Wahoo Acquires Speedplay 

Wahoo Fitness, on the heels of their purchase of indoor training app The Sufferfest, announces their acquisition of storied cycling pedal brand, Speedplay. 

(Atlanta, GA – 24 Sept 2019) – Wahoo, the leader in connected fitness devices, has today announced its acquisition of Speedplay, the iconic pedal brand found on the bikes of athletes such as Tour de France winner Sir Bradley Wiggins, two-time Ironman World Champion Jan Frodeno, and two-time Time Trial World Champion Kristin Armstrong. 

Speedplay products have a long heritage of providing unique, cutting-edge pedal technology to a passionate community of athletes. Wahoo seeks to build on that legacy by bringing its commitment to smart training, its extensive suite of products, and its history of innovation to the Speedplay brand. By focusing on the needs of cyclists across all disciplines, Wahoo intends to put Speedplay pedals on as many bicycles as possible and continue to drive creativity at this celebrated brand. 

“Wahoo and Speedplay share a common approach of leveraging technology to develop products that enhance the performance of cyclists. Speedplay pedals are the most innovative, high-performance pedals available so it’s a perfect fit with Wahoo,” says Chip Hawkins, Founder of Wahoo Fitness. “We welcome the opportunity to offer another edge to Wahooligans around the world with the best pedals in the business.” 

“When Sharon Worman and I founded Speedplay, it was because I wanted to solve problems performance athletes were having in reaching their full potential,“ said Richard Bryne, CEO of Speedplay, Inc. “By becoming part of the Wahoo family, we can carry that mission to more athletes with more compelling products than ever before.” 

The Speedplay portfolio is a perfect complement to Wahoo’s growing ecosystem of best-in-class outdoor cycling products, and together, Wahoo and Speedplay will be able to deliver unmatched excellence in the pedal category. 

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Wahoo just launched a new cycling computer for 2019 called the Wahoo ELEMNT ROAM and added a bit of color to the mix.

The ELEMNT ROAM incorporates some of the best features of the Wahoo ELEMNT and the Wahoo ELEMNT BOLT, but then goes further with a full lineup of smart navigation features and a color display.

Broken Mount | Defective Mount

When Wahoo originally released the Wahoo Elemnt ROAM there was a defect in the mounting system. Over enough time the Mount would crack and break.

It turns out that mount’s plastic material wasn’t strong enough to hold the ROAM in bumpy conditions and as a result would snap.

Because of the defect, Wahoo decided to cease production and address the issue and then relaunch the ROAM in July with a new mount.

Wahoo ELEMNT ROAM Unboxing

Wahoo packages the Roam in a similar flip-out box that the Wahoo ELMNT Bolt and ElEMNT come in.

When you receive the ELEMNT Roam you will need to remove/peel off the plastic glass protective covering.

Old Mount Vs New Mount

For those that bought the Wahoo ELEMNT ROAM and are wondering if they have the old mount or new improved mount, I got an answer from Wahoo as to what the differences are.

An easy way to tell if you have the old mount or the new mount is to look for a “W”. The new mount version is stamped with a Wahoo ‘W’ in the center of the 1/4 turn mount circle. Previous versions did not have this W.

UPDATE: JULY 2019: Wahoo sent us the brand new ROAM mount. I took it for a test ride and so far it’s solid.

The ROAM quick start guide shows you how easy it is quickly setup the ROAM computer. Wahoo uses its ELEMNT Companion App in conjunction with a barcode to quickly set up the ROAM.

Simply scan the bar code using the ELEMNT app and follow the setup instructions. I found the process really easy and intuitive.

WAHOO ELEMNT ROAM REVIEW

Wahoo ELEMNT ROAM Highlights

Like the ELEMNT, the ROAM comes with a 2.7″ display, but unlike the ELEMNT, the ROAM features full color vs. black/white.

One complaint cyclists had with Wahoo’s ELEMNT and ELEMNT Bolt had to do with the navigation and the black and white maps. Comparing the Wahoo map display to Garmin’s full-colored maps, many cyclists found Garmin to be superior.

Using the Garmin 820 for example, the maps are simply easier to read than the older ELEMNT’s black-and-white option.

Wahoo hasn’t gone overboard with color, but use it to highlight important segments on the map.

