Earlier today I tweeted that I had found my Polar S625x and I was able to get it working with the speed and cadence sensors that are installed on my Trek 1500 before I rode it this morning.

This heart rate monitor is my favorite of all the models I've ever tested. The things I like most about it are its near indestructibility and its flexibility in that it works well in the three sports that I participate in most.

I started talking about the S625X on January 26, 2005, which means that I've been using it for over four years without a battery change or any service to the receiver. Over that time, I've ridden hundreds of miles on my bikes with the S625X strapped to the handlebars. I've also worn it during many hockey games, which is a great statement about its durability-- it's taken more than one direct hit from a puck.

The main claim to fame of the S625X is its support for running. This is accomplished through the use of a footpod which measures foot strikes and imputes distance traveled based on that. I don't care as much about accurate distance measurement when running as I do when cycling. I tend to run the same courses in training and measured distances in the 5 and 10k races that I run in from time to time.

The speed and cadence sensors for biking are simple to install and use. They simply measure how many times the front wheel and crank of my bike rotate by counting the number of times small magnets pass each of them. The sensors transmit their telemetry to the watch unit which acts as a receiver.

About all I can say that's truly negative about the Polar S625X is that the software that came with it, Polar Precision Performance Software Version 4 is out of date and only runs on Microsoft Windows. If you buy it now, you get newer software that's still Windows-only. I am hoping to start evaluating iSmartTrain from OTAG Technologies that provides similar functionality on Mac OS X, but I need to find the most compatible interface for it. iSmartTrain describes that as "a Polar IR-Serial interface and a USB-Serial converter".

I don't see the Polar IR-Serial interface on sale in a lot of places in the USA, so I'll have to ask where it can be purchased.

If you have any suggestions for where I can buy the IR-Serial interface, email me at daiello [at] operationgadget.com.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 6:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

The ESPN program E:60 recently reported on the dangers posed by improperly tuned ice resurfacing equipment and ventilation problems in indoor ice arenas. This 13-minute long report claims that in 28 rinks that they tested that used propane or natural gas ice resurfacers, "nearly one-third were found to have dangerous levels of carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide or ultrafine particles."

These are serious claims and the matter deserves further investigation. Over the years that I've been involved in the sport of ice hockey, I have heard about a number of serious outcomes and close calls as a result of indoor air quality problems at hockey rinks. One example is a game that occurred in September 2002 at Lehigh Valley Ice Arena that sent 25 college hockey players and coaches to the hospital complaining of "shortness of breath and a burning sensation in their throats and chests." [ Note: Sorry for the link to an article excerpt. This was the only way I could find to cite a published story referring to this event. ]

In my opinion, the questions that should be asked after watching this ESPN report are:

• How widespread is this problem in 2009?
  
• How often do indoor air quality problems that could cause a medical issue go uncorrected for a significant period of time?
  
• How many hockey players, figure skaters, and speed skaters that have asthma experience exacerbations as a result of air quality inside the facilities where they perform?

Reached at the Oregon Health & Science University's Center for Research on Occupational and Environmental Toxicology, Fred Berman - the director of the Toxicology Information Center - labeled that result of 59 {parts per million of carbon monoxide} more interesting than concerning. He said further study, preferably over a broader window of time, would be needed before the air was determined a hazard.

The article goes on to point out that Berman considered average overall exposure to indoor air pollution to be more important than a "snapshot in time" which is what the ESPN figures for this arena might be.

Regardless of what you think after seeing the ESPN report and reading the article from the Binghamton newspaper, this is a fascinating investigation that anyone involved in ice sports should keep watching.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 11:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I've been wanting to talk about my experience with iPhone headphones and exercise for some time.

In my opinion iPhone headphones manufactured by Apple are consumables. I have never had a set last for more than 4 months. They get so much use from me that the rubber holding the earbuds together wears away.

I tried carrying the headphones in several different plastic containers, but each of the containers made constantly connecting and disconnecting the headphones too slow. This says nothing of the problems that occurred when I exposed them to large amounts of my perspiration.

The first set of headphones that I noticed experienced severe wear and tear was a set that I had been using during a period of heavy road biking in June and July. The action button on the in-line microphone on my headphones started to become unreliable. The button stopped working entirely shortly after that, and I suspected that sweat infiltration was the root cause.

In July I started working full-time in Manhattan. At that time I started working out at Newtown Athletic Club five days a week. My workout consisted of riding a stationary bike or running on an indoor track for 40 minutes, followed by sets of pushups and situps.

Because I was working out indoors, there seemed to be an increase in my perspiration level. The new headphones lasted less than a month.

Two major problems occurred:

• the action button on the in-line microphone stopped working,
• the rubber holding each of the earbuds together disintegrated at an accelerated rate.

I bought another new set of iPhone headphones from Apple, and a much less expensive set of headphones without an in-line microphone from a warehouse club. I used the inexpensive headphones during workouts at the gym. I used the iPhone headphones everywhere else.

The result is that the iPhone headphones have lasted a great deal longer. I think I've gotten about four months use out of this set of iPhone headphones. I'm only now beginning to consider replacing them, because the rubber gasket that holds each earbud together is wearing away.

In talking to a number of friends and acquaintances who have iPhones, the consensus is that no third-party headphones are much more durable than Apple's. For the most part, they are just more expensive.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 4:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

• Cool Tool: StrollAway on Cool Tools: "... Once we got this hook, rather than just parking our stroller in the kitchen or dining room, we created a set, out-of-the-way place to store it. And since it's off the floor, that gives us more space to fill up with more baby stuff. The hook is strong (we have a Quinny Buzz stroller, which weighs abouts 15 lbs.). It doesn't require drilling or mounting into anything, since it hangs over the top a door....." Great idea.
• SightSpeed Goes Mainstream with Dell Video Chat « on Web Worker Daily: "... The SightSpeed software installed easily on my Mac, and the video conversation with Mr. Csathy was crisp, smooth and effortless as compared to any I’ve tried with Skype. He had a fancy headset, but I was just using the MacBook Pro’s built-in speakers and microphone. For once, video conferencing felt approachable to me beyond Apple iChat...." This article has a good screen cap of the theme that Dell applied to SightSpeed's software. [ Found out about the Dell / SightSpeed deal from friend Andy Abramson ]
• Access And Share Files With Box.net on The Apple Phone Show: "I have tried several online file store and share solutions since getting my iPhone almost a year ago now. Box.net seems to be the one application that has endured time. I like using it to store and share my most important files and collaborate on work. I’m still getting used to moving my workflow entirely online. I am used to have files that I can access stored locally on all of my devices. But, times they are ‘a changing. The reason I think I have continued using this service and have let others fall by the wayside is because the interface is so simple...." I have to try this.
• iPhone as Pedometer on Inside iPhone: "A short while ago, I discovered that Wii Fit could be used to track my progress as I walked on a treadmill. Wii Fit has a game where you jog in place in front of your TV to travel through a virtual landscape. Instead of bouncing up and down on the floor, I put my wiimote in my pocket, hopped on the treadmill and had a much better virtual exercise experience. And of course this got me thinking: if the wii can track movement, why can't the iPhone do the same?" Cool idea. Interesting execution.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 4:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Every year I look for blogs that attempt to cover L'Etape du Tour, the Cyclosportive that follows the same route as one stage of The Tour de France. This year I found Rob Mackey's blog at The New York Times called The Climb.

Mackey is a web journalist who has done a great deal of work for major publications. (See his portfolio at http://mackey.typepad.com/.) So, you can bet that he will produce a good blog if he survives the training leading up to L'Etape du Tour.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 4:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

It looks like professional cycling is experiencing a bit of a revival.

Earlier today, Velonews reported that Garmin has become the title sponsor of the Slipstream-Chipotle Cycling Team. The Garmin logo will reportedly debut on the team's uniforms at an event in Brest, France on July 3 prior to the Grand Depart of the 2008 Tour de France.

This is exactly the kind of sponsor that an American pro cycling team should have going forward. Lots of people I know have Garmin GPS navigation systems in their cars, and Garmin's fitness computers have been state-of-the-art ever since products like the Garmin Forerunner 201 debuted about four years ago.

It's interesting to see the evolution of the Garmin-Chipotle Cycling team since its inception. It was originally sponsored by TIAA-CREF, lost that sponsorship at the end of 2006, and has been primarily funded by investors in the team since then. It's had a number of secondary sponsors including Chipotle, H3O (a sports marketing company partly owned by George Hincapie), and Felt Bicycles. Garmin started out as a secondary sponsor and has now made a primary sponsorship commitment to the team through 2010.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 10:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Chris Brewer, a long-time contributor to the Livestrong and Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team Websites, is back again writing his "Fresh Brew" column for the Astana Cycling Team Website.

In one of his most recent articles, Chris talks about Mellow Johnny's, a bike commuter-oriented bike store in Downtown Austin, TX. Chris writes:

If I told you that 7-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong had opened a bike shop, I’ll bet you would imagine row up on row of high tech carbon bikes in a state of the art facility. And while there are certainly plenty of excellent historic and high-tech Trek rides at "Mellow Johny's" located in the heart of Austin, Texas, the 18,000 square foot brick beer-distributorship-turned-bike-shop is as good a place to get a tube or an inexpensive commuter bike as it is a rocket to win your next neighborhood world championship…

(Interestingly enough, Johan Bruyneel is doing a book signing there tonight, and flying from there up to West Chester, PA for tomorrow night's book signing previously discussed on Operation Gadget.)

Posted by Dave Aiello at 5:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

As gasoline surpasses $4.15 per gallon here in Newtown, I am starting to see more bikes on the road. A lot of the people riding them look like they are not terribly skilled bike handlers, and also don't look like they are riding as much for exercise as they are for transportation.

Here's a report from KARE, the NBC affiliate in Minneapolis, that claims that people looking to shift their short-haul commuting and errands from cars to bikes are repairing and upgrading bikes they already have instead of purchasing new bikes:

I'm going to stop in my local bike shops and ask what their mix of business is now, and if the increases in sales activity this Spring and Summer are different than they expected. [ via Personafile ]

Posted by Dave Aiello at 5:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Los Angeles Business reports that Oakley has donated $1 Million to the Lance Armstrong Foundation that was generated through sales of the Livestrong line of sports sunglasses. According to the article:

Oakley Livestrong Flak Jacket XLJ: A nice pair of
sunglasses for sports that supports a worthy cause.
[ Image: Oakley ]

The special-edition Livestrong line is based off of three of Oakley's most popular designs: the Radar, the Flak Jacket and the Straight Jacket. Out of each purchase, $20 goes to the Lance Armstrong Foundation.

The program took only eight months to reach the $1 million mark.

That works out to 6,250 sets of sunglasses per month.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 2:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

This morning I received a Nokia N78 as part of my participation in the Nokia Blogger Relations Program. I just posted a bunch of photos of unboxing the N78 to Flickr.

See more of my Nokia N78 Unboxing Photos on Flickr.
[ Photo: Dave Aiello. ]

Some of the Nokia N78's big features are a 3.2-megapixel main camera with a Carl Zeiss lens, 2 Gigabytes of microSD memory, and a free three-month subscription to Nokia's voice-guided GPS navigation system.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 10:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (1)

One of the best ways to entertain my son Jimmy over the past week or so has been to put him in the Chariot Cougar 1 Carrier that I use as a bike trailer and tow him around the backroads near our house in Newtown, PA.

Jimmy in the Chariot Cougar 1: We've ridden the backroads around
Newtown together for the past few sunny days, building up our
endurance. [ Photo: Dave Aiello on Flickr ]

Kathleen and I bought the Cougar 1 last year, around the time Jimmy turned one year old. He wasn't really ready to ride in it last summer. I got it out right after Memorial Day and started riding with him for 10 or 15 minutes at a time through the neighborhoods of Newtown Borough. He's really starting to like doing this because he can see people mowing their yards, and walking in the area around the Starbucks on State Street in a way that is different from when we push him in the stroller or pull him in his wagon.

If you are wondering, we bought the Chariot Cougar 1 because we thought after thoroughly researching the different models that this was the best, most protective child carrier we could get for use with our bikes. It's very solidly built and quite obvious to the other vehicles on the road.

Today we went on our longest ride yet, up and down Linton Hill Road through the intersection with Washington's Crossing Road in Newtown Township.

Riding up Linton Hill Rd in Newtown on a mtn bike with Jimmy in a Chariot Cougar 2 1. Felt like Alpe d'Huez, except the tifosi yelled "Daddy!"

If you pull one of these trailers with a two-year-old who weighs about thirty pounds riding in it, a speed bump is going to feel like a Category 4 climb in a bike race. Who needs any other aerobic activity? This is challenging.

I think Lance Armstrong did this with his son Luke in the offseason before he retired. Now I know why.

I hope that Jimmy and I can build up to an hour of riding, so I can take him on some of my training routes. I hope that he finds the scenery interesting enough. In the meantime, it's fun to get out with him, and here him yell and point at the lawn mowers, and the trucks, and the blue cars.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 12:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBacks (0)

The Polar Infrared Interface USB commonly
used with PCs running Windows XP doesn't
work on a Mac [ Photo: Dave Aiello on Flickr ]

The Polar Infrared Interface USB that many people got with their Polar S-Series heart rate monitors is a USB 1.1 device. I've been trying to use it without success on my MacBook Pro with Polar Precision Performance Software 4 running under Windows XP on VMware Fusion.

According to a number of articles that I've read, the only way to reliably get the Polar Infrared Interface USB to connect with a Polar heart rate monitor using Mac hardware is to boot into Windows XP directly from Boot Camp. No configuration of Windows XP under VMware Fusion or Parallels Desktop 3.0 seems to work properly.

A number of people on the Polar user support forums have reported success when using the Polar IrDA USB 2.0 Adapter with PPP4 under Windows XP with either VMware Fusion or Parallels.

The biggest problem with the Polar IrDA USB 2.0 Adapter is its expense. In my opinion, a lot of Polar accessory products that aren't proprietary are similar to Apple-branded products; They are very nice looking and well-supported by the manufacturer, but not economical. Some purchasers of the Polar IrDA USB 2.0 Adapter agree that it's nice looking, but think documentation is very sparse.

A far less expensive IrDA-USB adapter that some people claim to have gotten working is the Cables Unlimited USB1510.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 2:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

The Wall Street Journal's Golf Journal column carried an a great interview with Frank Thomas, the former technical director of the U.S. Golf Association (USGA). Thomas makes some great points about the impracticality of state-of-the-art golf technology to the grassroots golfer. The quote that jumped off the page for me was this:

...the thing that concerns me is how commerce now dominates golf and is trying to squeeze the last dollar out of its most avid customers rather than trying to open the game up to more participants. If the goal is to improve the overall health and enjoyment of the game, that's the wrong direction.

I see the same kind of issues happening in sports that I am more involved in, namely ice hockey and road cycling. All three of these sports have grown rapidly in the past ten years, and are arguably having difficulty sustaining that growth rate because they are all expensive sports to play.

The media that helps people follow these sports focus on the personalities at the top of the elite pyramids (people like Tiger Woods, Sidney Crosby, and Levi Leipheimer), and the technology that makes greater achievements possible.

I'm in favor of talking about the technical advances in sports-- Operation Gadget wouldn't be what it is with out them. But, the key to continuing the growth of technologically-driven sports in North America is driving the technology into progressively less expensive equipment.

If all technological advances stay at the high end, growth of these games will stagnate and the gear manufacturers will fight over the people who are willing and able to pay top dollar for the latest and greatest. Some people would argue that's where we are today in all of these sports.

I was really impressed with what Frank Thomas had to say in this interview. The column mentions two places where we can hear more from him:

• His website called Frankly Golf
• His book called Just Hit It: Our Equipment and Our Game

Posted by Dave Aiello at 8:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

• Stuff We Like: The Dave Laptop Stand on Lifehacker: "The Dave (oh Ikea, you and your names!) features adjustable height and angle, and can double as a TV tray or simple end table when you're not computing. If you've been looking for a better way to surf the internet from the comfort of your couch, the $25 Dave might be just the ticket."
• Optimizing File Sharing on Your Home Wi-Fi Network on Web Worker Daily: "A lot of people who have successfully put in a Wi-Fi network neglect to optimize the way files are shared between computers in a home or workgroup. You can choose ways to organize shared files, and ensure that files are shared securely or not visible to other users on your Wi-Fi network very easily...." Good instructions on how to do this whether you have Windows or Macs
• StrechCordz Short Resistance Training Belt on Cool Tools: "The StrechCordz resistance training belt makes expensive, complex, "endless" pools obsolete. At one end of a 4-foot, black rubber tube is a nylon belt with a simple plastic snap-clip that slips around my waist. On the other end is a loop I attach to the deep-end ladder of our modest home pool. That's it... just tether up and start swimming. Swim as hard and fast as you like yet stay in place."
• Cycling Photography Tips: Shooting Head On on Spare Cycles: "Shooting head on is both difficult and easy: difficult in that the rider is moving at you very fast so your margin for error is very little, but easy in that you don't have to move your camera very much at all."
• Easter's early this year. Deal with it. on God Plays Dice: "...the cycle of Easter dates repeat themselves every 5,700,000 years. The cycle of epacts (which encode the date of the full moon) in the Julian calendar repeat every nineteen years. There are two corrections made to the epact, each of which depend only on the century; one repeats (modulo 30, which is what matters) every 120 centuries, the other every 375 centuries, so the air of them repeat every 300,000 years. The days of the week are on a 400-year cycle, which doesn't matter because that's a factor of 300,000. So the Easter cycle has length the least common multiple of 19 and 300,000, which is 5,700,000." [ via Slashdot ]

Posted by Dave Aiello at 8:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

• Mac Automation: listen to a text document on TUAW: "Don't have time to read that Word, Pages, or TextEdit document at your desk? Why not listen to it on your iPod instead? In this Automator how-to, I am going to show you how to create an audio file using text that you have in an open document, then sync that using iTunes to your iPod or iPhone." This is similar to a how-to published in Macworld last month.
• Reliance Digital to Open 60 iStores Across India on Tech2.com: "Reliance Digital... plans to open 150 digital stores and 60 iStores or Apple stores across {India}. While {typical Reliance Digital} stores offer a wide range of consumer durables, iStores are exclusively for Apple's products for professional and consumer segments."
• Time Machine Now Works with Airport Extreme USB Drives on MacRumors.com: "After the release of today's Time Machine and Airport update, several readers report that Time Machine now supports backups to USB drives connected to your Airport Extreme basestation. This configuration essentially reproduces the functionality of Apple's Time Capsule product."
• Shimano buys clothing company Pearl Izumi from Nautilus on VeloNews: "Bringing premium sports apparel and footwear to its offering of industry-leading cycling and fishing products, Shimano has completed its purchase of DashAmerica, Inc. (dba Pearl Izumi USA, Inc.) from Nautilus, Inc." This actually happened a month ago, but I just noticed it.
• The Feedzone with Monique Ryan: Protect your heart this season on VeloNews: This is a great article which focuses on eating the right kind of fats and other smart food choices as part of an athletic lifestyle.
• When to Stay With Windows in Mossberg's Mailbox on AllThingsD: Walt Mossberg talks about when it's OK to stay with Windows when upgrading home computers. A couple in their 70s asked if they should upgrade to a Mac although no family members have Macs, so family support wouldn't be available to them. He points out that it's OK to stay with Windows now, but the question will need to be re-evaluated sometime this sommer, when Microsoft stops selling Windows XP to OEMs for installation on new machines.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 10:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Amgen Tour of California began on Sunday with a Prologue time trial in Palo Alto.

