Categories: Defining MomentsNostalgiaTechnology

On Rule #74: Going Unplugged

If rider A rides 30kph toward rider B who is riding 22kmp, at what time with they lay down The V?

I think the most exciting Christmas present I ever received as a child was an Avocet 30 in what must have been 1989. Being in Minnesota and it being December, it meant my bike was going nowhere near the road any time soon, so I kept the silver dollar-sized computer in my pocket wherever I went, just so I could look at it, touch it, and imagine how much I was going to look like Greg LeMond now that I had this computer. My heart broke a little bit that next summer when I realized he had abandoned the Avocet in favor of a Ciclomaster CM34 with a built in gradient meter and altimeter. Perhaps this signalled the beginning of the end of my love affair with data on my bike; it faded almost as soon as it had begun.

I have a Garmin 810 which I use primarily on rides with whose routes I’m unfamiliar, or on any gravel ride in the mountains for safety reasons. It makes me feel like I’m riding with my iPhone on my handlebars. It probably has Facebook on it. While riding, it serves as a constant distraction; how much have I climbed, how much longer is the climb, where is the next turn. Even when I know a turn is coming up and precisely where it is, I still find myself distracted by the little changes on the screen as the directions flicker across.

The background noise serves as constant static between me and the sanctity of the ride, always there simmering just below the surface. What bothers me about it is that these questions are raised by the availability of the data, not by a need to have the questions answered. Brad Wiggins reportedly crashed out of the Giro d’Italia because he was staring at his power meter data, wondering if it was accurate. This was not a relevant question to be asking when descending a mountain pass in the rain.

Riding is one of the few opportunities we have where we can escape the internet, data, and the noise of our daily lives. Data has its place in Cycling, but there is an undeniable liberation in untethering and riding just for the sake of riding.

frank

The founder of Velominati and curator of The Rules, Frank was born in the Dutch colonies of Minnesota. His boundless physical talents are carefully canceled out by his equally boundless enthusiasm for drinking. Coffee, beer, wine, if it’s in a container, he will enjoy it, a lot of it. He currently lives in Seattle. He loves riding in the rain and scheduling visits with the Man with the Hammer just to be reminded of the privilege it is to feel completely depleted. He holds down a technology job the description of which no-one really understands and his interests outside of Cycling and drinking are Cycling and drinking. As devoted aesthete, the only thing more important to him than riding a bike well is looking good doing it. Frank is co-author along with the other Keepers of the Cog of the popular book, The Rules, The Way of the Cycling Disciple and also writes a monthly column for the magazine, Cyclist. He is also currently working on the first follow-up to The Rules, tentatively entitled The Hardmen. Email him directly at rouleur@velominati.com.

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chuckp says:

Dec 23 2015 at 9:52 am

@Haldy

@chuckp

@Haldy

Love the bike and kit. Real men wear pink.

Why yes..yes we do.

I'm sure @frank will give me grief for both #27 and #28 violations.
Dean C says:

Dec 23 2015 at 9:58 am

@Haldy

@chuckp

@Haldy

I have my computer on my road bike all the time, but often don’t even look at it until I stop it at the end of the ride. I can be plugged in and still ride unplugged. I think that’s the best way to ride. The info is there if I want it, or for targetted training need it for bits of guidance, but there is no need to be a slave to it. That would ruin the ride.

Exactly how I ride.

Love the bike and kit. Real men wear pink.

Why yes..yes we do.

Had to come back to your pic, your teammate- (although pushing some uber gears also) looks like he has gone with the small frame, tweek the snot out of the seat post, bars and stem method. You look like you sized correctly and have everything in proportion and look much more relaxed on your bike.

On my TK2 I sized "correctly" and now am going through the fun task of just messing with the smallest of tweeks to get the most speed out of each small "improvement".

Would a computer help this, sure- some data to go with feed-back on how I feel on the bike would be nice. A power meter would be the cats-ass, but tough on the wallet, that would have to be one of those buy used from someone I know and trust that is going up a model or has to have the 2016 version of what on his bike now.
emerson says:

Dec 23 2015 at 11:59 am

@chuckp

Nalini brand mark on those bibs. How do you rate their (long duration) pad in those on a scale of 5 to 10?
chuckp says:

Dec 23 2015 at 12:08 pm

@emerson

@chuckp

Nalini brand mark on those bibs. How do you rate their (long duration) pad in those on a scale of 5 to 10?

