Thinking on the wheel.

[Ray9]

I used to race bicycles back in the 80's and early 90's. I still ride 40-50 miles a day now that I am retired. As you can imagine I have lots of time to think on my rides. My wife and I took our children and grandchildren on a vacation a few months ago which took in some waterparks. On a wonderful sunny day one of my grandsons was missing and it caused a good deal of consternation It took us an hour to find him. He is ten, got lost in the crowd and could not find his way back. Today on my ride I did a thought experiment. What if there were transponder technology that could put a chip in a child's bathing suit that connected to your cell phone and google earth that would display a map of the area and the location of the child? If I had the money for development I would call them "kidsponder" bathing suits. Transponder technology could have a lot of good uses for missing people. I though of Pokémon go and that gave me the idea.

 

[defcon4]

I used to race bicycles back in the 80's and early 90's. I still ride 40-50 miles a day now that I am retired. As you can imagine I have lots of time to think on my rides. My wife and I took our children and grandchildren on a vacation a few months ago which took in some waterparks. On a wonderful sunny day one of my grandsons was missing and it caused a good deal of consternation It took us an hour to find him. He is ten, got lost in the crowd and could not find his way back. Today on my ride I did a thought experiment. What if there were transponder technology that could put a chip in a child's bathing suit that connected to your cell phone and google earth that would display a map of the area and the location of the child? If I had the money for development I would call them "kidsponder" bathing suits. Transponder technology could have a lot of good uses for missing people. I though of Pokémon go and that gave me the idea.

Make a patent on it. It could be a bracelet or some other thing to secure it to the child's body. Great idea!
So you are the daredevil on the highway in spandex holding traffic up?

 

[Moonglow]

I used to race bicycles back in the 80's and early 90's. I still ride 40-50 miles a day now that I am retired. As you can imagine I have lots of time to think on my rides. My wife and I took our children and grandchildren on a vacation a few months ago which took in some waterparks. On a wonderful sunny day one of my grandsons was missing and it caused a good deal of consternation It took us an hour to find him. He is ten, got lost in the crowd and could not find his way back. Today on my ride I did a thought experiment. What if there were transponder technology that could put a chip in a child's bathing suit that connected to your cell phone and google earth that would display a map of the area and the location of the child? If I had the money for development I would call them "kidsponder" bathing suits. Transponder technology could have a lot of good uses for missing people. I though of Pokémon go and that gave me the idea.

Make a patent on it. It could be a bracelet or some other thing to secure it to the child's body. Great idea!
So you are the daredevil on the highway in spandex holding traffic up?

With a wind tunnel designed helmet..

 

[ABikerSailor]

Actually, if you Googled "kid tracking device gps" you'll come up with all sorts of products, from watches to bracelets to shoes. UnderArmor makes kids shoes that are GPS enabled.

I'd probably go for the shoes, it's too easy to spot a bracelet and remove it. Shoes? People won't normally think they are GPS enabled.

BTW Ray, riding a bicycle IS a good way to clear your head and think about stuff. Me? I still ride as well, and enjoy a good day's ride once in a while.

What kind of bike do you have? Me? I've got a Lemond Zurich (Reynolds 883 tubing), with Mavic Cosmic aero rims, Campagnolo Chorus ergo power shifter grouppo, Modolo anatomic handlebars and a Selle Italia leather seat with titanium rails. I also ride with Speedplay pedals (they are nicknamed "lollypop pedals"). Oh yeah, I also have carbon fiber forks.

I've had it since about 1997, and it still rides like a dream.

 

[Ray9]

I have three Cannondales-1994,2008,2015. I won't tell you how much the new one set me back. I have a Garmin computer that works off satellite technology. I can't find camera technology that lasts long enough to show video for the whole ride. What I would like is a camera that could connect to my computer in real time and go into a file in case I get run over and the camera gets taken. I try to ride on back roads whenever possible if they are not too lumpy. I used to ride in groups but no more. I have broken my left collarbone twice and my right once.

 

[ABikerSailor]

I have three Cannondales-1994,2008,2015. I won't tell you how much the new one set me back. I have a Garmin computer that works off satellite technology. I can't find camera technology that lasts long enough to show video for the whole ride. What I would like is a camera that could connect to my computer in real time and go into a file in case I get run over and the camera gets taken. I try to ride on back roads whenever possible if they are not too lumpy. I used to ride in groups but no more. I have broken my left collarbone twice and my right once.

Beer can bicycles eh? I tried riding aluminum, but it was too harsh, so I switched over to carbon fiber for a while until I found the Lemond with a steel frame.

Steel is real in my book btw.

As far as camera technology that lasts? Ever thought of getting a GoPro and just tucking extra video cards in your jersey?

And yeah............riding in groups can get a bit dicey, especially if the people ahead or behind you don't know how to pack ride and end up touching wheels. Seen a lot of people go down that way.

