10/20/14 4:45 PM

The one I just set up was for a Campy guy-he bought his through Bell's in Philly-they also have a large internet presence-and they threw in the Campy body.

Ct has been around much longer, but the lack of wireless and the much larger flywheel of the Kickr are major advantages. If you haven't, you should check out the trainer comparisons and review of the Kickr on dcrainmaker's webpage.

10/22/14 1:05 PM

For me the main thing is just to get on the bike and pedal, so I decided to keep it simple and familiar and go with CT. Plus I ordered 3 of Smelly's ergViideos,. I can recycle an old XP office computer with a nice monitor.

Now I just need to try to figure out the flights (a bit confusing, I don't fly much, never to Europe before).

10/22/14 1:47 PM

Will I be able to keep up with you in August if you are training like this in winter and spring?????????

10/22/14 1:58 PM

Could you keep up before? ;)

10/22/14 2:01 PM

The plan is to get in shape for this ride in April, then get back in shape by August for the D2R2 180k. If that holds, I should be pretty good for the 2 man tt in early August. If I can do all that I'll call it an epic summer, dude.

But, as we say in the legal biz, these are just aspirational goals at this point.

10/22/14 2:04 PM

Medical or Personal aspiration? Both could apply, and at the same time too! ;)

10/22/14 2:51 PM

Can you send me a email? got a quick question for you.
hgetz at me dot c o m

11/1/14 9:13 AM

OK, got the new CT, just lugged the old XP box home. I've always used this computer with 2 monitors. For you CT guys, any point in dual monitors with the CT? I'm guessing not, but it's just a guess.

Gotta get going. Registration for the Mallorca ride and D2R2 both opened today, and I'm in both. Plus got the Mallorca hotel booked (that was a project worthy of a thread in itself). So in terms of conditioning it's put up or shut up time.

11/1/14 10:22 AM

No, no point for two. You might need a better video card than what you have to run Ergvideo, check out Smelly's system requirements. My Vista box wouldn't run it on the on board graphics card, but a $60 card from Amazon solved that nicely (its a cheapish NVIDIA Gelforce something, I can check if need be). The video stuttered horribly with the on board graphics. The processor on my box was slower than recommended to, but it works okay with the new card. If I had to do it over, I'd use the cheap used Win & 64 bit laptop I now use to run the Veloreality stuff.

11/1/14 2:36 PM

<a href="http://s649.photobucket.com/user/glepore/media/trainer003.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i649.photobucket.com/albums/uu215/glepore/trainer003.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo trainer003.jpg"/></a>

My setup. A little inspiration, that's a Majorca video.

11/1/14 2:49 PM

Thanks, that's well above anything I will have. I'll be crammed into a small sunroom, with a 20" monitor at best, and computer speakers (if I can find any spare ones). I'm totally at sea with video card stuff, I don't do anything graphics intensive (and don't even have a big TV). But one step at a time, we'll see how it works. The computer was pretty much a top of the line Dell workstation ca. 2006, but again I have no idea of the video stuff.

I also have a newer Win 7 laptop, thought of using that, but it doesn't have a CD drive so I guess I'd have to gt an external one. Plus again I don't know about the video.

It's nice though having the manual on the computer, so I'm more likely to RTFM. :)

11/1/14 3:02 PM

The laptop probably will run the video more smoothly than the xp machine. The processor and onboard video is a couple generations newer. You load the cd's onto a hard drive (and you only get one registration, so make sure its on the drive you intend to use, although Paul will consider requests for another on a case by case basis).

The video processing is independent of screen size, mine stuttered with the Vista box (it was only a pentium duo processor, Paul recommends a minimum of core 2 duo). The video card I bought just made up for the weak processor and lousy intel on board graphics.

If you need some help during setup, feel free to email me or I can shoot you a phone number. Paul is really helpful via email as well, but he's a bit gruff-nothing a Mainer can't handle.

Oh yeah, you did get the FTDI usb adaptor with the computrainer, right?

11/1/14 3:22 PM

Well, at least I do have a Core 2 Duo processor (the sticker on the box says so!). As to the adaptor, I have a "USB to stereo" adaptor that came as part of the package. I didn't order anything extra (except a trainer tire). I don't need premium video, but I also don't want annoying herky jerky stuff. I don't mind buying additional stuff that makes sense.

I'm not afraid of anyone named Smelly.

11/3/14 2:43 PM

Greg, I think I'll take you up on your offer to identify the Nvidia card you use. It occurred to me that I could use a new computer for home anyway, mostly to work remotely, but I can kill 2 birds with one stone by sticking good video stuff in it. Thanks.

11/3/14 5:47 PM

oops

Last edited by greglepore on 11/4/14 12:38 PM; edited 1 time in total

11/3/14 5:48 PM

Hey! You have power!

I used the MSI gt620, but its no longer 70 bucks, its doubled in price. The gt610 appears to have similar specs at 50 bucks.

If you're looking at a new pc you likely won't need the video card, the onboard graphics/processors are MUCH better now. Mine was a patch to make an old pc usable, and it did have some issues, in that it killed the onboard audio and I had to go into the bios and change the audio option from "auto select" to "on" for the onboard. Not for the faint of heart.

The card in question is great for hd movies, and stuff like ergvideo, but is not a "high end" gaming card, not that you'll need one of those.

11/4/14 10:05 AM

With those of us with CT's....

11/4/14 12:37 PM

Check out tourdegiro.com-we could do that. You;d kill me.

11/4/14 1:29 PM

Seriously It's Dan WE have to worry about putting the hurt on :)

11/5/14 6:43 AM

Greg, are those speakers you have aside the TV? man they are huge :).

11/5/14 11:06 AM

They remind me of Magneplaner, but wider. ;)

11/5/14 11:19 AM

Sparky almost nailed it, yes, they are vintage electrostatic speakers-Acoustat Model 3's. Not really appropriate for the trainer room, as they have a ridiculously transparent soundstage but not much bass. I had them in the house, but the size wore on me, and I couldn't sell them for what they're worth locally, so they're in the trainer room. They're around 4ft tall by 3 ft wide x 4 in thick.

11/5/14 11:50 AM

I still have a pair of DCM Time Frames. I had Time Windows for years. nuttha story how I was talked out of those. ;)

The Time Frames are my fronts with Piegas for the rest of the HT sound setup.

Last edited by Sparky on 11/5/14 2:52 PM; edited 1 time in total

11/5/14 12:00 PM

Looking at a new Dell box with 2 23" monitors (I need 2 for work), nVidia Quadro K600 card. I'm not fast but my computer should be. This will be fun.

11/5/14 12:07 PM

Slippery slope, Dan...