TOUR DIVIDE 2014

[ron]

This may be an opportune moment to ask a Q about powering the GPS.

Last time I rode with an Etrex HCX and a fist full of batteries. This time I have the SON dynamo laced to some plastic wheels. The question is; how good is the mini USB connector in this unit and is there an issue with the plug working loose/ damaging the socket in the unit?

The socket is on the underneath of the unit (so quite well protected from the weather) but my thoughts are that the wire will come out...

Hey Rob, I ran a SON dynamo to my eTrex 30 in TD'13 and my Garmin failed spectacularly and decisively coming down Boreas Pass into Como just after the Gold Dust Trail, and I suspect that I fried the unit by always having it running off my hub. Don't know, and others have run the same setup with no problems.

So I rolled into Como and got online at the Depot (GREAT place) and tried to troubleshoot the problem to no avail; stayed the night and rode the next straightforward section to Salida where I got a cyclometer and ran that + maps/cues (which I was already carrying) from there on out with no issues or miscues.

Additionally (while we're all talking nav), I loaded the route as two ~10k point tracks, and when the second track kicked in just south of Helena *it was backwards*. That was a bit of scare since I wasn't too familiar with the unit, but I was able to reverse the track and be on the way.

All that to say, if I do TD again I'd be tempted to go cues+cyclo as *primary* nav setup and GPS for confirmation (which is precisely what MLee recommends, incidentally). I felt significantly more connected to the route and terrain and just generally way more tuned in to what was going on and what was up ahead when I was running off the cues, and I'm also now leery of being so dependent on the GPS for my whereabouts.

YMMV and RYOR and all that, just thought I'd share my experience.

Ron

[Mauro_N]

Question for those using drop bars: what brake/shifter combo did you end up using? I know the Fargo is a popular choice: for those who have gone before, did the SRAM Apex brake/shifters (stock components on the Fargo) meet your needs, or would you change anything?

I used the Cane Creek single speed levers, they are awesome no problems at all. I know that you are using gears, however I would suggest maybe a combo of TT shifters and single speed brake leavers, a very simple setup with all the small shifting parts sealed from the elements in the bar. Well that is the setup that I would use if tackling the Divide again.

[hikernks]

I used the Cane Creek single speed levers, they are awesome no problems at all. I know that you are using gears, however I would suggest maybe a combo of TT shifters and single speed brake leavers, a very simple setup with all the small shifting parts sealed from the elements in the bar. Well that is the setup that I would use if tackling the Divide again.

I used SRAM double-tap brake/shifter combo and had no issues, but I only made it just past Moran Jct, WY.  Haven't had any issues at all with them since though, and haven't changed anything.

[Couloirman]

Hey Rob, I ran a SON dynamo to my eTrex 30 in TD'13 and my Garmin failed spectacularly and decisively coming down Boreas Pass into Como just after the Gold Dust Trail, and I suspect that I fried the unit by always having it running off my hub. Don't know, and others have run the same setup with no problems.

Wow that sucks. What interface were you using between dynamo and GPS? Ewerk? I was planning in running a very similar setup this year (Sp PD-8x hub with etrex 30 and probably an ewerk interface or similar). Has anyone else had their GPS unit fail like that while being run off a dynamo hub?

[Briansong]

Merry Christmas Gent's (and Ladies)

Peter White Cycles, recommended to me, to use the USB-Werks. The E-werks requires adjusting output to every appliance it is hooked up to charge. The USB-works uses cache battery and no adjusting is required. This is how I interpeted what was told me. SO, my set-up is Son28, USB-Werks, Supernova E3 and etrex30. So far so good, but haven't put it to use for more than 3 days yet.

Steve

[wickerer]

Merry Christmas Gent's (and Ladies)

Peter White Cycles, recommended to me, to use the USB-Werks. The E-werks requires adjusting output to every appliance it is hooked up to charge. The USB-works uses cache battery and no adjusting is required. This is how I interpeted what was told me. SO, my set-up is Son28, USB-Werks, Supernova E3 and etrex30. So far so good, but haven't put it to use for more than 3 days yet.

Steve

USB-werk's internal cache battery is designed for short stops/climbs. It won't charge your devices on long climbs and hike-a-bikes. Depending on your risk affinity you might want to think about an (USB-chargeable) external cache battery.

Thomas

[Christopher R. Bennett]

USB-werk's internal cache battery is designed for short stops/climbs. It won't charge your devices on long climbs and hike-a-bikes. Depending on your risk affinity you might want to think about an (USB-chargeable) external cache battery.

Thomas

I have to agree with Thomas. I decided not to use the e-work in the end for this reason. I was also concerned about connecting a device with the wrong voltage setting - easy to do when befuddled by exhaustion and lack of food. A Reecharge is only $100 and provides the cache battery.

