ratz
Wielder of the Rubber Mallet
There's an app for that
So actual training has begun. Application evaluation is under way to find stuff that works. Stop reading now if this stuff bores you.
I'm not DCRainmaker and I don't play him on TV. I'm only documenting what I'm doing to help myself think through all the possibilities. See the pros for real reviews.
EDIT: So go figure... While I was doing this evaluation I completely miss DC's review of the same apps that came out in the middle of last week. The Review is very comprehensive and leads me to the same final conclusions I made, but with a heck of a lot less work. The comparison grid is really good too.
For me these evaluations are always painful. I collect a ton of possible apps, evaluated the costs, features and applicability to what I'm trying to do. Figure out which "purchase" ones are cancelable and those highly testable. It's time consuming, but ultimately I usually can get down to a set that works. The hard part is always dropping the apps that "almost" work, because they might get better.
So First background that affects my evaluations:
Gear: There are two bikes in the pain cage: The Quickr electronic power trainer from the beginning of this thread. The Vendetta with a power meter on the Kurt Kinetic trainer. The Quicker is the shared trainer in this house; while the Vendetta is so I can remain acclimated to the 20 degree recline and so I can learn to use the Di2 system on reflex before spring. I will be training on both.
Environment: I work from my home office so, in Winter here in MN; if I leave the house once a week to grocery shop that's probably the most walking I see. I'm not lazy, I just don't have anything that forces me to go into the sub zero weather. Because of that stationary existence winter training does not have many "zero" ride rest days. There will be requirement to do regular recovery rides on the trainer every day just to keep blood flowing thorough the legs. That means their may be boring days on the trainer to combat. However, I'd rather ride the trainer than go walking in the -15F weather that is soon to arrive. (Yes there are outdoor sports, but my youngest kids are still just a tad to little to do that safely below 20F.).
Training Buddies: Lastly I'm working with a small group of others that are also training, and many of them can "use" this tech but aren't inclined to research it; and many don't use power meters or power trainers; so I'm keeping alternatives for them in my mind as I figure this out. They help me with encouragement if I can help them with tools then that's a cool ecosystem.
So first off I have Eliminated the apps I'm not going to use; this part was done mostly reading and doing just some basic testing over the last 3 weeks.
Any Laptop only base apps - With the availability of Phone and Tablet based software; I have no desire to setup a laptop next to the bike/trainer on a clunky table or stand and sweat on it. The apps are cool, but I am more comfortable avoiding those options. (Note: two of my three prefered solutions have laptop versions for those that do like that approach)
Wahoo Fitness App (Manual Training) - Nothing wrong with the app; it's the one I use on the road to record rides. But for the power trainer it only offers manual control of the trainer and I'm not into doing "spin" videos that guide you through a manually controlled workout. I find that kind of training dreadfully boring and not productive because I will simply cheat. - Still free and useful for basic testing.
Wahoo Segments (Ride old sides from the summer) - This is cool, but it's flawed. Segments are typically two short to do any real training on. Entire rides can be made into segments but that causes you to collect false and useless KOMs. If you ride a 10 mile segment and stop at mile 9; the log of your training is discarded and can't be loaded into any tracking system. Nice concept; incomplete implementation. No reason for anyone to buy this.
iMobileIntervals (Structured Training on the cheap) - If you like DOS programs from years gone by; and are will to design and enter you interval training on a iPhone or iPad on a clunky interface then this program will work for you. I find nothing that this program can't do for interval training; but it's far to work to setup for my tastes; I can do it; I just don't want to spend the time on it. I find it to be a bit like like Cyclemeter; good at what it does but oh my far to many setting and features; and in some cases lacking in logical organization.
FulGaz (Virtual training startup) - Great looking startup; but they have been having some video delivery problems; and they require that you have a power trainer to use it. No support for power meter only mode. Nothing wrong with it per-say just better options, so I'm skipping it.
So that leaves me with the three apps I'm going to actively use.
CVT Mobile (Virtual training from cycleops)
Trainer Road (TrainerRoad.com)
KinoMap Training
Stay tuned for how and why.
So actual training has begun. Application evaluation is under way to find stuff that works. Stop reading now if this stuff bores you.
