GoPro Camera — The New Hero3 is Here…

The GoPro camera — Hero3 is finally being released !   Yes, this is (in my opinion) the best camera for the biking crowd – it is durable and simple to use.  And of course, the main advantage it offers is its versatility and applicability via accessories to all of us who want to include the camera as part of the treks we take whether on the road or off the road in the mountains / fields.

 

Go Pro Hero3 new camera

 

The new GoPro camera — Hero 3 come with built-in Wi-Fi, 4K video resolution (1440p black version, 1080p on white and silver versions), 12 mp stills (black version) and is 30% smaller and 25% lighter than the previous GoPro Hero2 version.

 

 

Overall an amazing feat of engineering!

I am looking forward to owning one of these and taking some excellent video of various trails….

And of course – you can purchase the camera from Amazon.com — I guess still those are being pre-ordered….Here is the link, and of course the accessories necessary to attach the camera to your bike:

           

The camera is really producing amazing video — here are the specs and of course a sample video from the GoPro Web site:

  • Professional 4K Cinema 15 fps / 2.7K cinema 30 fps / 1440p 48 fps / 1080p 60 fps / 960p 100 fps /720p 120 fps and more video capture
  • 12MP photo capture with 30 fps burst
  • Wi-Fi Built-In
  • Wi-Fi Remote Compatible (included)
  • GoPro App Compatible (FREE)
  • 197’/ 60m Waterproof Housing*
  • Assorted mounts and hardware included for attaching to helmets, gear and more

These(on the left) are the specs that make the Hero3 Cameras so great…

Here is the link to the GoPro Camera 

 

 

 

Interesting Facts About Everyday Life – Including Commuting to Work via Bicycle….

I always thought that commuting to work via bicycle has multiple benefits

  1. Allows you to exercise without having to alocate special time for that
  2. Gives you two time periods when you are really focused on getting fast results out of physical exercise 🙂  after all you do not want to be late for that morning meeting — hence peddle faster 🙂
  3. It adds a major impact on your weekly finances — you can save probably $30-$40 a week in gasoline bills alone
  4. It allows you to feel good about yourself — you are truly helping the environment and reducing our carbon foot print!

So why not more people do it?  Me included…. I used to commute via bicycle when I lived in Phoenix 12 years ago….Not since.  Why?  Well you can find the reasons that many people (including me) give in this good survey

RESULTS FROM THE BIKE TO WORK DAY 2012

Comments?

 

What a Litigeous Society….Yes, I meant this one…

Well folks — this is a new high point in a litigeous society !!!   Look at the article below — I actually pulled it in from Bicycle Retailer magazine / web site — because it looks so improbable… But do I believe it?  Yes, absolutely —  I can see how the grief stricken parents are looking at all possible reasons to explain the tragic death of their child….But all in all I do not see the reason in their action.

from the article named: Strava countersues in death of California cyclist

From Bicycle Retailer

SAN FRANCISCO, CA (BRAIN) — Strava has filed a response in San Francisco’s Superior Court denying responsibility for all 26 charges set forth in a negligence lawsuit stemming from the 2010 death of a cyclist who was killed while using the popular personal fitness mobile application.  

Strava also countersued William K. Flint I, the father of Kim Flint Jr. and administrator of his estate, saying that when Flint Jr. joined Strava on Oct. 7, 2009, he electronically signed and agreed to Strava’s terms and conditions, a part of which excludes Strava from responsibility of legal claims or demands arising from a user’s connection to the site.

Flint Jr., 41, died on June 19, 2010, when he collided with an automobile while attempting to defend his “King of the Mountain” on a ride in Orinda, California’s Tilden Park. King of the Mountain is the term Strava uses to identify the fastest rider on a particular segment, clocked by GPS. The Strava app allows users to record ride times and ranks riders on individual segments. Flint was apparently trying to regain the King of the Mountain title he had recently lost at the time of his death. (Related: King of the (Down) Hill)

His parents filed a negligence lawsuit against Strava in June, saying the company encouraged dangerous behavior by failing to warn cyclists that the road conditions were not suited for racing, and not taking adequate measures to ensure KOM challenges took place on safe courses.  