Wahoo ELEMNT ROAM vs ELEMNT vs ELEMNT Bolt

Obviously, a color screen is the main difference between the ELEMNT ROAM, ELEMNT and the ELEMNT Bolt. Also the Smart navigation features (see below) are very welcome.

At first glance, the ROAM looks very similar to the Wahoo Bolt with its housing, button display setup, and more aero profile. My guess is Wahoo went with the Bolt button pattern because it makes more sense and is a bit easier to use.

Authorized Apps For The ELEMNT ROAM

Before we get into the navigation aspects of the Roam, you will want to connect at least one mapping software application to the unit. Here are my favorites at the moment.

• Strava
• RideWithGPS
• Komoot

I found that the “Authorization Apps” functionality within the Wahoo App is a little hidden. To find it you click on the Profile button and scroll down until you find “Authorized Apps”.

Wahoo ELEMNT Smart Navigation

Beyond the color and mapping, the ROAM now features Smart Navigation including.

• Get Me Started — Navigates cyclists to the start of their route
• Back On Track — Navigates cyclists back to their route if they take a wrong turn
• Take Me To — Allows cyclists to select a location on their ROAM using new pan and zoom functionality, and get directions to that location
• Saved Locations — Easily route to locations saved on ROAM
• Route To Start — Find the shortest route back to the start of your rideRetrace Route — Reverse your route to navigate back to the start along the original route

The ROAM comes with all sorts of cool navigation features to help a cyclist plan their day’s ride, allow for changes during a ride or find their way back when venturing off course.

One workaround I have found for Strava is to export the Strava Route to a GPX File and then import the GPX file into Komoot (Another Mapping Software). Once imported, you can then save the route as a planned Komoot Route. Once saved, as long as you have Komoot as an authorized app within your Wahoo App, you can sync it with the Roam to access it with turn by turn navigation.

CHOOSE A ROUTE | CREATE FROM HISTORY

One super cool feature of the ROAM Companion App is Choose A Route –> Create From History. Using the Companion App allows you to create a Route from previous rides.

Creating a route from history is super helpful when trying to recreate a ride that you might have ridden on, but wasn’t exactly sure how to upload it to your ROAM computer to ride again.

How To Upload A Previously Saved Route To ROAM

1. Open the Wahoo Companion App
2. Choose ELEMNT ROAM
3. Click on the Workout button at the bottom
4. Select Choose A Route
5. Select Create From History
6. Find a previously saved Route
7. Click On it and Name it

Note: When the Route is uploaded to the ROAM it will ask if you want to be Routed to the Start.

NOTE: One issue I haven’t been able to solve yet is how to delete a route that has been created from history. I was able to save routes no problem, but I didn’t see an option to delete the route.

BACK ON TRACK

The ELEMNT ROAM features what Wahoo calls ” Back on Track” that helps you navigate back to your original route using turn-by-turn directions. If you take a wrong turn or veer off course, the ELEMNT ROAM will show blue chevrons directing you back to your planned route, and the chevrons will turn black when you are back on track.

ROUTE TO START (SHORTEST ROUTE)

Another cool feature is the ROAM’s route to start. This feature navigates you back to the start of the route using the quickest way back. Like Back On Track, it will create turn-by-turn directions.

TAKE ME TO (ON-DEMAND ROUTE GENERATION)

Take Me To allows you to create a route with turn-by-turn directions by simply selecting a location directly on the ELEMNT ROAM map page using its pan and zoom or by selecting from one of your saved locations. In the ELEMNT Companion App, enter a destination, address, or point of interest and to generate a route with turn-by-turn directions and sync it to the ELEMNT ROAM via Bluetooth.

RETRACE ROUTE (BREADCRUMB TRAILS)

Either directly on the ELEMNT ROAM or in the ELEMNT Companion App, selecting Retrace Route will provide a cyclist with turn-by-turn directions route you back to the starting point of your ride by reversing the route you just rode.

NOTE: If you have biked out using any one-way roads, the Retrace Route feature doesn’t take those into account when coming back, so you might end up on roads that you shouldn’t be on.

SAVED LOCATIONS

If you have routes that you haven’t mastered but have ridden a few times, the ROAM allows you to generate a route on the fly and get turn-by-turn directions to your frequently visited spots.