I'm not DCRainmaker and I don't play him on TV. I'm only documenting what I'm doing to help myself think through all the possibilities. See the pros for real reviews.
EDIT: So go figure... While I was doing this evaluation I completely miss DC's review of the same apps that came out in the middle of last week. The Review is very comprehensive and leads me to the same final conclusions I made, but with a heck of a lot less work. The comparison grid is really good too.
For me these evaluations are always painful. I collect a ton of possible apps, evaluated the costs, features and applicability to what I'm trying to do. Figure out which "purchase" ones are cancelable and those highly testable. It's time consuming, but ultimately I usually can get down to a set that works. The hard part is always dropping the apps that "almost" work, because they might get better.
So First background that affects my evaluations:
Gear: There are two bikes in the pain cage: The Quickr electronic power trainer from the beginning of this thread. The Vendetta with a power meter on the Kurt Kinetic trainer. The Quicker is the shared trainer in this house; while the Vendetta is so I can remain acclimated to the 20 degree recline and so I can learn to use the Di2 system on reflex before spring. I will be training on both.
Environment: I work from my home office so, in Winter here in MN; if I leave the house once a week to grocery shop that's probably the most walking I see. I'm not lazy, I just don't have anything that forces me to go into the sub zero weather. Because of that stationary existence winter training does not have many "zero" ride rest days. There will be requirement to do regular recovery rides on the trainer every day just to keep blood flowing thorough the legs. That means their may be boring days on the trainer to combat. However, I'd rather ride the trainer than go walking in the -15F weather that is soon to arrive. (Yes there are outdoor sports, but my youngest kids are still just a tad to little to do that safely below 20F.).
Training Buddies: Lastly I'm working with a small group of others that are also training, and many of them can "use" this tech but aren't inclined to research it; and many don't use power meters or power trainers; so I'm keeping alternatives for them in my mind as I figure this out. They help me with encouragement if I can help them with tools then that's a cool ecosystem.
So first off I have Eliminated the apps I'm not going to use; this part was done mostly reading and doing just some basic testing over the last 3 weeks.
Any Laptop only base apps - With the availability of Phone and Tablet based software; I have no desire to setup a laptop next to the bike/trainer on a clunky table or stand and sweat on it. The apps are cool, but I am more comfortable avoiding those options. (Note: two of my three prefered solutions have laptop versions for those that do like that approach)
Wahoo Fitness App (Manual Training) - Nothing wrong with the app; it's the one I use on the road to record rides. But for the power trainer it only offers manual control of the trainer and I'm not into doing "spin" videos that guide you through a manually controlled workout. I find that kind of training dreadfully boring and not productive because I will simply cheat. - Still free and useful for basic testing.
Wahoo Segments (Ride old sides from the summer) - This is cool, but it's flawed. Segments are typically two short to do any real training on. Entire rides can be made into segments but that causes you to collect false and useless KOMs. If you ride a 10 mile segment and stop at mile 9; the log of your training is discarded and can't be loaded into any tracking system. Nice concept; incomplete implementation. No reason for anyone to buy this.
iMobileIntervals (Structured Training on the cheap) - If you like DOS programs from years gone by; and are will to design and enter you interval training on a iPhone or iPad on a clunky interface then this program will work for you. I find nothing that this program can't do for interval training; but it's far to work to setup for my tastes; I can do it; I just don't want to spend the time on it. I find it to be a bit like like Cyclemeter; good at what it does but oh my far to many setting and features; and in some cases lacking in logical organization.
FulGaz (Virtual training startup) - Great looking startup; but they have been having some video delivery problems; and they require that you have a power trainer to use it. No support for power meter only mode. Nothing wrong with it per-say just better options, so I'm skipping it.
So that leaves me with the three apps I'm going to actively use.
CVT Mobile (Virtual training from cycleops)
Trainer Road (TrainerRoad.com)
KinoMap Training
Stay tuned for how and why.
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). The frame is outstandingly nimble now that it's been free'd of the weight of the Dual drive; Throw some 650c or 700c wheels on this and it would be a fair fight with a DF; with the 20" wheel it's just plan fun and great for hauling the trailer down the road.