One of the more intriguing developments is the return of veteran sprinter Mario Cipollini to the ranks of active professional cyclists after a three year retirement. Cipollini retired on May 7, 2005 after a ceremonial 1.1km time trial at the Giro d'Italia. He has now joined the upstart U.S. team called Rock Racing.

BikeRadar.com reports that Cipo's bike is not standard team issue and speculates on its componentry. They have a number of good photos of the bike. When I have covered pro cycling races in the past for Operation Gadget, I've always gone looking for the most unusual bikes, and this one certainly is.

I think the return of athletes like Mario Cipollini bodes well for the sport of pro cycling. It certainly needs some good news and some developments that take the focus away from the controversies surrounding testing for performance-enhancing drugs.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 10:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

• Top 7 Web Applications for Sending Large Files on Geekpreneur: "If you’ve ever had to send a large file to someone, you know the hardships that arise. Email services keep strict limits on attachment sizes. What’s more is that it’s often hard to send more than one attachment at a time. This kind of disservice has made email quite unpopular for sharing files- and thus, we have entered the age of hybrid email. The premise is simple: cut out the bulk, and just give us an easy way to send files over the internet!"

• Torvalds: Leopard file system "utter crap" on MacNN: "Linux creator Linus Torvalds recently blasted Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard for having a file system that is 'complete and utter crap' at a Linux conference in Melbourne."

  The Leopard file system, technically known as HFS+, has been around in some form since the last time I was a Mac developer-- 1992. Of course Apple would like to move to something more robust. They've been building up to switch to ZFS, or some other sophisticated file system, for some time now.



• Turn Your Nokia Phone into a Wi-Fi Hotspot with JoikuSpot on Lifehacker: Who needs tethering when you can make your Series 60 phone into an ad hoc WiFi base station for your laptop? Wow.


• How to record a kickass podcast between two macs — and cheap! on A Whole Lotta Nothing: "A lot of people ask me how I do the MetaFilter Podcast.... I know they ... mean... 'what software and hardware does it take to make a decent sounding podcast?' After almost a year of regular podcasts and trying out different software and equipment, I’ve gotten the workflow down cold and I wanted to share the my way of making a good sounding podcast on the cheap. This works perfectly well for me being in Oregon and talking to my friend Jessamyn in Vermont over Skype, recording at both ends, then tossing it all into Garageband to complete the podcast." [ via 43Folders ]


• Nike SPARQ Parachute Makes You Run Faster, Eventually on Gizmodo: "The Nike SPARQ Parachute is designed to create drag 'to force athletes to push themselves harder to achieve speed' and look like a moron in Central Park." Can I use this thing on the ice sometime?

Posted by Dave Aiello at 11:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I never met Sheldon Brown, but I learned a great deal from him.

Sheldon developed a website, SheldonBrown.com, that had an incredible amount of technical information about bicycles and cycling. If I Googled for some information about one of my bikes, I often ended up consulting his site.

Sheldon passed away on Sunday, February 3, 2008, reportedly of a massive heart attack. May he rest in peace. [ via spare cycles and BikeRadar.com ]

Posted by Dave Aiello at 11:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

• RPI Plays Princeton tonight in the 31st Annual Big Red Freakout. RPI needs the win. In other news, the White beat the Red in the Alumni Game 9-8.
• Kipkay's Video Tips & Tricks on Instructables: "Here are 5 easy and cheap tricks for anyone who uses a camcorder. Total cost for all 5 is under $10!" [ via Lifehacker ]
• New Devices and Applications on the Wi-Fi Front on Web Worker Daily: "While many Mac-based users already have next-generation, draft 802.11n Wi-Fi technology in their homes (because they use Apple’s Airport Extreme routers) lots of other folks still use slower 802.11g Wi-Fi. This year is when official certification of 802.11n Wi-Fi is supposed to arrive, and the month of January brought some product announcements that point to what the widespread arrival of 802.11n technology might mean...."
• Review of the Nike Amp+ iPod Control Watch: "... the Amp+ isn't designed to be an all-around running or fitness watch. It's specifically designed for runners who already have the Nike + iPod kit. Similar to the Timex iControl we recently reviewed, the Nike Amp+ is a remote control for your iPod Nano, however unlike the Timex, the Nike Amp+ uses the existing Nike + iPod gadget that plugs into your iPod, so you're actually adding the iPod remote control to the Nike iPod system." [ via TUAW ]
• Crazy Apple Rumors on Hiatus on TUAW: CrazyAppleRumors.com is a site I just found out about recently. It's articles are what you might read in The Onion if they covered Apple more aggressively. Sorry to see it go dark.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 4:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Sunday's New York Times had a terrific article about fighting a weight loss battle while working a full time job which resonates with me. What was most interesting was the fact that two of the three people profiled work at very athletically-oriented companies.

• Steve Madden, the editor of Bicycling and Mountain Bike magazines is 44 years old, 5-feet 10-inches tall, and weighs 198 pounds. In other words he's almost exactly my size.

  The shocker in this story is that Madden rode his bike 4,451 miles in 2007. No question that he could have journaled it all using a heart rate monitor like the one I use. How can you ride 85 miles per week, year round and not lose weight? I know. You eat what you want and never commit to a serious eating plan.

  There's no question that Madden is both fit and overweight, as I am at the moment. He demonstrates how far you can take this lifestyle as an amateur athlete.




• Marcello Aller, National Athletics Account Manager at Polar USA is 34 years old, 5-feet 8-inches tall, and weighs 218 pounds. He says:

  My colleagues think I look fine, but it’s become more of a challenge to become lean.... I’m not an endurance athlete, like a small cyclist or a runner. I have a typical, square football-player build. Sometimes it’s more difficult to regain a hard body; my metabolism has changed with age.

  Aller is an inch shorter than I am and weighs over 20 pounds more than I do. I weighed this much when I worked on Wall Street. He needs to realize that he'll have to both change his diet and work out in order to achieve the results he wants.

  I think a warning sign in his behavior is that he thinks his metabolism has changed at age 34. This may be the case to a small extent, but he'll do a lot better if he admits that the quantity and type of food he eats is a substantial part of the problem.

These two men work at athletic lifestyle companies where it should be easy for people to lose weight, keep the weight off, and stay in shape. Yet, it's obvious that doing the right things is not as easy as it should be. Most overweight people cannot lose weight by exercise alone. They have to watch what they eat and control the size of their meals and snacks. That's the key to achieving significant fitness and appearance goals.

I can completely relate to their situations. I can be an even better athlete if I have an eating plan. I made the commitment to plan what I eat again a couple of weeks ago. It's a struggle, but I hope to see the benefits by the end of the hockey season.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 8:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

MacRumors reports that Garmin released a new beta version of their Bobcat GPS management tool for MacOS X. This beta of version 2.0 of the software includes the following features:

• transfer waypoints, tracks, and routes between a Mac and Garmin GPS device,
• manage maps and DRM keys for transfer to a Garmin GPS, and
• search for points of interest on the Mac and transfer the locations to your Garmin GPS.

It wasn't too long ago that Mac users would have to keep a PC around the house or spin up a PC emulator or virtual machine to take advantage of Garmin software. Bobcat looks like a serious product that can help you get the most out of your GPS or heart-rate monitor.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 8:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

• Gmail IMAP Change in 1.13 - Apple Phone Show on Apple Phone Show Blog: "The 1.13 upgrade to the iPhone automatically changes POP configured Gmail to IMAP...." I saw the change in folder arrangement on my iPhone after I updated the firmware, but I didn't realize the implications of it until I read about the switch to IMAP online.
• The new Favicons: Making Webclip icons for iPhone on SixApart ProNet: The professional developer website for Movable Type and TypePad posted the first explanation of how to make a custom icon for a website that will appear on the home screen of an iPhone or an iPod Touch. I already made a Webclip icon for RinkAtlas, a site whose logo lends itself to doing so.

• Forty years since Masterton's death on the Globe on Hockey Blog: "Masterton, 29 at the time, was checked by Larry Cahan and Ron Harris of the Oakland Seals, and hit his head on the ice after falling backwards. The game took place Jan. 13, 1968, in Bloomington, Minnesota, and Masterton died in hospital two days later due to a brain injury."

  "His death led to the lobbying of more widespread use of helmets, and a mandatory helmet rule was passed in the summer of 1979." Anyone playing ice hockey should pause for a moment and remember Bill Masterton. His unfortunate death began a series of rule changes and other protective measures that have made our sport much safer.



• Mini-Review: Amazon Kindle vs. Sony Reader on 37signals Signal vs Noise: "There are plenty of comprehensive reviews of the Kindle floating around so I don’t think we need another one. Instead, I’ll focus on comparing it with the Sony Reader."

Posted by Dave Aiello at 8:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Nike Amp+ Sport Remote Control has finally made it to the market, and iLounge has done a comprehensive review of it. Jeremy Horowitz writes:

It would be an understatement to call Nike’s Amp+ iPod nano Remote ($79) the coolest and most misunderstood iPod accessory introduced in the past year. The bracelet, which is sold in four colors—blue, green with orange, black with red, or black with graphite—is a watch, an iPod remote control, and a fashion statement. Give it a quick glance from a distance and you’d think it’s just an extra-wide Lance Armstrong LiveStrong wristband, but get up close and you begin to realize that Nike has crafted an understated and underpromoted work of design genius....

I think the Amp+ looks incredible. It's the kind of watch that I could see wearing once or twice a week, the same way I tend to wear my Polar S625x to work on days when I'm officiating hockey. I'd like to see the reaction from people in my office when they saw this watch on my wrist.

I wish that Apple and Nike would expand the availability of the Nike+ product stack to iPods other than the nano. How hard could it be to make that happen?

Posted by Dave Aiello at 8:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

My father-in-law George Kuykendall pointed out an interesting article in The New York Times called The Bicycling Paradox: Fit Doesn’t Have to Mean Thin. It talks about the types of cyclists that go on European cycling trips that follow the route of The Tour de France and how older and/or heavier riders often turn out to be more successful than most people might expect. The article says:

... cycling is a lot more forgiving of body type and age than running. The best cyclists going up hills are those with the best weight-to-strength ratio, which generally means being thin and strong. But heavier cyclists go faster downhill. And being light does not help much on flat roads.

The article goes on to say that Dr. James Hagberg, a kinesiology professor at the University of Maryland, thinks that cycling is not as physically demanding as running. Anyone who uses a heart-rate monitor in their training can easily see this. There is a significant difference in average heart rate and estimated calories burned between running and cycling for 30 minutes.

This is a popular article in my office, where the all of the cyclists can more easily identify with Thor Hushovd than they can Michael Rasmussen, at least in terms of BMI .

Posted by Dave Aiello at 4:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

I'm three weeks into a new full time job. In order to get to work on-time, I need to leave the house by 7:45am. My son (who is about to celebrate his first birthday) goes to bed between 7:00 and 8:00pm, so the best time for me to exercise is before work.

I started running on weekdays beginning at 6:15am. I managed to get out on five days of each of the first two weeks, but I'm afraid of injury if I keep up this frequency.

I vastly prefer biking on a daily basis. The problem was that I had been keeping my Trek 1500 in the basement of my house, and my wife was dead set against me moving my bike in and out of the house before 7:00am.

The solution was for me to get a multi-bike stand for my garage. I chose the Delta Design Boticelli, a sturdy, free-standing rack with room for four bikes on it. The Boticelli was delivered by UPS yesterday, I assembled it in my garage last night, and I was out riding at 6:00am this morning.

This rack is seven feet (2.1 meters) tall when fully assembled. The stand has a two by three foot base (23 x 29" or 58 x 73 cm to be exact), which leads me to believe that it will never tip over, even though the stand will only normally hold three bikes when it's in our garage.

I think that the build quality of the Boticelli stand is very good. The stand came unassembled, but the installation instructions were very clear. Assembly was simple. All I had to do was put the powder coated pipes together and screw them together with eight hex screws. The package included the hex key that I needed, so assembly was an Ikea-like experience, although the instructions were clearer.

The Delta Boticelli is very compelling combination of space efficiency and clean design. It looks great in my garage. I'll probably bring it into my basement during the hockey season when we don't do much riding. The great thing about this rack is that it would also look fine in the living room of an apartment, if you were inclined to keep it there to show off your bikes.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 10:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

My sister Julie Howson pointed out that Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James purchased a minority stake in bike manufacturer Cannondale, according to a report in The Cleveland Plain Dealer. James reportedly said, "Cannondale is one of the premier cycling companies in the industry.... Biking is an extremely important part of my training routine, and I like to invest in what I know."

LeBron James hosts King for Kids Bike-a-thon each year in Akron, a small city near Cleveland. Last year he rode a custom-made Cannondale in this event, and now uses that bike in his off-season training.

A photo gallery of the 2006 King for Kids Bike-a-thon is on the Cleveland Cavaliers' website. Most of the bikes ridden by NBA stars appear to be city bikes and hybrids rather than road bikes.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 9:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

If you live in an upper middle class or an even more exclusive area, you probably have neighbors who have a Toyota Prius or other types of hybrid automobiles. Most people know that these vehicles can run entirely on battery power under certain conditions, and in that situation, are extremely quiet.

An article in yesterday's Wall Street Journal entitled Blind Pedestrians Say Quiet Hybrids Pose Safety Threat got me thinking about my own safety when riding my road bike in this area. How am I supposed to know that a hybrid isn't overtaking me on a two-lane road if it's running on battery?

According to the article in The Wall Street Journal, the noise level of a Toyota Prius when accelerating under electric power is 53 decibels, while a conversation at home is about 50, and an operating vacuum cleaner is 70. If there's a cross or a head wind while I'm riding, it often limits my ability to hear vehicles behind me anyway. Think of the difficulty of hearing a hybrid approaching from behind you in those conditions.

Since people without subscriptions to the Journal will have difficulty reading this story, I'll quote the real-life scenario that begins the article, so you can see the real threat that is posed to blind people:

... Michael Osborn, a blind marketing consultant from Laguna Beach, Calif., and his guide dog, Hastings, were in the middle of an intersection one morning last April when the yellow Lab stopped short. Mr. Osborn took the cue and halted -- just in time to feel the breeze from a car passing right in front of them.

"Half an inch and it would have hit us ... it wasn't making any noise," says Mr. Osborn, 50, who has been blind for 12 years. Witnesses say the car was a Toyota Prius, a hybrid vehicle....

My conclusion after reading this article and thinking about the implications for cyclists, runners and in-line skaters wearing their iPods, and for children playing near residential streets, is that the auto manufacturing and insurance industries and public safety agencies need to study the points made by the advocacy organizations representing blind people. I think they are on to something that will be a bigger concern to the general public in the future.

If you are a cyclist, are you concerned about hybrid vehicles passing you when you are riding alone? How are you protecting yourself? Does this concern affect group rides as well? [ Subscription usually required to read articles in The Wall Street Journal ]

Posted by Dave Aiello at 11:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (1)

One of the more interesting articles I read this week was about The Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team's use of custom orthotics with all of its riders. They are using custom fit technologies from eSoles Custom Footbeds, a technology that has existed previously and has been used by a few elite pro cyclists. Discovery is apparently the first ProTour team to employ this technology for all of its riders.

eSoles uses laser digitization as part of their orthotics fit process. As a result, the company can reproduce orthotics multiple times. This is a major advantage over other orthotics production techniques such as plaster casting. eSoles also maintains a database of shoe patterns, so that they can build orthotics for multiple shoe types from one fitting.

