I have asked RM about what sw are they going to support for the continued production of the velotron, since RM1 was never updated to work. I would love to see them
release the API, which I heard was proposed to do.

Pretty sure we all know who wrote a big part of RM1. :)

---

Dave Campbell | Facebook | @DaveECampbell | h2ofun@h2ofun.net

Boom Nutrition code 19F4Y3 $5 off 24 pack box | Bionic Runner | PowerCranks | Velotron | Spruzzamist

Lions don't lose sleep worrying about the sheep

You can't ride a Velotron in real life so unfortunately with respect to that my bike+power meter >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Velotron (plus I can use zwift for the fun of it)

---

The entire event (IM) is like "death by 1000 cuts" and the best race is minimizing all those cuts and losing less blood than the other guy. - Dev

don't hold your breath u know how they are...

---

The entire event (IM) is like "death by 1000 cuts" and the best race is minimizing all those cuts and losing less blood than the other guy. - Dev

Interesting.

Sorry to hear about this and for Chuck Wurster and the team.

As Ray Maker says in his blog on this https://www.dcrainmaker.com/...ases-production.html any one riding indoors these days has Chuck to thank for the experience. First with the RacerMate wind trainers, and then with the Computrainer with the added bells and whistles of power metering etc . .

I had one of the original RaceMate wind training units back in the 1980's. Roared like a lion when you were really rocking on the thing!

I never got too worked up about the technological advances with the indoor training because for me, while I admit it's kind of boring (I would rather be outside riding), indoor riding to me has been about knocking out a hard hour of riding and then getting off - In my whole time as a triathlete/cyclist (30+years), I have RARELY ridden more than an hour at a time indoors. Consequently, the reason that all the mid-term developments with Computrainer and now more recent funky and very cool developments, the height of this, the current rage with Zwift, had no appeal to me personally - although I can clearly see the benefits for others!

---

---

Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

Steve, totally agree with you. I just ride my Velotron using the original old CS and 3D sw. It works. I do not need anything else to mess with. I watch a movie while I ride, Alien was this pick today, so it makes my 90 minute rides as bearable as possible. I see, for some, the need to have fancier sw just like some have the need for a coach. I do not need any extra motivation. Now I have always made the comment that if coaches where so great, why am I not always dead last in races. Guess I can make the same comment about fancy bike sw that some use. why are they not the first off the bike then? I have zero desire to pay for things like monthly sw expenses for my hobby. :) (Would rather just have a few extra velotrons. :) )

---

Dave Campbell | Facebook | @DaveECampbell | h2ofun@h2ofun.net

Boom Nutrition code 19F4Y3 $5 off 24 pack box | Bionic Runner | PowerCranks | Velotron | Spruzzamist

Lions don't lose sleep worrying about the sheep

Hindsight is always 20/20, but companies often make decision based on the climate of the time. I have no specific knowledge of RM/CT, but here are some general observations I would offer up based on my personal experience as engineer/entrepreneur/end-user:

SW/HW integration: when CT was dominating the market, I can see the management decided there simply isn't any reasons for them to release their HW platform for other's SW to ride on top of it; after all, in its day, Microsoft made their money on other people's HW while Apple resisted and kept its tight integration of HW and SW.

Investment for new product: my guess is that the basic technology of CT is a wired solution that requires dedicated CPU resource and communication ports, and it probably wrote a lot of its own drivers. It is by and large a much simpler and more "deterministic" embedded system - like an industrial control system. That simplicity probably contributed a great deal to its reliability comparing to the newer trainers of today where it would have to handle wireless and multiple communication protocols. For RM to move to next gen product, they probably would've to start from scratch, leverage very little of their existing hardware and software core, and compete on the level field with the likes of Wahoo/Tacx/Cycleops/et al.

Sell-off of assets: while there may be other business reasons (legally most of the time) they have not sought or responded to potential buyers, from technology perspectice, as I said above, there probably isn't anything core asset that would be valuable for either an existing player or newcomer because of their out-dated technology. Even the name of CT and its associated reputation may not be of much value these days.

Again, caveat emptor, just my outsider's perspective.

if u race outside u def paying more than $9.99 for your hobby :) even our local TT is $10 per week and the same for the local crit. Real races under USAC umbrella will set u back $20+ so I don't see $9.99 as bad (not trying to argue just giving u a different perspective on the subject)

---

The entire event (IM) is like "death by 1000 cuts" and the best race is minimizing all those cuts and losing less blood than the other guy. - Dev

For me it is principal. Now my looking at spending 8K to go to Penticton, well, .... :)

---

Dave Campbell | Facebook | @DaveECampbell | h2ofun@h2ofun.net

Boom Nutrition code 19F4Y3 $5 off 24 pack box | Bionic Runner | PowerCranks | Velotron | Spruzzamist

Lions don't lose sleep worrying about the sheep

I'm not a PerfPro user, but I'm pretty sure it supports videos. You should be able to use any Ergvideo with it. You just won't be able to use the erg data. That unfortunately, you would need to recreate for PerfPro. I don't see that changing as ErgVideo erg data is exclusive to the app an licensed per pc.

I don't understand why one wouldn't use the ergvideo app for ergvideos. Seems pretty easy.

Well that's not quite a fair comparison, any bike outdoors is better than any trainer. Except perhaps during the winter, in which case I'd take the torture of the trainer over freezing various body parts off and getting blown across the road.