Other Cool Features

ROAM’s packs an estimated 17+ hour battery life, which is more than enough for most cyclist’s daily demands.

Another neat feature is the Wahoo ELEMNT ROAM’s ambient light sensor that automatically turns the screen backlight on or off and adjusts the brightness of the screen.

There is also the Quick Look LED feature during changing light conditions, indoors or out.

Lastly, Wahoo has a cool integrated out-front mount (patent pending) that gives ROAM a clean, sleek look.

Starting May 2019, ROAM is available at WahooFitness.com, and through all Wahoo dealers.

Auto Light Sensitivity | Wahoo ELEMNT ROAM

The ROAM includes what Wahoo refers to as an ambient light sensor that will turn the backlighting on or off depending on lighting conditions. This can be set to Auto or turned off.

I have seen one Yahoo video where street lights were turning the screen on and off, which could be a bit annoying.

The feature sounds cool though, so hopefully, Wahoo can dial down the sensitivity and work out the kinks via a firmware update.

SPECS

Here are some of the basic specifications for the Wahoo ELEMNT ROAM

• Part Number: WFCC4
• Physical Dimensions: 3.5″ x 2.3″ x 0.7” (89mm x 54.4mm x 17.8 mm)
• Display Size: 2.7″ (68.58mm)
• Screen Resolution: 240×400
• Weight: 3.3 oz
• Battery: USB rechargeable
• Battery Life: 17 hours
• Waterproof Rating: IPX7 (waterproof up to 5 ft)
• Supported Satellites: GPS, GLONASS, BEIDOU Galileo, and QZSS
• Operating Temperature: -4°F to 122°F / -20°C to 50°C
• The Retail price is $379.99.

Bottom Line – Wahoo ELEMNT ROAM

Wahoo has responded to their user base coming out with a product that looks to dominate the cycling computer scene and will surely be a winner. It borrowed all the cool tech and aspects of previous Wahoo Cycling computers and added some great new features.

It does come at a cost making the ROAM $80 more expensive than the ELEMNT ($299.00), $130 more than the ELEMNT Bolt ($249.00) and $279 more than the MINI ($99.00), but it packs a lot more features.

It’s great to see Wahoo listening to their customer base and coming out with a killer cycling computer.

FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions

Other Reviews

Check out DC Rainmaker’s In-depth review: Wahoo ELEMNT ROAM

The post Wahoo ELEMNT ROAM Review (New Cycling Computer For 2019) appeared first on Gear Mashers.

Argonaut, McGovern, Mosaic, Sklar and Stinner Join Forces to Support NorCal Recreation For the second year in a row, ECHOS Communications is shepherding the Builders for Builders giveaway, benefitting the Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship and funding the amazing work they do. Last year we raised more than $40k for the SBTS. Their work is instrumental in expanding recreational opportunities in Northern California, bringing economic growth to the region through trail construction and maintenance, event promotion, and working with their communities to promote outdoor recreation.

With Builders for Builders, ECHOS brings together five top US bicycle builders to give away off a custom handmade “dream bike.” The winner will choose their builder, with all the builders joining to support each other in delivering a truly unique bike. The winner will be randomly chosen this Friday, June 7.

Tickets are on sale now at https://sierratrails.org/builders-for-builders, and at $10 a ticket it’s an easy way to support a nonprofit making a difference for Northern California, while earning entrants the cheapest chance they’ll ever have to win their dream bike fabricated in the US from carbon fiber, steel or titanium, equipped with components from White Industries and ENVE Composites.

Follow #buildersforbuilders on Instagram to see more photos of the bikes from the SBTS’ Lost and Found race this past weekend and please tag your posts if you put one up!

About the Builders:

Argonaut, McGovern, Mosaic, Sklar and Stinner are all known for their exquisite bicycles, which often top out over $10k and feature ride quality and artistic touches unavailable in mass-produced bikes.

