Li-Ning Rouge Rabbit – the budget smart shoe.

This is a first impression review.

I bought the Li-Ning Rouge Rabbit at 44 euros. I am looking for a summer running shoe (eventhough it is winter and a lot of snow at the moment).

People are talking a lot about the Altra smart shoe for running… and googling that jazz, I found the Li-Ning Rouge Rabbit (yep, you read that right… Rouge, not Rogue, which would have made more sense for me.

Red rabbit? Or “Bad engrish”?

Makes more sense for a running shoe, no?

Anyhow, lets move on…

The shoe

Here is what the official info says;

Size Eu 45/ Us 11 weighs 256g (one shoe)

I could not find data on the drop in mm…but my “spidey sense” would say 6 or 8 mm.

My take is that this shoe is fine for longer distances. Note that the width is snug, really snug. The toe box is quite low and tight. So if you have wide feet or big toes, this is not the shoe for you.

Good fit shoes for me are: Nike pegasus 32 and 33, underarmour Speedform Gemini 3, Sarva d’vil 2 and New Balance Baracay v3. So if thos are good fits for you this model will fit you. I have EU 44.5 in Nikes and 44 1/3 in the New Balance. I ordered the EU 45 Rouge Rabbit…the 44 would have been too small, and the 46 too big.

Foam EvaLite cushoning

Eventhough this is recomended for 5-10 K runs, I would feel safe doing a half marathon in these and I am 183cm / 80-85kg (depending on the day).

The marketing lingo says that the EvaLite is (surprise) lighter than the regular EvaFoam, but still gives cushoning and support for “heavyer runners”.

Well, this is no Hoka OneOne Clayton 2/Clifton 4 or Asics Gel Nimbus 20 or ON Cloudflow…but the cushoning is quite good. It’s better than on the Newton Fast, Underarmour Speedform Gemini 3 and Sarva d’vil 2 (on soft snow).

The cushoning is par (in my opinnion) with Nike Pegasus 32/33, Karhu Smart Fulcrum, and Nike Lunarglide 7.

As Li-Ning marketing material puts it, the EvaLite (sic) “heel cushoning creates more horizontal dispersion and absorption when the foot lands at impact force. Thus achieving good shock absorption and complete protection for entry-level runners.”

Li-Ning claims that the EvaLite is 30-40% lighter than regular Eva soles… might be, I’m not cutting it out to disprove them… the shoe is quite light at approx 250 grams in EU45, so that might be true.

The toe area is synthetic leather (for toe protection) and the upper part of the toe box is a light, breathable mesh.

The PHYLON midsole, the rubber outer sole & Probar lock

The PHYLON midsole is according to Li-Ning “a rebound memory foam construct.” (Whatever the hell that is) And “creates a great fit for the forefoot, arch and ankle.”

The foam is quite soft, but not too much so… my feet didn’t start to tingle due to numbing and it does form to a better fit after I ran about 5 K, so yeah, it is memory foam. Howvere I have no idea what the “rebound” used in the jargon reffers to… the midsole was quite responsive and gave an ok roll to the foot.

I would say the design is more fore a heel – midfoot striker. A forefoot runner might get this shoe to work, but this is in no way as rolling as the Newton Fast, the Nike Pegasus 32 or the New Balance Boracay v3, hell…even the ON Cloudflow has more “push” at the moment your heel is in the air and the forefoot is creating the forward momentum.

The rubber outsole is…well, rubber.

I would not say it is super easy to bend, the Nike RN free, Nike downshifter and the ON Cloudflow are all much…um, bendier (is that a word? Well, it is now).

The shoe is par with the Underarmour Speedform Gemini 3 in “stiffnes/bendability”. The sole is really, really sticky (almost like flypaper) I do believe that this stickyness will fade fast. Before it does, it will be hard to say how much the groove structure gives grip.

The shoe gave very good (maybe too good) grip on my first treadmill run. The problem is that if a shoe has too much grip, it becomes slow, as the friction causes you to use too much energy for the foot roll and forefoot push.

Therfore the “reduces energy loss” claim is a double-edged sword.

Better grip saves energy as there is no slip, but too much grip costs energy as the “roll” is not as fast as it could be.

But what the hell should I know, I’m no scientist or professional runner 😀.

The probar lock is something I noticed immediately. At first the shoe felt wierd, it was like; “bloody hell, are they sure that this should be marketed as a neutral shoe and not a pronation support shoe?”… but after a couple of km that feeling dissapeared. Especially at the end of my treadmill run the stability was great. The shoe ushered my foot roll, forcing it to “stay on the straight path”.

