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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Chipomarc says:

Dec 22 2015 at 5:45 pm

@DeKerr

@chuckp

@frank

When you go to the front of the line, just keep the rhythm. The pressure in your legs will be different but it is the same as riding on a flat and maintaining speed up a false flat; you just apply some more pressure to the pedals and keep the legs turning over as they were.

The data in this case is really just the result – train your body to feel what it takes to shift between an incline or taking the wind on the shoulder. It can become very intuitive.

If you’re riding with experienced racers and you’re all familiar with each other, I’d agree you can do this. But I honestly don’t think this works for most “average” riders on most “average” group rides.

But then again, this isn’t a community for “average” riders, is it? Now before anyone gets too pissy with that statement…

A Velominatus welcomes all cyclists but is observant of Rule #3 when doing so. Part of the way of the cyclist is learning how to use the V-meter (and avoid whatever the hell @Chipomarc has going on in that photo up there). Can you feel whether or not you are going XX.xx km/h? Probably not, but you can feel how deeply you are drawing on the V-bank and for how long you can sustain that withdrawal.

So far, the only thing valuable a head unit has every told me is what I already knew by listening to my legs and lungs.

Always nice to compare how the V-Meter is running to your Current HR and Current Power output.

One other metric that is happy displaying itself during the ride is how much TSS you have built up so far.
frank says:

Dec 22 2015 at 5:50 pm

@RobSandy

A question for the more experienced racers; does data while racing help or hinder? I’m thinking TT’s, Crits and possibly road races. I’m thinking for TT’s I’d like to know my HR and how much of the course is left (i.e distance/time). Crits I want to know time of the race left. Is there standard practice for using data during races?

It totally depends on a two factors. The first is, are your parameters correct, i.e. do you have your max heartrate or power accurate (it changes with training) and therefore do you actually know your true thresholds. For most of us, the answer is no, so it is a hinderance. For the Pros, they probably have it right so it does help.

The second is about the human spirit and being able to surpass limits when adequately motivated. If you have the personality type of sticking to data, then you will be in a box and maybe you can go faster that you think. If you have a fuck-off personality, then you can go beyond that but you might also blow up and suck.
EBruner says:

Dec 22 2015 at 5:50 pm

I have to admit I like my Garmin. I have been hooked on speed/distance gizmos since my first Cateye about 30 years ago. At least today I don't have wires, zip ties, sensors, and and shit.
chuckp says:

Dec 22 2015 at 5:50 pm

@emerson

If a rider continues to rely on a computer and never developed a feeling for estimating speed and distance, then of course it is not a good idea to ride on feel with any group. Developing a proven feeling for time versus distance allows a rider to intercept and chase on effort alone, without actually seeing any other rider(s) up the road. I hope that you agree with this ChuckP.

I wouldn't disagree or argue. I don't "need" my computer to ride. And I don't rely on it. But the data has its uses when used properly. I don't think it's a black-and-white, either-or proposition. Some have proposed relying almost solely on their on V-meter to gauge their riding. Fine for solo riding. Or making an effort to bridge a gap. I'd argue less fine for group riding if you're actually trying to keep a group together. Your V-meter is different than mine. You may not have to go very deep to put me in the red zone. Fine if all you want to do is drop me. Not so fine if we're actually trying to ride together.
frank says:

Dec 22 2015 at 5:51 pm

@chuckp

@Oli

I don’t need some fucking device to tell me I’m slow as shit.

Word.

That said, I use a Soleus Draft GPS. Pretty sure it’s no longer made as it wasn’t all that popular (I got two with Bar Fly mounts for me and my wife for less than the price of one without a Bar Fly). It’s pretty basic and tells me what I want/need to know when I’m riding: distance/speed/time of day. Downloads to Strava. And it’s compact (not much bigger than a standard Cateye or Sigma that runs off a magnet on you wheel).

Thank you for wrapping your bars the V way. Makes up for some of your other style transgressions!
frank says:

Dec 22 2015 at 5:54 pm

@Cat Six 4-Ever

I’m trying to answer the math question in the photo, but I need to know the distance between them prior.

The answer is V.
frank says:

Dec 22 2015 at 5:56 pm

@Ron

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: full wallet in center pocket on all rides. I never know when I’ll feel like swinging by the library and will need my borrower’s card.

Whole lotta WTF going on there.
frank says:

Dec 22 2015 at 5:59 pm

@coachprops

FFS, what would Merckx say about all of this technology – BS? I only want the speed and the distance and the speed is never fast enough and the distance is never long enough. Take your next ride and leave the Garmin/phone/cyclometer at home. you’ll see and hear more than ever before – and never miss a beat. PS – the world is not going to shut down if you aren’t available for an hour. You aren’t that important, neither am I. I don’t own a cell phone – people can call me at work or at home, between that, I’m out riding and don’t want to talk to you anyway.

Welcome! And holy fuck, you don't own a cell phone? Well done, sir.

Also, I am that important.
frank says:

Dec 22 2015 at 6:04 pm

@bea

I love my garmin! (and I’m not going to apologize for it, I don’t even feel sorry for it)

Technically it’s not my garmin. I bought it for my husband, and he bought me a camera. After three weeks we swapped.

Unlike most, I’m not really interested in speed (most of the time it’s not even on the display), but I want to see my HR (and distance and time and then some other stuff just for fun (I like numbers)). Speed is useless, today I went along the river and there was ‘a bit’ of wind, 26km/h going out 37 km/h coming back. It’s good the 26km/h wasn’t on the display…

In general I have no problem killing myself, but I find it very difficult to retain myself. Most of my rides are scheduled training rides (not that I’m any good, hence the training), and then the HR is necessary. On the long(er) weekend-rides, I need the HR-monitor not to go too fast (which would be contra-productive, according the training-schedule-guy). It’s not that I should continuously check it, but I’m supposed to glance at it from time to time (however trying to hang out with the big guys is so much more fun).

Also, let’s be honest, the thing brought me to places which I would never have found by just following my nose…

As for my pockets:
left: ziplock with mini-pump, Co2, tire patch kit (with spare money, tire leavers, patches and dafalgan), mini-tool and spare food (which has melted and frozen and I really have to be desperate before I’m ever going to eat it)
middle: ziplock with money, card, house key and phone (with special ringtone for my husband, the rest I ignore) and a spare tire
right: food.

I like this girl.

I have to dispute the pocket distribution in general that I'm seeing here. Heavy stuff goes in the middle, light stuff on the sides, people! Our pockets are not moto panniers! My phone is so light now, it goes in the right pocket, but until recently, it had to go in the middle. Keys, food etc goes in the sides. And we only carry the minimum gear right? (RIGHT?) so all essentials are in the middle, We don't need that much shit.

Thoreau said simplify. Thoreau that other shit away!
Chipomarc says:

Dec 22 2015 at 6:04 pm

@frank

@Ron

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: full wallet in center pocket on all rides. I never know when I’ll feel like swinging by the library and will need my borrower’s card.

Whole lotta WTF going on there.

If at a public library watch out for the bed bug sniffing dogs.

https://www.google.ca/search?q=public+library+bed+bugs&biw=1280&bih=643&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjprOOc8fDJAhWipYMKHTiJD_wQ_AUIBygC