On the Road Again!

I've returned to my road bike over the past couple of weeks, after a little health incident had me off the ride for about seven weeks. Since my return, I've already broken the 35 mile barrier. Some observations from my ride:

1. Damn it's nice to be back out. From the first pedal stroke, the feeling of freedom returned. Ahhhh.
2. I love my Giant Defy Advanced. It's prime season, so all the bike porn has been showing up in my mailbox. While there are some pretty rides in there, I am utterly and completely satisfied with my bike in its current configuration.
3. Dammit - the Bont cleat squeak is back despite replacing the bolt. F@&$!!!!
4. I live in a great place for riding. So much easy access to so many great routes. I love Huron River Drive.
5. Did I mention how happy I am to be back out?
6. I'm excited to be able to ride the Susan G. Komen Ride for the Cure in honor of my late friend Pam Prentice. I made my fundraising goal easily this year. Sadly, due to the lost training time and the fact that I'm not 100% greenlighted (is that a word?) by my doc, I won't be doing the Century this year. I just have to remember that one point it looked like I might not be able to ride it AT ALL.
7. There is no shame in the small front cog. 
8. Good cycling clothing makes a world of difference.
9. The Garmin 810 is just cool. I harness the power of data every day at work, why not on the road?
10. People on bikes are nice. They usually wave or smile. If you're stopped they ask if you need any help.

Off to the Upper Peninsula tomorrow for some fishing adventures with my Dad. I'm sure more will follow on that trip.

Have a good one. Remember to make the most of every day.

-Sean-

Product Review: Garmin 810 Cycling Computer

As my Garmin Edge 305 was limping along on it's last legs, my wife was kind enough to give me a new Garmin Edge 810 cycling computer as a gift. This was an incredibly pleasant (and generous) surprise! The 305 had started randomly losing satellite signals, disconnecting from the speed/cadence sensor, and other curious weird acts that are the telltale signs of imminent failure.

The 810 is Garmin's latest generation, top of the line cycling computer. I think this thing could likely control the Mars Rover. But the coolest feature may well be Garmin's online Garmin Connect data collection and analysis tool. With Connect you can review a wealth of data about your ride, compare to other rides, download routes, and much more. I also have the app on my iPad and iPhone 5 and this is where it gets cool. The 810 comes with built-in Bluetooth. Finish a ride, hit save, and SKIDOOSH! your rid is uploaded to Garmin Connect via the smartphone. This is freakin' sweet.

The user interface is a giant leap forward over the 305. Initially I didn't think I cared much about having a touch screen, but it makes on-the-road use so much simpler. Want to see where you are on a map? A few quick swipes and you're there. But where I find it really shines is in customizability. I have a standard "dashboard" (sorry buzzword stolen from my day job in marketing) of data that I like to have on display during a ride. With the 810 I was even able to add a couple of elements to it. Currently, my "home" screen includes:

• Elapsed time
• Distance
• Time of day
• Speed
• Average speed
• Heart rate
• Pedaling cadence

I've found that, for me, shooting for a 75 rpm cadence seems optimal to ensure a solid pace, without wearing me out on longer rides. I might spin a bit faster on hills, or slow down on a flat windless road. But having a target really helpls! Average speed is also something I've recently added. This is a metric that I've been using this season to gauge overall fitness.

During the recent Susan G. Komen "Ride for the Cure" metric century, I discovered another awesome feature - the ability to download routes! How cool to have turn-by-turn navigation and not have to worry about missing a turn? Kudos both to Garmin for this feature, and to Komen for putting downloadable routes on their web site!

Complaints? Really only two. First, the battery life seems short of the claimed 15 hours. Although I've not fully discharged it. I have noticed that it loses the first 40% of its charge pretty quickly, then slows down. I will be monitoring this for any issues while it remains within warranty. Second, it randomly loses the Bluetooth connection to my phone, for no apparent reason. A minor annoyance at most.

Need a new computer with a full complement of feature and a great UI? The Garmin 810 is worth every cent.

-Sean-