It's hard to say exactly why DCPCT management elected to fit all of its riders with eSoles orthotics. The article claims that custom orthotics improve biomechanical efficiency and reduce fatigue. What we don't know from this article is whether all of the team members also have custom-made cycling shoes.

Hockey players have benefitted from custom-made skates for a long time. I had custom-made skates at RPI and those skates were significantly more comfortable and less fatiguing than the off-the-rack skates that I have worn in recent years. Do elite cyclists get the same performance boost from custom-made shoes as hockey players do? If the Discovery riders are all wearing custom-made shoes, what percentage of the enhanced efficiency and comfort come from the shoes, and what percentage would come from custom orthotics?

Posted by Dave Aiello at 10:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I just found out that Giro is planning to produce an authorized Livestrong Special Edition Atmos Cycling Helmet again for its 2007 model year. I love my Rudy Project Ayron Helmet, but the Livestrong Special Edition Atmos Helmet is one I'd wear in its place.

Giro will donate 5 percent of its proceeds from sale of these helmets to the Lance Armstrong Foundation.

I already added this to my Wishlist at Amazon.com, so many people in my family will see it even if they don't buy it for me. The Giro ® Atmos Livestrong Edition Helmet is also available at the Discovery Channel Store and all sizes are in stock at this writing.

Technorati Tags: Livestrong, Giro Atmos, bike gear, Christmas gifts, Hanukkah gifts

Posted by Dave Aiello at 1:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Wall Street Journal reports that quite a few Nintendo Wii owners are developing aches and pains as a result of playing Wii Sports (included with the Wii console), Rayman Raving Rabbids and other games that require a bit of physical exertion.

One of the more interesting aspects of the article is a link that the author posted to the Wii Experience Page, a collection of videos that show how volunteers reacted when confronted with playing Wii games for the first time.

I'd love to give some of these games a try, if only to see what a relatively well-conditioned person would experience after playing some of the movement-oriented games for a couple of hours. The big problem of course is, how do you get a Wii console for anything close to the list price?

I think the Wii is going to be a hit and will change the video game business because it's going to force competitors to include more movement in game play. Every movement-oriented game I've ever tried in arcades has been interesting. A few have been a real blast to play. I hope that we see more of these games in the future.

Technorati Tags: Wii, Nintendo Wii, Christmas gifts, Hanukkah gifts

Posted by Dave Aiello at 12:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Step2Play is a game controller for the Sony PlayStation
that requires a young gamer to exercise while playing.
[ Photo: Oceana Trading ]

The BBC reported over the weekend that a British company called Oceana Trading has released a line of video game accessories that can be used to require exercise from kids who want to play video games. The Step2Play is an accessory for the Sony PlayStation that replaces a standard game controlller with a combination stepper and game controller.

The Step2Play is designed for people who weigh less than 150 pounds (68 kg), so it's clearly aimed at the kid segment of the gaming market. It appears to be sturdily designed. The unit itself weighs 19.5 pounds (8.9 kg).

I did a quick search around the Internet today to see if I could locate a retailer who is selling the Step2Play in America. So far I haven't found one. The company (that uses the tradename GymKids for this product line) appears to be marketing Step2Play and other exercise-oriented video game controllers direct to customers in the UK via the Internet. I'm not certain whether they will ship these products to the USA or not.

I've seen comments around the Internet about the Step2Play to the effect that products like it are a regrettable reflection on the sedentary nature of our society. I think video game accessories that require a level of physical activity are a fine idea, particularly if kids are not participating in organized athletics or spending a lot of time outdoors.

On the other hand, if you are a parent and haven't found an athletic activity that your child likes, you should keep looking and trying new things. Don't use gadgets like the Step2Play as a crutch.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 1:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Wall Street Journal reported today that prices of high end bicycles were likely to increase in cost from 5% to 25% this Fall as a result of increases in the price of aircraft-grade alumnium, titanium, and carbon fiber. The pressure is coming from increased demand for these materials in the aerospace and defense industries.

According to the article, some manufacturers are trying to hold the cost of these materials down to their largest customers, while passing a disproportionately large part of the increased costs on to sporting goods manufacturers. Bicycle manufacturers are being hit hard, as are golf club, hockey, and lacrosse stick manufacturers, and recreational boat builders.

Bike manufacturer Serotta Competition Bicycles has reportedly increased the price of its bikes by 12% in calendar year 2006, mainly due to increase in materials costs. [ Subscription required to read most articles in The Wall Street Journal ]

Technorati Tags: Serotta bikes, road bikes, mountain bikes, fitness gadgets.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 7:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I don't know if this is true for you, but I always get more motivated to ride my bike during the Tour de France. I also worry a bit more about getting a flat or breaking my chain on the road because I don't have a team car following me.

BBC Sport published a nice review of basic bike maintenance that should be done on the compnents regularly. It's broken down into six categories:

• Cleaner (cleaning products to be used)
• Seat
• Handlebars
• Pedal
• Chain
• Wheel

I noticed that my rear wheel of my Trek 1500 was rubbing against the brake on my last ride, so I was worried that my wheel was getting out-of-true. This morning I checked it, found that the break assembly was pulled slightly to one side. This is easier to fix than it would be to true the wheel.

I gave my 1500 a long-overdue cleaning and lubed the chain, so I'm ready to ride today and over the weekend, if the opportunity presents itself. [ via LifeHacker ]

Technorati Tags: fitness gadgets, bike maintenance, Trek 1500.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 1:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

As a fitness gadget maniac, I'm not supposed to admit this, but... I occasionally make mistakes when it comes to handling my gear. My latest mistake was damaging the battery cover on the Polar Wearlink Transmitter that I use with my Polar S-725 Heart Rate Monitor. This occurred for two reasons:

1. I failed to follow the care and maintenance instructions for the Wearlink Transmitter. In particular, I didn't "Wash and dry your transmitter after use," as directed by Polar. This resulted in a build up of crud around the battery cover which made opening the cover extremely difficult.
2. I attempted to force the battery cover to turn and stripped the threads that should allow the battery cover to turn like a screw.

If I had followed the first direction, I'm sure I wouldn't have stripped the threads.

There's no reason why I couldn't have gotten a second year out of the Wearlink Transmitter other than my laziness. The battery is easily serviceable, whether you do it yourself or send it back to Polar for them to perform the service. I wanted to do the service myself this time, since I sent my Polar S-710 and T-61 Transmitter back for Polar Service last time and wanted to see if doing the work myself resulted in a less satisfying experience. Doing the battery replacement myself on the Polar Wearlink Transmitter has certainly been less satisfying so far.

I think the key to not having this happen in the future is to make sure that the back of the transmitter is cleaned at least once a week. The battery cover is a good place to use an old toothbrush and some soapy water and do a little light scrubbing to keep that dried sweat from building up and making that cover impossible to turn.

Another thing I'd recommend to do it yourselfers is find a coin that fits the Wearlink Transmitter battery cover when the unit is new. I tried a U.S. quarter, a screw driver head, and several other implements in a fruitless attempt to open the cover. I think I needed something thicker and larger than a quarter. Maybe an old 50-cent piece or a Canadian One Dollar or Two Dollar Coin. Your milage may vary.

Technorati Tags: Polar S-725, Polar Wearlink, fitness gadgets.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 9:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Nike and Apple team up to create
a running computer that consists of
a pair of shoes, a motion sensor, and
an iPod nano.
[ Photo: Apple Computer, Inc. ]

On my son's birthday, Nike and Apple announced a collaboration that will initially allow a pair of Nike running shoes to talk wirelessly to an iPod nano. Over the long run they hope to expand the product line to include more products that bring fitness and entertainment together.

I would have loved to be there for this announcement because it was held in New York and because Lance Armstrong and elite marathoner Paula Radcliffe participated. I wondered how long it would take for Lance Armstrong's involvement in the New York Marathon to result in a marketing opportunity for one of his long-time sponsors. I guess this is the first.

What's cool about the Nike+iPod Sport Kit is that it will only cost $29. Nike and Apple both have other high margin products to sell you if you like the idea of using your iPod as a running computer.

Converting the nano into a running computer is a radical departure from the approach that Polar and Adidas are taking to equipment integration, and a lot of pretty serious runners could be swayed by it.

Technorati Tags: iPod nano, Nike iPod, running computer, fitness gadgets, Lance Armstrong.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 4:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Our friends at Cool Tools pointed out the Xtracycle FreeRadical rear wheel extender kit. This is a well-designed conversion for old, well built mountain bikes and hybrids that can help you haul lots of heavy and bulky gear with it.

The FreeRadical is available in 26-inch and 700cc versions, depending on the size of your bike's wheels.

The manufacturers feel that the FreeRadical can make a bicycle a viable alternative to a car for many errands around town. I think this would work for me if I was really focused on saving money. I work out of a home office and the town I live in-- Newtown, PA-- is very compact. There are two supermarkets, a Staples, a Bed Bath and Beyond, and an old-fashioned hardware store within a mile and a half.

I think 75 percent of our household errands could be accomplished on a bike with a FreeRadical attachment on it. It would be interesting to give this a try sometime. I could easily make the modifications to my trusty old Marin Bear Valley SE. It would give the bike a new purpose in its semi-retirement.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 10:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Brad Feld's Treadputer: Venture capitalist
Brad Feld added a 3.2-GHz IBM ThinkCentre
to his Vision Fitness T9450HRT Treadmill.
This lets him get his runs in while he's on
conference calls. [ Photo: Brad Feld ].

Brad Feld is a managing director at Mobius Venture Capital based in Boulder, Colorado. He challenges himself by running marathons, and has set a goal of running a marathon in every state in the nation within the next 10 years.

Around the beginning of the year he and his coworkers built a "treadputer", a fitness club-quality treadmill with a big, fast Windows PC, and three 19-inch LCD displays.

The amazing aspect of Brad's story is that he finds he can use his PC while walking and running on this treadmill. According to the article:

It turns out that the Treadputer is highly functional when I’m running, which enables me to do some of my longer runs during the day while I’m on a call rather than having to get up at 5am to get them in before the day starts....

When we first assembled the Treadputer, {a co-worker} was skeptical that I would be able to read the screen while walking and assumed that reading while running would be impossible. While the three monitor setup helps a lot, it was surprisingly easy to read while walking or running. We’re running all three monitors at their standard 1280x1024 resolution and haven’t juiced up the font sizes.

Brad's article includes more details about his treadputer's configuration, and what he's learned about typing and mouse / trackball use. I found it quite interesting.

At least one other person bent on improving his life has built a treadputer. Walking Guy has begun a blog discussing his experiences building and using his treadputer. He says he began this quest because he needed to take off at least 40 pounds but was stuck in front of a computer 80 to 100 hours a week. He has his treadputer setup and has already gotten himself mentioned in the Lifehacker Coolest Workspace Contest.

I wonder how many more treadputer setups already exist, and how many will be built now that these articles have appeared on the Internet? I'll have to start looking for "bikeputer" articles as well.

Technorati Tags: fitness gadgets, treadputer.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 9:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Ever since I got my Trek 1500 at Christmas, I've been looking for a bike rack that supports more than two bikes and can handle a lot of biking-related gear as well. Until then, Kathleen and I were a two-bike family: I rode a rock-solid Marin Bear Valley SE that probably had 25,000 miles on it, and she has a late model Trek mountain bike that was also a great investment.

We still have these bikes and all of the gear that goes with them. Now I'm adding appropriate road biking accessories, and there's a lot of gear spread out in the garage and the basement.

The bike rack I have my eye on is the Delta Cezanne Bike Gear Rack. It's a free-standing rack that can hold as many as six bikes, but more realistically would hold four. This would leave the center free for equipment stored in the baskets and jerseys and clothing hung from the center.

The reason I would strongly consider putting the Delta Cezanne Bike Gear Rack in the basement is because it could be used for clothes storage. I don't like to run my biking jerseys and shorts through the dryer. It would be easy for me to take them out of the washer and hang them on hangers from the center of the rack. This would also mean that I could store all of the bikes near the work bench in the basement, which is also the most logical place to locate my repair stand.

An arrangement like this would improve the organization of the garage and the basement, giving me more room to store other things and one less excuse to ask my wife, "Where did I leave my Polar Wearlink transmitter last night?"

Technorati Tags: fitness gadgets, Delta Cezanne Bike Rack, Trek 1500, Marin Bear Valley SE, Polar HRM.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 6:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Kevin Ward asked:

Do you have any ideas on listening to the "Radio Tour" Channel, 450.8875 MHz at the Ford Tour de Georgia? I am going to try a NASCAR type scanner from Radio Shack. The scanner I have will also decode the CTCSS quiet code so that I can listen in to the team chat when the peleton gets close. My only concern is that they may {use} digital and not analog.

Race radio is the frequency on which race officials broadcast the current race conditions, including leaders, injuries, accidents, and mechanical problems. The media listens to race radio in cars and at the media center near the finish line of each stage of the race. Web sites where you can read updated race status, such as the VeloNews Tour de Georgia Event Ticker, transcribe information from race radio.

Kevin is correct that the race organizers have chosen 450.8875 MHz for their race announcements.

Kevin, I'm sure you'll be fine with the radio you are using. I've looked into this, and the radios recommended for this type of listening are scanners like the Uniden BC92XLT Bearcat Handheld Scanner. This scanner has 200-channel storage capacity, which would be ideal for NASCAR races where every team uses a different two-way radio channel and the Nextel Cup and Busch Series are racing in the same, confined location.

You will need a lot fewer channels to listen to the Tour de Georgia race radio and the chatter between riders and their team cars. Each team will probably choose a separate frequency for communication, so there will probably be less than 30 channels in use.

A couple of years ago, I mentioned that the U.S. Postal Service Cycling Team (now the Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team) used Alinco DJ-C5T two-way radios at the Tour de France. These are credit-card-sized radios that have transmit and receive capability. You can be sure that the riders are using similar radios to the DJ-C5T in the Tour de Georgia (maybe the DJ-C6E), but they will be tuned to frequencies that are legal for two-way communication in the United States.

Technorati Tags: Tour de Georgia, pro cycling, race radio, NASCAR, Nextel Cup, Busch Series.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 3:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Hincapie's Trek in Pieces: The bike was built up
from a Trek 5200, with carefully-selected
components designed to make riding
over cobblestones easier. [ Photo: AFP via
VeloNews ]

TDFblog.com has an excellent report on Sunday's Paris-Roubaix Cycling Race. This race, often referred to by the nickname "Hell of the North", was exactly that for Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team rider George Hincapie. He crashed twice during the race, including a spectacular crash when the handle bars on his bike broke away from the front fork.

Frank Steele of TDFblog did some good research. He found a CyclingNews.com interview with Scott Daubert of Trek that discussed the bike Hincapie used in Paris-Roubaix. The bike was built up from a Trek 5200 with a number of special components. The steerer that broke was an anodized alumnium Bontrager model similar to the steerer on my new Trek 1500. The fork was an OCLV carbon fork similar to those Trek uses on high-end commuter bikes, but with "dimensions that are appropriate for Roubaix".

Trek issued a statement through ThePaceline.com announcing that it would investigate Hincapie's two Paris-Roubaix crashes by "bringing the fork and the bike back to the United States where they will receive a thorough evaluation."

After seeing the second crash on OLN, I can't believe that Trek feels that they need to reassure the cycling community about the integrity of their products. In non-race conditions, anytime a bike hits the pavement, it should be completely inspected for hidden damage. The accident which ended George Hincapie's 2006 Paris-Roubaix was almost certainly the result of damage from his first crash that could have been identified if he had stopped and changed to a backup bike.

I can certainly understand that Hincapie wanted to stay with the leaders after his first crash, and couldn't have known that his bike was as damaged as it was prior to the second crash. It's unfortunate that Trek has to defend itself this strenuously when one of its bikes is pushed beyond its limits. [ Free registration required to read articles on ThePaceline.com ]

Posted by Dave Aiello at 1:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

For years I've been a big Polar heart rate monitor fan. My Polar S-725x rides on the handlebars of my Trek 1500 everyday. But, recently, I've been looking at the Garmin Edge 305HR+ and I really think that it has a lot of potential as an alternative to pure cycling computers like the Polar CS200cad.

The Garmin Edge 305 is a feature-packed device with a large display. It includes a high sensitivity GPS receiver that's supposed to be a huge improvement over the early Garmin Forerunner fitness gadgets, a chest strap-based heart rate monitor, and speed and cadence sensors that you mount on your bike frame.

Garmin Training Center Software, which is their training journal product continues to improve. It's looking more and more like Polar Precision Performance Software plus basic GPS routing. My Garmin fitness gadget is a Forerunner 201, so I didn't get this version of Garmin Training Center with it, but I think I'm going to upgrade so I can do a head-to-head comparison of it with PPP.

I prefer wrist-mountable fitness gadgets because I participate in duathlons and officiate a lot of hockey, but if I were a bike-only athlete, I'd absolutely compare the Garmin Edge products to the Polar CS cycling computers.

Product Options: The Edge 305 is also available in an HRM-only model, the Garmin Edge 305HR, and a speed and cadence-only model, the Garmin Edge 305CAD.

Technorati Tags: Garmin Edge 305, Polar CS200, Garmin Training Center, Polar Precision Performance, fitness gadgets, cycling computers

Posted by Dave Aiello at 10:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Janus Sandsgaard of Machine Culture emailed me on Friday to point out that Polar Precision Performance Software has been updated to add the following new features:

• Double-clicking on day row opens the Diary to Daily details page.
• Week count extended to max. 20 (Calendar Properties – General – Number of Weeks)
• Entire day note text shown if there are no exercises for the day.
• Team name added to Quick user switch member name list. (Shown only if Coach login is on.)
• Sending data from one day is now possible.
• Plus a number of fixes for bugs that popped up in previous version.