• Argonaut is from Bend Oregon. Founder Ben Farver began fabricating steel bikes 10 years ago, shifting to carbon when he realized that he could use new techniques to offer the ride of steel with less weight and better durability.
• McGovern hails from Nevada City in the Sierra, where he began building in carbon and is now also incorporating steel into unique bi-material frames such as his Builders for Builders bike
• Mosaic Cycles celebrates 10 years of excellence in titanium in 2019. With multiple wins at the North American Handbuilt Bicycle Show, they are known for making bikes that look as good as they perform.
• Adam Sklar’s signature swoopy curves are the product of an engineering background, as he looks for new ways to shape frames to deliver smoothness and confident handling. Building in steel and titanium, his newest metal integration is using 3D-printed parts in critical areas.
• Stinner Cycles of Santa Barbara builds businesslike frames where the richness of detail and purposefulness becomes more apparent on closer examination. Also building in both steel and ti, Stinner’s paint schemes are known as some the best in the bike world.

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I am not sure how I missed the news of Emerald Expositions canceling Interbike 2019, but in December 2018 the owners of Interbike canceled their upcoming 2019 Interbike show. This came as a bit of a shocker.

Interbike Cancels Show

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, Calif. – December 6, 2018 – Interbike owner, Emerald Expositions, announced today that the Interbike tradeshow will not take place in September 2019 in Reno as previously scheduled. Instead, the company will research alternative plans for 2020 and beyond, including the opportunity to launch events featuring bicycling and bike-related components within or alongside its various successful, multi-sport trade show franchises.

“The past four years have been difficult for the U.S. bicycle market,” said Darrell Denny, Executive Vice President of Emerald Expositions’ Sports Group. “The substantial increase in tariffs on bike related imports during 2018, and announced for 2019, is compounding these challenges. As a result, we are rethinking how to best serve the cycling industry and will conduct a review of the possible timing, locations and formats with dealers, brands, distributors, reps, designers and media over the coming months. Our goal is to develop and deliver thoughtful solutions which provide strong returns on investment for all industry participants.”

As a result of this decision, Justin Gottlieb, Show Director, Andria Klinger, Sales Director, Andy Buckner, Art Director and Jack Morrissey, Marketing Manager, will be leaving the company, effective December 31, 2018.

“Justin, Andria, Andy, and Jack have dedicated themselves to the cycling space and worked long and hard,” Denny said. “We will miss them greatly and wish them the best on their future endeavors.”

Interbike 1982 – 2018

Interbike has been around since I was in high school (1982 – 2018) and always had a mystic feeling about it and seemed bigger than life. In the late 80’s early 90’s Interbike was one of those shows that every bike geek wanted to go, that is if you could get in. The friends that I knew who went, usually got there because they were affiliated with a bike shop, tri-shop or cycling-specific sports brand.

Interbike Las Vegas Nevada

Fast Forward to 2017 and I finally made it to Interbike 2017 going as a media representative of GearMashers.com. It represented one of my bucket list items that could now be checked. It’s a little-known secret that media, even people who own websites, usually can attend these type of events for free, well minus the airfare, food and lodging costs.

Interbike Moves To Reno

For the 2018 Interbike, the folks behind Interbike switched venues and moved the event from Vegas to Reno, Nevada. While this new location was very convenient once there, it proved to be problematic for those traveling from the East. With its small airport and limited flights most people couldn’t arrange direct flights, so they would waste almost a day traveling.

I thought that when Reno had been announced as the new venue location, it was a mistake. Having the event in a location like Denver with an International airport would have made much more sense and probably upped the attendance.

Network and Socialize

When I attended Interbike in 2018 it really became apparent that Interbike wasn’t just an event to showcase new products, it was also an event to really network and socialize among bike industry experts.

I met so many people at the event that were affiliated with brands I wanted to showcase including Pearl Izumi, Wahoo, Tacx (Soon To be Garmin), Kuat, various apparel brands and on and on.

I also met some very cool industry leaders on the social media side including Ray Maker (DC Rainmaker) and Shane Miller.

Improve My Craft

When attending shows like Interbike, it’s always a learning experience to improve your craft as a media source.

At last year’s Interbike, I certainly didn’t take enough B-Roll and was hoping that at 2019’s Interbike I could have made improvements.

With each new venue, you spend a lot of time trying to figure out where everything is. For 2019 I was looking forward to going back to Reno because I knew the layout and it would have been much easier to figure out where I needed to go.

