Our Rides in Words, Photos & Videos

[Nashcruiser]

Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.A.

Went for a ride but only took a couple of photos. Haven’t detected any color change in the leaves so I wasn’t inspired to photograph much. I do want to point out the discrepancy I’m getting between my COBI.Bike app and what shows up on Strava.

Pardon me if you’ve heard this before. I’m not complaining about it as it’s not that important. I’m not training for any event or anything so it’s all just to know how I’m doing. But as you can see the mileage is off 4 tenths of a mile and the time is 2 minutes off. So my overall average is 13.7 and my cadence is 59 average on Strava as opposed to 14.1 and 71. It’s just puzzling how that happens. If the app is sending the data to Strava how can Strava get it wrong? I figure the app is getting it wrong and is sending waypoints and data that Strava takes and writes it out the way they receive it. But the time I would think isn’t something that should differ. I don’t know? There’s a compass issue with this app too and sometimes I think about looking into something else but then again how important is it? Just thought I’d post this for all to see.

It was a bit chilly when I started out and wore a jacket. As it warmed up I took it off and was pleased to now have drop down panniers to stow my jacket away.

Came across some nice ranches and saw this horse being kept company by a goose.

Still green around here but colors should be changing soon. Weather wise fall in Tennessee is my favorite time of the year

 

[Mulezen]

I get similar disparities…and the compass…useless

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I do want to point out the discrepancy I’m getting between my COBI.Bike app and what shows up on Strava.

I get similar disparities…and the compass…useless

You need to adjust the wheel circumference in your e-bikes, guys. Too long distance ridden reported by the e-bike compared to GPS indicates too big wheel circumference value stored in the e-bike. As I have no slightest experience with Bosch e-bikes, I cannot tell you how it should be done though.

 

[Nashcruiser]

You need to adjust the wheel circumference in your e-bikes, guys. Too long distance ridden reported by the e-bike compared to GPS indicates too big wheel circumference value stored in the e-bike. As I have no slightest experience with Bosch e-bikes, I cannot tell you how it should be done though.

I have but it only goes up so high. But it seems close although I’m not sure about metric. My tires are 27.5"x2.4:

I think the time difference is due to me taking a photo and by the time I ended my ride on the app after that.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I have but it only goes up so high.

It is certainly over 2,200 mm. Answer? Buy a Wahoo ELEMNT Bolt v2 and stop relying on the e-bike display Wahoo will be working based on GPS data in your case.
My situation is to some extent similar to yours. For legal reasons, my Speed Vado has the WhC figure fixed at 2,300 mm, and I cannot change it for my smaller wheels. I use Wahoo ELEMNT Roam but I and friends have found Bolt v2 is cheaper and more modern!

 

[DiggyGun]

I have but it only goes up so high. But it seems close although I’m not sure about metric. My tires are 27.5"x2.4:
View attachment 104444View attachment 104445
I think the time difference is due to me taking a photo and by the time I ended my ride on the app after that.

I have similar differences between the Bosch Nyon and the MapMyRidd App, with the Nyon reading slightly longer mileage.

As I have a potential of the Bosch Nyon and three other Apps providing the same data, (MapMyRide, Ride and PowUnity). Consequently, I just go with the Nyon for consistency as that is the one on the actual bike.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Brown Coal Mining Ride (with Jacek)

My brother is a lucky bastard Were I to ride around The Biggest Pit of Poland alone in October, I can bet I would get wet, cold, and unhappy. When Jacek is on a group ride with me, he is usually getting sunshine on a cold and windy day. Moreover, he gets sunshine exactly when he is about to take photos! When it rains, he's happily eating pizza and drinking beer at a warm restaurant... Finished eating? Sunshine again! The rain coming again? Oh, that's the moment I need to replace the Vado battery, and we do it under a bus shelter. Battery replaced? Sunshine again!

I actually made a shorter trip around the Bełchatów Open Pit Brown Coal Mine on May 30th this year. On last Saturday, I could take my brother on a perfectly planned, long and interesting trip. And he was so lucky! Whereas I had to negotiate roadworks in May myself, Jacek came to the area when all the roads and bike paths have been already built for his (and my) convenience!

I need to say something more. If you are not Jacek, and trespass the brown coal mine area, be sure you'd have an intervention security brigade on your back in a few minutes. If you are Jacek though, are perfectly visible for miles in your yellow reflective vest, skiing helmet and googles, no one ever pays any attention: they think you belong there...

I was very lucky to have Jacek with me on the trip!

