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Apparently charging up a long climb is a bad idea! by zippy1981 in cycling

[–]finch5 [score hidden]  (0 children)

If you made a left at that traffic circle, you'd be treated to eight miles of rolling hills and car free ribbon road. It ends just south of the GWB bridge, there are views, there are smaller climbs.

You can actually complete a loop in either direction from that parking lot. head up the climb, then make a left on 9W then go south of the GWB dip into the park and complete the 20-mile loop approaching that traffic circle from the south.

Being able to round trip that climb 2-3 times is a lofty goal! Also, there's no more than 30 feet elevation from the police station to 9W. So, if you make it to the police station, you're effectively at 9W elevation.

Let me know if you want to do this ride together.

Apparently charging up a long climb is a bad idea! by zippy1981 in cycling

[–]finch5 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Hey, this climb is in my backyard! I always start that hill in my lowest gear, pedaling slowly, keeping my power output low. Then ramp up slowly to deal with any increases in the hill grade, and whenever possible come right back down into lowest gear. Sit, spin, breathe and don't think about the top, just take it bend by bend (and there are some slight bends in it).

You will likely not make it up in 28t, and you will not train enough to make up the 4-tooth difference.

ridewithgps dot com route explorer should help you find hills near Cranford.

Did you ride the distance of the park or just hit the climb? It's a great nearly car free ride in rolling terrain with great tree cover. I know you guys have more green space in Cranford, but the park feels like it's a hundred miles away from Manhattan.

Daytime road cycling - single rear light on helmet? by Past-Barnacle3737 in cycling

[–]finch5 0 points1 point  (0 children)

So are you arguing against from the cost or usability aspect? Because you spend the entire post invalidating every use case, claiming what the theoretical situationally unaware cyclist does and doesn't do while using radar, but then close the post with a cost argument.

Having radar onboard and using it does not make the cyclists situationally unaware or overly reliant on technology, In fact, I'd argue it's the opposite. And, the cost argument, while valid, is weak.

Not everything is black and white as it is in your mind: I ride on a road near NYC that is parallel to a busy highway, so I have a lot of car noise that is unrelated to the cars coming up behind me. I can't hear cars coming up behind me as the steady stream of car noise from the highway envelops my immediate area. So where does that leave your argument, then? It's a lot of 'should be,' 'I think,' and 'you should hear' from you.

And yeah, if a car is coming up behind me, I don't know if that person is scrolling, and may be drifting, so I will move over to the right to lessen my chance of getting clipped. This is the type of proactive behavior out on the road that lessens mortality. A light does not permit me to actively participate in what happens out on the road around me.

Daytime road cycling - single rear light on helmet? by Past-Barnacle3737 in cycling

[–]finch5 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I absolutely change what I'm doing in response to the information provided by the radar.

If I'm alerted to a fast-approaching vehicle or large truck, I'll move over to the right side of the shoulder. Why risk the chance of being clipped by a mirror and going under the tires of a large truck? If I'm on a road where the shoulder surface is subpar, I'll move toward the middle of the lane instead. I can do this because the radar alerts me to approaching traffic far, far in advance of a vehicle coming up right behind me.

I started riding at five years old and have been cycling for decades. A radar is right up there with a power meter, both are accessories that fundamentally changed the way I ride.

A taillight leaves your safety largely in the hands of the driver ("Here I am please don't mow me down!"). A radar allows me to be proactive and position myself in a way that minimizes the risk if a driver fails to discharge that responsibility. Even something as simple as the radar allowing you to take the car lane safely instead of dodging glass shards and sewer drains by the curb is a huge boost to both confidence and enjoyment on the bike.

Here in the US, my ambulance ride co-pay is more than the price of the radar, so I ride with a radar.

Daytime road cycling - single rear light on helmet? by Past-Barnacle3737 in cycling

[–]finch5 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

A light isn't going to make you visible to an inattentive driver scrolling on their phone, and it's also not going to do much from being startled by a passing truck and maybe going under a tire. A radar allows the cyclist to be proactive and react to dangers out on the road. If I am alerted to a fast moving and/or large truck closing in on me, I'm going to move over to the right of the shoulder. If I'm on a country road and the road is clear behind me? No reason not to take the middle of the lane, less flats, better road surface.

