tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3739147624979162869.post4890672660545547507..comments2023-11-24T11:39:17.055-05:00Comments on The Blayleys: The Fall FiveFixie Pixiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12932022188247682078noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3739147624979162869.post-60729891116492762542012-11-19T10:38:41.848-05:002012-11-19T10:38:41.848-05:00I haven't tried BRT in a while, but just did n...I haven't tried BRT in a while, but just did now based on your comment. I did not find it intuitive to use and in fact failed miserably trying to create a simple route from my home to the local bike shop. I'm glad you've had better luck than I did.<br /><br />I do have the premium subscription to ridewithgps, mainly because I found the site so useful and wanted to provide these guys with some income so they'd continue to be around. But I logged out to check for features with the free version and you CAN export a TCX, GPX and CVS file with the free version. You can also print a basic cue sheet with the free version. The paid version adds some nice features that really help with navigating on the mapless garmin edge 500. You can set the prompts to come up a specified advance distance. When using the 500, I set prompts at 200 feet in advance, and can navigate quite well with this unit. Thanks to this feature alone, the $80 a year for the premium subscription versus the difference in cost for a 500 and an 800 with maps, can be justified. One also gets really nicely formatted cue sheets with premium. If just creating GPS files, this isn't such a big deal, but for club rides or brevets, the route sheets are great, as I mentioned in the post. <br /><br />As regards elevation data, it's basically as good as the data source. Around here (New England), I find I get pretty consistent predictions, which basically gives me a reasonable point of reference. We did find we saw exaggerated climbing figures in France this fall, but quickly adjusted our point of reference scale as we realized the predicted numbers were about 2.5 times actual climbing. I suspect the google data is just not refined enough yet. But despite the exaggerated numbers, we could still look at the route profile and determine our route was rideable. <br /><br />They still have a ways to go with refining the upload/tracking/segments. We found a few issues in the fall five, especially with the climbing segments. I'd prefer they focus their resources on improving route creation and searching and organizing, but recognize that the upload/tracking features appeal to coaches and are likely generate more income. So if that's what is necessary to keep them around, so be it. Fixie Pixiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12932022188247682078noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3739147624979162869.post-1106616609084073412012-11-18T16:19:28.946-05:002012-11-18T16:19:28.946-05:00I tried RideWithGPS around 2010 when it just came ...I tried RideWithGPS around 2010 when it just came out not long before. It did have good user interface and lots of functions that I didn't use much at that time.<br /><br />When I started to use Garmin Edge 500, the functions (output TCX file and create course point warnings) I need are not for available for the free plan. You cannot even export the cue sheet into a text file (CVS). That's when I found out and started to use BikeRouteToaster (BRT). <br /><br />Another useful feature in BRT, but not in other similar sites, is to calculate the virtual partner's speed using user settings and altitude data. That is, the virtual partner would slow down when hit the hills. This helps me to estimate the trip time more accurately. I have used this function in most of my brevet rides (to estimate my own "cut-off" time at controls). <br /><br />By the way, the elevation calculated in BRT is more accurate than in RideWithGPS, which often exaggerates the climb.Bottlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05660987961183669759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3739147624979162869.post-46405419998005206352012-11-03T14:56:07.267-04:002012-11-03T14:56:07.267-04:00The stage race sounds like it was great fun. I mi...The stage race sounds like it was great fun. I missed all of it but thought about it (and did ride some during the week). I regularly enjoy hill training getting to the water tower and agree, there are always cyclist to be seen on the roads.New England Bicyclisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16609454624593868118noreply@blogger.com