and he said it was OK. It was his friend who organized the ride as a social 70-mile ride ... social to me means talking at rest stops, or talking at 15/16MPH on the gravel, but not at sub-100 heart rate speeds. That might as well be an alcohol-fueled drunk ride.
His friend doesn't like me much since I'm not controllable. When I chased after a motorcycle (that was going slowly when he passed us - I was trying to catch his wheel), I was told that I was no better than the dogs who would chase after us.

 

[Richard]

Got out for 2:33 today. Chilly, so base layer, leg and arm warmers. Just right.

 

[CTG]

I took a picture of some foreigner next to this bigger lizard with his camera.

It was an older group. I got chastised for being the one to cause the group to break up at times. I mean, I was nice and everything, but the first ten miles my heart rate never got above 100. I was uncomfortable riding like that... so I asked my buddy if it was OK to be free a little, and he said it was OK. It was his friend who organized the ride as a social 70-mile ride ... social to me means talking at rest stops, or talking at 15/16MPH on the gravel, but not at sub-100 heart rate speeds. That might as well be an alcohol-fueled drunk ride.
His friend doesn't like me much since I'm not controllable. When I chased after a motorcycle (that was going slowly when he passed us - I was trying to catch his wheel), I was told that I was no better than the dogs who would chase after us.

It's okay Dave. You do you.

A social ride for me is at least Z1, not snoozing in Zz, and that is what I see in your data. Social means to me a pace everyone can handle whatever that is. No drop, no break. Sprinting landmarks and racing hills for fun is okay, even encouraged. Throw arms in the air and claim the "victory"! Have fun.. That sounds like what you were doing. The old misery goat needs to calm down.

T and I have been doing a lot of these rides lately. Hills? Not bragging, we ride mountains every day at home and are in a different class of climbers. Still, we play the game.

Yesterday was a hot one 42C max in the afternoon. Mid 30's by the time we got home. We sat on the front rolling along deep in Z1 mindful of the broad range of ability in the group. Our only adventure was accepting a challenge and racing a couple of men up one of the "big" climbs. It was 7km at 7 point something. A quick sprint. We won btw. At the top we turned around and met our group when they were half way up. We rejoin the tail and offer support and encouragement. Nobody was upset we took off. We had a good laugh about it.

Yesterday's heat broke with thunderstorms last night. Rain through today and no need to ride after a full week so we are staying inside.

 

[Richard]

I am resting today. We'll get a walk in here around noon for some exercise. Chain is cleaning in the ultrasonic machine. I am surprised at how clean the chain was when I pulled it off the bike. Riding in nearly bone dry conditions on the road will do that I guess.

Once the chain is rinsed and dry, the wax should be warm for the next step.

I am tempted to have two ultrasonic cleaners, with the second for the wax.

I'm looking forward to Sunday's group ride. I won't be taking part in the fast guys off the front thing this time around. We Are likely to have big headwind in at least one direction so I'll just be social and ride well within myself. I can save the real work for my solo riding for now.

I was very sore overnight from yesterday's efforts. Tricepts twitching and quads sore to touch. This morning I'm a bit stiff, but not too much more than the usual old guy stuff.

One odd thing I noticed yesterday was riding on the drops I could see the front axel in front of my bars. This an old school indicator the stem is short, or the seat is pushed too far forward.

Now, I've had some spinal compression and loss of height from about 5'10" down 5'7.74", or about 172cm now. That seems to have changed a bit. I'm guessing stretching is working some of the non-structural stuff. My current stem is a 100mm and it looks like a 110 or maybe 120 would be more fitting. I had a 130 at one point when racing back in the day. This is a longer top tubed design I'm riding than the old racing geometry Pinarello. That old steel bike was a 57cm frame where this is a 54.

I'm not ready to begin a stem search. I'm certain that would be closing in on around $200 given I'd need to source it from the not so LBS.

I am flexible enough to ride the drops in comfort, though my neck is a bit crunched. It doesn't hurt, just feel the pressure. Fun part of riding the drops is how it brings back the muscle memory of the old days.

Another thing I've noticed is that riding with my young neighbor who I'd guess is late twenties or mid-thirties and very fit, is that I pick up my effort to keep pace so I'm not slowing him too much and not working to the point I'm at 100% and not able to talk. This chatter we carry on with helps me gage how I'm doing with my fitness. I can tell that I'm headed in the right direction and I can work a lot harder than I'd suspected.
That is part of what I did yesterday. I chased a fast guy down who I could only hang on to for a while then let off because I was maxed out and just 14 minutes into the ride or so. But, it was cool to try that and see that my legs quickly recovered and my HR dropped back to easy.