The support is good, especially for newer runners (however, if you are a bit heavier built, like me and a newbie at running, I would not reccomend this shoe) who might have some experience but still lack the proper technique and dicipline for maintaining the correct foot roll and running gait.

If we leave out the smart functions and view this from a “plain running shoe perspective”, I would say the shoe serves best as a secondary shoe for runners who have at least ran a pair of proper, quality running shoes “to death” and thereby have some running experience.

I will likely use it on 5-15 K runs at steady z2 and z3 tempo, might even use it for some cadence drills. I doubt I will use this shoe for speedwork drills (as in my opinnion they are a bit stiff and unresponsive) or really slow z1 jogs (the cushoning is not good enough to prevent injury, especially as I tend to favour heel strikes at slow pace…something I’m trying to work on and remove as it creates a shitty form).

I might even say this would work as a race shoe on distances 5K-Half marathon… but I would not reccomend this for 10 K+, unless “you know what you are doing” and your natural race cadence is somewhere between 175-180 spm.

A speedster this shoe is not, there are much “faster” shoes on the market…so I doubt you will make a PR in these…but anything is possible, I guess ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

The smart shoe capabilities

The smart chip

Li-Ning has joined up with Xiaomi in developing a smart chip for this (and some other models) shoe.

The Smart chip looks like this. Battery can not be changed, when it dies…it dies.

Due to some reason Li-Ning has branded this as the Huami chip…Xiaomi is in my opinion a more known brand so using that name would have made more sense to me.

The chip works via sending a BLE signal to the Mi Fit app (available for iOS and Android, for free).

The million dollar question: does the chip pair as a footpod (because that is what it basically is) to running watches with BLE?

Answer; no, it will not show up on your Polar, Suunto or Garmin watch as a footpod… bummer. It does not work with Endomondo/Sportstracker or other Apps. You need to get Mi Fit.

The chip is placed in the PHYLON midsole, under the regular sole.

The app & smart capabilities

As said, the smart chip only works with the Mi Fit app (a big miss in my opinion, would not have been hard for the developers to enable the possibillity to use the chip as a stand-alone footpod on compatible running watches).

The smart chip has a built-in accelerometer/gyroscope and based on the marketing should give you the following info;

– Cadence

– Calories burned

– Pace

– Distance

– Steps

– Foot landing i.e. strike positioning

…so, does it, and is the info correct?

First you have to install the app and register data like height, weight etc.

A short view on installing & configuring…it’s quite easy

I did a mixed run with (based on treadmill speed, this is a high-end treadmill and I would say that it is calibrated close to “real speed “when running at an 1% incline)

20 min 9 KpH. 15min 10,5 KpH. 10 min 11,1 KpH and 15 min 8,6 KpH. Totaling 9.083 Km.

So I I recorded my run on the Mi Fit app with the smart chip.

This is at the end of my run. View on app. The view is basically the same as you run: pace/cadence/distance/hr (if a hr strap is connected)

You can put an pace alert (only outdoors), but strange enough not a strike alert or something as basic as a cadence alert (very helpful for improving cadence).

These are the settings, not much to adjust

Here is the running data I got drom my Garmin Fenix 5x paired with HRM-Tri chest strap (gives the running dynamics).

A lot of useful data, also I can set alerts on: hr/cadence/pace/etc on the watch…

Let’s see what info we get from the Smart Chip…

The view post run.

There is a bug in calibration.

I tried to change it to 9 km…but kept getting 900km… strange, and bad!

So, no calibration for me 😕

However the cadence during run was spot on…so there is that.

The data post run in Mi Fit app

Not as much data as in the Garmin…but the “landing data” is interesting. I will have to do a follow up where I test running on my toes to see if this changes. (So follow this post as I will put the results below this text)

An interesting chart, shame that one can not zoom in for details

You can send or save this data…however only as a picture and not as a .fit or .tcx file (so no importing of this data to Polar flow, Strava or Garmin Connect etc… again a huge miss.

Is it worth it?

Well if you have Stryd, a Milestone pod or A Garmin combo that gives you running dynamics…. I would say; maybe not.

But if you have a “basic running watch” without a lot of data, then yes.

As a runnimg shoe, it is not bad… most shoes with the same cushoning/roll/feel/weight/versatility tend to cost 100 euro or more if not in a bargain bin. So if you can find it (using google) for sub 50 euro (inc freight).. yeah, it is a good running shoe.

Do not pay more for it though (saw a couple shops asking $100+ for the shoe).