Polar Precision Performance Software has been my favorite training log software for a long time. (To find out why, read Why Training Log Software is One of The Most Important Features of a Fitness Gadget from December 2003.) I think PPP has remained relevant over the last three years because Polar keeps enhancing it. I strongly recommend that all Polar AXN and S-Series HRM users upgrade as soon as possible. [ Thanks Janus! ]

Posted by Dave Aiello at 3:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Genuine Innovations Deluxe Tire Repair &
Inflation Wallet: A handy set of bike tire repair
tools if you need a CO2 pump.
[ Image: Amazon.com ]

Cool Tools pointed out a neat set of bike tire repair tools called the Genuine Innovations Deluxe Tire Repair & Inflation Wallet. For about 25 bucks, you get:

• an Ultraflate Plus CO2 cartridge-based bike tire inflator,
• three 16g non threaded CO2 refill cartridges,
• a small bike tire patch kit,
• a 3.5 x 4.5" nylon bag with a zipper

All of this fits in your bike seat bag. The Ultraflate works with Schrader or Presta-valved tires.

Genuine Innovations has a broad line of tire repair kits for cycling as well as Motorcross and ATV that's available directly through their website. Their products are also available at dealers throughout North America.

I think these kits represent a good value if you're buying accessories for a friend or relative getting a new bike. Most people don't realize that they're going to need all of these tools when they first purchase their bikes. It only takes one flat to make you realize that you need a complete set of tools with you on every ride and you need to know how to use them.

Technorati Tags: Ultraflate, CO2 bike tire inflator

Posted by Dave Aiello at 3:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Richard Pestes reviewed the VDO MC 1.0 + Altimeter, a bike computer that includes an altimeter and thermometer. This is a high end bike computer which includes altimeter and thermometer features, but doesn't include a heart rate monitor or PC connectivity.

VDO MC 1.0 + Altimeter With everything from actual gradient to total altitude for all trips, this computer is designed to give you a complete topographical look at all your rides, as well as all the pertinent speed and trip data. See Performancebike.com for a complete list of functions and features. Wireless. 70cm range.

I personally prefer bike computers like the Polar CS200 or the Polar S725x. These Polar models have built-in heart rate monitors and infared PC connectivity. This means that they can be used with fitness tracking applications like Polar Precision Peformance Software or data can be sent to a coach via email for analysis.

Lots of people don't need or want this much analytical capability. They want to know how fast they are going, how far they've ridden, how steep the climb is that they're on at the moment. The VDO MC1.0+ is perfect for this.

I thought Richard Pestes review of the MC1.0+ was very good. He clearly likes this computer, since it's the one he has ridden with daily for the last two years. According to the review, he used it on his ride of the Stelvio in Italy in May 2005.

I think the VDO MC1.0+ is a well-built, compact bike computer that makes a lot of sense if you want to see all of the important trip related data during your ride. It's not going to satisfy real data junkies, or people who want HRM or GPS capability, but there are many other choices if you want those capabilities.

Technorati Tags: VDO MC1.0, Polar S725x, Polar CS200, gadgets, fitness gadgets, bike computers, heart rate monitors, GPS

Posted by Dave Aiello at 8:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Jackson Proflex Skate Boot: A first step
toward better figure skating biomechanics?
[ Photo: Jackson Ultima Skates ]

I was really surprised at Peter Waldman's page one article in today's Wall Street Journal called Figure Skaters Blame Boot Design for Injury Plague. The article points out the number of severe orthopedic injuries that have occurred since the International Skating Union removed compulsory figures from major competitions in 1990.

Many elite-level participants in figure skating blame the lack of innovation in the design of figure skates for the increase in chronic injuries. They say that equipment improvements have failed to keep pace with the increasingly acrobatic nature of the sport. The article says, "The force generated from a typical skating jump equals eight to 10 times the skater's body weight.... Because figure skates allow minimal ankle flex, skaters land on the ice on their heels, absorbing the impact in their knees, hips and spine."

Designs that allow figure stakers to flex their ankles forward and backward have existed since at least 1995, but only one manufacturer has adopted them, Jackson Ultima Skates. Ultima ProFlex Boots have been used by Alissa Czisny, Amanda Evora, and Mark Ladwig in international competitions.

Waldman goes on to allege that Nike passed on the opportunity to invest in safer skate technology for figure skating, citing the small market for figure skating gear. Representatives of Jackson Ultima Skates say that the U.S. Olympic Committee passed on an opportunity to fund research because none of the manufacturers in the industry would agree to limit distribution of skate technology resulting from their investment to American athletes.

I'm most involved in ice hockey, mountain biking, and road cycling. I believe that the national and international organizing bodies of those sports are committed to athlete safety. I'm amazed that the organizations that play similar roles in the sport of figure skating have not acted in the same way. Figure skating may need the attention it gets on television from the acrobatic jumps that elite athletes can do. However, too many elite figure skaters are paying a price in terms of chronic orthopedic injuries for the issue to be ignored.

Thank you to The Wall Street Journal for bringing this to the attention of sports fans around the world. [ Subscription required to read most articles in The Wall Street Journal. ]

Posted by Dave Aiello at 2:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Garmin is about to release the Garmin Forerunner 305, one of it's third-generation GPS-enabled fitness computers. The 305 differs from the Garmin Forerunner 205 in that the 305 includes heart rate monitor functions.

I haven't recommended the Forerunner 300 series in the past because I thought the Forerunner 301 (the predecessor to the 305) was less functional than fitness computers like the Polar S625x which can be used as a running or cycling computer with the proper accessories. The Polar S625x doesn't have GPS capabilities, but it does have a footpod for running speed and distance, and can use speed, cadence, and power sensors attached to a bicycle.

The major new feature of the Forerunner 305 is, in my opinion, the ability to interface with the Garmin GSC 10 wireless cycling speed and cadence sensor. This brings the Forerunner 305 into the same league as many of the Polar S-Series Heart Rate Monitors. Now the Forerunner 305 is a viable alternative to these Polar computers, if you do not already own a heart rate monitor.

Improvements in the 305 in comparison to the Forerunner 301 are the same as those discussed in the Forerunner 205 preview article on Operation Gadget:

• More compact, watch-like design,
• More sensitive GPS receiver,
• USB interface,
• Customizable screens.

The big issue with the 305 in my opinion is the current price. Is it worth a list price of $376 (which is already discounted somewhat by Amazon.com and others)? I can't be sure until I use one. I want to use it the way I use my Polar S625x, and log my workouts into Garmin's Training Center Software. Until I see how it stacks up against my favorite fitness gadget, the jury is still out.

Technorati Tags: Garmin Forerunner 305, Garmin Forerunner 301, Polar S625x, gadgets, fitness gadgets, heart rate monitors, GPS

[ via Machine Culture ]

Posted by Dave Aiello at 2:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Garmin is about to release the Garmin Forerunner 205, part of the third generation of its GPS-enabled fitness computers. I've owned a Garmin Forerunner 201 for a long time and I love it. It's part of my cycling dashboard and I used it to map the course of the 2004 Tour of Hope DC Fundraising Ride, so I'm definitely going to recommend that you check it out.

The key features of the Forerunner 205 that are huge improvements over the 201 are:

• More compact, watch-like design,
• More sensitive GPS receiver,
• USB interface,
• Customizable screens.

I prefer the Forerunner 200-series (GPS-enabled fitness gadgets without heart rate monitor capabilities) because I also swear by my Polar S625x Heart Rate Monitor. As I said in the article Why Training Log Software is One of The Most Important Features of a Fitness Gadget, Polar Precision Performance software is just outstanding. Polar Electro keeps upgrading it and adding features. The Garmin software called Training Center has also improved a lot, but has not yet passed Precision Performance in my opinion. That's why the Polar S625x and the Garmin Forerunner 201 often ride together on my handle bars.

Technorati Tags: Garmin Forerunner 205, Garmin Forerunner 201, Polar S625x, gadgets, fitness gadgets, heart rate monitors, GPS

[ via Machine Culture ]

Posted by Dave Aiello at 1:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (1)

Janus Sandsgaard of Machine Culture pointed out that Adidas and Polar have released another video touting the forthcoming Fusion line of performance apparel and fitness gadgets. They include:

• Adidas adiStar Fusion Apparel which provides built-in fasteners for a Polar WearLink Transmitter.
• Adidas adiStar Fusion Running Shoe which accepts a Polar S3 Stride Sensor into its Torsion Midfoot structure.
• Polar RS800 Running Computer which looks like a hybrid of the Polar S625x and one of their adventure sports models, like the Polar AXN 500. The RS800 looks like the slimmest Polar running computer to date.

These produces have been under development for a long time. Polar and Adidas published press releases introducing the Fusion line in August 2005. I don't know when we will see these products in the USA, but I hope that they will start appearing during the 2006 running season.

Technorati Tags: Project Fusion, Polar, Adidas, gadgets, fitness gadgets, heart rate monitors

Posted by Dave Aiello at 1:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Expresso Fitness Spark: Where do I sign up to use
one of these stationary bikes during my upcoming
physical therapy? [ Image: Expresso Fitness ]

Walter Mossberg and Katherine Boehret of The Wall Street Journal take on a stationary bike review in Test-Riding a $5,000 Indoor Bike in the latest The Mossberg Solution column. The bike they reviewed for this article is the Expresso Fitness Spark, a new stationary bike designed for the kind of workload that it would experience in a high end health club. The Spark also incorporates some really sophisticated multimedia training courses, which can be updated remotely by Expresso Fitness through the built-in wireless Internet router.

I would normally take reviews like this with a grain of salt, but I was particularly drawn to this article by the following passage:

Most of its courses would be far too difficult and strenuous, and highly discouraging, for the average, out-of-shape users who need it the most. The Spark seems to have been designed by and for athletic bicycling enthusiasts who we assume would rather be outside on real bikes most of the year.

OK, I'd love to try it now. Too bad I have a broken leg.

The Expresso Fitness Spark has a lot of features that I would want if I were buying a high end stationary bike:

• 17-inch LCD display,
• Intel Pentium P4-based computer system with premium video card and built-in TV tuner,
• Polar WearLink compatibility,
• multiple resistance gears,
• water resistant membrane keyboard separate from the LCD display

I think the Expresso Spark is ready-made for use by serious athletes who take advantage of remote coaching from organizations like Carmichael Training Systems because it includes features like uploading workout results to Expresso. When you combine this feature with the Spark's TiVo-like firmware update mechanism, you can bet that Expresso will offer remote coaching interfaces at some point in the future.

Regarding the courses they could build for the Expresso Spark in the future, my mind goes wild. They would sell more than one of these bikes to every high end fitness club in Europe if they included an Alpe d'Huez tour. For the less fit riders, how about a tour that replicates the end of the last stage of the Tour de France from The Eiffel Tour to the Champs-Elysees?

I agree with Walter Mossberg that I'd rather be riding my Trek 1500 most of the time-- particularly this winter because of how mild it has been. But if had the money and I was committed to doing an Ironman, especially if I was paying for remote coaching, or if I ran a sports medicine facility or a high end fitness center, I'd definitely be in the market for an Expresso Spark.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 9:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I picked up my Trek 1500 a week ago and so far I've ridden it 71.2 miles (115 km). That's a lot of riding when you consider that I live in the Northeastern United States and it's the last week of December.

I love the way the Trek 1500 rides. It's a lot easier to get moving than any other bike I've ridden. It's also very maneuverable and feels rock solid underneath me. It's hard to believe I'm riding 700x25 tires.

I rode 48.3 miles in the last two days on two of my favorite routes: the 23-mile Newtown-New Hope Route that I spoke about in an article about pre-Tour of Hope training back in October and The East Windsor-Millstone Route that I used to prepare for the 2004 Bristol-Myers Squibb Tour of Hope. These are great routes but they are hard to ride in windy conditions, and it's been pretty windy around here in the last few days.

I've been looking for noticeable time differences between the rides on the Trek 1500 and rides over the same routes on my Marin Bear Valley SE. I haven't seen anything significant so far. There are probably two reasons for this:

1. I haven't been riding much since the ice hockey regular season started. I've officiated 58 games since Labor Day and I haven't ridden much as a result. (I think my officiating last season also complemented my cycling more than it has this year, mainly because the role of referee requires more endurance and continuous motion than does my current role as an assistant referee / linesman.)
2. I hardly ever ride in such windy conditions during the main cycling season. On December 27, I experienced northwest winds of 22 miles per hour with gusts up to 30. Yesterday there was less wind: it was from the south at 13 miles per hour with gusts up to 16.

Right before Christmas I got a call from Cecil Ledesma, my friend who rode with me in the 2004 Tour of Hope. He wanted to know how I felt about riding the Trek 1500 and at the time, I had only ridden about 7 miles on it. Now that I've ridden over 70, I think that this bike is fantastic. It will help me to get to the next level in terms of my cycling training.

I'm planning to go back to Jay's Cycles next week for a more exact bike fitting. I also want to make sure that the bike is properly adjusted, particularly in terms of the brakes, shifters, and derailleurs.

Technorati Tags: Trek 1500, road bike, Tour of Hope, cycling, Trek, Christmas gifts

Posted by Dave Aiello at 5:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Trek 1500 Road Bike: Members of my
family contributed to a fund so I could
get this bike for a combined birthday
and Christmas gift. [ Photo: Trek Bicycle
Corporation ]

One reason that you haven't heard much from me in the last few days is that I've been shopping for a new road bike to ride in the 2006 cycling season. If you've read Operation Gadget for a while, you probably know that I like to participate in endurance cycling events and occasional duathlons, and I trained extensively for the 2005 Bristol-Myers Squibb Tour of Hope Washington DC Fundraising Ride.

As the events I've trained for involve more mileage, it's become increasingly clear that I needed to switch from a mountain bike to a road bike. My wife Kathleen decided that this year was the best opportunity we would have for some time to get a good road bike for me, so she told my friends and family that she was starting Dave's Road Bike Fund and invited them to contribute to it for my birthday and Christmas.

I didn't know anything about this, so I was loading up my wishlist at Amazon.com with a Video iPod and accessories for it.

When the surprise was sprung on me three weeks ago, my initial reaction was: Oh boy, now I can get an iPod and a road bike. Reality set in when I looked at how much money I would need to buy both without making significant compromises in iPod capacity or road bike performance.

I decided to buy a Trek 1500, the top-of-the line model in their Alpha Aluminum line. The suggested retail price of this bike is $1150 and I paid somewhat less than that at the dealer I chose, Jay's Cycles in Princeton, NJ. Trek makes a lot more expensive bikes, but, I felt that the 1500 was a good combination of price and performance for someone making the transition from mountain to road biking at my skill and training level.

I also want to say that my decision to purchase a Trek was heavily influenced by my experience covering the Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team during 2005. My friend Bruce Turner from AMD put me in touch with some people at Trek like Michael Sagan who really believe in the products they make. I was able to learn a bit about Trek's design approach for pro-caliber bikes, embodied in the F-One partnership with other Discovery Team sponsors, and how that's improved Trek's bikes that I can afford. I felt that the 1500 was the right bike for me at this point in my life-- the full carbon fiber bikes will have to wait.

I'm planning to pick up my new bike tomorrow and I hope to be able to post some up-close photos of it within a few days. I rode it for about 10 minutes before I bought it, but I'm hoping for good weather, strong sun, and light winds one day before Christmas so I can get a longer ride in and post an article about the experience.

Technorati Tags: Trek 1500, Video iPod, road bike, Tour of Hope, cycling, Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team, Trek, AMD, Christmas gifts

Posted by Dave Aiello at 11:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (2)

Toy Wishes Magazine has released its ever-popular Hot Dozen Toys for 2005. This list is intended to forecast which toys will be the most popular during the 2005 holidays. We can safely assume that if the magazine is correct, many of them will also become hard to find in stores at some point in the near future.

Dora's Talking Kitchen: One of my
favorites on the Toy Wishes Hot
Dozen Holiday List. Product photos
courtesy of Amazon.com.

The Hot Dozen List includes (in alphabetical order):

• Black Belts Karate Home Studio DVD: an inexpensive active play set with a video component.
• Dora's Talking Kitchen; My wife Kathleen says that the kitchen play set at her pediatrics office is the most popular toy in the waiting room.
• Fly Wheels Assortment; Couldn't figure out which toy this was, so I'm recommending the Fly Wheels Rapid Fire Launcher for the moment.
• Furby: an electronic friend that comes in multiple color combinations.
• iDog: an electronic dog that dances to music that's being played in the room. Accessories are also available.
• iZ: an interesting combination of cartoon character, speaker for music playback, and music mixing tool. You change the beat of the music by twisting iZ's ears and pressing on his belly.
• Leapster L-Max Learning System: portable version of Leapster learning system. Requires new games, available separately. Works in conjunction with TV, if connected.
• The Magnetix MagnaWorld Series: lead by Magnetix MagnaWorld City. MagnaWorld Clock Tower, MagnaWorld Magna Central, Rescue Center, and Airport also available.
• Pixel Chix: including Pixel Chix Cottage House, Beverly Hills House, and Miami Loft. Interesting electronic house simulators. Kids interact with a Pixel Chix Pal, paying attention to the Pal in order to keep advancing in the game; Ignore and Pixel Chix Pal moves out.
• Shell Shocker Radio Controlled Toy: a toy with a "bio-mechanical design" that can shift from a rolling bowling-ball type shape to a reptillian-looking robot and back. Requires a Tyco Pro Flexpak Battery and Charger and a 9-volt battery, which adds to the cost.
• VCam Now: digital camera / video camera designed for kids. Holds 480 pictures or 7 minutes of video.
• V-Smile Pocket: portable version of V Smile-- a 2004 favorite. Uses the same cartridges as the bigger unit, potentially a big savings.

