Spring Training: The Beat 20 Heart Rate Monitor and 30 Days of Biking

YES! I signed up for 30 Days of Biking for the month of April. You can too so take the pledge!

NYC/Metro Area  Ah, spring is indeed in the air! I know because my sinuses are draining like crazy but not to be discouraged, I got on my bicycle for the first time this year. There was so much awe that it or I even moved as it's been bitterly cold of late. No matter. I got out there!  Surprisingly enough there were some things that were still functional after a long winter's deep freeze in the great North East.


Bicycle Electronics Check List:


Bicycle Headlight - My Cree 3K Lumen is a super bright rechargeable headlight and has a separate power source which is always disconnected when I finish riding. Bright as ever, it fired right up. A very good investment, I've had this light on my bicycle since 2013.

DiNotte Daytime Red Tail Light

Bicycle Tail Light - Once again, you get what you pay for. Behold The DiNotte Daytime Red. Although installed on my Terry Symmetry when I connected the light to the battery pack, BOOM, beautifully fired up lights. Rechargeable and extremely bright, it can be seen in broad daylight by over a mile. I've also had this light on one of my bikes sine 2013. 

Electric Horn - This extra loud, 105 decibel Megalert Megahorn Bicycle Horn uses one 9 volt battery...forever.  Another relic, I think I changed the battery twice since purchasing it back in 2011.  After a long deep freeze it still blew the doors off the bike garage! 



So having been pleasantly surprised at how well everything still worked, I only had one casualty. The Reflex Auto Tail Light was dead and new batteries couldn't revive it. The CatEye Commuter Wireless Bicycle Computer needed a new battery which I changed and so it is up an running again. Likewise the Planet Bike Blaze 45 battery powered headlight on the Terry Symmetry just needed a new battery. A very well made bicycle light, the PB still rocks. Not bad! After washing the frame, oiling the chain, polishing the saddle and cleaning the rims I was motivated to sign up for 30 Days of Biking this year for the month of April.  All the warmer days in March will be conditioning runs for the daily rides next month. Cycling is a fantastic way to ease your way back into condition after being somewhat sedentary over the winter. You don't have to ride long or far, just commit some portion of each day to a bicycle ride.  You can do this!  Go ahead, sign up and take the pledge to ride your bicycle everyday for the month of April here at 30 Days of Biking.  #30DaysofBiking!

My 30 Days of Biking ride equipemnt + a new cross training accessory

Spring Training with the Beat 20 ECG Heart Rate Monitor

This season I have the chance to try this new ECG Heart Rate Monitor to train with. Unlike other heart rate monitors (that I've attempted to use), this one is easy to set up and get working right out of the box. Comes fully charged with recharging ability via USB cable. It actually shows your real-time ECG wave as if you're in the doctor's office!  Pretty advanced.  Connects to your phone via Bluetooth and the sport app, it will store your training sessions which can be saved and uploaded elsewhere.

The Beat 20 sensor is waterproof, making it suitable for everything from sweaty weight lifting to swimming pool laps.  Also gives you: distance, speed, steps taken, cadence, data storage and analysis with a vibration warning when you are reaching your heart-rate threshold. Your personalized profile within the app shows YOUR maximum heart rate based on age and other individual factors. It can also be paired with your bicycle computer so you can have all that data in one place during your ride. This is a bit more complicated and you'll need to be sure that your bicycle electronics has either Bluetooth or ANT+ connection capabilities.  Perfect also for walking, running or weight lifting sessions at the gym. The chest strap itself is very comfortable and easily adjustable. Quite impressed so far with the Beat 20 and can't wait to start seriously training with it this spring.  Check it out at Shanren Tech

The Beat 20 ECG Heart Rate Monitor by Shanren Tech

Rapha Women's 100 2014: The Ride, The Kit and Staying Visible

At the last minute I asked my mechanic to install my DayTime Red

This year's Rapha Women's 100 came on the heels of lots of rain and high humidity. In fact I started a bit later than last year due to a few early morning rain storms moving through. Due to some tire and bicycle computer issues on the Terry, I road the heavier Nishiki first until repairs could be done. Being about 15 lbs heavier than the Terry, I definitely felt the difference especially on steep hills. My average speed was about 14.5 mph.

Donkeys grazing in a hillside corral on my ride route.

Once the Terry was ready, I switched off and rode that. Last year I had the Terry for the whole route so after lunch, I enjoyed a much lighter ride! However by then the winds had picked up so headwinds all the way out. The humidity had dropped but the temperature was up into the 80's.

Maximum wind speed was 5.7 mph

The Kit  The Giro Amare Road Helmet weighs only about 280 grams and was so cool with the 26 active turbo vents. I could really hear the wind in my ears especially on the descents. Likewise the Giro Riela Trail Shoes are much more aerodynamic than the Pearl Izumis. The foot bed is also much stiffer which gave me a lot more power in the pedals. Read more about my ride kit HERE.

Giro Amare Women's Road Helmet

During the morning ride, I put on my Safety Smart Wear short sleeved Jersey over my Castelli 2.0 Body Paint Cropped Tri Top and Bibshorts as it was still pretty cool. The Castelli Kit is the lightest, most comfortable cycle wear I've worn to date. It performed so well keeping me cool and dry. The chamois was not too bulky and stayed cool in the saddle. After lunch, I simply wore my Verspertine Vesp over the cropped Tri Top & Bibshort. What I really needed was visibility as I am riding in 50 mph traffic.

Vespertine Vesp taking a break on the Terry in the shade.

