Stan's No Tubes rim tape works great for regular tubed wheels with wider inner rim widths.  I like them much much better than Velox fond de jante.  SNT tape is stickier so doesn't shift around causing weird tire mounting issues and unevenness.

David Yang said:

Stan's No Tubes rim tape works great for regular tubed wheels with wider inner rim widths.  I like them much much better than Velox fond de jante.  SNT tape is stickier so doesn't shift around causing weird tire mounting issues and unevenness.

Thinner means the tire beads have a smaller wheel diameter to sit on when you're mounting the tire.  That makes installing the tire and tube easier.

It's also lighter. 

FYI you can get generic stan's tape for a zillion times cheaper, http://www.shop.velofuze.com/VeloFuze-Tubeless-Rim-Tape-Bulk-Shop-Roll-180-foot-VFTRT-B.htm (edit wrong link)

been using it for a little while on tubeless setups without issue

In this price range, I'm happy to support Stan.

it's not even necessarily a pricing thing but just a quantity issue.  the stan's roll is teeny. one $11 stan's roll at 10 yards does barely 2 wheelsets safely.  i like to have the shop roll handy so that if I'm swapping tubeless tires I can also swap the tape without having to remember to resupply on tape.  that roll i linked to is 6 times as long as a stan's roll for about 77% more $.  hate when i remove the tape and realize i don't have any more to replace it with...

i need some convincing, folks...i was looking into new cycling computers and I started to wonder why don't people just use their cell phones?  seems like all functions that are underdeveloped/missing from cycling computers can be achieved with the $700 computer we're all carrying around

other than battery life, I guess many cell phones would die on a 4-6 hour ride, why should i spend several hundred dollars on a device that is capable of doing less than one i already own? my samsung s7 works with ant+ devices without installing anything...

is there something major that i'm forgetting about?

There is, of course, no good answer to this question.

the more i look into it the more i'm seeing that one issue is getting data easily between different sites/apps/devices.  if I use the strava app on my phone, i get nice segment indicators, but i won't get the workout-specific data from trainingpeaks as easily and i'll have to download it to upload it to trainingpeaks, ugh...whereas if i buy a garmin, it will upload to strava and trainingpeaks through garminconnect

seems that one justification would be the "just works" interconnectedness factor

a lot of the android apps also require the company's device, like garminconnect.  so even though the phone itself is just as good as the garmin device, the app is only designed to rely on the device rather than the phone.  seems like wahoo fitness is an exception and will use your phone's sensors and also upload to strava and trainingpeaks through garminconnect

After using strava/cell phone GPS as a primary means of collecting data for 3+ years I recently jumped on board the cycling computer wagon and found that although you might be collecting the same data (assuming your cell has a very accurate and consistent connection), having a computer really streamlines the process. Also, the computer serves as a "hub" for control of other devices and data. Overall it's a really sexy way to collect and display super accurate/ real-time data. especially helps when training outdoors... 
 

Jules said:

There is, of course, no good answer to this question.

oh yes there is

http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m483/MichaelAngelo54/BikeComputer_zps51609e1f.jpg

Brendan Rigby said:

the $700 computer we're all carrying around

Because it's $700.  And a lot of people use their phone for work, conference calls, texting, on call.  The last thing I want on the front of my bike is my phone.  If it bounces off the bike and drops through the slats on the Brooklyn Bridge, never to be seen again, that would be a problem.

agree w/ Bruce, and also the mentioned battery issue, thoroughly tracking a ride w/ GPS, bluetooth, ant +, maps, etc... with your phone is totally usable but most phones wont last half a typical 60 mile ride. Also, looks matter, phone on handlebars look ridic. they shouldn't but they do. looking sharp is priority #1.

Related to battery life is temperatures. Extremes in either direction (summer and winter riding) kills your battery dead very quickly, and not just for that single ride but in general stresses the battery cells, shortening their overall lifespans. For older Android devices with user replaceable batteries, maybe not the end of the world, but for recent models with no user serviceable guts, this would be bad.

David Yang said:

Related to battery life is temperatures. Extremes in either direction (summer and winter riding) kills your battery dead very quickly, and not just for that single ride but in general stresses the battery cells, shortening their overall lifespans. For older Android devices with user replaceable batteries, maybe not the end of the world, but for recent models with no user serviceable guts, this would be bad.

heat kills lithium ion batteries but right now i keep my phone in a bag in my back pocket while i'm riding, even when it's 95 degrees out.  it gets hotter with the sun beating down on my back than it would out front of my bike with the wind moving over it

edit: rain however would be disastrous

Brendan I just want to warn you, if you ride with your phone on your handlebars, I will give Eloy permission to throat punch you as much as he would like because you're not looking sharp.

Also that bike goes from having no bar tape at 6 seconds, to 11 seconds in, it has fully wrapped bars? WTF who can wrap their bars evenly in 5 seconds?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTFPB4OUqrM

#Edit, who rides delta brakes in that kind of weather? Only somebody with a death wish.

my throat feels safe dan because looking sharp is my main concern.  below is a picture of just how sharp i will look with my sweet setup.