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Garmin^® signs purchase agreement to acquire Tacx, 
the leading manufacturer of indoor bike trainers

Schaffhausen, Switzerland/February 12, 2019/Business Wire — Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ: GRMN), today announced that one of its affiliates has signed a definitive agreement to acquire all of the outstanding shares of Tacx Onroerend en Roerend Goed B.V (“Tacx”), a privately-held Dutch company that designs and manufacturers indoor bike trainers, tools and accessories, as well as indoor training software and applications. The completion of this acquisition is subject to customary regulatory approvals and closing conditions. 

My Thoughts on the Acquisition of Tacx

Last year at Interbike I got a chance to check out some new offerings from both Tacx, Wahoo and a few other manufactures of trainers.

Tacx showcased their Tacx Smart Trainer

Wahoo on the other hand was launching a host of products including the KICKR Climb and KICKR Headwind as well as their all-new mid-level KICKR Core and brand new KICKR.

At the time Wahoo just seemed to be killing it. They introduced a whole set of new products, while Tacx just showed an updated NEO + the new Tacx Smart Trainer, which in reality is just a stationary NEO bike.

Based on my impression during the week of Interbike, Wahoo just seemed more aggressive with their R&D and presence.

Now with Garmin coming on board the Garmin/Tacx entity will now get a huge influx of money for R&D and a massive distribution channel to sell their trainers.

I am really wondering what will happen to the Tacx brand. Will it just become Garmin or will Garmin keep the Tacx brand name and continue selling the trainers under that.

Wahoo’s Garmin Tacx View

I am guessing the folks at Wahoo might be a bit thrown by the news as most people have been, but in the end, competition will mean Wahoo will probably double down and really get innovative.

I am almost certain Wahoo will now launch a watch that competes against the Garmin line. Hopefully coming out with something similar to the 920XT, which IMO was and is a great watch for running.

Tacx Company History

The market leader with more than five decades of experience, Tacx is best known for its innovative line of indoor smart trainers, including the highly-regarded NEO 2 and the revolutionary NEO Bike, that measures speed, power and cadence. Offering a highly realistic and accurate ride simulation, Tacx trainers allow cyclists to experience lifelike conditions, no matter the weather. For the most interactive and immersive indoor experience, the Tacx smart trainers connect wirelessly to popular training apps to help cyclists get more from their workouts, as well as the Tacx software/training app that offers training plans, data analysis, films of scenery all over the globe, live opponents and much more. 

“Tacx brings an entirely new product category to Garmin’s fitness portfolio that expands our reach into the indoor training market,” said Cliff Pemble, Garmin president and CEO. “Together with Tacx, Garmin will offer a seamless, enjoyable and motivating indoor and outdoor experience for cyclists all year long.” 

“We are excited to have the support of a technology leader like Garmin,” said Koos Tacx, CEO of Tacx. “With Garmin’s extensive R&D capabilities and global distribution network, we look forward to working together to further enhance our indoor training products and technologies, and bring them to cyclists around the world.” 

A vertically-integrated company with in-house R&D and production, Tacx is headquartered in Wassenaar, Netherlands with a distribution center in Vogt, Germany. The company employs nearly 200 associates, who will become part of the global Garmin team. To further leverage the growing market for indoor bike trainers, Tacx is currently undergoing a capital investment project to expand its R&D and production capacity. 

The completion of this acquisition, which is subject to customary conditions, is expected to occur in Q2 2019. Financial terms of the acquisition will not be released. 

For decades, Garmin has pioneered new GPS navigation and wireless devices and applications that are designed for people who live an active lifestyle. Garmin serves five primary markets, including automotive, aviation, fitness, marine, and outdoor recreation. For more information, visit Garmin’s virtual pressroom at garmin.com/newsroom, contact the Media Relations department at 913-397-8200, or follow us at facebook.com/garmin, instagram.com/garmin, twitter.com/garmin, or youtube.com/garmin.

About Garmin

Garmin Ltd. is incorporated in Switzerland, and its principal subsidiaries are located in the United States, Taiwan and the United Kingdom.  Garmin is a registered trademark of Garmin Ltd.  

All other brands, product names, company names, trademarks and service marks are the properties of their respective owners. All rights reserved.

Notice on Forward-Looking Statements:
This release includes forward-looking statements regarding Garmin Ltd. and its business. Such statements are based on management’s current expectations.  The forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in this release may not occur and actual results could differ materially as a result of known and unknown risk factors and uncertainties affecting Garmin, including, but not limited to, the risk factors listed in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 30, 2017, filed by Garmin with the Securities and Exchange Commission (Commission file number 0-31983).  A copy of such Form 10-K is available at http://www.garmin.com/aboutGarmin/invRelations/finReports.html.  