[wickerer]

I have to agree with Thomas. I decided not to use the e-work in the end for this reason. I was also concerned about connecting a device with the wrong voltage setting - easy to do when befuddled by exhaustion and lack of food. A Reecharge is only $100 and provides the cache battery.

You're so right! I messed up much less complicated things than this on the Divide. Actually I switched my e-werk to USB-mode (5volt/1ampere) when I bought it and never changed it since then.
I understood that Steve is already stuck with the USB-werk and wanted to encourage him that this stuff works. And that it works even better with an external cache battery.
I used a SON28 with e-werk and external cache. This setup saved me a lot of mental ressources for much more important things. But, of course, there are many other setups that will do the job. And that is the good thing about the Tour Divide: There are many ways to get to the finish line. Everybody has to find their own.
Merry Christmas & Good luck to all 2014 Divide racers out there.
Thomas

[Briansong]

I guess I'm more than a bit confused here. The USB-Werks is a cache battery, USB accessible, device. It has no settings to change the voltage/ampere's. The E-werks is a different device totally (with adjustability). So, do I need a separate cache battery in conjunction with the existing one in the USB-Werks?

Thanks for the help with this,

Steve

[wickerer]

Steve,

sorry for confusing you. The USB-werk's internal cache battery is tiny. It's capacity is enough to keep your devices running while you stop for a few minutes (e.g. at a traffic light). But it won't deliver power for hours. How long it takes to discharge the internal cache battery depends on how much power your device pulls from it. I read in a test report that an IPhone stopped charging from the internal cache while waiting on a red traffic light in less than a minute. Your GPS will most probably not need as much power as an IPhone, so it will last longer. You should test your setup to find out how long the cache delivers enough power for your GPS.

Of course, this is only a problem if you arrive at the start of a huge climb or a long hike-a-bike with an almost discharged GPS. If you think that chances for this are low enough to just accept this risk, you don't need a separate external cache. Otherwise you might want to think about using a higher capacity external cache battery in combination with the USB-werk. Higher capacity means: Enough to charge your devices on the longest low speed sections.

Hope this helps.

Thomas

[Briansong]

Thomas,
Thanks for the explanation. It is clear to me now. I looked at the "Reecharge," it looks like it performs  the same function as the USB-werks but has a much more robust battery. For the 100 bucks, I think I'll buy one and experiment with both, still have 6 months. I'm fortunate to live in Arizona where I can overnight all year in relative comfort.

Regards,

Steve

[MDSeaburg]

For those of you who use the non-cycling specific Garmin GPS, such as the Oregon or the E-trex, how do you attach it to the handlebars? The 800 comes with a handlebar mount but I don't see that with the others. Please advise.

[Bluechip]

newer Etrex's use one like this-
http://www.amazon.com/GA-COBM-Handlebar-Colorado-Approach-010-11023-00/dp/B00BPXWW0C/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1388073345&sr=8-5&keywords=etrex+handlebar+mount

It's worked just fine for me so far.

[ron]

Wow that sucks. What interface were you using between dynamo and GPS? Ewerk? I was planning in running a very similar setup this year (Sp PD-8x hub with etrex 30 and probably an ewerk interface or similar). Has anyone else had their GPS unit fail like that while being run off a dynamo hub?

I was running the Reecharge between my SON and devices. It worked well (unless it fried my Garmin ) but it doesn't work with the new gen Apple lightning charger so I had to charge my iPod and iPhone separately. For lighting I used the Exposure Revo, which I really liked. Did lots of comfy night riding with it.

[Christopher R. Bennett]

I was running the Reecharge between my SON and devices. It worked well (unless it fried my Garmin ) but it doesn't work with the new gen Apple lightning charger so I had to charge my iPod and iPhone separately. For lighting I used the Exposure Revo, which I really liked. Did lots of comfy night riding with it.

That's why I went for the Pedalpower+ http://www.pedalpower.com.au/ - it looks to handle everything and has a good sized cache battery. Ian McNab used it in 2013 with some success. I've decided to replace my Supernova S3 with a K-Lite 1000 lm light. Mighty impressive. Kerry also has a USB battery recharger if you really want to be totally self-sufficient.  www.klite.com.au. And with the crash of the Aussie dollar things are 10% cheaper in the last few months (wish I wasn't paid in Aussie $!!!).

[mikejolly]

I've wired my dyno hub to this very small (and allegedly water proof) USB charging interface, so far its working great on both my Garmin 800 and Iphone.
http://www.sinewavecycles.com/products/bright-bike-revolution

[Christopher R. Bennett]

Does it have a cache battery?

[mikejolly]

no cache battery

[ke7mro]

I am in see you all there.  Ride on. 

[tanman1337]

Hey guys, I was just wondering when is it considered "too late" to finally throw my hat into the ring for 2014? I have been trying to see if it would even be a possibility of taking the allotted amount of time off of work. I was just curious logistically, when is it too late? As far as getting the plane ticket/hotel up in Banff?