AGW wrote:Enough with the cries for a Merckx category.
That's a pretty big leap of judgement there. If I were to leap in the opposite direction, can I ask for motors? How about some balance, which is what I'm aiming for?
How about "enough with the reduction of another person's reasoning into an extreme stance?"
This is hardly a cry for a Merckx category. I like carbon. I like most tech. The data is still useful. It's just minor aspects.
A lot has changed in racing technology since Merckx was around, and I'd like to see most of it continue. It helps the industry grow. Things have vastly improved since the Cannibal raced, and I'd like to keep those changes in there.
That said or written, a suggested adjustment to aides during sanctioned races does not suddenly throw us back decades.
We're at a lull in the Pro racing calendar, obviously.
KWalker wrote:I see computers as being useful when they report temperature, speed, elapsed time, and elevation. In many cases time is helpful in a race simply to alert a rider not to run dangerously low on food or hydration. Its not a tell all metric of any sort, but its definitely good to know. Speed kind of works the same way- neither helpful nor detrimental in and of itself. Power, personally speaking, can really depend. In a TT it can help if the course is pan flat with no turns, hills, or road furniture. On a road stage it doesn't matter- if a guy is going faster you either increase your pace or you don't. If someone races by numbers and loses out then that's their fault, but in most cases where that happens it doesn't contribute if you can't follow other's numbers or vice versa. Its really moot. I see the use in having it simple because its on most head units and is benevolent. I don't see a reason to redesign head units around any of this. IMO the absence of radios plays a bigger role than having a detailed computer, but when radios have been absent recently it hasn't made racing any more exciting.
Okay, so time & distance. Small LCD. Done. Froome won't bonk because he can see that it's been 30 minutes since he last ate something. He can get fined again, everyone is happy and people start yelling at each other over insignificant things again, forums stay busy with people hitting reload so they can yell at each other on the internet over their passion for something they're not capable of doing themselves, advertisers stay happy, admins keep up the moderating, we all win.
Everything else you stated above pretty much follows the line of reasoning posted earlier... So... thank you.
KWalker wrote:People forget that this is what pros do. They ride 25+ hours a week and have raced hundreds or thousands of stages. Its not too hard to figure a lot of things out after a while such as your perceived exertion, pacing, RPE, etc. Having the balls to attack, counter, bridge, is a matter of confidence, fitness, and tactics more than anything.
Again: haven't forgotten. Your argument is well heard, we got it. But, again, removing the headunit
makes no difference per your argument.