I wonder if Andy Potts would agree with you

---

Dave Campbell | Facebook | @DaveECampbell | h2ofun@h2ofun.net

Boom Nutrition code 19F4Y3 $5 off 24 pack box | Bionic Runner | PowerCranks | Velotron | Spruzzamist

Lions don't lose sleep worrying about the sheep

Andy didn't ride indoors because he enjoyed it more than outdoors, AFAIK. Riding indoors is for safety, convenience, weather, and training stress efficiency.

I was just responding to the comment that any bike outdoors is better than any trainer. For some, enjoyment, yep. For the best mile for mile, minute for minute, if used correctly, the trainer blows away outside training.

---

Dave Campbell | Facebook | @DaveECampbell | h2ofun@h2ofun.net

Boom Nutrition code 19F4Y3 $5 off 24 pack box | Bionic Runner | PowerCranks | Velotron | Spruzzamist

Lions don't lose sleep worrying about the sheep

Funny, I feel the exact same way about treadmills, but love the trainer. Was on early this morning for 3 hours watching the uncut version of American Gangster. It's like a twofer!

Hate my Magnus. It's in the process of being returned and I'm getting another dumb trainer.

You will drop 7k on a trainer but skimp on the software !?

I think you might be post-rationalising the situation you find yourself in Dave.

CHEERS

Mark

Boy are you making assumptions about what I paid on a trainer Fake news.

---

Dave Campbell | Facebook | @DaveECampbell | h2ofun@h2ofun.net

Boom Nutrition code 19F4Y3 $5 off 24 pack box | Bionic Runner | PowerCranks | Velotron | Spruzzamist

Lions don't lose sleep worrying about the sheep

After seeing some of the more passionate comments on the DCR blog post before they were edited or removed I continued to think about the great legacy of the CT. I have no history with the company of the use other than reading so many positive comments from users over the years. I have seen a few gripes and I had one friend that seemed to be plagued with constant flat tires using the CT. I did a search years ago and found other people also having issues with flats, but those things seemed to be minor. I have seen random gripes about the company and its unwillingness to move forward with technology, but those were minimal when observed to the people that said they loved the CT.

The one things that seems to stand out the most is the consistency in the production of the CT and the high rate of those who say it is accurate and built rock solid.

Despite knowing this reputation of the CT, I was one of those who opted to take a chance on the Gen 1 Kickr and had my issues with the power being well off from my power meters. I do like using the Kickr now that my power meter is in control, but as an owner and consistent user I would say that it is far from being the Gold Standard. When going through those first months and discussing with other users it seemed like something in the Kickr production changed and not for the good. In observing the discussion here and elsewhere it seemed like those who purchased the first batch had models that were much closer to matching their power meters. Those of us who purchased many months later were experiencing inconsistent differences with some stating well under and some stating well over in comparison to the meter. I've also seen quite a few having to replace the top cap (electronic portion) of the Kickr.

I never saw that level of discussion with the CT. Maybe I missed seeing those discussions?

For the CT whatever they did it seemed to be consistent in manufacturing each trainer as I never really saw as much discussion on inconsistency as I have with the Kickr. And when I did see a discussion it seemed to be solved by the new CT user being coached on how to set the press down force on the tire.

So maybe the harsh comments toward the company is deserved, but on the other hand big kudos to the company for producing one of the better trainers to hit the market during its span of time.

Then provide counter factuals Dave !

.. not to mention that if one of their biggest supporters thinks their only remaining product is too expensive, then what hope do they have ?

Mark

Not everyone needs fancy software or any software at all.

I've had a computrainer since 2014. The only software I've used is racermate one or zwift and I barely use either of them. ERG mode is where it is on these smart trainers.

---

blog

You love having people make assumptions. You refuse to say what you paid. Having 4 velotrons ranks as one of the dumbest things to spend your money on, regardless of how little you paid.

Funny that you agree with some posts here. Your attitude is exactly why computrainer is now gone. You constantly state how perfect they are and anyone needing something better is silly. Guess who was wrong on that one...

And best to stop with the snowflake insults and fake news BS. You are a hypocrite for calling people out on their negative attacks when in the same sentence you attack them.

And, your bike results can't be used as support for the products or training methods you use. I'd wager that you have the least effective training approach on the bike of anyone on this forum. The hours you spend riding should have you as a FOP rider.

I think you're being disingenuous.
You know well that using more elaborate software, say Zwift, can't change the impact of your training unless it changes the content. That is not the point. You can do the same training just using your head unit or with an elaborate platform like Zwift. You can watch movies or stare at a wall. If it doesn't effect you physically your session will have the same physical effect. Obviously.
How you occupy your mind while training may not change your ability to cycle. That doesn't make it irrelevant as you would have us believe. If you don't need extra motivation, good for you. Some do. Maybe, despite not needing it, you'd enjoy it, maybe not. Your business.
I don't have a coach. I can see the pros and cons but I don't think it's for me at the moment. However, I'm not about to claim that my beating someone with a coach proves coaches have no purpose and couldn't offer me something I'm missing. That's nonsense and I'm sure you know it.

… except today that browser exists, and it's called Mozilla Firefox. And FWIW, "newer tech" didn't kill Netscape, Microsoft's antitrust violations did.

Doesn't look like there's any phoenix rising from the Computrainer ashes here, so the legacy looks to be more like Betamax, Divx, HD DVD, etc. Sayonara!