The new and interesting touring gear thread...

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RonK
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Re: The new and interesting gear thread...

Postby RonK » Mon May 02, 2016 11:03 am

BenGr wrote:Those displays look very pretty, but the real test will be how they function on the road. The map one in particular looks unusable, unless the unit is the size of a smartphone.

Battery life is impressive given the features, but as with all claims in what conditions was the test done?
The map display is similar to a Garmin Edge 1000 or Magellan Cyclo 505 so I can't see why it would be any less usable.

Battery life is also consistent with other similar devices, but no doubt will vary depending on how often the video camera's 3 second burst is triggered.
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Re: The new and interesting gear thread...

Postby BenGr » Mon May 02, 2016 11:14 am

RonK wrote:
BenGr wrote:Those displays look very pretty, but the real test will be how they function on the road. The map one in particular looks unusable, unless the unit is the size of a smartphone.

Battery life is impressive given the features, but as with all claims in what conditions was the test done?
The map display is similar to a Garmin Edge 1000 or Magellan Cyclo 505 so I can't see why it would be any less usable.

Battery life is also consistent with other similar devices, but no doubt will vary depending on how often the video camera's 3 second burst is triggered.
I was just basing it off the supplied image, which looks unreadable. Most likely a composite image (with bad text size), so the actual display is likely much better.

The 3G could easily be removed in favour of pairing with a smartphone, why pay for 2 services, unless its meant to completely replace the smartphone for rides. I guess it could be more complicated to get the same connectivity through Bluetooth, but surely its not insurmountable.

Too many bells and whistles for my liking.

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Re: The new and interesting gear thread...

Postby RonK » Mon May 02, 2016 11:58 am

Here is a better video - price will be $399, presumably US dollars.

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Re: The new and interesting gear thread...

Postby RonK » Mon May 02, 2016 12:15 pm

Strava compatibility rates a big fat zero with me.

What is important is to be able to upload tracks (via any software tool) and to be able load/update maps for any location in the world I may want to tour.

And to be able to navigate reliably as a Cyclo 505, or at least more reliably than a Garmin Edge.

If the battery life is indeed 16 hours then being able to charge on the go is not important either.
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Re: The new and interesting gear thread...

Postby Aushiker » Mon May 02, 2016 12:29 pm

RonK wrote:Strava compatibility rates a big fat zero with me...If the battery life is indeed 16 hours then being able to charge on the go is not important either.
That is fine Ron for you, (a) I am not you and (b) I shared from my perspective and I suspect given the large Strava user base, a lot of other cyclists who would probably not bother jumping over from Garmin for this reason alone and a camera which is well a gimmick more than anything else. Also going by the video you linked to this is all about training ... very much the Strava market.

They need to sell more than one unit to you to survive you know :)

As to the battery if I am running a dynamo for example, being able charge on the go is a feature which is good to have and probably also for riders such as those on Audax rides and the like. Not everyone wants to carry battery packs or for that matter may have more than one item to charge overnight so again being able to charge on the go is handy. Given you can do this with the Garmin, it is simply another reason not to jump the fence.

Magellan's units have it seems to have been market flops; has anyone here for example beside you brought one or use one? Would be curious to know if they are in fact anything close to the size of the Garmin market. Acer needs to do better and be smarter than Magellan.

The choice of OSM maps is differently a start; the possible lack of ANT+ (only mentions Bluetooth HRM) is not.

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Re: The new and interesting gear thread...

Postby RonK » Mon May 02, 2016 1:42 pm

Aushiker wrote:
RonK wrote:Strava compatibility rates a big fat zero with me...If the battery life is indeed 16 hours then being able to charge on the go is not important either.
That is fine Ron for you, (a) I am not you and (b) I shared from my perspective and I suspect given the large Strava user base, a lot of other cyclists who would probably not bother jumping over from Garmin for this reason alone and a camera which is well a gimmick more than anything else. Also going by the video you linked to this is all about training ... very much the Strava market.

They need to sell more than one unit to you to survive you know :)

As to the battery if I am running a dynamo for example, being able charge on the go is a feature which is good to have and probably also for riders such as those on Audax rides and the like. Not everyone wants to carry battery packs or for that matter may have more than one item to charge overnight so again being able to charge on the go is handy. Given you can do this with the Garmin, it is simply another reason not to jump the fence.

Magellan's units have it seems to have been market flops; has anyone here for example beside you brought one or use one? Would be curious to know if they are in fact anything close to the size of the Garmin market. Acer needs to do better and be smarter than Magellan.

The choice of OSM maps is differently a start; the possible lack of ANT+ (only mentions Bluetooth HRM) is not.
I don't see this device being all about training at all - in fact it appears to have only basic training features ala the Cyclo 505, and no mention of the advanced training features most Garmin users are looking for. The video makes it pretty clear to me at least that the features are aimed at social networking. However, this is the touring forum we are posting in and my post and comments are made in the touring context.