Actually, they are Pactimo. Can't remember the exact model, but they're an older model year that I got on closeout (3 bibs and 3 shorts -- the latter I use on the spin bike indoors) when I started back riding again last year. I like them. Probably a little shorter leg length than other manufacturers. Mesh upper that's comfortable and doesn't cut into you. 8 or 10 panels. "Old fashioned" leg gripper, which I actually like (I like the newer compression gripper too). For me, the pad is comfortable. The longest ride I've done it is 70-something miles (~4 hours in the saddle). No complaints. Kinda wish I'd bought a couple more before they sold out of them.
Oli says:

Dec 23 2015 at 2:51 pm

@RobSandy

This theory is bogus because when you're honking most of the torque from hand goes towards the inside of the 'bars on the higher side as much as it does towards the outside on the lower 'bar when chucking the 'bars from side to side. The only rule is to go from bottom to top to avoid the tape peeling back when on the tops.

I know pro and shop mechanics (and pro and shop videos) that are outside-in and inside-out, and some pro mechanics even wind both sides of the 'bars opposite as they just continue the wind all the way from one 'bar end to the other.

As long as your winding is tight, tidy and even you are doing it right, no matter what Frank would have you believe. Anyway, who would listen to a guy who is set up that badly on his bike?
Oli says:

Dec 23 2015 at 3:04 pm

@Oli

Further, if you wrap inside to outside you actually are going across the winding with your grip, whereas if you wind outside-in you complement the winding, as shown clearly in these pics.

1. Outside-in

2. Inside-out
edster99 says:

Dec 23 2015 at 4:06 pm

There's a reason electrical tape is called electrical tape. It's because it is used for electrical jobs, FFS! Start at the middle, tape to the bar ends, seal in place with the plugs. What is WRONG with you people !!!
Mikael Liddy says:

Dec 23 2015 at 4:10 pm

@chuckp

sock game, en pointe.
wilburrox says:

Dec 23 2015 at 4:25 pm

@edster99

There’s a reason electrical tape is called electrical tape. It’s because it is used for electrical jobs, FFS! Start at the middle, tape to the bar ends, seal in place with the plugs. What is WRONG with you people !!!

and that'll indeed save me from attempting, and usually not well, to get the final trim at just the right angle! This is interesting thinking here yes.
Haldy says:

Dec 23 2015 at 4:27 pm

@Dean C

@Haldy

@chuckp

@Haldy

I have my computer on my road bike all the time, but often don’t even look at it until I stop it at the end of the ride. I can be plugged in and still ride unplugged. I think that’s the best way to ride. The info is there if I want it, or for targetted training need it for bits of guidance, but there is no need to be a slave to it. That would ruin the ride.

Exactly how I ride.

Love the bike and kit. Real men wear pink.

Why yes..yes we do.

Had to come back to your pic, your teammate- (although pushing some uber gears also) looks like he has gone with the small frame, tweek the snot out of the seat post, bars and stem method. You look like you sized correctly and have everything in proportion and look much more relaxed on your bike.

On my TK2 I sized “correctly” and now am going through the fun task of just messing with the smallest of tweeks to get the most speed out of each small “improvement”.

Would a computer help this, sure- some data to go with feed-back on how I feel on the bike would be nice. A power meter would be the cats-ass, but tough on the wallet, that would have to be one of those buy used from someone I know and trust that is going up a model or has to have the 2016 version of what on his bike now.

Randy( my teammate) is pushing the same 51x15 gear. As for the fit..you nailed. This could turn into a LONG comment on custom handbuilt( my Don Walker frame) vs off the shelf cookie-cutter frames( his Dolan). Short and simple..I know exactly how I want my bike to handle and feel, and pair that with Don's knowledge and skill and I end up with beautiful bikes( I have 4 of his frames..). The most amazing thing is the seat tube. My track bike has and extended seat tube. I gave Don my saddle height, what saddle and what post I was going to use and when the frame showed up, put the seat on the post, slammed the post and the saddle was millimeter perfect at the correct height. Same for the stem. That baby is slammed and no spacers underneath, and right where it needs to be.