Would I buy again, knowing what i know?

Too early to say, but at this price, probably.

TL;DR

Not for

– Newbie runners as first shoe

– Marathons and long haul Km collecting

– Speedwork drills

– Someone with good running shoes and a footpod (e.g. Stryd, Garmin pod, Milestone pod)

– As your only running shoe

– Slow runs/jogs

– A tech junkie looking to get awesome amounts of data

For

– People who want to look at their cadence

– Someone without a foot pod

– Someone looking for a good secondary shoe

– Indoor and outdoor training

– Medium distance running 5-15 km

Hands-on Reviewew Li-Ning waterproof running shoes ARHJ051 XYP038

This is a hands-on review on the cheap Li-Ning waterproof “winter” running shoes.

If you are a cheapskate, piss-poor or looking for secondary winter running shoes on a tight budget, you might have noticed that there are several cheap brands for sale from China…I have been looking at these cheap running shoes for a while now… but alas, I am not so brave that I will splurge 40 € one a brand that is unknown to me…as they might literally be cardboard. 

I noticed however that Li-Ning shoes are quite cheap on Aliexpress. I took the risk (as in many cases, the products are fakes) and ordered a pair of Li-Ning waterproof, dubbed winter running shoes. Just because I have a tight budget and Li-Ning is a brand I recognize and it has recieved good reviews.

Papa bought himself an early Christmas present

I bought mine from this shop, but there are different sellers for the same product

If you don’t want to buy the shoe from Aliexpress, here is another shop.

It is cheapest on Aliexpress however.

I have not found this shoe anywhere else… it might be that “officially” this model is not intended for the market outside China and therefore hard to find.

The shoe has no reflective surfaces, so remember to use proper reflection/led to be seen in the dark. This was quite a miss, but when paying sub 40€, one can not expect too much.

Photo taken in dark with flash… as one can see; no reflective surfaces

The shoe is advertised as a winter running shoe with ICELOC “rubber dub technology”.

Photo from aliexpress.com

I tried these shoes in “good testing conditions”. The surface was “dry” powder snow with ice beneth the snow, so very slippery.Only a short portion was sanded…more on that later.

I tried these shoes doing a complex Fartlek training to see how well the shoes worked at different speeds.

Before we go into the actual running review… I will discuss a bit about the fit.

Fit & Feel

The shoe at size 45,5 is a good fit (I wear Nike Pegasus 32 size 45,5 and Lunarglide 7 size 45,5. Asics Gel Cumulus size is 45 and my Sarva d’vil 2 dub shoes are size 45 (all listed as EU sizes)… to give you an image of my foot size), the shoe is a bit tight with my winter socks, but it isn’t too bad.

The shoes are very stiff, hard to rotate along the midsole…the cushioning is minimal even though the drop around 10 mm (no tech data given so I measured by hand). This shoe is advertised as having a Li-Ning “Cloud” structure, giving +10% cushioning, +15 anti-compression and +25% bounce.

The “Synthetic Leather” is stiff and hard…it was hard to tighten the shoe strings as the Vamp and the Saddle of the shoes did not really want to bend/stretch.

Complete and utter marketing bullshit…in my opinion

Sounds good in theory…too bad it isn’t quite true

So Li-Ning (or the seller…or both) promise this is a “better shoe”…I’m asking; compared to what? 

These shoes feel a bit clunky, they are close to Nike Structure 18 running shoes in feel and stiffnes (except the Li-Ning outsole does not give a “push” at the end of your momentum and the Li-Ning doesn’t do shit if you have pronation problems…it is a neutral running shoe in form and factor). 

I hold the Pegasus 32 (and 33) as a great running shoe design/build that gives good “medium cushioning”, the ASICS gel nimbus is a shoe that gives really soft cushoning. The Li-Ning does not get even close to either of these. It does most definitely not “roll” and give a push like a Pegasus, it is not really soft under the foot either (like the nimbus)

But as I do not expect shoes, especially winter shoes at this price (sub 40 €) to be great and amazing running shoes like the Pegasus or compete with the “elite in winter, dub shoe tech”, i.e. Sarva (I rock a pair of d’vil 2 and those shoes are awesome, they do not cushion much, but by the Gods do the give you a good roll and speed). 

I must say that despite my cririque the feel is quite ok. Would not wear these shoes for runs much more in distance than 15K (approx 10 Miles for you Imperials reading this) though, they feel too hard and (probably) will give you blisters or pain in the feet if doing, say a 1/2 marathon. However, my assumption (which held true post my first test run) is that these are quite ok for sub 15K runs in certain winter conditions. It will be interesting to see if the shoes soften at all when I have collected, say 100K in them.

