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Main
Date: 01 Sep 2007 11:32:13
From: Elisa Francesca Roselli
Subject: Wireless Computers on Recumbents?
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As some may recall, I had a horrible time with a Polar HRM Cycling
computer setup about a year ago. It was expensive high-end equipment,
but absolutely refused to work on my beloved Flyzipper, because of his
non-standard, 20" wheel architecture and extra long reach. In short,
there was no way the HRM, cadence meter, speed meter and receiver could
be positioned in such a way as to be in range to exchange data with
eachother.
So I sold it on Ebay and was lucky: it fetched almost as much as I paid
for it.
But now with the new Scorpion on the horizon, I'm thinking, do wireless
systems work on _that_ architecture? Has anyone tried? If everything
works to plan and he and I fall in love and go on long tours all over
the world together, perhaps I might buy him another Polar or even a
Garmin. But he's a _lot_ stranger than Flyzipper.
EFR
Ile de France
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Date: 08 Nov 2007 10:28:08
From: LeftCoast_Dave
Subject: Re: Wireless Computers on Recumbents?
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On Sat, 01 Sep 2007 16:02:35 -0700, Mike Jacoubowsky wrote:
>> As some may recall, I had a horrible time with a Polar HRM Cycling
>> computer setup about a year ago. It was expensive high-end equipment,
>> but absolutely refused to work on my beloved Flyzipper, because of his
>> non-standard, 20" wheel architecture and extra long reach. In short,
>> there was no way the HRM, cadence meter, speed meter and receiver could
>> be positioned in such a way as to be in range to exchange data with
>> eachother.
>>
>> So I sold it on Ebay and was lucky: it fetched almost as much as I paid
>> for it.
>>
>> But now with the new Scorpion on the horizon, I'm thinking, do wireless
>> systems work on _that_ architecture? Has anyone tried? If everything
>> works to plan and he and I fall in love and go on long tours all over
>> the world together, perhaps I might buy him another Polar or even a
>> Garmin. But he's a _lot_ stranger than Flyzipper.
>
>
> The latest generation of wireless computers use bluetooth technology and
> might do the trick. Much more reliable over distance, because they're
> not just sending an electronic "blip" that gets confused with other
> sources of noise. The model we sell with those features is the Trek ACH
> Digital, which includes heart rate, cadence, altimeter etc. All the cool
> stuff. No download capabilities though. In the US, they run about $180.
>
> I've been meaning to ask you something unrelated to cycling. Are you
> native French? You write as though your native language is English. Just
> curious...
>
> --Mike Jacoubowsky
> Chain Reaction Bicycles
> www.ChainReaction.com
> Redwood City & Los Altos, CA USA
Mike -
I just ran across this and am impressed, though not surprised, that you
responded. The (San Francisco) Bay Area is not exactly friendly, IMO,
towards 'bent cyclists (EasyRacers is, after all, in Watsonville <g >)
Your shop is the only non-specialty one I know of in the area that
doesn't freak when I roll in with my 'bent. (I consider Terry Shaw's shop
to be more specialized, and he, natch', seems to love working with /any/
bike). You probably know most of the employees at other bike shops in the
area, so you likely wouldn't encounter that look of disdain, or utter
confusion, that I get from Palo Alto Bikes, Mike's Bikes, and all but one
of the employees at Mountain View's Performance Bikes (actually, he just
left to start his own gig). Holdover attitude from the "Wheelsmith
brothers"? Dunno. Doesn't matter, either. But I DO hope you guys keep up
the same spirit you have had to date. Plz consider stocking (Presta)
tubes and tires for 406mm wheels.
Regards,
Dave
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Date: 08 Nov 2007 19:59:25
From: Tom Sherman
Subject: Re: Wireless Computers on Recumbents?
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LeftCoast_Dave wrote:
> On Sat, 01 Sep 2007 16:02:35 -0700, Mike Jacoubowsky wrote:
>
>>> As some may recall, I had a horrible time with a Polar HRM Cycling
>>> computer setup about a year ago. It was expensive high-end equipment,
>>> but absolutely refused to work on my beloved Flyzipper, because of his
>>> non-standard, 20" wheel architecture and extra long reach. In short,
>>> there was no way the HRM, cadence meter, speed meter and receiver could
>>> be positioned in such a way as to be in range to exchange data with
>>> eachother.
