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Today Today - October 2016

Has been enjoying using the Sufferfest app* for keeping fit during the week, but recent releases have been plagued with an annoying bug. On my Kickr the resistance sometimes stays constant even when the app on my Mac changes it's level (seems the message is not getting to the Kickr to change its resistance despite no drop-outs). This problem didn't exist until they released v3.00 of the app
No complaints with the support staff who have been quick to reply to every e-mail....just the solution has not been found yet and we are 2 months on. They provided a manual workaround to hit the arrow keys (which change the % level) if it misses the level shift (the % change resends the resistance level to the Kickr) and whilst that is fine if you only have the problem once or twice in an hour ride, this morning with the latest release of 3.0x it was missing every other one. Felt more like I was manually controlling the Kickr from my keyboard, than there being a control in place - the app is nearly unusable for me
I wrote back to them asking for a refund for the last 2 months and told them two more weeks to fix it or I am moving to another app.

It is a shame because they keep adding videos and the set-up is really good. Simple interface, rides are challenging, single subscription to all platforms, and also a small number of running videos which I have downloaded within the app and can then take the iPad or iPhone to a gym to use on a running machine when I am away on business.

*(now on Mac and PC as well as iOS)
 
Has been enjoying using the Sufferfest app* for keeping fit during the week, but recent releases have been plagued with an annoying bug. On my Kickr the resistance sometimes stays constant even when the app on my Mac changes it's level (seems the message is not getting to the Kickr to change its resistance despite no drop-outs). This problem didn't exist until they released v3.00 of the app
No complaints with the support staff who have been quick to reply to every e-mail....just the solution has not been found yet and we are 2 months on. They provided a manual workaround to hit the arrow keys (which change the % level) if it misses the level shift (the % change resends the resistance level to the Kickr) and whilst that is fine if you only have the problem once or twice in an hour ride, this morning with the latest release of 3.0x it was missing every other one. Felt more like I was manually controlling the Kickr from my keyboard, than there being a control in place - the app is nearly unusable for me
I wrote back to them asking for a refund for the last 2 months and told them two more weeks to fix it or I am moving to another app.

It is a shame because they keep adding videos and the set-up is really good. Simple interface, rides are challenging, single subscription to all platforms, and also a small number of running videos which I have downloaded within the app and can then take the iPad or iPhone to a gym to use on a running machine when I am away on business.

*(now on Mac and PC as well as iOS)
I highly recommend you move to a different app. There is a great one at the moment which I like to use and is so amazing, it feels like you are actually cycling outside. The app is called "outside". This app uses different forms of resistance that haven't seen any bugs in them as of yet. The two main resistances this apps uses are "gravity" and "wind resistance". These have not been updated in a considerable time (probably over a billion years since the last update) but they are highly effective I haven't needed to use the support staff but if you do, you'd better get on your knees and pray. He doesn't use email
The app comes with a 360degree monitor which has an almost infinite resolution.
All in all, in very happy with the results ;)
 
I highly recommend you move to a different app. There is a great one at the moment which I like to use and is so amazing, it feels like you are actually cycling outside. The app is called "outside". This app uses different forms of resistance that haven't seen any bugs in them as of yet. The two main resistances this apps uses are "gravity" and "wind resistance". These have not been updated in a considerable time (probably over a billion years since the last update) but they are highly effective I haven't needed to use the support staff but if you do, you'd better get on your knees and pray. He doesn't use email
The app comes with a 360degree monitor which has an almost infinite resolution.
All in all, in very happy with the results ;)
I can also confirm that @leicaman is this annoying in person as well as online.
 
I highly recommend you move to a different app. There is a great one at the moment which I like to use and is so amazing, it feels like you are actually cycling outside. The app is called "outside". This app uses different forms of resistance that haven't seen any bugs in them as of yet. The two main resistances this apps uses are "gravity" and "wind resistance". These have not been updated in a considerable time (probably over a billion years since the last update) but they are highly effective I haven't needed to use the support staff but if you do, you'd better get on your knees and pray. He doesn't use email
The app comes with a 360degree monitor which has an almost infinite resolution.
All in all, in very happy with the results ;)

I tried to get in touch with the developers but it seems there are at least 5 separate major teams claiming to have created it. Also their various support teams were very insistent I read a very large user manual, don't want me talk to the other teams, and make myself available for training sessions on either Sunday or Saturday mornings. When I explained that I liked riding in mountains at weekends and only spend an hour each weekday on training sessions, only one of the groups seemed pleased and suggested I face west during them.
Whilst you may have not identified any bugs with it, I have read other users reviews complaining of the app getting frozen every 50 meters for the first 15 mins and then the same in the last 15 mins - leaving the user with only 30 mins from the hour as training time. Some other users complained of feeling 'cold' and 'wet' but I would imagine that is the 'Southerners' technical issue related to hardware?
 