Nor fucking cold…not nice either. It’s Celsius… I live in Finland, we are all Metric/acelsius users here.

Waterproofing / Warmth

The weather was too dry and too cold for me to give a good opinion on waterproofing, but I did try to hand shower them and they seem to keep the water out (courtesy of Li-Ning Water Shell technology).

20 sec showering by hand. Pearls on top of the shoes…but dry inside

Here again, is the marketing departments take on the waterproofing. Note that the Tongue is NOT EATERPROOF… this means: run through a puddle -》splash water on top of the tongue = your foot will get wet. …also I love how they write “Scientific” as a “Feature” 😁

I might do a “some runs later” review on the waterproofing and warmth (and if yhe shoe Saddle and Vamp get softer with use) and there I will comment on waterproofing if the weather will get wetter. The shoe is so-so in warmth when standing or walking slowly, winter socks are definitely needed.

The review

My complex Fartlek consisted of walking, running, sprinting and jogging… so the shoes got a propper all-arund test.

Before going into the test “methods”…

A short info on the dubs/grip.

The tech is called ICELOC and consists of several rubber dubs along the shoes outsole. In theory these dubbs should improve grip on sleet, snow and ice. Bettee grip equals better form and speed.

These dubs should add traction…color me skeptic.

Outsole after 60 minutes in dry snow. …surprisingly little snow is packed in the outsole. But, note that the snow is “dry” and therefore not that “sticky”.

This was my surface for 90% of the run. Dry snow with ice beneath.

A detail pic (the grey section is Ice, not asphalt). As one can guess; HellaOfASlippery. #IceIceBaby

Walking:

The shoe has a surprisingly good grip for walking. It will not stop you from falling on your ass on really icy surfaces, like a metal dubbed shoe. 

The feel is quite ok, a bit clunky as the shoe has a stiff midsole and outsole. 

Not my first choice as a wintwr walking shoe however.

In case you are wondering what the hell I’m talking about…here is a nifty picture of shoe part names (stolen from: https://www.google.fi/amp/s/takboprintipe.wordpress.com/2012/09/05/running-shoes-and-its-parts/amp/)

Jogging (7:00 min/km. 11.16 min/mile)

This is where the shoe shines (pun intended)… 

The Li-Ning does not feel nearly as stiff when you have momentum. Some cushoning can be felt, but it is about the same one would get from basically any cheap running shoe meant for short distance running.

The grip on snow is really good and there is a good amount of traction. Icy surfaces are to be avoided as there is not much grip there.

My form/gait was easy to maintain when there was snow…especially packed snow.

Running (5:00-5:18 min/km. 8:03-8:32 min/mile)

The shoe performs quite well at this speed. Better then I expected. The grip is good and only in tight corners or steep down hills I felt the need to be extra vigilant (tensing up a bit and thus losing form).

Icy surfaces have to be avoided however. There was basically no grip on ice at this pace and It scared me shitless to be honest.

Sprinting (3:00 min/km. 4:50 min/mile)

Yeah… not good at all. The rubber dubs just do not give enough traction and grip. My body and legs were telling me “I can go faster than this”, my slipping feet however gave me no power in the push of the leg and thus I was running like  Wiley E Coyote on air.

Some browsers require you to click the Gif for full efect. Be as it may…you get the idea.

My feet rolled like chopper blades… so I can absolutely not reccomend these shoes for fast running…at least on ice or dry snow.

What about sanded surfaces?

I decided to do a little test on sanded surface. So i ran along the streets in my hometown

The sand/gravel gave much better traction. The form, gait and grip were easily maintaned on this surface. So the Li-Ning Arhj051 is surprisingly good for winter runs on serviced roads/paths.

I can truly recomend the shoe if most of your runs are on these kinds of surfaces.

Yes, the shoe is a bit hard and could “roll” more, but the grip is way better than that of “summer shoes” like the Lunarglide 7 … even the Pegasus 32 Flash -model which is supposed to be a spring/autumn model is slippery on this surface. Gravel and sand can only do so much.

Your form and gait will be therefore much better with the Li-Ning shoe.

Final thoughts / recommendations

Bang-for-buck?

Yes, I paid around 37 € and to be honest, I did not expect this shoe to be good at all. So I was quite surprised about what one can get on a budget.

As a secondary shoe this works great. It will also serve you quite well as a primary shoe if most of your winter runs are rare in natute and on snow or sanded snow/ice …and sub 15K.

