PolarLava::Blog

Over the past year I've been trying to find a new heart rate monitor.  My current one —an older Nashbar model, is well used and abused.  The elastic strap had very little stretch left and the straps on the wristwatch unit have long since disappeared.  I kept trying to find a unit I could live with, but so many of then now auto-calculate a single target zone without the ability to override it.  I even ordered one almost a year ago, but after getting it found that it too was not adjustable.  Apparently my needs and desires are not typical.  For starters I wanted one with at least 3 zones that it records the time for and would like a forth zone.  And most of then now have an average heart rate feature, something my current unit lacked and that I desired.  So the quest continued…

A few weeks back I headed out one morning and after about a half mile realized my cyclocomputer —an Avocet 45tt, wasn't registering a speed.  Not terribly uncommon as sometime the sensor needs an adjustment or there is a bad connection.  But after checking these thing I still couldn't get it to work even though the cadence sensor was working fine.  Thus I headed back home to check it out further.  Unfortunately I couldn't get it working again and opted to swap in a rather basic model I use on another bike until I could find a new one.  Plus it made me do some general maintenance that needed to be done anyway.

So being in the market for a new computer in addition to a heart rate monitor, I finally gave in and have accepted an all in one unit into my life.  Because of my multiple bike indoor/outdoor arrangement I had been reluctant to do so.  But alas, I found a good deal on a Blackburn Delphi 6.0.

I've only taken two rides with it thus far, but I'm very happy at this point.  The negatives are the loss of the real-time gear inch feature that the Avocet had which I used quite frequently and the "tt" or time trial mode which I only recall using once or twice.  But the pluses exceeded the negatives as I've retained a three zone heart rate monitor that also has average and maximum heart heart features.  The max feature as noted in some reviews I read is not always accurate as it seems to spike with interference, but the average doesn't get messed up.  I can live with this quirk.  The gains on the cyclocomputer side are average and maximum cadence and also feet climbed and current percent grade as it also has an altimeter.  Although I generally ride in a fairly flat area it's a nice plus.  So thus far I'm a happy camper.  But the real downer is now I have to (yet again) modify my cyclelog to support these additional data points.  In the meantime I'm recording the data in the notes as "extra data" so I can go back and update my rides once the log is modified.

So this past Sunday I finally, finally rode another century.  (For those not familiar with the cycling term, that's 100 miles.)  I can't believe that it's been over nine years since I last rode that far.  This makes me sad.  But hopefully if things keep progressing I'll eventually do at least one and hopefully two more this season.  And I still haven't given up hope of eclipsing my longest ride ever and actually doing a double century.

In any case, I'm have a fabulous cycling season and loving every minute of it.  I'm currently on pace to top my previous yearly mileage total of 3,173 miles in 1997.  I'm currently about 25% beyond where I was at this time that year.  If that holds true this would put me at nearly 4000 miles for the year.  I might just have a new goal at hand…  :)

Well, if it's not a joke it should be.  Apparently out in socially progressive Salt Lake City, UT there's a group that calls itself the "Citizens for Decent Public Attire" (CDPA) that wants to ban bicycle short.  And from this article it appears there is legislation pending to do just that.  Spare me.  Maybe if these slugs actually got on a bike and rode further than to the coroner coffee shop they might actually see the point in bike shorts.  The're a functional requirement if you're going to ride more than a couple of casual miles folks.  And if you find them offensive, look the other way.  They're not terribly revealing and if anything look pretty goofy when you're not on a bike.  Thus the ones who should be concerned would be those who need to ride more and spend less time eating doughnuts.

SO CDPA, why don't you refocus your outrage on truly indecent revealing clothing if you're really that concerned.  You people really need to get a life.  Hey, maybe you need a vacation…come on out to New York.  You do know it's legal for women to go topless here, right?  gasp

Oh, and if you're concern about the way they ride, changing their short isn't going to make them more responsible riders.  I would think that should be obvious, but clearly you're not the sharpest pencil in the box.

So this morning's 35.60 mile ride puts me over 25,000 miles —25,031.23 to be exact, since I started keeping a cycling log in 1995.  At the same time this also puts me over 20,000 miles riding outdoors.

It was in July of 2004 that I hit 20,000 Miles and predicted that I would hit 25K at the end of 2006.  I've ridden a lot indoors this year or I would have likely been far closer to being off by a half-a-year otherwise.  But looking back, now is about right as I've been pretty much averaging 2,000 mile per year of late.  I'm hoping to be more in the 3,000 range this year, but we'll see.  So 2K per year should put 30K on the calendar somewhere around early 2009 if I can work on increasing my yearly mileage…which —as I mentioned, is something I hope to do this year.

So being a cycling junkie, it's always fun to get new toys.  But these days my cycling budget is generally limited to a splurge or two a year.  Last year it was my new wheels so this year I've opted for new shoes.  My current pair of shoes -Shimano's, are about 8 years old and were purchased new at swap meet.  They've been pretty good, but it was time for something new and better.  And being I was going to switch shoes, it was a good time to swap out my pedals.  I'm currently using Shimano SPD pedals that I got with my bike.  These weren't on the bike until I got the Shimano shoes which were compatible with the SPD cleats.  They were and upgrade, but I always like the entry level Time pedals I started with when I went to clipless pedals on my LeTour many years ago.  And those "cheap" pedals?  The have actually made there way back to the LeTour and are what I use when riding it…primarily indoors these days.

So on to the new and exciting stuff.  I'm big on buying closeout items because there's a lot of value to be had in not being on the cutting edge.  Thus I generally look for last year's model or odds and ends.  Thus I've bought Cannondale RP 2000 Road Shoes which are "slightly blemished".  They don't specify exactly what that means, but I'm giving it a shot.  I can always return them if it's something more serious.  But I don't expect that as Nashbar is usually pretty good about these sort of things.  Besides, these were originally $250 carbon fiber soled shoes.  And even now the same thing, unblemished is $150.  So half off for a "minor blemish" is quite worth it to me.  Besides, shoes tend to get scuffed up as time goes on.  The Pearl color is what I got, not what's pictured.  They look like this.

And those spiffy new shoes are going to be clicking into a set of Time RXE Composite Road Pedal.  This is a larger platform pedal like the other Time pedals I had, but these are super adjustable and of much better quality.

And in the bonus round we have a pair of Tifosi Forza Sunglass.  Which really aren't sunglass as they have yellow lenses that are for foggy or very overcast days, or as I intend to use them, riding at night.  A good portion of my riding is very early in the pre-dawn hours thus it's generally very dark except in the middle of the summer.  I've long ridden with yellow lens as I prefer them over clear lenses in the dark.  Plus it's also foggy early in the morning and regardless I feel I can see better with yellow lenses.  And when you're riding in the dark, seeing as clearly as possible is important because your visibility is much more limited.

So now I wait patiently for my exciting new toys to arrive.  I'm guessing it will be via snail mail as I had a free shipping coupon…which is what finally spurred me into action.  Like I said, I'm all about the saving of the green.  :)