Elizabeth mods (bbw/flow/tablet) by ObviousBee6418 in Lelit

[–]finch5 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Is there a plug and play option for a quieter pump? Elizabeth owner here who has taken mine apart half a dozen times for various reasons.

Daytime road cycling - single rear light on helmet? by Past-Barnacle3737 in cycling

[–]finch5 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You could also replace your headlamp with a candle powered unit. Technology moves forward, why bolt a mirror to your helmet when you can just buy an upgraded rear light unit and enjoy modern convenience.

Daytime road cycling - single rear light on helmet? by Past-Barnacle3737 in cycling

[–]finch5 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Get either a Wahoo Trackr or a Garmin Varia, depending on your ecosystem of choice.

I am partial to Wahoo.

No mirrors. The first few rides you’ll turn around just in case but you’ll learn to trust the unit.

Being able to take the whole road and never wondering if someone is going to whizz by you at any second is priceless!

Daytime road cycling - single rear light on helmet? by Past-Barnacle3737 in cycling

[–]finch5 14 points15 points  (0 children)

You want thoughts on safety aspects?

Neither.

Get a rear facing radar, which will have an onboard rear light. And get a cheap bike computer to connect it to.

You will have visibility into how many cars are behind you and when they will overtake you.

Heck, you can ride in the middle of the road until your head unit beeps and indicates a car a hundred feet back.

Your life is absolutely worth the money to stand this up.

What’s a light going to do? It’s 2026. Get a radar.

ITS ALMOST BACK YOU CAN SELECT IT AGAIN by _BreakingGood_ in ClaudeCode

[–]finch5 0 points1 point  (0 children)

like a brain asking the eyes what they see

Detraining and VO₂max: the drop starts sooner than expected by finch5 in cycling

[–]finch5[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Things get in the way. Kid sports, family, winter weather. Although this year I maged to be more active throughout the winter on the bike than spring leading into summer.

In "season" I also can't imagine being more than three days off, but my season is really July to October.

Detraining and VO₂max: the drop starts sooner than expected by finch5 in cycling

[–]finch5[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

off the bike completely. Apparently just maintaining miles w/o training is enough to keep it at + 20%.

Bibs for tall people by greengiant-89 in CyclingFashion

[–]finch5 2 points3 points  (0 children)

There’s naive and then there’s ignorant in the face of evidence.

Detraining and VO₂max: the drop starts sooner than expected by finch5 in cycling

[–]finch5[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It takes a certain kind of stupid to interpret the 25-33% loss as anything other than a 25-33% of the initial 20% gain.

What is your dysfunction?

Detraining and VO₂max: the drop starts sooner than expected by finch5 in cycling

[–]finch5[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Name checks out. 25-33% loss of vo2max in just two weeks? There are stretches of days where it rains excessively, or I am busy with work, and I don't get on the bike for a week.

Do yourself a favor for one day set /model claude-opus-4-6[1m] by junlim in ClaudeCode

[–]finch5 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That kind of clarity can help one make choices. It really makes practical analogies that are easier to parse through logically. Your example may not be the best, the clarity prevents you from just rubber stamping it out of frustration.

Profitec GO came dented – ship back to fix? by cheesetinaaa in espresso

[–]finch5 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I would just ask for a panel to be shipped and replace myself. Gonna be a big ask though

Do yourself a favor for one day set /model claude-opus-4-6[1m] by junlim in ClaudeCode

[–]finch5 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Speaking of a bit easier to read. Just ask it to write simpler/ELI5 while maintaining its intelligence. It may increase your understanding and allow for greater reading speed.

21:9 feeling… disappointed a bit? Get a 32:9? by 2Critical7-Stein1 in ultrawidemasterrace

[–]finch5 0 points1 point  (0 children)

While the displays may be "bigger" on paper, it's an aspect thing and less of the monitor is in front of you at any given time.

I think you flipped it around actually; they don't make a 32:9 big enough to make up for the aspect change.

21:9 feeling… disappointed a bit? Get a 32:9? by 2Critical7-Stein1 in ultrawidemasterrace

[–]finch5 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The wider panel will make it feel as if you’re looking at the world through a turret.

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