Wizards 50th Birthday

I still don't understand how the watch knows where it is, if it isn't using cell phone towers.

In other news, I did a 27-mile ride today on my 29" unicycle. Mostly the 110mm cranks but switched to 125mm to go up the steepest part by Lone Mountain. This wasn't my longest ride, but had significant elevation gain so I think was more work than the 32-mile ride I did last week.

Quote: Wizard

I still don't understand how the watch knows where it is, if it isn't using cell phone towers..

http://www.gps.gov/systems/gps/performance/accuracy/
GPS data from satellite downloaded and stored in the watch until offloaded with USB cable

Quote: Wizard

This wasn't my longest ride, but had significant elevation gain so I think was more work than the 32-mile ride I did last week.

32.0mi 4:06:14 Moving Time 4:53:04 Elapsed Time 1,173ft Elevation 46W Estimated Avg Power
27.0mi 3:41:06 Moving Time 3:59:18 Elapsed Time 1,407ft Elevation 50W Estimated Avg Power
23.4mi 3:04:57 Moving Time 3:20:12 Elapsed Time 1,236ft Elevation 50W Estimated Avg Power
27.4mi 3:23:54 Moving Time 3:25:26 Elapsed Time 1,732ft Elevation 56W Estimated Avg Power 691kJ Energy Output

I imagine this wattage estimate is pretty good estimate. It can't take into account your unicycle configuration (wheel size, and crank length), but other than that I would say it is good guess. You seem to have tied your BEST Average Power.

Quote: Pacomartin

http://www.gps.gov/systems/gps/performance/accuracy/
GPS data from satellite downloaded and stored in the watch until offloaded with USB cable

Thanks.

Quote:

I imagine this wattage estimate is pretty good estimate. It can't take into account your unicycle configuration (wheel size, and crank length), but other than that I would say it is good guess. You seem to have tied your BEST Average Power.

Strava thinks I'm on a bicycle, which should use almost no wattage to go downhill, while on a unicycle it is harder than riding level.

Around October every year there is a Mount Charleston hill climb. It is meant for bicyclists but I know at least one person who has done it on a unicycle. Here is information on the 2012 event.

It says it is 17.5 miles with 5,375 feet of elevation gain!

If my math is correct, using 5,280 feet in a mile, that is a slope of 5.82%, or 3.33 degrees.

If you look at my ride today on the steepest part, the Beltway climb from Cheyenne to Lake Mead Blvd, I gained 405 feet in 1.7 miles, for a slope of 4.68% or 2.68 degrees.

Keep in mind this was done on my 29" unicycle. If I used my 24", or even the 20" I think it would be doable. Perhaps my next challenge after my birthday one.

Facebook page for 2014 ride. Note the picture of the unicylist. He is Danny. I know him pretty well. He is many levels above me. He did it on a 36" unicycle, for crying out loud.

Quote: Wizard

If my math is correct, using 5,280 feet in a mile, that is a slope of 5.82%, or 3.33 degrees.

You are correct that ArcTan(5357'/17.5/5280')=3.33 degrees.

Quote: Bikeforums

...this works out to an average grade of 5.8%. However, since the first few miles are pretty mellow 3-5%, you get to make up for that in the middle 10 miles, with some extended section of 8%+, and a couple of 15-17% rollers.

So 17% corresponds to almost 10 degrees.

Terry Peterson he is the only unicyclist to go up this climb in LA at 33% for 500'.


The ride down the hill looks incredibly scary. He was using 165mm cranks.

Quote: Wizard

I still don't understand how the watch knows where it is, if it isn't using cell phone towers.

It's a GPS watch, using satellites. There is some error in that too, but it's much, much less than using cell towers. You are probably correct that the wobble is smaller when you go faster (and you are correct, I don't run at 10 mph... :)).

I've never lost a run using it. I do have to wait for the connection occasionally. I do have to upload the data afterwards, but that's a simple enough task to plug into the PC and press upload on strava. And I'm not using the data connection on my phone and running up data usage unecessarily. Plus no need to take my phone running and risk damaging a $500 piece of electronics.

The watch can tell me instantly time, distance and pace, which is good enough for running. The 10 does have very basic lap and interval functions. Which again, is good enough for me.

My cell phone has GPS capability, but I've found dedicated GPS devices to be far more accurate.

Quote: TheCesspit

It's a GPS watch, using satellites. ...

Thanks. Does the GPS watch keep track of elevation? If it can upload to the Strava web site, wouldn't the web site have such information? It already indicates iso-elevation lines (or whatever they are called).

My wife bought me a Garmin heart-rate watch about four years ago and I have yet to figure out how use it, so I'm hesitant to get another Garmin watch.

Quote: Wizard

My wife bought me a Garmin heart-rate watch about four years ago .

If my wife bought me one, my first thought
would be she wants to know how long before
she collects the life insurance.

Quote: Wizard

Thanks. Does the GPS watch keep track of elevation? If it can upload to the Strava web site, wouldn't the web site have such information? It already indicates iso-elevation lines (or whatever they are called).

My wife bought me a Garmin heart-rate watch about four years ago and I have yet to figure out how use it, so I'm hesitant to get another Garmin watch.

I am pretty sure my Garmin 10 doesn't track elevation (checking their website, no it doesn't) Strava does though, as does the garmin connect world, by using the long-lat reading to mark your position. The iso-elevation lines are good south of the border, but terrible up here. More expensive watches do show elevation and elevation gain.

The watch I have is pretty simple : push a button, wait for satellites to be recognized, push start. Run, push stop then push save. Plug watch into USB connector, press upload on Strava, The garminconnect site is even easier... it will auto sync when ever the watch is connected to the computer... and I think you can link strava to that. That kinda stopped working on my PC and I've never gotten around to reinstalling the software to make it work, as the two steps on strava are no big deal for me.

Thanks. Can I have a link to see your runs on Strava?