No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed.  Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made and Garmin undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

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Zwift Tour Of London

Are you ready for the 2nd Annual Tour of London? Finish all the stages of this 5-stage event and you’ll earn an exclusive kit.

The Tour of London brings together hundreds of Zwifters. Some just want to explore the London course. Others hammer for their PR up Leith Hill. And some put their head down and go as hard as they can. How you ride the Tour is up to you.

Although it’s not a race, the action ramps up right from the start. Riders will push hard at each stage, competing as they head towards the finish. Choose a group based on the distance you want to ride and go at your own pace. There’s also a group just for women. Want to ride with a different group on different stages? No problem. Have fun, chat with fellow Zwifters, and be generous with those Ride Ons.

THE TOUR OF LONDON KIT

Zwifters who finish all 5-stages will unlock the official Tour of London kit. Completing the event is the only way to unlock this badge of honor — so don’t miss your chance. Finishers will receive their kit before December 31, 2018.

IS THIS A RACE?

No, it’s a personal challenge against the clock. Some participants will ride the event like a race, but there is no podium at the end of the Tour of London.  It’s all about getting on the bike, pushing yourself, and completing all 5 stages.

GROUPS

• A Group (Long Distance) = The A Group rides the long-distance event.  It’s not a faster group. Just a group that wants to Zwift a longer stage. Men and women can join this group.
• B Group (Short Distance) = The B Group rides the short-distance event.  It’s not a slower group. Just a group that wants to ride a shorter stage. Men and women can join this group.
• C Group (Women-only) = The C Group is just for women.

Zwifters can join different groups on different stages.

DATES

• Stage 1 = December 13th (Thursday)
• Stage 2 = December 15th (Saturday)
• Stage 3 = December 17th (Monday)
• Stage 4 = December 19th (Wednesday)
• Stage 5 = December 21st (Friday)
• Makeup Day = December 23rd (Sunday)

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The 3rd day of 2018 Interbike is always a little calmer.  I have already taken tons of pictures so I can slow down and actually talk with vendors rather than rushing around like a mad man.

I spent most of the day taking b-roll for videos.

I ran into Dan Empfield, the owner of Slowtwitch.  We got to reminisce about the old days of triathlon.  We are talking way back to 1989 when I raced in the Bud Light Series.   For those that don’t know, Slowtwitch has one of the best rated triathlon forums on the web.  If you have a question about triathlon or anything geeky about bikes, you can usually find answers there.  Beyond the forum, Slowtwitch has articles, reviews and tons of info on swimming, biking and running.

I also ran into Boyd Johnson of Boyd Cycling.  One interesting discussion we had pertained to his 650B gravel wheels known as the Jocassee Gravel 650b. When using a 650b X 47mm tire you have the same outside tire diameter as a 700c road tire.  This means gravel bike junkies can run the 650b gravel wheels with 47mm tires for off road riding, and swap to 700c road wheels for road group rides and nothing changes with the geometry or gear ration on the bike.

So why 650b?  The wheels allow you to run bigger tires, which equates to better traction and actually makes the bike faster when riding gravel, yet keeps the geometry the same.  Pretty Cool.

A little side note.  Boyd actually hung out at my brother Steve’s beer company in Virginia called Devil’s Backbone Brewing Company.

Interbike isn’t just about bike gear and gadgets, it is also about beer, food and good conversations.  A brewing company called Rouleur created a cool concoction named Interbike American Pale Ale.  They also had a Boneshakeur New Zealand Pilsner.

One super interesting booth I came upon was a photographer named Todd Van Fleet who takes photos of antique bikes in amazing locations.

Funny thing is, I actually had taken a few pictures of my own antique bikes a few years back, so I have a a lot of appreciation for what Todd has done.  If you are interested, I have a website called AntiqueOutings.com, but I really haven’t written much in quite some time.

Sadly all my Schwinn mikes are gone.  We sold them this year to make room for other toys we own.