Jacek has been a cyclist, a sailor, a scuba diver, and... a skier When we started our ride from a parking lot in Piaski, Jacek demanded I took him to a skiing base in Huby Ruszczyńskie (a terrible name, even for myself!) that he had been familiar with. Off-season, the bar closed!

Kamieńsk Mt. is a man made hill, created of soil dug out from the Bełchatów Open Pit Brown Coal Mine. A wonderful recreation area, ideal for gravel cyclists, MTBers, and roadies. The centre picture focuses on the ecologically reclaimed part of the Open Pit #1: There is a lake (inaccessible to the public though), and a large stretch of sand filled area. The plan is to totally reclaim the Pit #1 by 2050.

Jacek now owns a Giant Trance E+ 2 Pro e-MTB. He does not have many chances to use all the capabilities of that excellent e-bike. And he spotted an extreme steep ascent atop the Kamieńsk Mt. So he simply climbed it in the POWER mode Later, he told me the climb was technically difficult because of the slope angle: he had to stand on the pedals and move all his weight onto the handlebars to avoid a wheelie!

There is only a single asphalt road onto the Kamieńsk Mt. I would love a very fast downhill ride but we had to stop for several times to take some pictures. My Wahoo told me I achieved only some 50 km/h max speed (Strava claims it was faster than that!) The bottom photo shows a wind powerplant atop the hill. The Government plans assume 50/50 renewable/conventional power parity by 2050.

Bełchatów Power Plant that feeds on the Open Pit Brown Coal Mine of the area. That powerplant is the biggest coal-fired one in Europe, and the least ecological of them. It contributes with 20% to the Poland's electricity demand (I'm sure our e-bikes are charged with the Bełchatów power!) There is a plan to shut the powerplant down by 2036. It is hard for me to imagine what Poland would actually do without Bełchatów. Nuclear power perhaps? The powerplant chimneys are both 300 m (984 ft) tall. To compare, the non-operating Moszna Smoke Stack I live by is not short either (256 m/840 ft).

Jacek at the Kleszczów Viewpoint.

It was 7-9 C (45-49 F) and the headwind was 33.3 m/s (21 mph). Raining was imminent. So we went in Fanaberia Restaurant in Kleszczów for excellent pizza (what else in Poland under the pandemics?) Jacek had a beer, and I enjoyed dry tea. We got warm, and there was sunshine again!

At the Viewpoint #2 in Żłobnica. As I said before, the route was meticulously planned that time!

The 3D map shows the nature of the terrain.

At the Pit #2. Actually, we trespassed the area. Later, Jacek with his captivating smile said to me: "Brother, I really didn't see the NO ENTRY sign! And I'm sure the operator of that large excavator could see me!"

As for me, I was shocked with something different: the size of the coal mine. There was a field marshalling box loosely put on the ground. A thick cable went all the way from the ridge down to the pit. It was certainly necessary for something. But who could remember about and control thousands of such cables, of high pressure hoses, of hundreds of obsolete vehicles in remote parking areas? It was like some Outer Space to me.

One of so many conveyor belt trains. There was a fire in one of vital conveyor belts earlier this year, effectively shutting down the powerplant for a few days (Poland had to import power from Germany at that time).

Shortly before, I had to swap batteries in my Vado (we avoided a short rainfall, as the swap occurred inside a bus shelter). The growing Coal Mine has "eaten" many of existing local roads of the area. We, for one, were stopped by a nice security guard on one of such roads: "So you say your bike navigation told you to ride over there? I stop many cyclists who tell me the same, hah! No worries: You can do a detour over there!"

The Brown Gold: lignite at a heap near to the powerplant.

The road into the powerplant area is closed with barriers and red lights. However, an unaware cyclist (or aware driver) is never stopped by the security there. They know you are moving from the point A to B, and will always open the barrier for you if you don't stop

Yours truly inside the powerplant area. We were already riding with tailwind, hence the goggles were not necessary anymore.

The last look. We arrived in Piaski soon. I was stiff from the cold and sleepy. Jacek had to drive his car all way to Warsaw yet!

Ride Map. We both wore skiing helmets, goggles, warm gloves, and proper cold/wind resistant clothes.

 

[Deleted member 18083]

My mileage is off 4 tenths of a mile and the time is 2 minutes off. How can Strava get it wrong?

I have similar differences between the Bosch Nyon and the MapMyRide App, with the Nyon reading slightly longer mileage.

To keep the computers synchronised, I assume that Ride with GPS is correct and adjust the wheel's circumference in the Nyon's settings.

