Climbing Club Feb results and March goals

[Veronica]

I have a GPS and my heart rate monitor also calculates ascent.

V.

[kelownagirl]

I didn't set a goal but I thought I'd try to keep track of climbing to see how much I do. I do want to work on it this year. I have a 800' climb to get home after every ride so that's one way. In February, I only had 3 outdoor rides and two of them were mostly on the flats, only one was a little hilly.

So.... my total for the month was about 4000 feet. I don't have any way to calculate other than to use google earth or one of the online map things but I think it's reasonably accurate.

I so want a bike computer with that can measure climbing... How much are they? What's a good one?

[Trekhawk]

I didn't set a goal but I thought I'd try to keep track of climbing to see how much I do. I do want to work on it this year. I have a 800' climb to get home after every ride so that's one way. In February, I only had 3 outdoor rides and two of them were mostly on the flats, only one was a little hilly.

So.... my total for the month was about 4000 feet. I don't have any way to calculate other than to use google earth or one of the online map things but I think it's reasonably accurate.

I so want a bike computer with that can measure climbing... How much are they? What's a good one?

Check the link above (in my previous post). That is the one I have and I love it. Plenty of options out there though.

[Trekhawk]

Oh I forgot to add VDO have great customer service. At the end of a sixty mile ride (last year) I realized my computer was missing. Apparently the mount must have broken going over a bump or something somewhere along the way.

Well I was a really upset as this was a Xmas present from my husband. My husband rang the rep in the USA for VDO and he said no worries it must have been a faulty mount and sent me a brand new computer and mount . I didnt have to send the broken mount to them to prove what had happened. The new computer arrived a few days later - cant ask for better customer service than that. No problems with my new computer or mount - I am one happy VDO customer.

[GLC1968]

OK...update for me. I was able to get out at lunch today (my first outside ride of the month!) so put me down for 450ft in Feb.

I swear that March will be better!

Kelownagirl - I have a polar HRM that is also a cyclocomputer with altitude. I love it because when I'm done with my rides, I just download the info via the IR port into my computer and it tracks everything for me. So much fun! I believe that most altimeters for cycing use barometric pressure, so it can be off if the weather is variable over the length of the ride. I've also found that (at least around me) the online climbing numbers can be significantly higher than what my computer gives me. Nothing worse than completing what should be a 6000ft ride only to find my computer (and my hubands GPS) both give us only 3500ft!

[Deanna]

I didn't do all the climbs I'd intended two, but I did one I didn't (Coleman Valley in the direction the ToC went). The Mill Creek wall was a little demoralizing. I had to stop and catch my breath at one point when this young whippersnapper breezed right past me. When I saw him on his way down as I was still heading up (it's a nasty 1/4 mile section) I thought to myself "He better not be doing hill repeats". But as fate would have it, he was--he passed me twice in the uphill direction during my one torturous journey up

[jobob]

I had that happen to me on Sierra Road. Gah, repeats on Sierra Road, that is just ... wrong ...

[jobob]

I've also found that (at least around me) the online climbing numbers can be significantly higher than what my computer gives me. Nothing worse than completing what should be a 6000ft ride only to find my computer (and my hubands GPS) both give us only 3500ft!

SadieKate & I have seen that too. Over on the bikejournal forums one of our geekier friends (who also happens to do hill repeats of Sierra Road, damn him) came up with a long explanation regarding number of points drawn and algorthims and such, but bottom line, yep, they can be off.

[kelownagirl]

Wow, I was looking at some of those nice Polar watches with the altimeters online and they are expensive! They won't work with my Mac so I won't be tempted to buy one I guess...