mercuryvapor wrote:
My computrainer was delivered yesterday and I'm all setup. The setup was very easy. It helps that I have a dedicated trainer bike. The wires weren't a big deal and don't notice them. I did a very tidy install with velcro straps and zip ties. I did one workout thus far and it was awesome. No drops or spikes. Just nice, consistent wattages that I determined via Perfpro. I am so glad that I made the switch to CT. I usually invest in the cutting edge of technology with everything in my life but this is the one case where I'm excited to go back to the basics. This thing is just awesome!
I work in cutting edge technology today (we do switching chips that go into 4G wireless networks and into supercomputers), but as a consumer, I always buy 1-2 generation old technology. The reason for this, I I find that there is not any rigorous "engineering" in the word "software engineering". Most of these guys are hackers that fly by the seat of their pants and generally don't build things with a solid engineering approach. If a mechanical or aerospace guy behaved like most software guys, they'd be fired.
In my first job testing F-18 software in 1989, we were finding bugs that flew in 1973 in the YF-17 prototype that McDonnell Douglas first flew. That code made it (in another variant) into the F-18 and had been flying for 16 years by the time we were banging on it. None of those bugs were mission critical nor safety critical, but "still". My background was not on software, it was in electrical and control systems so the level of rigor I expect is close to nuclear reactor shutdown control systems level (I guess I am picky).
My team does semiconductors, and before we go to fab to manufacture, we have to pay several million on what is called a "mask set" that is used to make the wafers from which the chips are made. When you pay that much just for a mask set, you get it right first time, which means testing a gazillion corner cases so the chips come back working first time right. If you want to change the code that generated those chips, pay several million again and usually someone gets fired. I am generally quite dissatisfied with most consumer level software products. They are just not at the same level of "robustness" that I like so I'm stuck on ancient and robust Computrainer technology wires and all. Just rode 2x20 min today on a hill course that I rode. First 20 at 3.77W per kilo and second one at 3.93 (240W and 250W respectively). I am 99.5% certain that the watts displayed were actual watts and not some concocted thing filled with drift and/or drop outs and other fluctuations. That CT that I got 4 year old in 2009 has been rock solid. It's the best tri training tool that I have aside from my 19 year old treadmill.
Having said all that, I am looking at the Wahoo, to potentially put in our mini gym at work and leave one of my bikes there. But I'd probably just pick up a second hand CT for less.