VTech V-Smile Pocket:
Little brother of the V-Smile Learning
System, which was a big hit in 2004.

If the 2004 Hot Dozen list was heavy with electronics, the list is overloaded in 2005. There are only two toys on this list that don't have a big electronic component: Black Belts Karate Home Studio DVD (also available in VHS) and the Magnetics MagnaWorld Series. I bought a set of Magnetix building toys for my nephew, Ben, a year or two ago, and I really wish they had been around when I was a kid, because they're fun to build with.

Last year, Operation Gadget readers bought a lot of VTech V-Smile, a video game-based learning system for preschoolers. In my opinion, this either means that V-Smile Pocket will be a similar hit, or it will be a dud. VTech has a strong lineup of add-on cartridges compatible with both devices based on Winnie the Pooh, Mickey and Friends, and the Little Mermaid. If these cartridges are entertaining as well as educational, I'm sure parents and grandparents will buy them, and many hours of fun will be had by all.

I'm concerned that the mix of electronic and non-electronic products in the Hot Dozen has tilted too far toward the electronics this year. Will there be hits in the non-electronic genre this year, in spite of the lack of attention? What do you think?

Technorati Tags: Hot Dozen, Toy Wishes Magazine, Christmas gifts, Hanukkah gifts

Posted by Dave Aiello at 4:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (2)

I started researching sound isolating earphones that are placed in the ear canal because so many of my friends are dissatisfied with the earphones that came with their iPods and wanted to know more about the earphones that are considered better. Through this investigation, I found that aftermarket earphones are available at a wide-variety of prices. There's also some serious disagreement about which models are the best available today.

I want to start out by reporting that CNET awarded the Shure E4c it's Editors' Choice in the category. They said:

The Shure E4c headphones represent an evolutionary advance in Shure's popular in-ear E series. They feature a new Tuned Port Technology, which enhances the tiny earphones' bass response by improving airflow around the driver. The E series' earpluglike designs block background noise so that you can listen at lower volumes in noisy trains, buses, and planes. And unlike noise-canceling headphones, the E4cs don't rely on batteries to power their hushing abilities.

The Tuned Port Technology is why I would pick the Shure E4c Earphones over the Shure E3c Earphones that were recently touted by Russell Beattie. If you read his comments, you'll see he's using them as a concentration aid when he's in the office:

I *am* a professional office worker, and I'll tell you right now, these are *the* headphones to have in that sort of environment where there's any sort of constant noise and interuptions. I pop them in, and bam, I’m in a cone of silence, perfect for concentrating and thinking (which is what knowledge workers are supposed to do, right?).... Three people can literally be having a loud conversation in front of you, and you hear nothing except your Vivaldi played at a comfortable low volume. It's like having a virtual office that you can take with you anywhere: Put the headphones on, and bam, perfect silence and privacy.

These aren't the earphones I'd want for daily use. I use earphones with Kathleen's iPod in a home office environment and I need to hear background noise. The Shure E4c and E3c are definitely not appropriate for outdoor exercise of any kind because of that "cone of silence". Whether these earphones can be safely used when doing yard work or operating walk-behind machinery is your call.

If sound isolating earphones make sense for your uses, you should check out CNET's Shure E4c review and Russell's E3c review to help you decide which sound isolating earphones to purchase. Also note that Shure makes an even more professional version, the Shure E5c.

Technorati Tags: Shure E4c, Shure E3c, Shure E5c, iPod

Posted by Dave Aiello at 12:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Chris Brewer wrote an article on The Paceline about following the Bristol-Myers Squibb Tour of Hope National Team during Day 7 of their ride across the United States. The most interesting part of this article for Operation Gadget readers is Chris' description of the communications technology that Trek Travel has implemented to keep the Tour of Hope in contact with itself and the rest of the world:

It was a unique experience to witness the behind-the-scenes action from the CentCom {Tour of Hope command vehicle} perspective. Trek Travel makes sure that a fresh driver is piloting every vehicle each stage, and then several Trek Travel / Carmichael Training Systems managers take alternate shifts coordinating each stage's transition and execution. For the CentCom staff it's all about communication involving 2 cell phones, 1 satellite phone, 2 close-range radios, a GPS messaging system, and a laptop computer with a GPS mapping system. Add in numerous documents, route guides, maps, etc. and the Centcom staff is in-touch and in constant operational management mode around the clock.

Carmichael Training Systems also deserves a lot of credit for how smoothly the Tour of Hope National Ride has gone so far.

Technorati Tags: Tour of Hope

Posted by Dave Aiello at 7:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Kathleen hasn't been feeling too good in the past few days, but on the way home from our weekend trip to visit friends in Boston, she planned my week leading up to Saturday's Bristol-Myers Squibb Tour of Hope Baltimore to DC Fundraising Ride. She told me, "You have to ref on Wednesday night, so you need to do your long route on Tuesday and Thursday this week in order to be ready for Saturday."

This was going to be a challenge for the following reasons:

1. At work, Weblog Improvement, I'm very close to finishing a major new weblog for Chris Nolan, a journalist based in San Francisco, and her co-bloggers.
2. On the bike, I've had equipment problems lately {flat tire, chain problems} that the folks at Newtown Bicycle and Fitness have been helping me work out.
3. Due to a combination of a lot of things, I haven't ridden my 23-mile route since August 14. Instead I've been riding mainly 10 to 15 mile routes right around Newtown.

All along my route today, I was worried about making the cutoff time for the 50-mile ride on Saturday. Over the 50-mile course, we have to maintain a speed of 14 miles per hour. I finished my 23-mile ride today in 1 hour 32 minutes 46 seconds at an average speed of 15.4 miles per hour.

Performance Forte Team MTB Pedal Mud-shedding alloy body, dual-sided entry, dual-force retention spring with adjustable entry/release tension. 4 degrees float. Compatible with Shimano SPD cleats. Wt: 370g/pr.

What I found most interesting about my ride today was that I shaved 10 minutes off my best time this Summer and I haven't been riding this distance as often as I should. The best explanation I can come up with for this success is my vastly improved equipment. I believe we're seeing the first indication of how much Performance Forte Team MTB Clipless Pedals and Perl Izumi Vagabond II MTB Shoes improve my riding. That 10 minute savings is between 10 and 11 percent of my previous ride time. That's pretty huge when you consider that the cost of that improvement was only about $80.

Read on for some information about my 23-mile training route and why it's probably more intense than either half of the Baltimore to DC Fundraising Ride that I'm doing on Saturday.

Technorati Tags: Tour of Hope

Continue reading "23-Mile Pre-Tour of Hope Ride Proves the Value of Inexpensive Bike Upgrades" »

Posted by Dave Aiello at 11:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Qualcomm has contributed its OmniTRACS fleet location network technology to the 2005 Tour of Hope National Ride. Here's an example of the kind of up-to-date progress map you can get to follow the National Team:

Tour of Hope National Ride Current Location Map: Uses Qualcomm OmniTRACS Fleet Location Network and Google Maps to display the current location of the Tour of Hope National Team. This image is was current on September 30, 2005 in the early afternoon, when the team was southwest of Phoenix, Arizona. [ Image: Tour of Hope ]

That's a really cool use of GPS technology!

If you're interested in keeping an eye on the National Team's progress across the country, visit http://tourofhope.org/ride/2005_national_route/current_location_map.htm.

When you visit that page, use the controls on the map to zoom out at least two or three zoom levels. I did this before I took the screen shot of the map showing Greater Phoenix. I doubt that most people will be able to identify the location of the National Team at the default zoom level.

I was shocked when I saw this map, because it looks so similar to the map I produced of the 50-mile Baltimore-DC Fundraising Ride Course a few weeks ago. I'm glad to see that we're employing state of the art technology.

Technorati Tags: Tour of Hope

Posted by Dave Aiello at 1:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Last week I took advantage of a great sale and bought a pair of Peformance Forte Team Mountain Bike Pedals and Pearl Izumi Vagabond Mountain II cleated shoes from Performance Bike. Up to now, I've been riding with pedals that have toe clips on them, which I knew was taking away from my biomechanical efficiency.

Performance Forte Team MTB Pedal Mud-shedding alloy body, dual-sided entry, dual-force retention spring with adjustable entry/release tension. 4 degrees float. Compatible with Shimano SPD cleats. Wt: 370g/pr.

I've wanted to make the switch for a long time, but I've always been concerned about the process of acclimating myself to clicking my shoes into pedals that act very much like ski bindings. When I use toe clips, it's easy to pull my feet off the pedals. The clipless pedals, however, require you to turn your foot at the heel so that the cleat on the bottom of the shoe rotates and clicks out of the binding mechanism. You have to do this at a point in the pedal rotation where you have little or no weight on the pedal you are trying to detach from. You can fall if you fail to detach your foot properly.

I installed the pedals yesterday, put on the shoes, and rode around on the grass in my back yard, trying to master the process of clicking my shoes in and out of the pedals. I only fell once.

Today I went on my first long ride with the shoes and pedals. I rode 15.6 miles in 1 hour 6 minutes 7 seconds. I don't think I've been this nervous on a bike since I was a kid. The sensation of having my feet locked to the pedals didn't feel too weird while I was riding at a normal speed, but at times when I was braking and I needed to put my foot on the ground I felt a momentary sense of panic. This happened two or three times on the ride-- but I didn't crash.

I now realize why so many road bikers break collarbones while riding. They get themselves locked into their pedals and have difficulty getting out of them in emergency situations that call for deft bike handling.

I need to do much more riding over the next two weeks. If I'm able to do it, I'm sure I'll lose the nervousness I feel before I ride in The Tour of Hope Washington DC Fundraising Ride.

Technorati Tags: Tour of Hope

Posted by Dave Aiello at 5:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Runner's World Magazine published a guide to picking an MP3 player written by Gizmodo editor John Biggs. Conspicuous in its absense from this guide is the iPod nano, but not a surprise due to the fact that the review was written for a "dead trees" publication. Of real surprise, however, is the number of MP3 players that disappeared from the market before the story was printed.

Among the other products mentioned:

• Flash-based players:
  • Apple iPod Shuffle 512MB, everyone's bargain choice unless you want the extra capacity of the iPod Shuffle 1G model.
  • Oregon Scientific MP120, includes an FM tuner.
• Hard disk-based players:
  • Mio 269, a mobile 96MB GPS system with MP3 player built in. Super expensive at well over $500 no matter where you get it, but really cool looking and possibly useful.
  • Rio Karma. Gone. The Rio player line was folded back in late August by its owner D&M Holdings. My advice is not to buy it.
  • iPod mini. Gone. Replaced by the iPod nano. I wouldn't buy an iPod mini now. The iPod nano is clearly a better device IMHO, even if it's slightly smaller in capacity.

The article also provides tips that I figured out on my own:

1. When rain is a possibility, put your portable electronics in a Ziplock bag before riding or running.
2. Don't hold a hard disk based MP3 player in your hand. This must be a tip for people that have never even borrowed an MP3 player from a friend to try it out during exercise.

I had hoped for better when I saw it was written by John Biggs, but he's a slave to the publication's lead time, so the lack of timeliness that plagues this guide is really not his fault.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 10:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Richard Pestes of PezCycling News published an article about his experience riding the Time Trial course at the Tour of Germany (DeutscheTour) through a program called Giant Tour. Giant Bicycles apparently has a huge presence in Germany, in part because it is the bicycle sponsor of the T-Mobile Professional Cycling Team. Pestes said:

The coolest part of the Giant Tour is that regular Joe’s can sign up to ride a stage race, on closed roads – the same routes used by the DeutschTour - with police escorts, electronic timing, hot showers, hot food, roadside fans, and the feel of what it’s like to be a real pro racer. The stages run on the second half of each day’s DeutschTour route, and if you’re too slow – there’s a broom wagon to sweep you up.

Media covering the DeutscheTour who were up for a challenge got to ride team-issue bikes. Pestes' was the same Time Trial bike as the T-Mobile team raced in the 2004 Tour de France.

Check out the article. It has a lot of good photos of the bike he rode. I'm jealous.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 10:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Dave Mabe has published a couple of articles on compiling race maps by taking GPS tracklogs, processing them, and running the resulting data file through the Google Maps API. The articles are:

• Automated Running Logs using Google Maps
• Course Map using the Google Maps API

Looks like he's getting a lot of ideas from the Mapping Hacks book published by O'Reilly. I saw this book in a local Barnes & Noble the other day and I definitely want a copy. I just don't have time to work through all the interesting recipies in it right now.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 10:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

VeloACE: An Open Source Bike
Computer System for PalmOS.
For when you absolutely
want to have your bike
speedometer be a PDA.
[ Image: Mark Hammerling ]

Sammy and the other folks over at PalmAddict don't normally scoop us on fitness gadget news, but you'll see why they did in a moment. One of their readers tipped them off to VeloACE, an open source bike computer software project for the PalmOS.

I think this is an interesting proof of concept, but I honestly have no idea what would motivate a cyclist to use this program unless he or she was also the biggest Palm geek in the world. I can't imagine mounting a Palm IIIx or Palm IIIxe to my bike handle bars as suggested, then installing a wired wheel sensor. The late model Palm's aren't water-resistant by any stretch of the imagination.

I think it's amazing that someone wrote a bike computer PalmOS application. It certainly illustrates the bredth of third-party software offerings for Palm handhelds, but a solution like this belongs in Make.

I realize that a program like this is going to intrigue some people. If you're interested in comparing VeloACE's feature set to the kind of technology available in gadgets designed from the outset to be used as bike computers, check out these devices:

• Polar S625x: more of a running computer than a bike computer. Includes a heart rate monitor wrist receiver and chest transmitter, training log software for a PC, and a weather-resistant foot pod for measuring running distances. Add a Polar Cycling Speed Sensor and a Polar Bike Mount Kit and you've got a computer suitable for running or biking.
• Garmin Forerunner 301: a GPS-based biking or running computer that includes a heart rate monitor. Great for creating maps of training runs and rides. Also includes training log software. Get the Garmin Forerunner 201 if you don't need/want the HRM.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 10:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Velo'v Grand Lyon is a bike rental network in Lyon, France. Wired News published a great little article about the system works and how technology is being used to try to ensure that it stays solvent.

To use Velo'v in Lyon, you have to make a €150 deposit via check or credit card. This allows you to go to one of the stations and borrow a bike. If you don't return the bike to a station within 24 hours, the deposit is forfeited. The bikes themselves are loaded with sensors that help make the system as automatic as possible.

The owners of this system are JCDecaux, a French company that is primarily in the advertising business in the USA. They are most prominent in a business they refer to as Street Furniture: everything from signs on city streets displaying information to bus shelters.

I have no illusions of this type of bike rental system working in most cities in the United States, but the design of this system seems unique and is certainly worth reading about. [ via Engadget ]

Posted by Dave Aiello at 9:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Heart Rate Chart from Training Log: Here is the heart
rate chart for a game I refereed in the Chicago
Showcase. Click on the chart to see a larger view.
[ Image: Polar Precision Performance Software ]

See more Chicago Showcase exercise data in the
Operation Gadget Photo Gallery.

Regular readers of Operation Gadget know that I was on the ice officiating hockey this weekend for the first time since April. Just like any athlete in the preseason, I saw how far below my end of season peak fitness level I am now.

The hockey season will begin after Labor Day, with the intensity of competition increasing steadily over the month of September. Most competitive leagues in this area will begin their regular seasons between September 15 and November 15. As a hockey official, I need to increase my training effort now to be ready for the intensity of regular season games.

I went out for a 10-mile bike ride on Monday night into the Tyler State Park in Newtown Township, PA. I rode as hard as I could for much of the ride and got my heart rate up to an average of 145 beats per minute. That's at the lower end of the average heart rate range that I need to achieve.

I'm able to make judgements like these because I use a Polar S625x Heart Rate Monitor and I upload all of the performance data into Polar Precision Performance Software. As a result, I have performance data from most of the physical training I've done over the last few years, including the hockey games I've officiated.

This allows me to carefully tune my mountain biking workouts to simulate the kind of aerobic effort I'll need to be able to maintain to successfully officiate high level hockey games. In this article, I'll walk through my approach to planning workouts, and show how I determine whether a workout is helping me reach my training goals.

Continue reading "Developing a Workout Plan to Simulate the Effort of Other Athletic Performances" »

Posted by Dave Aiello at 1:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I'm definitely pleased with the set of Mavic Crossland mountain bike wheels I put on my mountain bike last July. I bought the wheels because the set that came with my Marin Bear Valley SE years ago were falling apart due to metal fatigue, and I kept breaking spokes.

Mavic® Crossland Silver Front New from Mavic®, this entry-level priced wheel is anything but entry-level when it comes to technology, with many of the same features you'd find on higher-priced wheels. SUP welded rims with UB machined braking surface and disc compatible hubs allow you to easily make the upgrade to disc brakes. 24 stainless spokes laced 2-cross for added strength and weight savings. Includes skewer and rim tape. Wt.: 970g.

Mavic® Crossland Silver Rear Includes skewer and rim tape. Shimano® 8/9 spd compatible. Wt.: 1100g.