On the food front, I got a chance to eat at the Prime Time Grill.  The food was great, they had a selection of barbecue chicken, pork, sausages and burgers.  The grill is actually a bunch of grills housed in an 18 wheeler.  I don’t think I have seen something like this before.

2018 Interbike Expo – Day 1

2018 Interbike Day 2 Reno Nevada

The post 2018 Interbike – Day 3 appeared first on Gear Mashers.

Another day brings a ton more Interbike action.  Today was a great day.  The temps started in the low 50’s, but warmed up to a very comfortable 80 degrees with little to no humidity.

My day started at 5:30am moving from the Pepper Mill hotel to the Atlantis Casino Resort and Spa, which happens to be right next to the Reno Convention Center and Interbike.  Unfortunately my room wouldn’t be ready until 12:30, so I had to leave my bags with the hotel concierge.

After leaving the Atlantis, I headed over to the Reno Convention Center to get my Media Badge and my Wahoo Fitness Exhibitor badge.   The Wahoo badge was specifically for a breakfast event Wahoo had planned at 9am.

Wahoo Fitness announce a partnership with Pioneer who make power meters.  The partnership will allow Wahoo users to access Pioneer Pedal Monitoring System Data on ELEMNT and ELEMNT BOLT head units. This data was previously only available on Pioneer head units.  It’s one of those win/win situations.

There were quite a few media personalities there including the very cool Shane Miller.  I got a chance to talk to Shane and his wife and as Aussies go, they are the best.  Super cool and very down to earth.  Make sure you check out Shane’s Youtube Account for his great commentary on cycling products.

Throughout the convention I was asked if there were any products that really stood out.  To be honest, like last night, I didn’t see anything mind blowing.  There were certainly some really good products, but nothing that made me want to have them right away.  If I had to nail down one product that I thought was unique for the show, I would say the Elite Nero electronic Rollers might fit the bill.

On the Wahoo front, their new trainers noise level has been significantly reduced over past models.  ELEMNT Bolt users and ELEMNT users will be able to utilize new functionality as a result of the Wahoo partnership with Pioneer.  I really like Wahoo’s ability to combine products into a single ecosystem.  All their products seamlessly integrate with each other to make them even better products.

E-Bikes are here to stay, but there seems to be a lot of different battery sizes being used, and how frames are being designed to house them.  It still seems like the Wild West.  I also found that many e-bike price tags are starting to really climb.  Look to spend in the ball park of $3k or more for an e-bike that has good components.

For those who love Sidi cycling shoes, Sidi has made some modifications that are rather interesting including moving the tension dial over the tongue and a thinner rap.  They also toned down their color scheme.

2018 Interbike Expo – Day 1

2018 Interbike – Day 3

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Flew into Reno, Nevada today and headed for the Reno Convention Center where the 2018 Interbike Expo was being held.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to pick up my Interbike Media badge today because no one was at the registration.  I swear I read Interbike said the registration would stay open until 7pm (“Please be sure to retrieve your Interbike show badge at the registration desk (open until 7pm).“).  Oh well guess someone messed up with the time.

Today (Monday) was the start of the 2018 Interbike festivities.  OK that isn’t exactly true.  Interbike also has something called the Outdoor Expo, that takes place a few days prior to the main expo.  At the outdoor expo they have vendors showcasing a lot of their bikes and other cycling gear.  They even let you go on test rides.

I am here this week at Interbike as a media representative for GearMashers.com.  This gives me special access including being able to go to the media only events like the Interbike Media Preview Event where various cycling companies showcase their products. The event consisted of 20 companies showing off their products.   There wasn’t anything that I would considered spectacular or mind blowing, but there were a few interesting products.

As an added bonus, if you were one of the first 100 journalists to turn in a Media Preview award ballot you received some swag in the form of a backpack courtesy of Oakley.  Interbike also provided free dinner and drinks.

Here is a list of companies I thought stood out.

Watteam – was showing off an add it yourself (self-install) power meter based system.

Pioneer – is another cycling company that makes some pretty slick Power Meters.  You can purchase cranks with the power meters already installed or you can send yours out to get installed.  They say turnaround time is super fast and they pay both ways.  They also are coming out with the CA600 Cycling computer.  It allows you to see your power output in graph form.