Whatever, gpx is the standard output format so even is Strava support is not fully integrated it is most likely you'll be able to upload the data.

Yes, there are quite a few Cyclo users on the forum, you don't see them post much about it here because there is another forum dedicated to the Cyclo. But it has been allowed to die a slow death due to apparent indifference and a complete lack of support from Magellan, which is a shame because its navigation leaves Garmin's for dead.

So far as charging on the fly goes, this might work for you but I tried it on tour last year and it didn't work very well without some sort of cache battery, particularly in hillier terrain where it's difficult to maintain sufficient speed. Charging an auxiliary battery such as the Anker Zolo is not so much affected by voltage fluctuations and does not require the device to be open to the elements either. The Zolo has ports to recharge two devices at the same time.

Oh, and the web page and the video makes it clear that Ant+ is supported.

Certainly Acer need to do better than Magellan, but they won't do it by creating a Garmin clone.
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Re: The new and interesting gear thread...

Postby Aushiker » Mon May 02, 2016 2:10 pm

RonK wrote:I don't see this device being all about training at all - in fact it appears to have only basic training features ala the Cyclo 505, and no mention of the advanced training features most Garmin users are looking for.
This is Acer's own video from the page you linked to ...



I see what you mean, it is not about training, not about roadies, not about the core part of Strava's business :wink:

As to taking the GPX file and uploading for sure that is an option but really in 2016 we have moved beyond that with synchronising as soon as the ride is finished via smart phone. I don't even bother connecting my Garmin to the computer now days unless I am updating firmware or downloading routes/maps.

It might be a nice alternative to Garmin for touring and it is good to see it is Ant+ (thanks for correcting that point) and it would be great if it develops into an alternative, but the video at least is something I rather do without when touring (might be handy for commuting etc) more so given the limited mounting options using it would entail. The 3G tracking might be handy but then I would rather rely on my Delorme or Spot for that.

As to the charging on the go, cache batteries are I suspect still common for a lot of riders so that overcomes the issue with Garmin units and speed drop-outs (yes I experience those as well if I don't use a cache battery).

Don't get me wrong, I am interested in it should my Garmin Edge 810 need replacing but I would want the modern first world functionality of my Edge as I would use it for more than touring and I would not be running to the shop to get one when they are released unless my Edge dies around then :).

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Re: The new and interesting gear thread...

Postby RonK » Mon May 02, 2016 5:11 pm

Aushiker wrote:I see what you mean, it is not about training, not about roadies, not about the core part of Strava's business :wink
Yeah, the commentary actually mentions training - once. :)

But look at what you get - a simple dashboard displaying only the main metrics. Not what Garmin users expect from a training device.

Personally I'm all for rationalising devices, the integrated video camera is one less device to charge.

And speaking of charging, while you're charging on the fly with your cache battery, you're not charging your auxiliary battery or that other device you mentioned. Charging an auxilliary battery is what I found to work best on tour. When not touring, 16 hours of battery endurance is heaps.

I won't be running to the shop for one either, but I'll be giving it a careful look over when it arrives. If I like what I see, I might consider getting one after it's been on the market long enough to get feedback about performance, reliability and support.
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Re: The new and interesting gear thread...

Postby Aushiker » Thu May 05, 2016 2:08 pm

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This new Topeak accessory might of interest to some.

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Re: The new and interesting gear thread...

Postby RonK » Mon May 23, 2016 9:08 pm

Well...perhaps my cooking arrangements will soon be up for a radical update. :shock:

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Re: The new and interesting gear thread...

Postby Aushiker » Mon May 23, 2016 9:45 pm

RonK wrote:Well...perhaps my cooking arrangements will soon be up for a radical update. :shock:
1.5kg for 30 minutes of cooking time; 500ml of usable capacity. I would like to see a lot more radical development before seriously considering it.

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Re: The new and interesting gear thread...

Postby rifraf » Fri May 27, 2016 10:02 pm

The topic of drones has previously come up.
Irrespective of peoples personal opinions of this new technology, I thought it might be pertinent to offer up a link to a free ebook I spotted on Ozbargain.com.

$0 eBook - Getting Started with Hobby Quadcopters and Drones (Was $6.86)

https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/249979

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DBJQKD8

Enjoy
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Re: The new and interesting gear thread...

Postby Warin » Tue May 31, 2016 8:32 pm

Waterproof, solar charging, LED tent light .. $20usd (+shipping Fedx or?) 83grams. Inflates for lighting, deflates for storage/charging. Battery holds charge for 2 years.. 65 lumen on full bright setting, 6 hours discharge time on full bright. Charge time 7 hours direct sunlight...

https://luminaid.com/products/luminaid-packlite-16

Only negative I have read of is that it is hard to deflate - requires thought.
----------------------
Drones .. well named - noisy devices! :evil:
Some have a 'follow me' facility ... I already have enough toys to carry. :?