 

[dodgeman]

What I like about this thread is seeing the pics from other countries. A question about this forum? I see everything in english, does everyone else see it in English?

 

[Deleted member 18083]

I see everything in english, does everyone else see it in English?

This is possible using a web browser's translation feature.

My guess is that before long internet forums will accept posts in any language and display them in other users' native languages. (It's probably already happening!)

 

[kahn]

Stefan you're so knowledgeable with gadgets.

I bought a Drone for aireal ' bird eyes' view
Sad to say it crashed 10 minutes during trials flight.

Have you guys tried it on your rides.

Pardon me off topic a bit.

I have not tried using my drone while biking. I have enough issues controlling it when it is coming back toward me. It may not help that even after decades, I can confuse left and right! And I would still have trouble with "follow me" mode worrying about where I'm heading and if the drone is doing the correct following!

 

[kahn]

What I like about this thread is seeing the pics from other countries. A question about this forum? I see everything in english, does everyone else see it in English?

I tend to think that most users of this forum and many others are using their English language skills. Some apologize for their skill but they are head and shoulders over any attempt I would do at some other language. An occasional Google (Duck duck) search will find me forums in another language but many, like this one are predominantly English.

 

[kahn]

This is possible using a web browser's translation feature.

My guess is that before long internet forums will accept posts in any language and display them in other users' native languages. (It's probably already happening!)

At the moment in Amazon reviews, there's a "button" to press to translate the comment into English from German, Spanish, etc (and maybe other languages for other users).

Unfortunately, I'm of an age where foreign language learning started too late in the US school system.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I see everything in english, does everyone else see it in English?

What's wrong with English? It's the most universal language nowadays. It was Greek then Latin in the far past... There were times all educated people of the Polish lands spoke French, and businessmen and craftsmen spoke German (and many spoke Russian, depending on the region).

If someone was as unlucky as not to be taught English at school -- take my friend @Jerzy Bańkowski for example -- he simply has his Internet browser set up to translate from English to Polish. Even if the online translator is not perfect, Jerzy can understand all the stories here unless someone gets too colloquial (or writes peddle for pedal)

 

[rajron]

I rode to top of Wai'anae Range one of two mountain ranges on O'ahu the other is Ko'Olao range. Windward side of island.

There is no English names for my boondocks!!

Make it over to the windward side I was raised there, Kailua Elementary, Intermediate and High Schools.
When I was a kid with an old steel bike I rode to Hanauma Bay a couple of times and tried on several occasions to ride all the way to Kahuku and back but always chickened out because it was taking so long; I was a kid about 12 or 13. My main ride in the summer mornings was to ride to Lanikai, do the loop before they changed it to a one way and get home for breakfast.

 

[Nashcruiser]

Stefan you're so knowledgeable with gadgets.

I bought a Drone for aireal ' bird eyes' view
Sad to say it crashed 10 minutes during trials flight.

Have you guys tried it on your rides.

Pardon me off topic a bit.

I’ve been wanting a drone. I see a lot of cool stuff being done with them. But it’s on a long list of wants.

 

[PatriciaK]

This morning I set off for a ride to the shop to take care of unfinished work. I have biked it before but this morning I had a goal in mind, which is to avoid the motorways. I started at 6am towards Pearl Harbor bike path, only a few pedals away about a mile and headed westerly towards West Loch Fairways beautifully maintained bikeway.
Three miles of easy riding enjoying the cool morning air,I made a turn to a disused road onwards to the my rail trail where I then stopped to snap a couple photos.
I got going and arrived at the shop where I put together sinkbase cabinet and a vanity after that I sat in front of a computer to look at cabinet drawings. Thinking about an afternoon ride

A rail trail? On Oahu? Remnant of the sugar days?

 

[PatriciaK]

At the moment in Amazon reviews, there's a "button" to press to translate the comment into English from German, Spanish, etc (and maybe other languages for other users).

Unfortunately, I'm of an age where foreign language learning started too late in the US school system.

I learned almost all of the French (very rusty now!), Spanish (a bit better) and Italian (pretty darned good!) that I can speak/read well after I finished with the American K-12 school system! It can be done! Had a year of Latin, and 3 of French (mostly grammar study and worthless conversation memorization) in high school, so I'm "of an age", too !

 

[dodgeman]

Stefan Mike, I was actually thinking of you when I asked if everyone saw this forum in English. Yours is pretty good. Much better than my Polish, which is non-existent. I learned Spanish in high school, but forgot most of it except ”where are the bathrooms” and “two beers please”.

 

[Mulezen]

Stefan’s written, idiomatic English has improved greatly since his early posts