>>>
>>> So I sold it on Ebay and was lucky: it fetched almost as much as I paid
>>> for it.
>>>
>>> But now with the new Scorpion on the horizon, I'm thinking, do wireless
>>> systems work on _that_ architecture? Has anyone tried? If everything
>>> works to plan and he and I fall in love and go on long tours all over
>>> the world together, perhaps I might buy him another Polar or even a
>>> Garmin. But he's a _lot_ stranger than Flyzipper.
>>
>> The latest generation of wireless computers use bluetooth technology and
>> might do the trick. Much more reliable over distance, because they're
>> not just sending an electronic "blip" that gets confused with other
>> sources of noise. The model we sell with those features is the Trek ACH
>> Digital, which includes heart rate, cadence, altimeter etc. All the cool
>> stuff. No download capabilities though. In the US, they run about $180.
>>
>> I've been meaning to ask you something unrelated to cycling. Are you
>> native French? You write as though your native language is English. Just
>> curious...
>>
>> --Mike Jacoubowsky
>> Chain Reaction Bicycles
>> www.ChainReaction.com
>> Redwood City & Los Altos, CA USA
>
> Mike -
> I just ran across this and am impressed, though not surprised, that you
> responded. The (San Francisco) Bay Area is not exactly friendly, IMO,
> towards 'bent cyclists (EasyRacers is, after all, in Watsonville <g>)
> Your shop is the only non-specialty one I know of in the area that
> doesn't freak when I roll in with my 'bent. (I consider Terry Shaw's shop
> to be more specialized, and he, natch', seems to love working with /any/
> bike). You probably know most of the employees at other bike shops in the
> area, so you likely wouldn't encounter that look of disdain, or utter
> confusion, that I get from Palo Alto Bikes, Mike's Bikes, and all but one
> of the employees at Mountain View's Performance Bikes (actually, he just
> left to start his own gig). Holdover attitude from the "Wheelsmith
> brothers"? Dunno. Doesn't matter, either.
Maybe they have learned the "Wisdom of Recumbency" from Jobst Brandt:
<http://yarchive.net/bike/recumbent.html >? :(
> But I DO hope you guys keep up the same spirit you have had to date....
Mike was one of the few Trek dealers that did not reject the R200 out of
hand because it was a recumbent, and gave it a fair evaluation.
--
Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
Tradition is the worst rational for action.
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Date: 09 Nov 2007 11:59:03
From: Edward Dolan
Subject: Re: Wireless Computers on Recumbents?
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"Tom Sherman" <sunsetss0003@REMOVETHISyahoo.com > wrote in message
news:fh0eqn$mjf$1@registered.motzarella.org...
[...]
>>> --Mike Jacoubowsky
>>> Chain Reaction Bicycles
>>> www.ChainReaction.com
>>> Redwood City & Los Altos, CA USA
[...]
> Mike was one of the few Trek dealers that did not reject the R200 out of
> hand because it was a recumbent, and gave it a fair evaluation.
Several Trek R200 riders I encountered on various bike tours seemed to have
a lot of problems with the chainline.
I could never figure out why this bike did not do better in the marketplace.
I always rather liked it. It was a bit pricey, but then what recumbent
isn't. I think Trek did not properly promote it nor did the bike shops know
what to do with it.
It is very strange to me that the few attempts by major bike manufacturers
to get into recumbents over the past decade have all been dismal failures.
Apparently we recumbent cyclists are a very peculiar lot. We either know
what we want or we haven't the foggiest.
I have always maintained from day one that recumbents are insanely
overpriced. Most folks with any common sense will not spend upwards of a
thousand dollars on a bike, recumbent or otherwise. This has changed in
recent years and we now see plenty of idiots spending even more than a
thousand dollars. Time for me to get to the local cemetery and call it a
day.