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Re: The new and interesting gear thread...

Postby Aushiker » Wed Jun 01, 2016 11:19 am

Image

Kicking myself on this drop at Massdrop. Hesitated, deciding overnight to go with it and of course it has been filled :| Anyway I might still try an get a pair of these Luke's Ultralite Thru-Hiker shorts as camp/laundry shorts or something similar. So light and pack down nice and small.

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Re: The new and interesting gear thread...

Postby Aushiker » Fri Jun 10, 2016 12:26 pm

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Skinners .. 80 gram campshoes or more?

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Re: The new and interesting gear thread...

Postby Aushiker » Sun Jun 12, 2016 10:47 am

This has popped up at Gear Junkie ... It is called the Pelephant and is a pedal with built in stand.

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Re: The new and interesting gear thread...

Postby rifraf » Thu Jun 30, 2016 4:36 pm

Now there was some droning on about drones earlier in the thread and as the topic seemed to polarise fans and detractors, I couldn't help but offer the opportunity for some more divisiveness by posting an Ozbargain special:

DJI Phantom 3 Standard $859 Shipped (34% off) (AT) DJI Store

https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/255356

"Also available are the
Phantom 2 AUD $579.00 http://store.dji.com/product/phantom-2?position=2
Phantom 3 Professional AUD $1,699.00 http://store.dji.com/product/phantom-3-professional "
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Re: The new and interesting gear thread...

Postby avolve » Mon Jul 04, 2016 11:21 am

Anyone have a comparison between a liquid fuel stove live the Vargo Titanium Converter (currently on massdrop — https://www.massdrop.com/buy/vargo-conv ... guest_open) and the likes of a MSW Whisperlite.

I have the latter (and it has proven invaluable at altitude), and the Vargo seems like a good option for regular bike packing (very small pack size!)

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Re: The new and interesting gear thread...

Postby Trevtassie » Mon Jul 04, 2016 1:29 pm

avolve wrote:Anyone have a comparison between a liquid fuel stove live the Vargo Titanium Converter (currently on massdrop — https://www.massdrop.com/buy/vargo-conv ... guest_open) and the likes of a MSW Whisperlite.

I have the latter (and it has proven invaluable at altitude), and the Vargo seems like a good option for regular bike packing (very small pack size!)
Same as a Trangia I guess, what you gain on the swings (size, weight) you lose on the roundabout (needing to carry double the fuel compared to shellite or kero)

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Re: The new and interesting gear thread...

Postby avolve » Mon Jul 04, 2016 2:36 pm

Trevtassie wrote: Same as a Trangia I guess, what you gain on the swings (size, weight) you lose on the roundabout (needing to carry double the fuel compared to shellite or kero)
I have never taken a Trangia myself. So they use a lot more (double?) fuel?

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Re: The new and interesting gear thread...

Postby Trevtassie » Mon Jul 04, 2016 2:46 pm

avolve wrote:
Trevtassie wrote: Same as a Trangia I guess, what you gain on the swings (size, weight) you lose on the roundabout (needing to carry double the fuel compared to shellite or kero)
I have never taken a Trangia myself. So they use a lot more (double?) fuel?
About that in volume. Maybe a touch less in weight, but then you may need two bottles which tips the scales up again. Depends on your usage, light usage, making the odd cup of tea and re-hydrating a freeze dried something, alcohol is good option, especially if it's a shorter trip where the extra weight penalty of a whisperlite comes in to play. Long trips with heavy usage then Shellite or kero is the go from a weight and space point of view. I've even been known to have a hot shower using my camelback if I'm in the bush for over a week. Luxury.

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Re: The new and interesting gear thread...

Postby pbekkerh » Mon Jul 04, 2016 8:22 pm

There is one more aspect of spiritburners that you and your neighbours might enjoy: It's totally silent!
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Re: The new and interesting gear thread...

Postby Trevtassie » Mon Jul 04, 2016 8:28 pm

pbekkerh wrote:There is one more aspect of spiritburners that you and your neighbours might enjoy: It's totally silent!
Indeed, my Dragonfly sounds like a Saturn 5 when it's cranked right up! But damn it's fast, and it simmers better than a Trangia with a simmer ring too.

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Re: The new and interesting gear thread...

Postby }SkOrPn--7 » Mon Jul 04, 2016 10:08 pm

Seems Ortlieb are catering for the bikepacking tourers.

https://ortliebusa.com/product-category ... e-packing/

Ricky

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Re: The new and interesting gear thread...

Postby Aushiker » Wed Jul 13, 2016 10:17 pm



and DC Rainmaker's hands on ... more focused on the Garmin Edge 820 rather than the Garmin Edge Explore 820 but.

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