What is the longest ride you ever took? Me? In Sept. of 1994, I rented a car in Providence RI, drove it to Jacksonville FL, left the car there, and spent the next 12 days riding up the east coast back to Newport. 1100 miles in 12 days, and what a great experience.

 

[Ray9]

I've thought of taking extra cards for my GoPro but I don't like to stop. I was a racer so speed was my game. I've done a lot of centuries but that's it for distance. In 1983 my friend Tom and I averaged 21mph for a hundred miles with toe clips and the shifters on the down tube. Now I ride just to enjoy riding.

 

[ABikerSailor]

I've thought of taking extra cards for my GoPro but I don't like to stop. I was a racer so speed was my game. I've done a lot of centuries but that's it for distance. In 1983 my friend Tom and I averaged 21mph for a hundred miles with toe clips and the shifters on the down tube. Now I ride just to enjoy riding.

After the second time that I wasn't able to unclip my toe clips and fell over, I went clipless. Started out with Look, but they didn't have any float and messed up my left knee, so I got some Look pedals with float, but hated the way the plastic cleats wore down (used to virtually live on my bike), so when Speedplay came out with their pedals (almost 30 degrees of float), and I saw they had metal plates on the bottom of the cleats, those have been the pedals I've been riding since.

If you do decide to buy a pair, get ready for about 3 days to a week before you're used to them, because when you first start riding with them, it almost feels like you're riding on ice because your feet have so much rotation to work with.

But.............after about a week, your legs automatically find their position, and you have no problems.

BTW.............it's nice to talk to another cyclist.

 

[Ray9]

I tried them. I'm 5'5 and weigh 130 pounds. I am not heavy enough to clip into them. We tried everything. I went back to look Keo's.

 

[Ray9]

I tried them. I'm 5'5 and weigh 130 pounds. I am not heavy enough to clip into them. We tried everything. I went back to look Keo's.

By the way, that's not my picture in the avatar. It's Eric Hoffer.

 

[ABikerSailor]

I tried them. I'm 5'5 and weigh 130 pounds. I am not heavy enough to clip into them. We tried everything. I went back to look Keo's.

You can't clip into Speedplays? I'm only 5'6 and weigh about 140. Never had a problem clipping into them. Did you make sure the spring wires were able to freely move? Because sometimes, if you tighten the metal cleat plate down too tight, it will interfere with the spring wires.

Main reason I like Speedplay? Not only because of the float, but they weigh about half of what conventional clipless pedals weigh.

 

[MaryL]

Why not put a chip in the kid like we do pets? Why not put one in all of us, incase we get hurt or to prevent fraud. We can't have that, god knows were that would lead. I would like to see a simple locater for my TV remote. If you loose the thing. Just press a button on the TV to alert the device to make a sound until found.

 

[ABikerSailor]

Why not put a chip in the kid like we do pets? Why not put one in all of us, incase we get hurt or to prevent fraud. We can't have that, god knows were that would lead. I would like to see a simple locater for my TV remote. If you loose the thing. Just press a button on the TV to alert the device to make a sound until found.

Actually, there ARE people (usually super wealthy types who are subject to possible kidnapping) who are eagerly awaiting the technology to become available. One scientist already has a chip so that he can be tracked in the university.

The only thing they're waiting on is FDA approval.

Implant Chip, Track People

 

[MaryL]

Why not put a chip in the kid like we do pets? Why not put one in all of us, incase we get hurt or to prevent fraud. We can't have that, god knows were that would lead. I would like to see a simple locater for my TV remote. If you loose the thing. Just press a button on the TV to alert the device to make a sound until found.

Actually, there ARE people (usually super wealthy types who are subject to possible kidnapping) who are eagerly awaiting the technology to become available. One scientist already has a chip so that he can be tracked in the university.

The only thing they're waiting on is FDA approval.

Implant Chip, Track People

People are afraid of that kind of thing, Big brother X4 watching. I suppose it depends on JUST how much information the Gov. can gleen and what they intend to do with the information.

 

[I amso IR]

"Thinking on the wheel". For what it is worth, I like that title. Also, for what it is worth, I do not do bikes and especially not expensive carbon fiber. As a matter of fact there is not a lot I do, do. I took interest in the OP's thoughts on tracking children and the various comments offered by all. MaryL, I understand where you are and why. However with all of the tracking that Big Brother does, do, what is one more bug? With NSA at Ft Meade and other locations, the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines included not to mention thousands of police personnel watching our every move and of course the numerous tracking devices in the modern day automobile and cell phones, one more or a hundred more will make no difference. And lets not forget cameras on earth and in space and in the atmosphere a few hundred feet or thousand mounted in aircraft watching whats going on, we are being watched and listened too, to death. In fact the infamous "they" know we are dead before we do. Just wanted to toss that out for comments relating to tracking, in general. Wonder what NSA would do if every person posting on line were to slip in stand alone words which made no real sense in the conversation and the web crawlers they use picked up on say ten thousand nonsensical terms every day? You know, just throw a little "Stuff" in the game. Imagine the "Stuff" law that would generate.