No knee pain at all and that has been the case for a long time.

All that means I'll add back climbing beginning next week. Well such climbing as I have available around here. I should be able to up my mileage in another week as well. At some point my weight should begin to respond a little more to the extra work and wiser diet options.

 

[Richard]

Correction: 90mm stem.

The stuff you find when not looking. I hung the bike up and was fiddling with cleaning and found this. I know I'd looked that thing over and over and missed that tiny lettering.
Adjustable rise:

 

[CTG]

I am resting today. We'll get a walk in here around noon for some exercise. Chain is cleaning in the ultrasonic machine. I am surprised at how clean the chain was when I pulled it off the bike. Riding in nearly bone dry conditions on the road will do that I guess.

Once the chain is rinsed and dry, the wax should be warm for the next step.

I am tempted to have two ultrasonic cleaners, with the second for the wax.

I'm looking forward to Sunday's group ride. I won't be taking part in the fast guys off the front thing this time around. We Are likely to have big headwind in at least one direction so I'll just be social and ride well within myself. I can save the real work for my solo riding for now.

I was very sore overnight from yesterday's efforts. Tricepts twitching and quads sore to touch. This morning I'm a bit stiff, but not too much more than the usual old guy stuff.

One odd thing I noticed yesterday was riding on the drops I could see the front axel in front of my bars. This an old school indicator the stem is short, or the seat is pushed too far forward.

Now, I've had some spinal compression and loss of height from about 5'10" down 5'7.74", or about 172cm now. That seems to have changed a bit. I'm guessing stretching is working some of the non-structural stuff. My current stem is a 100mm and it looks like a 110 or maybe 120 would be more fitting. I had a 130 at one point when racing back in the day. This is a longer top tubed design I'm riding than the old racing geometry Pinarello. That old steel bike was a 57cm frame where this is a 54.

I'm not ready to begin a stem search. I'm certain that would be closing in on around $200 given I'd need to source it from the not so LBS.

I am flexible enough to ride the drops in comfort, though my neck is a bit crunched. It doesn't hurt, just feel the pressure. Fun part of riding the drops is how it brings back the muscle memory of the old days.

Another thing I've noticed is that riding with my young neighbor who I'd guess is late twenties or mid-thirties and very fit, is that I pick up my effort to keep pace so I'm not slowing him too much and not working to the point I'm at 100% and not able to talk. This chatter we carry on with helps me gage how I'm doing with my fitness. I can tell that I'm headed in the right direction and I can work a lot harder than I'd suspected.
That is part of what I did yesterday. I chased a fast guy down who I could only hang on to for a while then let off because I was maxed out and just 14 minutes into the ride or so. But, it was cool to try that and see that my legs quickly recovered and my HR dropped back to easy.

No knee pain at all and that has been the case for a long time.

All that means I'll add back climbing beginning next week. Well such climbing as I have available around here. I should be able to up my mileage in another week as well. At some point my weight should begin to respond a little more to the extra work and wiser diet options.

A wax convert!

Two ultrasonics work. So does just one if you want to use it for the wax. After the initial clean to remove the factory grease (that you can do in a jar with a cup of petrol) you can clean the chain with hot water. Even boil it to get deeper into the link. Ultrasonic is a method used industrially to hold particles in suspension. It also aids wax penetration into the link by moving air and vapour. I suspect you're already thinking along these lines... I suggest trying it. You should get a better result.

FSA or DEDA stems are fine for fitting purposes for a lot less than $200. With 2" of spine compression you must be all legs now. A conventional 57cm steel frame usually had a 56-57cm top tube - carbon frames are often more compact (to my disappointment). I always thought your frame looked too small and crowded horizontally. It makes more sense knowing the degree of compression - I don't recall you ever telling us it is over 2".

Last night I spent an hour or so on the trainer in Zwift feeling horrible. This morning going through the data I got the idea to check my PM. Sure enough 70W offset against me. I strangled T in her sleep!

It is another rainy day. I came here to get away from this!

I brought my grandparents and my 98yo great grandmother with me. For GGM it is her first trip out of Europe and she has been loving it, except the heat, but ever cheery she makes the best of it even iif she must stay indoors. Still highly mobile (surprising a lot of people) she is making the most of these cool and wet days.