I just looked at my training log and figured out that I've ridden these wheels 1,535 miles with two tire changes but no problems with spoke breakage. That makes the investment worth it to me.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 7:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Ten days ago I reported that I was replacing the tires on my mountain bike with Performance Topo FasTrac MTB Tires, a semi-slick tire that I found on sale at Performance Bicycle:

Performance Topo® FasTrac MTB Tire (Folding) Introducing the new Topo® FasTrac ATB Tire Even faster and lighter than our SemiSlick+! Features cornering knobs strategically made shorter and spaced more closely together for super-smooth transitions into corners, and center grooves that add serious traction. Highest quality 120 tpi casing. Folding. Blackwall. 26x1.90. Wt: 495g.

The Topo FasTrac Mountain Bike Tire reminds me a lot of the Ritchey Speedmax tires that are installed on my wife Kathleen's mountain bike. The biggest difference is that the tires are only 1.9-inches wide rather than 2.1.

I thought the Topo FasTracs were easier to work with than many other semi-slicks I had installed before. They were flexible enough to go on my Mavic CrossLand wheels pretty easily. I rode up and down the street a couple of times to make sure the tires were properly installed and inflated, but I didn't have much of a chance to see how well they performed. I'll try to write a follow up article on that issue after a week or two of riding.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 6:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

We've got about 90 days of riding weather left in Newtown, PA, and I need new mountain bike tires. The old, reliable Continental Double Fighter on the rear wheel of my bike has started to develop holes in the center of the tread. I'm bound to start getting flats long before I do the Tour of Hope Fundraising Ride in Washington, DC in October.

Continental doesn't make the Double Fighter anymore, otherwise I might buy two new ones. Performance Bicycle has a new semi-slick tire that looks a lot like the Double Fighter that I decided to try. They're called Performance Topo FasTrac MTB Tires:

Performance Topo® FasTrac MTB Tire (Folding) Introducing the new Topo® FasTrac ATB Tire Even faster and lighter than our SemiSlick+! Features cornering knobs strategically made shorter and spaced more closely together for super-smooth transitions into corners, and center grooves that add serious traction. Highest quality 120 tpi casing. Folding. Blackwall. 26x1.90. Wt: 495g.

The Topo FasTrac Mountain Bike Tire is on sale at Performance right now for under $20. I'll put two of them on my bike and see how they ride. If you need replacement semi-slicks now, it's going to be hard to beat this price.

Technorati Tags: Tour of Hope

Posted by Dave Aiello at 3:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Janus Sandsgaard pointed out that Polar Electro is teaming up with Adidas to produce a line of fitness clothing and running shoes that will have embedded transmitters for heart rate and running speed and distance. According to a Polar press release, the products will collectively be called Project Fusion, and will include:

• AdiStar Fusion apparel: t-shirts, long sleeve shirts, bras, and women’s tops,
• Adidas adiStar Fusion shoe,
• Polar s3 Stride Sensor,
• Polar WearLink transmitter {already available}, and
• Polar RS800 Running Computer.

These products will be available in Spring 2006.

Janus also found and published photos of the Polar S3 and the RS800 Running Computer. He notes:

Unlike the RS2000 it looks as if Polar remembered the IrDA port this time, and reading the press release you get the impression that the product will work with {Polar Precision Performance Software}. The new S3 {running computer footpod} does not look a lot smaller than the S1, but indeed slimmer.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 7:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I just noticed that Performance Bicycle is running good on-line sales in their electronics, clothing, and tires/tubes/wheels departments. All of these departments stock things that I desperately need at the moment.

The prices are good. They have a good deal on the Ciclosport HAC4 if you need one of those right now. They also have Performance Elite (8-panel) shorts on sale for 33% off.

I'm in the market for some semi-slick MTB tires, but I don't see anything like that on sale at the moment.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 9:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Velonews just published some early information about Campagnolo's new cycling gear for 2006. Looks like they'll be featuring:

• a new road wheel set,
• compact drive cranksets across their gruppos, and
• an ultra narrow chain that is supposed to improve performance if the derailleur is not adjusted correctly.

These things should be featured in September at Interbike and Eurobike, the two big bicycle industry trade shows.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 1:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Earlier today my friend Maria Norton sent me the following message:

Hi Dave,

Hope you're getting settled into the new place.

Just wondering, have you heard about the Gmaps Pedometer? It's a pretty good to map out routes and mileage.

Also, on the Google maps website {http://www.google.com/help/faq_maps.html}... you will find the ability to create custom Google maps on your website (you must register and get an API key to do this).

For other Google maps hacks, see: http://googlemapsmania.blogspot.com/

Take care, and good luck with the training.

I've been thinking about training route mapping since I moved to Newtown and started scouting for cycling and running routes. I checked out the Google Maps API and it looks like I can definitely use it to make maps of my training routes for the Bristol-Myers Squibb Tour of Hope Fundraising Ride in Washington DC.

I'll let you know when I start experimenting with the API. [Thanks Maria!]

Technorati Tags: Tour of Hope

Posted by Dave Aiello at 3:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Polar Precision Performance Software: A
new update has been released which includes
new screen themes like this.
[ Image: Polar Electro ]

I recently received word that Polar Electro has released a free update to its Polar Precision Performance Software for that comes with its high end Heart Rate Monitors like the Polar S625x. The following features are included:

• Synchronize function enabling quick transfer of new exercises. The default sport settings are used for quick transfer. (Tools > Synchronize)
• Easy merging of two exercise files. (Edit > Merge Exercises)
• Delete data from a selected area in the curve view. (Edit > Delete Selection)
• Sport-specific pace unit. (Options > Person Properties > Sports > Edit > Pace)
• Polar OwnOptimizer test value with explanation added to Day Information.
• Calendar theme selection added with a package of 8 ready themes available in the Themes folder. (Calendar Properties > Theme)

All of the other features are more important, but I want to call attention to the screenshot that's posted in this article. This is the new default theme for the software and it's a major improvement from the color scheme that Polar Precision Performance had in previous versions. (See the screen shot in Why Training Log Software is One of The Most Important Features of a Fitness Gadget from December 2003 for comparison.)

As is the case with every Polar Precision Performance update, I'm going to have to look carefully at the application to see what the new features do. If I see anything worth reporting in more detail I'll let you know.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 6:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Lance Armstrong clinched a seventh victory in the Tour de France today by decisively winning the Stage 20 Time Trial. I was not surprised that Lance won or that Jan Ullrich finished a close second. What did surprise me, however, was the relatively poor performance of Ivan Basso and the incredibly bad luck and nervousness of Mickael Rasmussen.

When I talked with Phil Liggett a few days ago, he confirmed that Stage 20 was very hilly and technical. This is how it appeared when I looked at the course using Google Earth. If this was clear to me, you'd think it would be clear to the Director Sportifs and other personnel of the leading teams.

One of the things I noticed was that the Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team chose spoked wheels during Stage 20. Most of the other leading teams opted for rear disk wheels. Rear disk wheels are better suited to less technical courses. They tend to reduce the maneuverability of a time trial bike rather significantly.

The race was pretty significantly affected by these choices. Mickael Rasmussen fell while trying to get around a traffic circle near the beginning of the stage. He had equipment problems, was unsteady on his bike for the rest of the race, and lost 7 minutes 47 seconds overall. Ivan Basso rode strongly at the very beginning of his time trial, but looked very tentative in the middle. OLN analysts later suggested he had gone out too quickly at the beginning of his ride, but that doesn't explain the way he handled his bike in the middle third of the course.

Santiago Botero of Phonak, who also rode a rear disk missed a turn and rode into the crowd early on in the OLN broadcast. The worst handling problem that befell Discovery was Paolo Salvodelli at the first traffic circle, but he was not riding a rear disk. He was able to keep the bike under control and didn't crash.

In spite of these issues, I thought that this was one of the most exciting time trials I'd seen in a long time. The course was really challenging. The television crews from OLN and France Television did a fantastic job in terms of getting the right pictures on the screen at the right times. About the only thing to complain about from a TV-watching standpoint was the chyron graphics that OLN made itself. In some cases, they were poorly timed or not up to date. This is not the only time this has happened to OLN during the 2005 Tour, but Liggett and Sherwen did a good job of correcting information that was put on-screen that wasn't correct.

Technorati Tags: Tour de France, OLN, Phil Liggett, Lance Armstrong, Jan Ullrich, Ivan Basso, Mickael Rasmussen, Santiago Botero, Paolo Salvodelli

Posted by Dave Aiello at 12:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Jonathan Maus told us that Inveneo has developed a bicycle-powered, Linux-based VoIP phone system for use in developing countries. No kidding.

I found an explanation of a Pedal and Solar Powered PC and Communications System on the Inveneo web site. This article does not discuss the inclusion of the Asterisk open source PBX system, so this may be an elaboration on the design.

This reminds me a bit of the ad for ESPN SportsCenter that starred Lance Armstrong that was aired in 2001 and 2002. I wonder if the folks at Inveneo were in some small way inspired by it? [ via Engadget ]

Technorati Tags: Lance Armstrong

Posted by Dave Aiello at 3:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

One of the questions I asked in the recent article Heart Rate Monitor Data Integrated into OLN Broadcasts was how is heart rate monitor data transmitted beyond the receiver on rider's bikes? The standard transmitters for most heart rate monitors have a range of about 2 meters (6 feet).

The other day Lennard Zinn of VeloNews answered this question for both SRM Training Systems and Polar Electro. Zinn was asked what Jens Voigt carried in his seat bag during Stage 9, and he responded:

That is the transmitter that sends telemetric data live from Voigt's SRM. And yes, some of the other Tour riders are doing the same thing. Voigt, Matthias Kessler (T-Mobile), Gerrit Glomser (Lampre) and Sebastian Lang (Gerolsteiner) all have been wired for live SRM data on various stages.

Zinn says that data from SRM power meters is being shown on the ARD television network in Germany and the T-Mobile Team website.

He goes on to say that the Polar auxiliary transmitter is smaller than those being used by SRM. Polar's transmitters relay their data for use on OLN.

Technorati Tags: Tour de France

Posted by Dave Aiello at 8:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Polar Electro has gotten a lot of airtime in the first week of the Tour de France by providing live data from their heart rate monitors in use by many riders. Data from their heart rate monitors appears in rider identification graphics, with the rider's current heart rate, maximum heart rate, and current speed and elevation above sea level.

I've used three different Polar HRMs myself over the past year:

• Polar S710 bike computer: my old reliable bike computer that I've used for most of my training since 2001. I use it to track my heart rate, bike speed, and pedaling cadence. The S710 is still pretty close to the state-of-the-art; it produces all of the data that Polar is providing to OLN.
• Polar S625x speed and distance computer: this is my favorite HRM at the moment. It's a computer that's most appropriate for running, although it can also use the speed and cadence sensor that I already use with my S710. I used the Polar S625x at The Chicago Showcase hockey tournament to measure my performance while officiating nine games.

• Polar AXN 500 outdoor computer: This is an interesting new exercise computer that's aimed at adventure racing participants. Of the three Polar HRMs I've used recently, it's the most stylish. I wore the AXN 500 daily for several weeks and still think it's as nice looking as my Tag Heuer diving watch that I bought back in the early 1990s.

  The feature set of the Polar AXN series is a bit different from the S series. The AXN series emphasizes the altimeter and thermometer instead of bike speed, running speed, cadence, or power. The AXN series also displays its data in trend graphs on the face of the watch.

  Austin Murphy from Sports Illustrated, an amateur adventure racer himself, told me he's got an AXN 300. This is the least expensive version of this watch, which also comes in an AXN 700 version. I think any of the three AXN series will be quite a lot of fun to wear and use over the long term.
  

All of these watches but the AXN 300 are compatible with Polar Precision Performance Software, a powerful training diary that I've used for a long time. I discuss the value of Polar Precision Performance Software in the article Why Training Log Software is One of The Most Important Features of a Fitness Gadget.

One thing I'm wondering when I watch the Tour de France on OLN is how the heart rate monitor data is transmitted beyond the receiver on the rider's bike. My Polar heart rate transmitter straps only transmit about 2 meters (6 feet)-- far enough for the data to be picked up by the wrist unit which is normally mounted on my bike's handlebars. I'll see if I can find out how the heart rate monitors used during the Tour are configured by talking to my contacts at Polar USA.

Technorati Tags: Tour de France

Posted by Dave Aiello at 10:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I haven't been doing as much reading as I normally do during the run up to the Tour de France. Most of you who read Operation Gadget regularly know that we moved last week and we're still unpacking.

In spite of my preoccupation, I saw the news about Lance Armstrong's training crash on his time trial bike. Velonews reported that Armstrong, "lost control on his time-trial bike and sailed over the handlebars, his helmet splitting in two on impact." Most people who wrote about the crash focused on the black eye and road rash that Lance supposedly got as a result of the accident.

The thing I want to focus on is the UCI's improved time trial helmet standards which went into effect at last year's Tour de France. Lennard Zinn of Velonews discussed the new standard in an article during last year's Tour, calling the time trial helmets used prior to 2004 "little more than thin plastic fairings with straps."

Armstrong probably would have been much more seriously injured in this crash if he had been wearing an old style time trial helmet. An injury that caused him problems at the beginning of the Tour would have disappointed his American fans and undermined the plans of his major sponsors. I can't even imagine what would have taken place if this "silly crash" had resulted in a head injury serious enough to cause Lance to abandon his last Tour title defense.

Technorati Tags: Tour de France, Lance Armstrong

Posted by Dave Aiello at 7:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Fred Rodriguez's Bike photographed
after the Wachovia Cycling Series- Lancaster
Race.
See more in the 2005 Wachovia Cycling Series
Photo Gallery.
[ Photo: Dave Aiello ]

While everyone else at the Wachovia Cycling Series- Lancaster race was asking questions about race tactics, I was taking photos of Davitamon-Lotto rider Fred Rodriguez's bike. It's not every day that I get to look at:

• a Ridley Damocles "Fast Freddie" Frame and Fork,
• a Cateye Micro Wireless computer,
• Campagnolo Bora carbon wheels,
• a Campagnolo Record gruppo, and
• Crank Brothers Quattro Pedals

...for as long as I want.

It would be a big loss for the cycling world if Fred didn't defend his U.S. Pro Championship this weekend in Philadelphia: this bike really sweet bike would become an endangered species.

This is one bike I would consider riding as an alternative to a Trek Madone if price (and talent) was no object. How could you say no to the Stars-and-Stripes? This is a bike that Mario Cipollini could love.

There are 19 big photos of his bike. I identified everything I could. The rest is up to you.

Technorati Tags: Wachovia Cycling Series

Posted by Dave Aiello at 3:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

An Altitrainer appears to be
a training device used in conjunction
with a stationary bike or treadmill.
Is this the device that was seized
by Italian police?
[ Photo: SMTEC, S.A. ].

Robbie McEwen of Davitamon-Lotto edged Fassa Bortolo rider Alessandro Petacchi in the Stage 10 finishing sprint into Rossato Veneto. Petacchi was set up perfectly for the sprint, but later said that he misjudged the sprint and started sprinting too early.

The big story of the last stage before the Dolomites, however, was the police investigation that took place Wednesday, where Italian national police reportedly sought and confiscated a device called an Altitrainer. Early Italian wire reports and the stage summary on Velonews indicate that it's a tent that simulates the composition of air at high altitude, although the information I found on the Internet leads me to believe an Altitrainer is better described as a training device used in conjunction with a stationary bike or a treadmill. Devices like an Altitrainer apparently are not considered illegal by either the International Cycling Union (UCI) or the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), but they are illegal in Italy.

The UCI issued a press release that questions the efficacy of the raid, beyond illustrating the difference between Italian law and professional cycling rules.

Although there were a couple of other items seized, the Altitrainer appears to have been the original target of the search. As such, this is the first time in my memory that a police investigation has been launched at a professional cycling race over what could be called a fitness gadget.

I'm aware of the fact that the Altitrainer that I'm showing in this article is not a hypobaric tent, and this conflicts with several accounts of the investigation. I suspect that the Altitrainer in question is not a tent because I doubt that there would be two different altitude training devices called "Altitrainer", and there is a fair amount of information (both on the Swiss manufacturer's website and in sports medicine journals) about the Altitrainer product shown in the photo.

I suspect that the confusion over the true nature of an Altitrainer stems from the fact that the Italian police have described but have not shown the Altitrainer to the media covering the Giro. Perhaps the reporter who first heard about the Altitrainer and its hypobaric properties assumed it was a tent and several subsequent reports repeated that information as if it were a fact.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 8:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

SV iP4G Waterproof Case and Headset
provides a way to use your
4th Generation iPod in the pool.
[ Photo: H2O Audio ].

Moments after I wrote the SwiMP3 Underwater MP3 Player article, I leaned that a company called H2O Audio started shipping the SV iP4G waterproof case and headset for the fourth-generation iPod. This announcement just happened yesterday, so I don't feel out of touch with the market.

The price of the case and headset package is $150. You still have to come up with a way to attach the iPod inside the SV-iP4G case to your body, but that could be done in a number of ways.

The SV iP4G looks like a lot better solution for protecting an iPod than any homemade solution that you could develop using off-the-shelf waterproof components. It's obvious from looking at the design of the case that it's made to fit the 4th Generation iPod perfectly and that other models of audio player would require a different design. As you can imagine, H2O Audio also has waterproof packages for:

• The iRiver iFP-700 series MP3 players, called the SV i700,
• The iPod mini 4-Gigabyte and 6-Gigabyte players, called the SV iMini, and
• The 3rd Generation iPod, called the SV iP3G.

I still think that the SwiMP3 player is an optimized solution for lap swimming, but I believe that the SV series of waterproof cases from H2O Audio can keep your iPod or iRiver music players dry while you use them in the pool. [ via Gizmodo and Mac News Network ]

Posted by Dave Aiello at 12:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

SwiMP3 Underwater MP3 Player may be just the
thing you need for training for your next Half Ironman.
[ Photo: Finis ].