I've stepped into the industrial age!  ze first power meter of my biking life!



also I will say that Quarq (really hate typing that) has great phone tech support.  I called with a question and a native english speaker immediately answered and knew everything about the product.  it was the best experience i've ever had on phone tech support, especially shocking for a product that is reasonably priced

Quarq has amazeballs customer support. Granted, if you're political you probably take issue with why they're so happy 
[spoiler]
headquartered in ND
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I converted my fakelocross bike to a 1x10 SRAM setup and it functioned flawlessly yesterday at Supercross during probably the worst conditions it will ever see.  The secret sauce is to get single chainring conversion specific components like the SRAM 1 series derailleur and chainring (is there a Shimano version?).  I tried using a standard chainring and rear derailleur and the chain dropped way too easily.  Highly recommended.

One thing I would do differently: Get a long cage derailleur.  The standard still fits up to a 36t cog, but I would have loved a 1:1 ratio in some of the mud pit sections.  So if you're going with a standard 40 or 42T chainring, the long cage gives you some flexibility.

David Yang said:

The secret sauce is to get single chainring conversion specific components like the SRAM 1 series derailleur and chainring (is there a Shimano version?).

There isn't a Shimano road clutch derailleur yet -- the way to do single ring w/ shimano is to have a solid chain keeper in the front -- I use double guards, most use something like this -- even Giant's come out of the box with it. Chatted w/ Rochette as she was waiting to clean her bike, same deal.

There are ways to transform a shimano road derailleur to clutch, or to use one of their MTB derailleur with road shifters.

What gearing were you running? 40 w 11-28?

I was running 40 x 11-34, but pretty sure was using the last 3 cogs like 90% of the time yesterday anyway.  

Curious how tight the tolerances are on those double guards and if debris getting stuck between them and the chain create wear/noise/inefficiency issues.  I'm assuming it's fine normally, but yesterday really wasn't normal.

Another note from yesterday's crazy conditions: Found that brake pads should be further off the rim.  Glad I got in a pre-ride on the course, found that my pads were rubbing (they were set up road style, which is to say as close as possible).  Also while I was marshaling and heckling, I noticed a lot of disc brakes rubbing like crazy.  I'm assuming it's a similar case of adjusting pads.

Seriously, yesterday's course really was a good time to figure out how solidly your bike is set up.  Relieved to say mine did really well.  Was kind of worried about the shift cable routing under the BB instead of the TT, but even with like 2 inches of mud and grass and ice caked on the BB, the bike shifted really well.

David Yang said:

Curious how tight the tolerances are on those double guards and if debris getting stuck between them and the chain create wear/noise/inefficiency issues.  I'm assuming it's fine normally, but yesterday really wasn't normal.

Believe it or not, I've seen slightly worst conditions than yesterday -- at Mercer cup in '09 I think. That caked mud made the double guards unusable, enough mud got on the ring, between the guards, then dried up during the race, making impossible for the chain to grab any ring teeth. This was using a 42 chainring with 42 rated guards. 

All that said, generally, more mud will accumulate on a front derailleur or chain keeper than these guards.

Currently I have a 40 narrow/wide ring, with the 42 rated guards. Other than a crash, honestly can not imagine anything ever getting that chain out of there now.

On canti brake pad adjustments -- after a race like yesterday, change the pads, at least the rear ones, they are done. Regardless of conditions, I find that a longer cable pull is better, i.e. for cx, longer brakes brake better. YMWV.

Does anybody use an electric dryer, the kind that you often see designed for ski boots, on your CX shoes? If so, what have been your experiences? Any models you'd recommend? 

Can someone post a photo (or two) of the kickr middle footpad? I think mine may have gotten stolen by toddlers lost.

MaxThorn said:

Does anybody use an electric dryer, the kind that you often see designed for ski boots, on your CX shoes? If so, what have been your experiences? Any models you'd recommend? 

My shoes were drenched and muddy after supercross. While I am it answering your question, I find that a solid cleaning in the slop sink and filling the shoes  with newspaper (which I repeat 3 times over the course of 24-36 hours) works effectively. 

PatrickG said:

MaxThorn said:

Does anybody use an electric dryer, the kind that you often see designed for ski boots, on your CX shoes? If so, what have been your experiences? Any models you'd recommend? 

My shoes were drenched and muddy after supercross. While I am it answering your question, I find that a solid cleaning in the slop sink and filling the shoes  with newspaper (which I repeat 3 times over the course of 24-36 hours) works effectively. 

Definitely a full bath with soap in the sink; I've had great success putting wet shoes in front of the trainer fan overnight. No heat, just evaporation.

Newspaper works great to get them mostly dry. Then just put them near the radiator or something. 

newspaper is what the printed instructions for my Specialized Defroster boots recommend.  but i'm too far away from the 19th century and not nearly sophisticated enough to keep newspapers around, so i was eyeing this.  at work i just point a fan i bought on amazon into the shoes to dry them between morning and evening commute.  the fan pointed right into the boots has always dried them in time for my commute home, even on days when my boots filled with water in the AM.  i get to work around 8:30 and leave around 5:30 and they are always dry enough in that time with the fan treatment

My experience with ski boot dryers is that they do a great job on an average day of airing out your boots overnight but for any deep day when you're working hard and water is seeping in they won't come close to getting them dry by morning. 

Jules said:

Can someone post a photo (or two) of the kickr middle footpad? I think mine may have gotten stolen by toddlers lost.

Nevermind I'm an idiot user error. Had the adjustable feet at "maximum"