Sena – is starting to make smart bluetooth cycling helmets.  They have been incorporating smart technology in motor cycle helmets and now are transferring that knowledge into road cycling world.  The Sena R1 cycling helmet allows you to pair with other Sena R1 helmets and communicate with other riders while riding.  I believe up to 4 helmets can be paired together.  The sound quality is a little rough, but the range and response was very good.

Smith has some new helmets in their lineup for 2019.  Forgot the names though.

Tern Bicycles: If you’re into e-bikes, Tern has some rather tasty ones.  What makes the bikes a little unique is Tern’s use of 20″ wheels.  Tern was showcasing the GSD, which is more of a cargo carrying bike and the Vektron, which I consider a commuter bike option.  Both bikes have the ability to fold for transport and portability.  Tern uses the German Bosch batteries to power the pedal assist bikes.

2018 Interbike Day 2 Reno Nevada

2018 Interbike – Day 3

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Strava just launched a new pricing structure for Strava’s social network called Strava Summit.  For those that are wondering what Strava is, Strava works with your mobile phone or favorite GPS device to track your activities (Running and Cycling) and allow you to share those activities with your friends.  In the cycling world Strava is huge as cyclists compete for KOMs & QOMs.

Strava Summit includes 3 options or packs to choose from including

• Training Pack
• Safety Pack
• Analysis Pack

Strava offers a 3-tiered Summit pack. You can choose the pick that fits your needs or get all three.

Strava Training Pack

The Strava Training pack is designed to help athletes customize their workouts and goals and perform post workout analysis.  One item that should have been included in the Training pack should have been live segments, since segments play a huge role in training and racing.  Unfortunately you must purchase the Analysis Pack in order to have that functionality.

• Custom Goals: Set goals for segments, cycling power, personal time or distance. Weekly and Yearly Progress Goals help you stay motivated and keep your training on track.
• Training Plans: For running and cycling to help you achieve your fitness goals.
• Filtered Leaderboards: Filter segment leaderboards by age and weight.
• Race Analysis: Detailed post-race breakdowns of your pace fluctuation and splits.
• Segment Efforts: Compare performances with other athletes on your favorite segments.
• Live Performance Data: Speed, distance, time, and data from your connected devices, in real time, on your mobile device.
• Pace Analysis: Visualize your pace zones and lap data for all your running workouts.

Strava Safety Pack

The Safety Pack is designed with safety in mind providing details including a beacon and a personal heatmap to help authorities and family members locate you in case of emergency.

• Beacon: Live location tracking for safer activities for athletes, and peace of mind for their friends and family. Beacon is available on the iOS and Android app, as well as selected Garmin devices.
• Personal Heatmaps: Unique visualizations of all of the places you’ve run or ridden.

Strava Analysis Pack

The Analysis Pack is geared towards post workout analysis, but includes live segments, which seems a bit odd.

• Relative Effort: Strava analyzes your heart rate data to quantify how hard you’re working and help you train smarter.
• Workout Analysis: Visualize your pace zones and lap data for all your workouts on the iOS and Android app.
• Live Segments: Your segment performance in real time, plus comparisons to your PR and the current KOM/QOM/CR. Live Segments are available on iOS, Android, and select compatible devices.
• Power Analysis: Utilize your power meter to analyze your activity and view training load, intensity, and more.
• Fitness & Freshness: Track levels of fitness, freshness, and fatigue over time.

Strava Member Benefits (Included with all Packs)

Purchase any of the Strava Summit packs and receive the following.

• Summit Perks: Exclusive deals from brands, retails, and more.
• Premium Support: Expedited Support for our Premium members.

Strava Premium Pricing Tiers

Strava has three plans for you to choose from:

• A FREE monthly plan which enables unlimited uploads and many of the features that make Strava worth using
• A MONTHLY Premium subscription plan (Price varies per country)
• A YEARLY Premium subscription plan (saving up to 38%) compared to the monthly subscription over 12 months (Price and savings varies per country)

Automatically renewing your subscription:

Your subscription will auto-renew unless canceled at least 24-hours before the end of the current period.

For anyone who loves to cycle or run, Strava is definitely worth a look, especially if you are into group training runs or rides.  Strava’s post workout evaluation makes is a lot fun and gives you the ability to razz your friends with your workout efforts.

The post Strava Summit | New Pricing Structure | Training, Safety and Analysis appeared first on Gear Mashers.