Using garmin 800 in a race.

hazzy87

First race next week. Approx 10 laps of 2.6mile course. Does anyone have a ideal page setup for racing?

paul2718

You don't really want to be looking at it much, and all that matters is the time, so you know when the race will end.

(Unless you have a power meter and get in a breakaway, when the power numbers might give you confidence it is sustainable.)


Paul

herzog

I'd stick it in your back pocket and look at the data later. As paul2718 wrote, unless you're in a break it's pretty pointless looking at speed/HR/power. I find looking at the computer distracting (and potentially dangerous) whilst in the pack, and my legs tell me if I can follow an attack or not.

olake92

As above. I have a good page setup for me, though everyone is different; each person might want to know different information. If you have a power meter, that can be useful in breakaways. I don't bother with HR as often I simply have to go with the flow and aerobic decoupling will make it less useful for breaks; I just know what power I can put out and when. Distance and time are the only useful things in the bunch as, like I said, you have to go with the flow, although you don't want to be paying too much attention to it - eyes on the road!

mpatts

I use mine quite a lot, but only to look at the time. It's useful to know when it's going to end!

mamba80

hazzy87 wrote:

First race next week. Approx 10 laps of 2.6mile course. Does anyone have a ideal page setup for racing?

Crazy, your first race and you think you ll need your Garmin, concentrate on the job in hand.

mpatts

mamba80 wrote:

hazzy87 wrote:

First race next week. Approx 10 laps of 2.6mile course. Does anyone have a ideal page setup for racing?

Crazy, your first race and you think you ll need your Garmin, concentrate on the job in hand.

To put another way, in my first race there was SO much to get me head around, I struggled to think about drinking let alone looking at the garmin. Stick it in your back pocket and then analyse afterwards.

andyrr

I'd be a little scared of carrying a relatively expensive bike computer around for a race personally - maybe that's just me as I never used power meters or the like and obviously some std bike components are prone to damage but in a crash I'd think a computer sat atop the stem is relatively more at risk of getting smashed than many other parts on a bike ?
Whether back pocket in a padded case or something like that might be best option to record the data but reduce the risk of damage ?

imposter2.0

It's probably no more safe in your back pocket than it is on the bars. I think the general point is that you won't be looking at it, so any particular screen setup is pretty pointless.

slowbike

Well - I think you could have Lap data being shown - number of laps would be helpful ... especially if you hit the lap button every time you're lapped! ....



(me? I'd just leave it on elapsed time as the minutes would indicate the number of times I've been lapped! )

Lookyhere

racing is dangerous, both to yourself and others - crit racing requires complete concentration especially this being your first race.
use your Garmin etc for training until you know what you are doing OR tape over the screen, in a crash it will get smashed up in your jersey pocket, along with you

damocles10

If you want to use it, then use it. I used to have two computers one with the bike info and one with my body info. HR/cadence/Calorie etc, I know the calorie info is not that accurate, but it is all relative compared to training. I never crashed or became distracted by the computers. Crashes are usually caused by poor bike handling, lack of spatial awareness and not holding the line around corners.

Perhaps go around the circuit to learn the route as well as logging the route into the 800...I used to hate road racing when I didn't know where the finish was, probably why I preferred crits. As a reference tool the 800 could be useful for timing that attack and knowing how many and where the hills are - this would help to preserve the high octane you need to race well.

pippi_langsamer-2

Unnecessary weight and unnecessary distraction.

Birdthom

I have mine mounted and switched on during races so that I can record and look back later, but I never look down at it during the race itself - there's usually too much going on and it won't tell me anything useful. Truth told I rarely even look back at the data now, I just load it up so I can keep track of my mileage. On a short circuit race like that you really don't need it all, just leave it at home for your first race and it will be one less thing to think about.

okgo

I always have mine on, and look at it fairly often too.

Usually, time, distance, avg speed, 3 second power, avg power, normalized power

Gives me everything I need to know at the time. I like having it there, I think the out front mounts make it a lot easier to look at it while racing if you want to.

imposter2.0

Won't be long before someone invents a kind of 'google glass' HUD-type interface, so that data is projected onto your shades, so no need to look down at all....

tgotb

Question for the OP - What sort of race?

For a TT I have speed, distance, elapsed time, HR, cadence, power, avg speed, avg power, NP and last lap time (for circuits), mounted just behind my left hand on the aero bar.
For cross I have elapsed time and HR; was on the stem, but this season it'll be on my wrist to allow bike swaps.
On the track it goes behind the saddle and just records the races.

For TTs, the map display can be very useful for finding my way between the HQ and start/finish.