Visibility Factors
If you look close in the photo above and in the lead photo, you'll see my DiNotte Daytime Red under the Butterfly saddle of my Terry. At the last minute, I asked my mechanic to install it. A ride this long and with traffic whizzing by can be very stressful. I wanted to make sure that I was seen and from quite a distance. It was sunnier in the afternoon so the Daytime Red did it's thing. Cars saw me and stayed away. I call that winning!
Likewise the Vespertine Vesp offers lightness but high visibility. It is not as aerodynamic as the Castelli Body Paint pieces but I felt safer since I am riding alone and people may not be expecting me on the road. Still I did see quite a few other cyclists out there but just not involved in this Sportive.

Washed and drying after the Rapha Women's 100!

The Ride Wrap This was a great ride this year! Despite having a late rain start, equipment substitutes and repairs, I did a respectable 22.5 miles for the day. My ride route has hills and I'm out there alone so I don't have a group to draft with. Still I would rather challenge myself with a certain degree of difficulty than take an easier route of flat, boring roads. Besides, I would miss all of the horses, turtles, donkeys, sheep and goats I get to see on my route! No, this is way more interesting. The main thing is for us women to get out there and make it happen. Special thanks to this year's ride support team: Giro Sport Design, Castelli Cycling, Safety Smartwear, Vespertine, CatEye Bicycle Electronics and my Number One Bicycle Mechanic, my husband Joe!

CatEye Strada Digital Wireless

Daylights: Increasing Your Daytime Cycling Visibility

My Vespertine Vesp brightens these darker cycling pieces and can be used for walking and running.

Most of my cycling is done along the bucolic roads that wind past the horse farms and pastures of central New Jersey. There are times, however that I commute along busier highways where bike lanes and protected paths are virtually unknown. I do my best to make myself visible to traffic and since I mostly ride in the daytime hours, have gotten into the habit of wearing bright clothing (or my bright vest, the Vesp by Vespertine NYC) and using bright lights on my helmet and bicycle.

My Nishiki with Megalert Horn and 3W Headlight

Bicycle Headlights
The point is to remember to keep it bright during the daylight hours and especially on cloudy days. Lights that are bright enough to be seen in full sun are preferable as they can offer an extra layer of visibility in traffic. Different bicycles have different needs of course and the bicycle that I ride most for commuting is my Nishiki Sport Touring.

It's half road - half touring frame allows me to have a bit more speed and less weight than most commuters. I have enough space for an electronic horn, light and camera. My computer hitches a ride on my top bar. During the day I ride with a flashing 3W Rechargeable LED Headlight from Bright Ideas.
I have upgraded to another headlight Bright Ideas also carries which is even brighter, the 3,000

Cree 3,000 Lumen Headlight at night on my Nishiki

Lumen Cree LED.

Like the 3W I was using, it is rechargeable but lighter, brighter and more compact. I have moved the battery pack from the handlebars to the seat post which gives me better access to the brakes. The Cree 3K Lumen Bicycle Headlight has four modes: Low, Medium, High Beam and Strobe. It is insanely bright and now I'm not concerned about riding at night in the country where there are often no street lights.

While I'm talking about Bright Ideas LLC, this company is dedicated to providing bright lights and reflective wear for both pedestrians and cyclists at an affordable price. I've even given some of their blinkie lights away to neighbors.

Planet Bike's super powerful Blaze 2W Micro Headlight fits between my road bike's aero bars.

Planet Bike Blaze 2W Micro HeadLight
The bicycle that I ride most for sport is my Terry Symmetry road bike. With aero bars installed there is little room for much more than a thumb bell and a small headlight. I don't train at night so this light is specifically for daytime riding safety. The Blaze 2 Watt LED Micro is many times brighter than a standard LED. It has a high and low beam and a Superflash Mode I use during my ride. Very easy to mount with no tools needed and will run up to 64 hours on flashing. Batteries came with this light and it was ready to rock right out of the box with genuine Cree XRE Powered LEDs.

My Terry Symmetry Road Bicycle

Running headlights during the day either flashing or steady can help drivers be aware of your presence at intersections and when oncoming traffic turns into your lane. I've noticed drivers waiting and letting me go first when they are coming in the opposite direction at a cross street or light.

Bicycle Tail Lights - DiNotte Lighting's Daytime Red
Seriously, this is the business end of your bicycle. You might be able to avoid trouble with cars you can see approaching but what about those you can't? I do look over my left shoulder and even have a mirror mounted at the end of my drop bars but come on! I always ride with my red tail light flashing away but you never quite know what the driver sees (or doesn't) from behind.

Coach Russ, a California based athlete and running coach who was himself hit by a car while road training told me about DiNotte's Daytime Red. These lights are made in the USA and offer top quality LEDs and electronics. The light remembers your last setting so you don't have to cycle through each time to find your favorite mode. The only trade off is that since these lights run at such a high intensity, the charge doesn't last very long (even in the flashing mode). What's worse is there is no power indicator as is present on my 3W and 3K Lumen rechargeable headlights from Bright Ideas. You go to use the light and it's just drained with no heads up. Kind of a bummer since everything else about the Daytime Red is first rate.

DiNotte Daytime Red lashed onto the top of my DR2 Trunk Bag

I personally chose the Daytime Red because that's primarily when I ride. I left the other tail lights on my bag for night time use as the Daytime Red is much too bright. However for the purpose, it is amazing. As soon as took a spin with it, cars behind me began slowing down and then went around me when it was safe to pass. It was obvious that they SAW me and from quite a distance away. A car doing 40 mph needs more time to react in order to brake. If they can see you from further away, they are going to give themselves (and you) a better chance of avoiding collision. You can check all the technical details of the Daytime Red 400R at their link but this is the brightest tail light available and perfect for daytime rides where you need to be seen. I've just started using this light and can already see a HUGE difference in my daytime riding experience.

DiNotte Daytime Red in flash-mode in broad sunlight.