One of the more unusual fitness gadgets I've stumbled on recently is the SwiMP3 Underwater MP3 Player from Finis. This is an MP3 player meant to be worn on the back of your head and used while swimming. I could see using this during lap swimming or while training for a triathlon.

The unit has 128 megabytes of memory. The manufacturer estimates that it can store 30 songs and can be used continuously for about four hours. It's priced at about $250 and includes goggles (although you can substitute your own), a carrying case, and a USB cable.

I tried to think of a way to do this that involved an Aquapac waterproof electronics case, a regular portable audio player such as an iPod, and a set of waterproof headphones, but I couldn't find a combination that I could recommend in good faith for swim training. There are a couple of other solutions including the Oregon Scientific MP120 512 MB Waterproof MP3 Player and the SV waterproof case series from H2O Audio, but these struck me as either less reliable solutions or ones that aren't truly adapted to the task of lap swimming.

I'm pretty committed to the duathlon until I have the time to take swimming lessons, otherwise I'd try to get a SwiMP3 for review. It looks like a really interesting product, and I'd love to know if any readers Operation Gadget readers have used one.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 11:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

A fellow fitness gadget fan pointed me to an interview that Scott Daubert of Trek did with Will Swetnam of ThePaceline.com. They discussed the new frameset modifications that were used by the Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team for the first time at Paris-Roubaix, new aero bars that will debut at the Dauphine Libere, and recent design process improvements that have been made possible through Trek's collaboration with AMD.

This is a very good interview and it helps me understand how long the Discovery Channel Team can wait before deciding whether to incorporate newly-developed bike technology at the Tour de France. It surprises me that they are still trying out gear at races like the Dauphine, but it's better to do that than to ride an untested configuration in the Tour, as David Millar did in the 2003 Tour de France Prologue. [ Registration required to view articles on ThePaceline.com. ]

Posted by Dave Aiello at 6:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

During the coverage of Stage 1 of the Giro d'Italia on the Outdoor Life Network earlier today, the video feed from Italian broadcaster RAI showed Liquigas-Bianchi rider Marco Milesi nearing the top of a Category 3 climb which counted toward the King of the Mountains prize. While the camera was on Milesi, RAI put up a graphic that said the following:

190 92% 175 157 Marco Milesi

Sorry I don't have a video capture card so I can show the video frame that I'm talking about.

The Outdoor Life Network commentators had the following dialog:

Paul Sherwin: ... {Here is} Marco Milesi. Bob, just explain that graphic to me.

Bob Roll: {laughs}

Phil Liggett: I can't wait Bob. What does it mean?

Bob Roll: We have been trying to work out exactly what that means and... uh... we think that 92 percent of the field of the group where he's in {sic} is behind his rear wheel based on the GPS marker which has a transponder on the chainstay of the bicycle down by the rear wheel. And, we think it's a marker in his relation to the riders in front of him and the riders behind.

Phil Liggett: Well, that's the most useless piece of information that I think we'd ever require on a stage of the Tour of Italy.

When a similar graphic was displayed later in the broadcast, the OLN team requested that viewers write in if they knew what the graphic meant. The graphic shown on the screen was providing the following information, from left to right:

• Rider's maximum heart rate
• Percentage of rider's maximum heart rate
• Rider's current heart rate
• Rider's race number
• Rider's name

I guess I spend too much time looking at data from my Polar S625x Heart Rate Monitor to miss the relationship between 190, 92 percent, and 175. A ballpark estimate of a person's maximum heart rate is 220 minus age in years. Marco Milesi is actually 34 or 35 (born in 1970), so he has a slightly higher than typical maximum heart rate. My maximum heart rate is higher than typical for my age also. At the Chicago Showcase Hockey Tournament, my highest recorded heart rate was 187 beats per minute, while my maximum heart rate ought to be 182 by the formula.

I don't know how the heart rate monitor telemetry is being transmitted from the rider to the broadcaster. A heart rate transmitter like the Polar WearLink Coded Transmitter is only capable of transmitting to a receiver about three feet (one meter) from itself. Are they using a special transmitter, or some sort of repeater on the bicycle?

This style of graphic was used occasionally during the Prologue as well. I meant to mention that I saw it in my Prologue summary article, but I forgot.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 10:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I ran in the 13th Annual Joe Vastano Memorial 5k in Hamilton, NJ tonight and finished in 26 minutes 43.3 seconds. Not bad considering that I've run twice since January.

If you read Operation Gadget regularly, you know that I do four to six hours of aerobic exercise per week. At this time of year it's mainly cycling.

This race was a small 5 kilometer (3.1 mile) race organized by a suburban Roman Catholic Church that benefits the church pre-school. I'd been thinking about running in it for about a month, but I only decided to do it this afternoon. Conditions were good in that the sky was overcast with an occasional sprinkle of rain. The temperature was about 49 degrees Fahrenheit at the 7:00pm start. I'd call that unseasonably cool.

My splits were as follows:

• 1 mile: 8:12 (measured at 0.959 miles by Polar S625x)
• 2 miles: 16:36 (measured at 1.951 miles)
• 3.1 miles: 26:43.3 (measured at 3.09 miles)

I ran in today's race with the Polar S625x Running Computer that I've been evaluating. The distance measured was quite accurate, perhaps 0.3 percent off (3.090 miles measured, 3.1 actual). Marshalls were offering split times at the 1 and 2-mile marks, however the measurements to those points appear to have been slightly short in both cases. I hit the "Lap" button on the watch when I was even with each race marshall.

I found the Polar S625x very helpful during a race. I don't have to guess where I am on the course, the size of the watch/wrist unit is better than other running computers I've used like the Garmin Forerunner 201, and I didn't notice the foot pod attached to the laces of my right shoe.

This race was a good test for me. It means that I'm doing well in my transition from hockey officiating back to off-season training. Although I couldn't maintain the pace I was running in the last mile of the race, I probably wouldn't embarass myself if I entered a duathlon in the next few weeks.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 8:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I probably went overboard in my criticism of Engadget in my earlier article called Engadget Repeatedly Disses Athletes. My wife Kathleen pointed out that Operation Gadget normally has a positive tone even when I disagree with something said on another website. I agree that my comments were uncharacteristic of the rest of this site.

I'd like to recommend a report about the Nokia 5140i mobile phone announcement published by MobileBurn.com. This article emphasizes the features of the 5140i that might appeal to fitness gadget fans. Here's an excerpt:

Nokia recently announced the latest in their 'rugged' range of handsets, the 5140i. Targeted at fitness fanatics, athletes, and outdoorsy types, the 5140i includes much of the same features seen in the original 5140, including Push To Talk (PTT) and EDGE data. The 5140i now packs a 65k colour screen, though - a real improvement over the 4096 colour display in the 5140. The new model is also slightly bulkier all around....

The 5140i also features Fitness Coach, an interesting personal trainer program (originally seen in the 5140) that helps with general training by creating, tracking, and customizing fitness plans. Data from Fitness Coach can now be transferred to compatible wrist computers and heart monitors (produced by Polar Electro) as well as be sent to other mobiles via SMS.

If Engadget had reported on the Nokia 5140i announcement the way MobileBurn did, I would have linked to Engadget and praised them for pointing out the key differentiators between this handset and others already on the market.

You have to admit that the 5140i and its predecessor are unique products. I believe that U.S. mobile phone carriers will not be quick to carry either of these models in local stores, but they'll never even consider stocking them unless there is some grassroots demand. A good feature summary from a big site like Engadget could help to build that demand.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 7:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

I keep telling friends and Operation Gadget readers that you shouldn't look at the major gadget sites like Engadget for credible discussion of fitness gadgets and sports technology. The editors of that site have adopted a sneering point of view toward the stuff that we're interested in.

There's no better example of this attitude than the article Nokia intros 5140i fitness phone. For illustrative purposes, I'll quote from it and place emphasis where I think the tone is most negative:

All right, fitness geeks, Nokia's got sumthin' for you. The 5140i is a tri-band handset designed for "active-minded consumers" (as opposed to the rest of us sluggishly-minded folk) that offers dust and splash resistance and "durability," which is apparently not a feature found in other phones. The deal with this mobile is it pairs up with special fitness-related software on Polar wrist computers (yeah, that means they're watches) to download training data to your phone after a workout. The software keeps track of stats you fitness-types need to know, like heartrate and other various sundries (we wouldn't have any idea-- they never let us out of Engadget HQ)....

I won't get personal with the author of this piece because I'm pretty sure that the tone is an affectation that they've decided impresses some segment of their audience. What hipster sub-demographic likes this attitude?

You know, this reminds me of life in my high school. There was a large group of people back then who wanted to be good at the sports they participated in, they just wanted others to think that they did it effortlessly. When they thought nobody was looking they practiced as hard or harder than the serious athletes, but if you pointed this out they'd say, "Nah, I'm just out here to have fun," and they'd slow down to a jog.

Most of us young suburbanites grew out of such tendencies years ago. Isn't it time for Engadget to grow up too?

Posted by Dave Aiello at 9:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

Heart Rate Chart from Training Log: Here is the heart
rate chart for game CSH5, Florida vs. Team Soutwest.
Click on the chart to see a larger view.
[ Image: Polar Precision Performance Software ]

See more Chicago Showcase exercise data in the
Operation Gadget Photo Gallery.

Two weeks ago I was in Chicago at the Chicago Showcase Hockey Tournament where I officiated nine hockey games in five days. I wore a Polar S625x during each game. The S625x measured my heart rate and calculated the estimated number of calories burned. When I got home from the tournament, I uploaded the exercise data to my computer, and found that I had burned 15,645 calories in 16 hours and 31 minutes of intense exercise. As I said in the article where I guessed at the effort that Tom Danielson expended at the Tour de Georgia, 15,645 calories is the most calories burned I've recorded in any one week in the three years I've been journaling my exercise with Polar Precision Performance Software.

I decided to publish all nine of the charts from the games I worked at the Chicago Showcase because I thought that a number of my fellow officials at the event and regular readers of Operation Gadget would find them interesting.

These charts represent the most basic data you can collect with a Polar S-Series heart rate monitor. The S625x collects heart rate and derives calories burned based on data previously obtained from the Polar Fitness Test. I've turned off the curves that would normally appear for elevation, speed (on the bike or on foot), and cycling cadence. None of these data points are relevant to indoor ice skating.

In order to be able to officiate at high level hockey events like the Chicago Showcase, I need to stay on a fairly intense training program and watch my diet. I think that these heart rate data charts clearly illustrate this. I would have had a great deal of difficulty finishing strongly in the games on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday if I hadn't arrived in Chicago in very good physical condition.

I hope the heart rate data charts also illustrate how useful Polar Precision Software is to an athlete who is involved in a serious training program. Runners, cyclists, and multi-sport athletes will get even more out of using a Polar S-Series monitor with Polar Precision Software than I do as a hockey official.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 12:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Today I picked up my bike from the bike shop after its annual tune up and I hit the road for the first time. I get my bike serviced at Knapp's Cyclery in Lawrenceville, NJ, one of the best bike shops in the area. I started using them about four years ago, after my wife and I moved to Central Jersey.

My bike needed the following parts at this tune up:

• A front derailer, and
• a rear brake cable.

I told the mechanics that my front derailer needed replacement, it was badly corroded. I didn't tell them about the rear brake cable (which had been an issue late last Summer and during the Fall), but they found the problem in their review of the bike anyway. I take this to mean that the tune up included a serious review of the major systems on my late model mountain bike.

I only rode about 10 kilometers today (6.2 miles) because I was pressed for time, but it was good to get back out on the road for a bit of a workout. I am going to need to do some serious miles over the next few weeks so I can stay as close to mid-season form for hockey officiating as possible. I will be working some high level games in April. More on this in a few days.

My advice to those of you who are blowing the dust off a bike after not riding during the winter months is: spend a few dollars and a few days having your bike tuned up for the season. Unless you are a competent bike mechanic yourself, now is an excellent time to get your machine the once-over. I'd rather do it now than rush out on the first nice day and have a mechanical problem.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 10:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Gizmodo reports that Siemens demonstrated an application called Runster that varies the tempo of music played on a Bluetooth-enabled mobile phone based on how quickly the user moves. The idea is to allow the user to listen to songs that are appropriate to the intensity of his or her exercise. The application was demonstrated on a prototype Siemens SX2 mobile phone at the CeBIT trade show in Hannover, Germany.

I've created playlists for my wife's iPod to correspond with running and cycling workouts that I do in the hockey offseason. These playlists have different tempos that I think are appropriate for the pace of my exercise. I think I will be using applications like Runster in the future during training and I hope that a feature like this comes out for the iPod platform some day.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 10:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Inside Ride Super Trainer: a $40,000
custom-built bicycle treadmill
for when you can't make it to Alpe d'Huez.
[ Photo: BCI Manufacturing ]

Earlier today Gizmodo pointed out a Super Trainer bicycle treadmill that one of their readers claimed was "twelve feet long, three feet wide, and something like twenty-five hundred pounds".

Sometimes I wonder why folks submit stories like that to sites that don't get fitness gadgets.

I did a little research and found that the Inside Ride Super Trainer has 80 precision aluminum rollers that can handle a rider travelling at 30 miles per hour. The manufacturer has also built enough computer power into it to have a dynamic speed control mechanism that adjusts the speed of the treadmill to the speed of the cyclist.

Update: I forgot to mention that all of us gadget blogs are late on this story. VeloNews reported on the first Super Trainer when it was installed at the University of Colorado Human Performance Lab. Kudos to VeloNews, they wrote about this back in June 2004.

The neatest part of reading about the Inside Ride Super Trainer was realizing that we could use the programmable slope and course profiles feature to simulate some of the legendary ascents of the UCI Pro Cycling Tour such as Alpe d'Huez.

Regular readers of Operation Gadget probably already know that Kathleen and I visited Alpe d'Huez for Stage 10 of the 2001 Tour de France. According to LanceArmstrong.com, Alpe d'Huez is 14 kilometers long with an average gradient of 8 percent and a maximum of 14 percent. This is well within the limits of the Super Trainer.

I'd love to try riding a bike on a Super Trainer. Maybe they'll get one of them at the Cadence Performance Cycling Center in Philadelphia.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 10:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Dave Sutter of Intransix found Operation Gadget and sent the following email to me:

I came across your site Operation Gadget while I was surfing the web. I thought you might be interested in a new GPS cell phone application called WorkoutGPS. WorkoutGPS currently is available for Nextel phones. It uses GPS to track how far, how fast, and for how long the user runs, cycles, and walks. And it automatically uploads this data to a personal training log on the web, complete with maps of where you went and a speed and elevation profile.

Please check out out website www.workoutgps.com to learn about more features.

And, you might find it interesting, one of the riders in the Tour of Hope last year, Ted Yang, took a WorkoutGPS-equipped phone with him on his ride across the country. You can see this at www.workoutgps.com/events/toh2004/toh.aspx.

I featured the fitness aspects of Glofun Raygun, another Location-Based Services application, in my review of that game back at the beginning of February. However, WorkoutGPS is unique because it is the first LBS application I've seen that is exclusively written for fitness purposes.

WorkoutGPS turns a Motorola i710 or i730 into a fitness computer similar in features to the Garmin Forerunner 201. This means that the phones will provide a breadcrumb trail for a workout and record stats like location, elevation, and speed, but will not do things like record heart rate or cycling cadence.

The WorkoutGPS site provides many of the features that good fitness journaling software typically provides. The site is provided for a $5.99 monthly fee per user, which includes application updates, use of the training log, and unlimited workout data upload and storage.

Considering that they have already demonstrated integration betwen their site and Keyhole, it seems like Intransix has pushed the envelope of LBS fitness applications just about as far as currently possible. If you have one of these LBS-phones and you are an athlete, you really should give WorkoutGPS a try.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 10:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (1)

Stuart Tevendale reports that iSMARTtrain Version 2.0 is now available. This $40.00 program is a fitness training log for the Apple Macintosh platform, with versions coming soon for Windows and Linux. iSMARTtrain interfaces with the Polar S610, S625x, S710, S720, S725, S810, Xtrainer, or Accurex II heart rate monitors. Pre-existing data can be imported from PCCoach, Polar Precision Performance Software, or other training logs that use ".hrm" files.

iSMARTtrain also helps athletes interact with a coach by making it easy to email preformance data from training sessions and races. This would be helpful to athletes who use coaching services like Carmichael Training Systems.

A limited version of iSMARTtrain is available for free. It allows 20 entries to be placed in the log, which sounds like enough to decide whether the program is right for you.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 10:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Glofun RayGun: a Java-based,
GPS-enabled game coming soon
for the Motorola i710 and i730.
[ Graphic: GloVentures LLC ]

I finally got the opportunity to put a new mobile phone game called Glofun RayGun to the test, and I was pretty surprised at the workout I got. Glofun RayGun is advertised as the first "high-intensity" location game for cell phones. You play it on a J2ME and GPS-enabled phone like the Motorola i710 and i730 for the Nextel network. Nextel is currently the only mobile carrier in the USA with GPS enabled to the handset.

Glofun RayGun is one of the only GPS applications available in the U.S. that is not aimed at business logistics. This country is far behind Japan in this regard. In Japan carriers deployed GPS gear on their infrastructures a while ago and location-based mobile phone services are really hot now.