I'd like to add that the outside app actually has a lot of bugs in early spring.

Besides routing, and maybe something like traffic, an app like this should include bug reports, eg: "There's a huge cluster of gnats just after the next bridge."
 
This dry and warmish Oct has been very kind to me in terms of riding opportunities, so that I noticed today I've accumulated this nice round* number of kms so far:

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Hilly loop through the mikan orchards. Plum index 0%.
 
14670632_10154786581367223_2859168425655661701_n.jpg


The town where I live is dominated by Mt. Yoneyama which rises out of the sea to a height of almost 1,000 m.

When I first moved here 15 years ago I was awestruck by its beauty. A snow capped mini K2.

There are lots of hiking access roads on the different sides of the mountain, but these are gravel rindos. No good for a road bike.

So it was a great surprise when I found one of them to be tarmaced over in the summer.

It only goes half way up. But a nice 6.6 km hill climb at average 8%.

That doesn't tell the whole story though. Its concave profile means it's a big ring shallow grade at the beginning with a 12 to 15% kick at the end.

My third attempt today.

On the first attempt I stole the KOM (25 mins). On the second attempt I was a minute short (26 mins). And in the meantime the KOM has been cut to 24 mins.

I went out to try and get it today.

In the world of power meters and heart rate monitors, all that really counts is time and speed. "23:54" and "16.6 kmph" marked on my stem.

By 1.5 km I'm 25 s up. Still 25 s up at 2.5 km.

Then the road kicks up. A tough steep concrete section. Even a 36 x 28 gear isn't enough here.

And there is no real respite after that.

I'm trying to keep the average speed above 16.6 while counting down the 6.6 km.

But it only gets steeper!

After holding 174 LTHR for most of the climb, I'm up to 187 HR as I try to steal it.

But... I just... don't... make it.

16 seconds short on the line.

https://www.strava.com/activities/751176614/segments/18406585488

Put it all out. Fall onto the grass still clipped in. It's been a while!

This is what cycling is all about! Turning yourself inside out! For nothing other than the pleasure of the pain!

Get on it!

Andy

www.jyonnobitime.com/time
 
Just been up to Sekiyado.
Cloudy but not windy.
Not too many cyclists either or construction.
A nice day for a ride.
 
Judging by the kits on display on the river this morning you would think we were in the middle of February with snow piled up on the sides of the track.
Even worse today.
Quite a pleasant day but basically only saw full lycra and in some cases down jackets along the Edo.
 
Judging by the kits on display on the river this morning you would think we were in the middle of February with snow piled up on the sides of the track.
I didn't use sunblock this morning, and everyone this evening has remarked upon my pinkness.
 
Just thought I'd let people know that the road connecting Shiraishi to Sadamine is closed at the moment for repairs. By the looks of it, they are pretty serious repairs. There had apparently been a land slide. When we got there, we were able to pass but I don't think the workmen would be too happy about too many people passing as the place, unlike most road construction areas, was a hive of activity. We decided not to push our luck, so rode back up the goat track which wasn't in as bad a condition ad I had expected. I forgot to look at the sign telling us how long the road closure is for.
 
Just thought I'd let people know that the road connecting Shiraishi to Sadamine is closed at the moment for repairs. By the looks of it, they are pretty serious repairs. There had apparently been a land slide. When we got there, we were able to pass but I don't think the workmen would be too happy about too many people passing as the place, unlike most road construction areas, was a hive of activity. We decided not to push our luck, so rode back up the goat track which wasn't in as bad a condition ad I had expected. I forgot to look at the sign telling us how long the road closure is for.

You mean from the top of Shiraishi to the top of Sadamine?

Also the road connecting the bottom of Shiraishi to the Takashino and Ono climbs at the top (if you go straight past Shiraishi) is closed for repairs. It's about a 200m stretch which would be easily passable except for the workmen and their machines working on a Sunday.
 
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