It used to be that serious dives into Strava data were reserved for off-the-bike time when you could plow through the numbers and see exactly how you did against all your nemeses. Now, Strava has changed all that with Live Segments for Android and iOS. With Live Segments all the performance details of a segment are delivered while you’re on the bike and riding the segment.
How does it work? First off you need to be a Strava premium member ($59 per year). Then you need to go in and “star” all your favorite segments on the web or your phone. After the segments are starred then each time you ride one, Strava will give you the KOM and the fastest ride of the people you follow and compare your ride to theirs in real time showing you exactly where you are. Strava will count in the number of feet to the start of the segment and then count you out to the end of the segment (so you can kill yourself just like in a spring for the line).
This works on the phone fine, but if you don’t what your phone out on your bars (and really, who does) then the best option is a Garmin Edge 520. With the Edge 520 paired with your smartphone via Bluetooth, all the counting down, counting out, and live segment results will show up right on your Garmin display, making every single training ride a do or die race to the line. And, if you don’t like the results, you can immediately turn around and hit it again.
It’s not going to help us anytime soon, but if you’re a global cycling hipster and you’re planning rides in Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin, Denver, London, Melbourne, Milan, NYC, Paris, SF, Sao Paulo, or Sydney in the near future, then Strava’s new local guides have you covered. . . at least for helping with a list of the top 10 best rides.
Strava Local combines your favorite routes and destinations with similar activities from our millions of athletes, then distills that data to reveal the best running and cycling adventures in the world.
To check them all out (and we think you should), please click the link.
Pivot Cyclse has just released the details on the latest version of their hardtail XC race machine the LES and it looks delicious. Follow the jump for all the technical details.
Tired of using rocks, sticks, and trash to prop your bike up for those perfect Instagram moments only to have to spend hours Photoshopping them out later? Pure Fix bicycles announces today (April 1, 2016) their all new No-See-Stand using “clear-shadow technology.” The invisible kickstand holds you bike up perfectly and delivers “Instagram gold” every time. The stand is being offered today for the introductory price of $12.99. Click the link for more info.
If you’ve ever wondered why some frames are just magical, a new documentary by Canadian documentarian Tony Girardin will help explain it all. Marinoni: The Fire In The Frame is a bio doc on cycling icon Giuseppe Marinoni — his life, his life work, and his quest to break the 70+ hour record.
MARINONI: The Fire in the Frame is a fascinating look at a craftsman who still works in the traditional and time honored trade of frame builder, but more importantly, it’s a story of passion and perseverance which confirms that every person’s reach can exceed their grasp, no matter their age. . . The film also reveals the man-of-steel’s sensitive side when he reunites with one of Canada’s greatest cyclist, Jocelyn Lovell, whose career ended when he was hit by a truck and paralyzed during a training ride. Marinoni built Lovell’s Commonwealth Games record-setting track bike, and now that Lovell has returned it to him as a show of gratitude, decided that he would use this bike in his world record attempt.
Not to give anything away, but anyone who likes bikes will love this film and more importantly Marinoni himself. Marinoni: The Fire In The Frame opens today (April 1, 2016) in New York City and will show in Los Angeles on April 15, 2016. For more info, please follow the jump. [click to continue…]
VitalMTB takes a look at SRAM’s new MTB front derailleur killer the Eagle 1×12 drivetrain. And yeah, if you’re into that whole 1X thing, then this may just be the set-up you’re looking for. Here’s their takeaway:
Taken at the most basic level, Eagle can be viewed as the simple addition of a 50-tooth cog to an already-large cassette in an effort to meet wide gear range demands of 2X holdouts. It’s much more than that in actuality, however, because SRAM has taken the opportunity to update nearly every component in the group. In the process they’ve created a better 1X drivetrain with undeniable advantages over their existing systems. Even if you don’t personally need the massive cog, there’s more speed to be had at the other end of the cassette. With gear range out of the picture, there are now very few arguments left for not switching to a simpler, quieter, and easier-to-use 1X drivetrain.
In an email sent out to all members today (Friday, March 18, 2016) USA Cycling outlined a hack that had reportedly breached the organization’s website two days ago compromising the security of critical member information.
USA Cycling learned two days ago of a data security incident within USA Cycling’s IT systems that could include some personal information associated with online accounts, including names, mailing addresses, email addresses, dates of birth, emergency contacts, and USA Cycling passwords. It does NOT include any drivers’ license or state ID numbers, credit card numbers, bank account numbers, Social Security numbers, or medical or health insurance information, as we do not store such information.
In other words, every bit of info they had on us is likely out there. Had they stored info like credit cards numbers, it would be gone as well. In the email USA Cycling provided a link requiring that memberschange their passwords before getting access to the site again. Then, those links got so overloaded that the system no longer function. Finally, by 7:45 PM EDT they were able to get the password changing system back in working order. They also encouraged users who may have used the same passwords on other sites or services to change those passwords as well. Thanks, USAC!
For the official word from USA Cycling, please follow the jump.
. . . have been greatly exaggerated. . . by SRAM. We will continue working out our left thumbs for just a little while longer. But we’re crusty that way. We’re still not fans of rear suspension.
Pear Sports, makers of the popular in-ear coaching app for iOS devices, is jumping outside the Apple family with a new app designed exclusively for owners of Samsung devices like the the Gear 2 smartwatch as well as the Galaxy S6 edge+ and Note 5.
Pear’s fitness app mixes in-ear audio coaching programs from leading fitness trainers with a user’s real-time performance metrics to create customized training programs for athletes of all types. Galaxy owners will now have access to their cycling training programs (and other sports that none of us have time for).
“Our goal is always to create a unique fitness option for users through world-class training,” says Simon Sollberger, senior vice president of design at Pear. “Teaming up with a leading electronics company like Samsung is going to elevate that idea exponentially by exposing PEAR to millions of Americans hungry for better workout routines.”
The Pear app is free but customized coaching for their specific interest is extra. Programs range in price from $1 to $30 or can be subscribed to for $4 a month. For a limited time, Galaxy users will receive a three month subscription free, including unlimited access to all of Pear’s custom workouts.
We all know that dealing with the US Federal Government can be a royal pain in the ass, and we ‘re hardly experts in the fight for mountain bike access to the Wilderness. To us it seems the best thing to do is to get mountain bikes reclassified as “horses” and call it a day. We’d be happy with access to everything that horses have access to. In fact, don’t tell anyone, but we’ve already reclassified our bikes as horses. Apparently, there are those who disagree with us.
In their official 2016 Advocacy Position, the International Mountain Bicycling Association has announced that it will “not seek to amend the Wilderness Act of 1964.”
In regards to existing Wilderness, IMBA will pursue legislation to redraw Wilderness boundaries that would open access to select trails and trail connections for mountain biking. This includes trails that government agencies have closed to bicycles without sufficient analysis and empirical evidence of adverse impacts. This legislative effort will be pursued where IMBA has strong grassroots chapters that represent local constituents.
Nice to see they continue to be upfront about choosing their battles, but we continue to be disappointed.
For the official release from the IMBA, please follow the jump. Yes haw!
In an email sent out to all members today (Friday, March 18, 2016) USA Cycling outlined a hack that had reportedly breached the organization’s website two days ago compromising the security of critical member information.
We all know that dealing with the US Federal Government can be a royal pain in the ass, and we ‘re hardly experts in the fight for mountain bike access to the Wilderness. To us it seems the best thing to do is to get mountain bikes reclassified as “horses” and call it a day. We’d be happy with access to everything that horses have access to. In fact, don’t tell anyone, but we’ve already reclassified our bikes as horses. Apparently, there are those who disagree with us.