Pointing the gun: You point
your ray gun by running or
walking in the direction of a
ghost.
[ Graphic: GloVentures LLC ]

The game is played by walking or running around an open space while facing in a direction that will allow you to intercept ghosts that appear on the screen of your mobile phone. You as the player are always in the center of the screen, so the RayGun game screen has a similar appearance to a RADAR screen.

In the the first screen shot, there is a ghost approaching (green blob) that is due north of your present location. You can attack it by running to the north and pressing the "OK" button on your mobile phone once the ghost is inside of your "energy cone" (the yellow pie slice-shaped area on the screen).

The further you move in a single direction (according to the GPS), the bigger your energy cone gets. This allows you to target and kill multiple ghosts at one time, if they are approaching from the same general direction.

In order for the game to recognize your motion, you must move at least 3 meters (10 feet) and keep moving in that same direction in order to remain oriented long enough to fire your ray gun. Ideally you move 10 feet in about one second in order to maximize the number of firing opportunites.

Moving in for the kill: The
ghost is in your sights.
Hit the "OK" button on the phone
to shoot your ray gun.
[ Graphic: GloVentures LLC ]

This is where the physical effort akin to a good workout comes in. Using my Polar S720i Heart Rate Monitor I was able to burn about 800 kilo calories per hour playing the game. That's pretty close to the effort per hour I'd expend biking, officiating a youth hockey game of moderate intensity, or in-line skating.

The surprising part of playing Glofun RayGun for me was that I realized this is a good cross-training activity. There's only so much running, biking, and in-line skating that I can do during the ice hockey off-season without getting a bit bored of the routine. A game like Glofun RayGun would be a fun alternative. It's also a bit of a different type of movement from those other training activities, which I think helps improve fitness and strength by emphasizing different muscle groups.

The biggest drawback I saw to the game was how much space is needed for a trained athlete to play it. In order to test out the game I went to Cranbury-Millstone Park in Cranbury, NJ on a Tuesday afternoon when I expected no one to be around. This park is a rectangle of open space about 0.2 miles by 0.1 miles (320 x 160 meters). That's about a 13 acre space-- big enough to contain a large soccer field, a baseball field, and a parking lot for 30 or 40 cars.

I was able to traverse most of this park's length and width several times during half an hour of play. Maybe other people who don't run as hard while playing a game like Glofun RayGun would not cover as much ground, but I had to stop running a few times in order to avoid crossing busy Old Trenton Road while looking at the display on my Motorola i710 mobile phone.

I think Glofun RayGun is an impressive first effort at Location Based Services gaming in the United States. If I owned a GPS-enabled phone, I'd keep a copy of this game and play it regularly. It's definitely good cross-training for athletes looking for a change of pace that helps maintain a high level of cardiovascular fitness.

I've collected a number of photos, as well screenshots from the game and from my Polar Precision Performance training diary in a Playing Glofun RayGun photo album. I hope they help you to get a feel for what it's like to play this fun and interesting new game.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 7:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I've been testing the Polar S625X Running Computer that includes a heart rate monitior and a Polar S1 Foot Pod that measures the speed and distance that you run. In my first test, I ran 5 kilometers as measured by my Garmin Forerunner 201, an GPS-based outdoor exercise computer that's also useful for running.

At the end of the run, the distance displayed by the Forerunner 201 was 3.16 miles while the Polar S625X showed 3.57 miles [ see the photo ]. I've run and cycled enough with the Forerunner 201 to know that I'm satisfied with the accuracy of the distances it measures, so I decided to calibrate the Polar S625X using the "manual calibration" method discussed in the Polar S625X user manual on page B38.

The manual calibration method is probably the best way to calibrate the Polar S625X in the middle of the winter, since the "calibration by running method" requires you to run a measured course of at least a quarter of a mile (about 400 meters) and many outdoor tracks in this part of the United States are buried under a foot or more of snow this week.

All I needed to do to perform a manual calibration was enter the ratio between the "actual" distance run and the distance measured by the Polar S625X. That ratio is 3160 / 3570 x 1000 or 885. I entered "885" on the Polar S625X display in the field for the calibration factor.

In my next test, I will probably repeat the 5 kilometer run with both the Polar S625X and the Garmin Forerunner 201 to see if the calibrated S625X measures the distance run almost exactly as the Forerunner 201 does.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 2:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

Yesterday was the first day in about a week in Central New Jersey where we had clear skies and temperatures above 30 degrees Fahrenheit. I thought it was a good day to unpack, setup, and try out the Polar S625X Running Computer that my friends at Polar USA sent me.

Polar S625X Running Computer
and all the extras that you get with it.
Take a look at the other photos of the
Polar S625X in the Operation Gadget
Photo Gallery. [ Photo: Dave Aiello ]

I decided that I would that a good test would be to run 5 kilometers or 3.1 miles with the Polar S625X collecting data. I brought along a Garmin Forerunner 201 to independently record the run distance. After I was done, I planned to compare the distance measured by the uncalibrated Polar S625X with the Garmin Forerunner's GPS-measured distance. I'd use that information to manually calibrate the S625X.

I took a bunch of pictures of the Polar S625X, including the traditional box unpacking shots. I went beyond those shots, however, by fully disassembling the Polar S1 Foot Pod which measures the speed and distance run and sends that data wirelessly to the S625X watch and receiver.

I'm going to take a few more runs with the S625X in the next couple of weeks. In the meantime, check out the Polar S625X Photo Album and let me know what you think of the photos I've taken so far.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 9:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (1)

Engadget just posted their review of the Oakley Thump, eyewear with a built-in MP3 player. Operation Gadget first mentioned the Oakley Thump during the 2004 Tour de France when the prototype was shown to Lance Armstrong. They are an interesting product that might appeal to some hardcore bikers, runners, and multisport people in our audience.

It seems to me that these sunglasses are aimed at people who would wear Oakleys or similar brands (i.e. athletes), which makes you wonder why the Oakley PR folks sent them to Engadget (mainly trendy city-types) in the first place. Maybe Oakley thought the co-marketing deal with rapper Lil Jon would provide more street cred with the NYC gadget people than it actually did.

Here's a key quote from the Engadget review:

We’ll just come out and say it: we really didn’t like wearing these in public. We’d criticize Oakley for the Thump’s styling (or lack thereof), but to be honest we haven’t really liked any of Oakley’s sunglasses since were 11, so we’ll concede that the styling thing is a matter of personal preference. We have no doubt there are plenty of people out there who like the looks of the Thump—Lil Jon seems to be enjoying his—so we’re not exactly the final arbiter on these things. You can argue all you want about the importance of aesthetics when it comes to MP3 players, but sunglasses are first and foremost fashion accessories, which means no matter how awesomely amazing the sound quality or massive the storage capacity, the design matters a lot. We wouldn’t wear these if we were regular sunglasses, so glomming an MP3 player on there isn’t going to make much of a difference.

I beg to differ with Peter Rojas on this. If you are an athlete and an Oakley fan, have a playlist for each different workout, find the Oakley Thump frames comfortable, and like one of the limited set of lens options, the Thump may be right for you.

I could argue that the Thump makes even more sense now that Apple has released the iPod Shuffle. I went out on a limb two weeks ago, suggesting that the iPod Shuffle would be a hit with athletes. If that turns out to be the case, the Thump will probably sell reasonably well to athletes also.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 9:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I talked to my brother, Scott Aiello, today who told me he put his name on the list for one of the $99 iPod Shuffles at the local Best Buy near his house. He later learned that the store has no idea when he will receive his iPod Shuffle, so he'll probably order it from Amazon.com or The Apple Store instead.

I asked him why he wants the smaller iPod Shuffle and not the $149 1-Gigabyte model? He said that he thought 120 songs was enough for him, especially when he's working out.

This reinforced my original thought about the iPod Shuffle: it's going to be hot with athletes for use in training and during warmups for events. Now that the iPod product line has flash-memory based units, you are going to see even more of them in use before professional, high school, and college sports events.

Back in July, I wrote about using an iPod while cycling and pointed out that Lance Armstrong was seen listening to his iPod while on training rides in the television mini-series The Lance Chronicles. I have to say that the iPod Shuffle is probably a more appropriate player for cycling than an iPod or an iPod mini, chiefly because it would be much less likely to be damaged if it happened to be dropped on the road.

I have a playlist of rock music from the 80s and 90s that I listen to when I exercise. It currently has 99 songs and runs for 6 hours and 48 minutes, end-to-end. This playlist fits on either model of the iPod Shuffle, and I'd be happy to have an iPod Shuffle to play it. Seven to eight hours of music should be enough for even Lance Armstrong's most intense training rides.

If you go to a National Football League game, you will see a lot of players using iPods during the warmup period that takes place an hour or so before kickoff. I'm sure iPods play a role in batting practice at Major League Baseball games as well. iPods and iPod minis are probably harder to keep attached to you in these cases than the iPod Shuffle would be.

There's another scenario where I see iPod Shuffles being used-- in warmups for figure skating short and long programs. If you've ever been to one of these events and seen the warmup, a group of figure skaters enters the ice for a short period of time and simultaneously run through parts of their programs. Most of the time, the skaters have to practice by counting the beats to their music in their head. Now skaters can carry their music with them, listen to clips from it while warming up, and not have bulky or heavy devices attached to themselves.

I'm sure we will see more athletes try to use music players before events now that the iPod Shuffle has reached the market than ever before. If you can think of more places where athletes might use a music players now where they haven't before, let me know.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 8:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Peet Shoe Dryer: The
shoe dryer did the job
on my skates.
[ Photo: Dave Aiello ]

The Peet Shoe Dryer did quite a good job on my ice skates the other day. The boots of the skates were dried gently and suffered no damage. The dryer worked in complete silence, so it could be placed in a lot of different locations in our house.

The instructions that came with the Peet Shoe Dryer warned that the dryer should not be placed near a second heat source, like a heating register. They also say that you should keep the vents at the rear bottom of the unit free of blockages. I think it's reasonable to add that the shoe dryer should be placed on a hard floor (basement, kitchen, foyer, etc.), not on a carpeted surface, but that's my conclusion based on seeing it work in person.

I can see a lot of uses for the Peet Shoe Dryer coming up in the next couple of months. It's only a matter of time before Kathleen or I come into the house with soaking wet shoes. Any of situation like that will be a prime opportunity to use the shoe dryer. You can see lots more photos of the shoe dryer in action in the Operation Gadget Photo Gallery.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 11:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I only mentioned this in passing before Christmas, but I lost my Polar T-31 heart rate monitor transmitter. I wore it during a hockey game that I officiated back on October 14 and I haven't seen it since. I keep hoping that it will turn up in the pile of debris next to my desk in the Home Office, but it's probably gone.

Heart rate monitors are useless if you don't wear them or you can't collect data because your transmitter strap is missing or broken. I procrastinated for weeks, then a few words in Joel McNamara's Polar AXN Series Review got me focused again:

The AXN 700 comes with the WearLink chest strap, which in my opinion is one of the biggest breakthroughs in HRM technology in a long time. Unlike the common hard plastic electrode HRM chest straps, the WearLink has the electrodes woven into soft fabric. The WearLink is more comfortable, fits better, and offers better conductivity since moisture doesn't dry out as quickly as on a typical plastic electrode strap (key features during dry, cold days or if you don't sweat very much). The other killer feature is you can replace the battery by yourself. (Other Polar straps are sealed and you need to purchase a new transmitter when the battery finally gives up.) You can buy WearLink straps separately, which I'd recommend once the battery goes bye-bye on your T-31 strap

[ Note: The emphasis in the quoted passage is mine. I realize I repeated that quote in different articles, but it's part of this story too. ]

I just ordered my new Polar WearLink and I'm hoping to receive it early next week. I've got three hockey games on next week's calendar already, so I should be able to test the Polar WearLink out quickly once I get it.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 11:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Earlier today an Operation Gadget reader named Matt posted a comment on a fitness gadget-related article:

I was doing some research on the accuracy of the triax elite foot pod, and the technology that Nike uses is from a company called Dynastream Innovations. They have some really good information about how it calculates speed and distance (the white paper found there looks promising).

Further review of the Dynastream site reveals that its technology is behind:

• Nike Triax Elite HRM/SDM,
• Nike Triax CV10,
• Nike Triax V10,
• Nike sdm[tailwind], and
• Polar S-625X.

It was pretty clear to me when I looked at these products that they were using the same or very similar technology for their respective foot pods. It's great that Matt found this info and passed it on to us.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 9:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Peet Shoe Dryer: My
first opportunity to dry
my skates using
the Christmas gift from my wife.
See more photos in the photo
gallery. [ Photo: Dave Aiello ]

I talked about the Peet Shoe Dryer back in mid-December. In that article, I urged my wife to get me one as a gift for this Christmas. She took the hint.

Tonight was the first hockey game that I officiated since Christmas (a New Jersey interscholastic game in Sewell, NJ). The inside of the boots of my skates were still damp when I got home from the rink and unpacked my bag. Rather than let them air dry, I assembled the Peet Shoe Dryer and took some photos of the shoe dryer in action.

The Shoe Dryer works by convection, thanks to heating elements in each of the two tubes that project vertically above the base. The manufacturer warned that the tops of boots should not touch the base when the boots are mounted on top of the footpieces. As you can see in the photo, the extensions on top of the base provide plenty of clearance.

There are lots more photos of the shoe dryer in the Operation Gadget Photo Gallery. I will report on the condition of the skates after they sit on the Peet Shoe Dryer overnight.

In case you are wondering, I set up the shoe dryer in my kitchen in order to have a convenient place to photograph the dryer in action. I don't anticipate drying my skates on my kitchen counter again, but YMMV.

If you want your own, you can buy a Peet Shoe Dryer at Amazon.com and other fine retailers.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 12:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Polar AXN 300:
One of the AXN-series Heart Rate
Monitors reviewed by Joel McNamara.
[ Photo: Amazon.com ]

Joel McNamara wrote in yesterday to point out an excellent review of Polar AXN-series heart rate montors that he wrote. The review includes a number of photos of the three AXN watches (numbered 300, 500, and 700), feature comparisons, and an explanation of the differences between the Polar WearLink and T-31 chest straps.

Joel is the author of several books related to GPS devices and computer espionage, including Geocaching for Dummies, GPS for Dummies, and Secrets of Computer Espionage: Tactics & Countermeasures. He's working on a book about heart rate monitors.

I'm particularly interested in his thoughts on the Polar WearLink. He says:

The AXN 700 comes with the WearLink chest strap, which in my opinion is one of the biggest breakthroughs in HRM technology in a long time. Unlike the common hard plastic electrode HRM chest straps, the WearLink has the electrodes woven into soft fabric. The WearLink is more comfortable, fits better, and offers better conductivity since moisture doesn't dry out as quickly as on a typical plastic electrode strap (key features during dry, cold days or if you don't sweat very much). The other killer feature is you can replace the battery by yourself.

I'm in the market for a new chest strap since I apparently lost my T-31 at a recent hockey game that I officiated.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 4:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Glofun RayGun: a Java-based,
GPS-enabled game coming soon
for the Nextel i710 and i730.
[ Graphic: GloVentures LLC ]

GloVentures sent me a Nextel i710 mobile phone with a Java-based, GPS-enabled game called Glofun RayGun installed on it. Glofun Raygun is expected to be available early in 2005, initially for Nextel i710 and i730 handsets.

This game allows you to track ghosts that are coming at you from all directions and "ionize" them before they ionize you. Running in the direction of the ghosts increases the range of your weapon. In the case of a GPS-enabled game like this "running" really means running. It looks like this game is best played at a park or in a backyard.

I'm hoping that Glofun Raygun is a good change-of-pace way to get some exercise outdoors. I plan to review it on that basis, in addition to how much fun it is to play.

I have to find a couple of good weather days when I don't have hockey games to officiate to put Glofun Raygun through its paces. The i710 arrived yesterday when the high temperature was about 12 degrees Fahrenheit. That wasn't a good day to try out the game. Maybe later in the week will be better, when the temperature is expected to moderate to the 40s and 50s.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 11:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Peet Shoe Dryer: Makes
it easier to put those boots
or skates back on your feet
by drying them faster than
they'd dry by themselves.
[ Photo: Amazon.com ]

Some of you know that I officiate high school and college ice hockey in my spare time, when I'm not writing for Operation Gadget or maintaining a website for one of my consulting clients. December, January, and February are the peak period for hockey-- there are games going on seven days a week.

One of the problems I run into on weekends is that the insides of the boots of my skates often don't dry between games. This is not a problem if I don't take the skates off, but if I do, it's hard to get the skates back on my feet. Sometimes when I put them on and I haven't adjusted them carefully, I get blisters on my heels.

The solution for this is to use a device like the Peet Shoe Dryer. These shoe dryers use convection to remove sweat and other moisture from the inside of the shoes, boots, or skates that you put on the end of the feet that extend above the base. The base takes air in and heats it. The warm air rises into the shoes and dries them faster than they would dry by themselves.

I first saw a shoe dryer in use in an NHL team's locker room about 10 years ago. At the time I thought this was a neat idea, but I didn't think to ask whether you could buy an appliance like this or whether it was homemade.

When I was in college, my team's equipment manager would just turn the heat up in the locker room overnight to 90 or 100 degrees Fahrenheit to dry out the equipment. This worked, but it isn't an option for me at my house since I pay the utility bill.

I saw a Peet Shoe Dryer in a catalog today, ripped out the page, turned to my wife and said, "I need one of these." She reads Operation Gadget, so this will serve as a bit of a reminder to her.

At $30 to $40, a shoe dryer makes an inexpensive gift for someone who plays hockey, snomobiles, works outside, or has kids who play in the snow. I should have gotten one years ago.

Posted by Dave Aiello at 11:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)