Regards,
Ed Dolan the Great - Minnesota
aka
Saint Edward the Great - Order of the Perpetual Sorrows - Minnesota
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Date: 01 Sep 2007 16:02:35
From: Mike Jacoubowsky
Subject: Re: Wireless Computers on Recumbents?
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> As some may recall, I had a horrible time with a Polar HRM Cycling
> computer setup about a year ago. It was expensive high-end equipment,
> but absolutely refused to work on my beloved Flyzipper, because of his
> non-standard, 20" wheel architecture and extra long reach. In short,
> there was no way the HRM, cadence meter, speed meter and receiver could
> be positioned in such a way as to be in range to exchange data with
> eachother.
>
> So I sold it on Ebay and was lucky: it fetched almost as much as I paid
> for it.
>
> But now with the new Scorpion on the horizon, I'm thinking, do wireless
> systems work on _that_ architecture? Has anyone tried? If everything
> works to plan and he and I fall in love and go on long tours all over
> the world together, perhaps I might buy him another Polar or even a
> Garmin. But he's a _lot_ stranger than Flyzipper.
The latest generation of wireless computers use bluetooth technology and
might do the trick. Much more reliable over distance, because they're not
just sending an electronic "blip" that gets confused with other sources of
noise. The model we sell with those features is the Trek ACH Digital, which
includes heart rate, cadence, altimeter etc. All the cool stuff. No download
capabilities though. In the US, they run about $180.
I've been meaning to ask you something unrelated to cycling. Are you native
French? You write as though your native language is English. Just curious...
--Mike Jacoubowsky
Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReaction.com
Redwood City & Los Altos, CA USA
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Date: 02 Sep 2007 16:49:17
From: Artemisia
Subject: Re: Wireless Computers on Recumbents?
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Mike Jacoubowsky wrote:
> I've been meaning to ask you something unrelated to cycling. Are you native
> French? You write as though your native language is English. Just curious...
My native language is English. I was born of Italian parents in New York
City and lived there until I was 15, then finished my education in
Geneva, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK. I lived in the UK for 13 years
before moving to France in 1991. I hold US and Italian nationality and
am bi-lingual in French, although I can also manage in Italian, German,
and Russian in a pinch.
Cheers,
EFR
Ile de France
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Date: 01 Sep 2007 11:16:49
From: Dart70ca
Subject: Re: Wireless Computers on Recumbents?
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On Sep 1, 9:10 am, "Roger Zoul" <rogerzo...@hotmail.com > wrote:
> Elisa Francesca Roselli wrote:
>
> ::
> :: So I sold it on Ebay and was lucky: it fetched almost as much as I
> :: paid for it.
> ::
> :: But now with the new Scorpion on the horizon, I'm thinking, do
> :: wireless systems work on _that_ architecture? Has anyone tried? If
> :: everything works to plan and he and I fall in love and go on long
> :: tours all over the world together, perhaps I might buy him another
> :: Polar or even a Garmin. But he's a _lot_ stranger than Flyzipper.
>
> Wireless systems always seem to have problems, IME. I have a bike computer
> (wired) and a Garmin that I use on my recumbent.
I was looking into the wireless systems for my LWB a few months
back and a couple stores I talked to said they wouldn't work there due
to the long distances involved. The transmit range is only about 24".
Couldn't be much more than that or else you'd be picking up signals
from the guy beside you...
Keith
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Date: 01 Sep 2007 12:10:42
From: Roger Zoul
Subject: Re: Wireless Computers on Recumbents?
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Elisa Francesca Roselli wrote:
::
:: So I sold it on Ebay and was lucky: it fetched almost as much as I
:: paid for it.
::
:: But now with the new Scorpion on the horizon, I'm thinking, do
:: wireless systems work on _that_ architecture? Has anyone tried? If
:: everything works to plan and he and I fall in love and go on long
:: tours all over the world together, perhaps I might buy him another
:: Polar or even a Garmin. But he's a _lot_ stranger than Flyzipper.
Wireless systems always seem to have problems, IME. I have a bike computer
(wired) and a Garmin that I use on my recumbent.
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