In the countersuit, Strava contends that it is not liable for damages in Flint Jr.’s death because it was the result of his negligence, not the company’s. Strava claims that Flint Jr. was riding recklessly over the posted speed limit on the wrong side of the road when he crashed. 

A case management conference is scheduled in the case on Nov. 21.

I find this event rather disturbing — I myself use a number of iPhone applications that allow me to track my statistics for the rides I do.  I have added several write-ups on this blog about these software applications.   Check them out!

A Google Smart Phone Application

iPhone Application

And Another Application Set

The first iPhone application I tested and the first testing of it

But I have not thought for one second that I may bring legal action against anyone associated with the development of these applications….What is the point?  Even without the legal disclaimers, it is obvious "DO NOT TAKE YOUR EYES OFF THE ROAD"!!!  For any reason!!!

What do you think?   And enjoy your biking experiences!

 

Google My Tracks Navigation App

Well, my husband has an IPhone, so he likes to write about all the neat IPhone navigation apps for biking, but being an Android girl, I thought I'd write a quick review of an excellent GPS app for Android–Google My Tracks.  This simple app allows you to record your route, and then overlays the result automatically on top of Google Maps Street View, so you can replay your bike ride and see, more or less accurately (depending on the age of the satellite images) the route you have just ridden.  Uploading your data to Google Maps is extremely easy, and you can make your record either public or private.  Very neat!  Check out our recent ride in the Barton Creek Greenbelt:

 


View Barton Creek Greenbelt in a larger map

Product Review: iBiker – for Outdoor & Indoor Biking (with Heart Rate Monitor) – Another iPhone App to Have

In the previous few weeks I provided a review of the Cycle Tracker Application for Biking.  That application worked fine, but I decided to check out as many as possible and decide what will be my optimal choice.  So I started the quest…

The next one to test (after the Cycle Tracker) is the iBiker.  The application is intended for users with iPhone devices where they could leverage the GPS function and get pretty interesting functions — as seen below — covered by the application.  Here we go with the functions:

iBiker Software Views
iBiker Main Application Dashboard Summary of the cycling run Map of the Output Speed Pane

As you can see the application provides some very interesting views.  Included are also a health view where you can record your heart rate, etc.  All in all easy to use and convenient application.  I would recommend it

   

Specialized Jett–Review after 1st Week

I thought I'd write an update after my bike buying posts.  After finally settling on the Specialized Jett as my ladies' bike of choice, what are my impressions after a week of use?  To put it simply…wow!  I'm very happy, which I should be, considering all the time and effort and money that I put into this.  (Okay, I know that $1100 for a bike is not much for you $4000 carbon fiber fancy bike folks, but it is a lot for me!)  From my other two bikes, a Giant Iguana, circa 1993, and a Giant ATX750, circa 2006, this is a huge step up.  The Specialized Jett (baseline model) is light and maneuverable, and its 29 inch tires allow you to cover a lot of ground quickly.  The bike feels stable, and the brakes are powerful without being so sensitive that they might throw you off your bike if you overbrake.  Oh, and the saddle! I upgraded on that a bit, to the Specialized Lithia Comp Gel Saddle.  The standard saddle that the bike came with was good, but this baby was really an improvement.  One of my biggest discomforts when biking has always been the saddle.  I've tried various super-squishy soft gel seat toppers, but they never seem to help much, and they tend to shift about when you ride.  This Lithia Comp Gel saddle is pretty firm, despite the word 'gel' in its name, but the ergonomic and overall construction of the seat are such that it is overall the most comfortable saddle I have ever use.  It is specially designed for a woman's anatomy, and you can really tell the difference.  A comfortable ride translates to a longer ride for me, and that is key to my fitness goal, so I was able to rationalize the extra cost of the saddle.  Oh, and one last thing that I really like about the Specialized Jett are the handlebar grips.  They flare out, giving you a large padded area to rest your hand on, and I find them exceedingly pleasant to put my hands on.  All in all, I am very happy with my new bike purchase.  Now, I just have to keep up my riding commitment 🙂