I think the usefulness of this tech so far has been that I’ve been fueling everything to just play with the graph. Pancakes with syrup are always a rush. I’ve been able to manage rushes during lunch by eating slower or snacking more consistently.
I’ve been a bit disappointed with their customer support. My first sensor started reading really low around day 10. On day 12 it just died mid afternoon. There was no separation of the sensor from my skin that I could see. I screwed up the applicator of the next sensor by engaging the spring early and there’s no way to reset it. I chalked this up to me being a noob but then I received an email that I should engage with their support about the issue since the sensor should last longer. Upon emailing them, they are full of excuses suggesting they can’t mail them (which is how they provided my sensors), that they are low on stock, that they wanted data from the Steamboat Gravel event only. I’m not sure if elsewhere they mail you some replacement sensors for mishaps but their support staff has just seemed confused that I have this device in the US.
If the sensors are marketed as 14 days, then I’d expect them to last on average of 14 days. If the majority fail on day 12-13 and you end up with a gap in data. Plus I’m not always going to be home with a new sensor loaded up. Not a huge deal, but managing expectations. I’m a heavy sweater so am pretty used to ruining electronics when others are fine.
The sensor readings seem to have 15 minute gaps between data points when the phone is not nearby. I always bike with my phone but I don’t often run with it. I don’t know if this is a sensor memory limitation or the application.
There’s a few negatives in my post but I’m still enthusiastic about the data and feel like I’m learning how to manage the number for life and activities. Next week I start some intensity for my fall running calendar and have so much random fuel to see how my stomach reacts.
pretty interesting to see how sharply it dropped on an easy trainer ride. Everyone has been saying you don’t need to do anything for a 1 hour easy trainer ride, but clearly this shows something else.
What Garmin device do you have? If the device is t supported the connectIQ store wont’t show you the app.
I have a Fenix 5 Plus - supersapiens stated this was a supported device and I was close to taking a set but luckily found before I committed their docs where wrong and my device wasn’t supported, which is why the app wouldn’t display.
Support did tell me that Wahoo devices were soon to be supported and their support site now details this but only for the Bolt 2, and not the Roam.
The only correct decision…CGM are clearly banned and she obviously had one on. The only frustrating thing is why it took them so long to reach a conclusion.
The issue of whether this is a stupid rule or not (narrator: it is a stupid rule) is irrelevant to this incident.
She claims that they thought it was OK as long as the device was not sending data to her phone, which she clearly did not have with her during the race.
Leaving aside the fact that it can send data to some head units, I’m willing to accept her explanation and chalk it up to an honest mistake, but it doesn’t change what the result should be, IMO.
Wearing the sensor and not using it during the race is clearly not cheating.
Yes, it’s a rule violation. Personally I think a fine was in order especially since the UCI didn’t catch her. People pointed it out on social media. I don’t agree with issuing infractions after the face when they don’t change the outcome of the race.
The Abbott Libre 3, which is the Abbott GCM that broadcasts in real time continuously (the Libre 2 does not), only broadcasts to a phone equipped with the Libre 3 App. At this time there is no app for a Garmin and no complication for an Apple Watch (there is a work around, but it’s not particularly elegant). I’ve been using the Libre 3 for a few months now. It’s informative.
The sensor she was wearing is the Abbott Glucose Sport Biosensor - which is based on the Libre 2 but does broadcast via Bluetooth. This pairs with the Supersapiens app on the phone. This version of the sensor is not designed for people with diabetes and as a results dooesn’t read above 200mg/dL or below 55mg/dL. Via the Supersapiens app and a Garmin ConnectIQ data field you can get the reading on Garmin watches and bike head units (needs the phone to bridge the connection), and will also display (without the need for a phone) on the newer Wahoo Bolt head units.
I don’t think they had any option with the rule and the punishment laid out.
I can’t quite make up my mind on whether it is a stupid rule though. Fuelling enough/ not bonking is a direct impact on race performance, and the hunger knock has cost people races in the past. Allowing these, and future devices (lactate testing/ readings?) may make racing more predictable? Or it may things less predictable as people can push themselves further. I do think training with them, and properly fuelling, is giving us better racing.
She basically thought it would be OK as it was not transmitting or recording.
In any case - whether it’s banned in competition or not is a similar argument to power meters, if riders are using them all the time in training they will quickly learn from it and alter their fuelling strategies to match.
I am not sure that power meters really have a big impact on racing, although that’s another discussion. Most pros/racers in general seem to use power for training and race power data to look back on. Even on long climbs where people usually point the finger, at 2000m after 3 weeks of racing the number on your power meter is probably fairly meaningless, you can either do the watts and follow the attack or you can’t. I think this assumption that they all ride by watts to a screen only comes from people who don’t really understand how power works.
While things may have begun to shift a bit in the last few years, there is no denying that Sky / Ineos changed cycling by riding to pace in mountain stages. They would control the pace based off data and largely would ignore attacks from rivals because they knew the pace they were setting could not be matched.
That strategy was then also employed by other riders and teams across the calendar.
It has already been the accusation - Skineos mountain train as mentioned. But again, Tom Dumoulin, whom every assumed rode to power said he didn’t as he felt it could limit what he’d do compared to going by feel.
The mountain train isn’t new and predates power meters (the Blue Train etc…).
What it really relies on is having enough strong riders to pull it off, so it’s more about having the money to hire enough good riders to pull it off (or cough having the best doping program cough)
