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Friday, July 17

Deep Thought

I almost went off the technological deep end the other day.

I had reasons.  I want(ed) a heart rate monitor... mostly to control my race starts and curb my over-enthusiasm.  I'm highly aware of the fact that I burn matches I don't have at very inopportune moments, and I was thinking that a bleeping blooping robot on my stem would tell me, "cool it now."


I couldn't actually find a bike robot that would play this song when I went over my lactate threshold... sads.  $500 and New Edition is still not an option?

Anyways, the product descriptions presented to me read like a Mexican restaurant menu.  Too many options and whatever I picked, I'd be looking at someone else's plate wishing I was eating some of that instead of what's in front of me.

The Garmin 25 only has (up to) 8 hours of battery power.  Forget hundies and PMBAR and all manner of stupid rides where people take "safety breaks" at the top of every descent.  Putting a truly capable GPS in my hands would be like giving me a downhill bike... a total waste.  I would make use of 7% of its full potential.  All the other options I looked at added more features and more bleeps and bloops and thingies I would never use.

Don't tell me to use my smart phone.  Not going to happen.  It's a $600 super computer that I need at work, so I'm not risking it on my handlebars.  I've been known to wreck and make bad decisions.

I even stopped at Bike Source the other night just so I could fondle a Garmin 25.  They pulled it out of the box, I got my greasy fingers all over it, and then they put it back in the box.  I found the strap annoying looking:

What's up with the gray flannel pattern on the front?  Why not black, or even better, flesh-tone...  I mean pasty cyclist flesh-tone.

They could even put a third nipple on the transmitter.

Anyways.

I put my old Cateye Strada back on my bike the other day... with the actual speed sensor and magnet so it's more than just a clock.  I had a reason to do it, I think.  I can't even remember why now.  Maybe I was bored.

What can I say?  I'm easily overwhelmed with technology.  I just wanted a heart rate monitor.  Not a super computer that borders on being sentient.

Shit.

6 comments:

Rob said...

Have you looked at any of the new Lezyne GPS stuff? They make expensive (nice?) pumps, so it would make sense that their GPS units are nice (maybe?)

Harkie_Chuegel said...

I've liked this one, http://www.amazon.com/SIGMA-PC15-Heart-Monitor-Watch/dp/B000MQFU3Y.

HRM, watch, stop watch, and it beeps at you as you change zones.
I glued the watch unit to my stem.

Anonymous said...

Garmin Fenix2.

jkeiffer said...

Funny stuff, and mirrors my exact thoughts. But why not get a power meter and dole out your effort in watts instead of always mentally calculating if you are in the right zone?

Anonymous said...

Edge 500 lasts for days. Mine is four years old and still ticking.

Ant said...

If HRM straps offend your sensibilities, may I present the 'helmet that has the HR monitor built into it' - http://www.lazersport.com/product/bike-adult-road/genesis-lifebeam-white-silver

Never used one but I think the concept is pretty neat. And no obsessing over chest strap flesh tones.