I can also imagine that this shoe would serve somewhat well for trail-running as the outsole is quite “sticky” rubber and the dubs would give added traction on game-paths.

Should a novice runner get this?

I would say… think twice. Why not if you understand its limitations and if you run on sanded winter roads/paths.

However, if your budget can afford +150 € winter (metal) dub shoes. Buy them instead.

If you are not sure if getting “proper” dub shoes is necessary, these might be worth a try… if nothing else they will wake you up to how fun running in the winter can be… when there is traction and grip.

 Would I buy again, knowing what I know now?

Yes.

How to create a comparison between two fitness devices

Want to compare speed, hr data, pace or something else on two devices? This is how to do it.

 

Me, I do a lot of reviews on the Fenix 3 HR models Optical heart rate sensor and compare its accuracy to that of a chest strap.

How do I do it then?

 

Well first of all you need…

• Two devices to track the data. I use my F3HR and a Smartphone with Strap connected to it (via Ant+ or BLE…depends on strap).
• You need to do this ouside. Because the tool I uses does not accept recordings that are done without gps.
• Therefore gps needs to be “on” in both devices.
• You need to have two separate accounts/programs for tracking. I use Garmin connect for watch and Endomondo for smart phone. (You can use Wahoo, Endomondo, Strava and Runkeeper…or another app that tracks TCX files or can export to TCX files…more on that later)
• You need to start and stop both tracking devices as fast as possible within each other.

 

Let us say that now you have tracked and stoped and saved your workouts for comparison

This is a tutorial for Endomondo and Garmin connect. I do not use other apps/sites so you will have to find tutorials for TCX  conversion elsewhere.

First Garmin Connect (image guide below):

Log into your connect account via web browser on pc/mac

From “bar” at left click Activities (1)

Choose the outdoor activity (2)

Press “cog” in upper right corner (3)

Choose Export to TCX (4)

Decide where you want to save the file. I strongly suggest naming it “logically” I for instance use names like; BetaSW3,20_running_test1_Fenix3HR …but to each their own, I guess

NOW you need to download the comparison

ENDOMONDO (image guide below):

Log in to endomondo web (pc/mac) site. (No, you do not need Endomondo premium)

Choose the outdoor workout (1)

Click the “down button” when inside workout (2)

Click on “Export”  (3)

Ths opens a “box” where you choose TCX format and “Export” (4)

Decide where you want to save the file. I strongly suggest naming it “logically” I for instance use names like; BetaSW3,20_running_test1_HRM-strap

 

NOW! To the Batmobile! …er, I mean let’s start comparing.

 

Go to:

http://www.mygpsfiles.com/app/

(Again, image guide below)

Now you click “Track” (1)

Choose & click Open (2)

Uppload the two (or three, or four or…you get the point) files you wish to compare. (These have to be TCX format!)

Press on th “full screen” of the bar chart (3)

Drag data-field (on the left) frame boarder to left (4)

Choose X and Y values. X gives you what (like HR, elevation, speed, etc). Y gives you refference (time, distance or point). I like to use duration because Time is time…no matter how you look at it, but GPS distances can vary and skew results) (5 and 6)

Wonder at the graphs, take a print screen, paste to MS paint (or other), uppload to photobucket (or instagram or google docs, etc)

 

Should be quite straight forward, but if you have questions…hit me up with a line.

Remember that you have to have gps data for this to work…so no inside activities can be compared…unfortunately.

-Anton

 

Getting a sub 25€ Ant+/BLE speed & cadence sensor for biking

Is a Chinese cheap speed/cadence sensor worth getting?

I bought this  some time ago and have been using it with both my Android (Samsung note 4) phone and with my Fenix 3 HR watch. I will be doing this review as an interview…why? Because; why not? Me questioning myself will be written in regular font and the answers in italic.

Let the fun times begin

So, you went and bought a p-o-s Chinese speed and cadence sensor?

Yes, yes I did.

What does it do?

It sends your speed and cadence data via Ant+ and bluetooth. The data is collected through magnet rotation. You have one pair of magnets on the crank and another pair on the wheel. The Wheel unit also hosts battery and sensor.

The sensor sends data of your cadence i.e. how many rounds you do per minute per foot and speed which is measured by how fast your wheel rotates.

Why on earth did you buy one?

I wanted information about my cadence

Why? You don’t do triathlon and you are not a road biker or a mountain biker.

True, but it is more of a “nice to know thing”. Who knows, I might pick up biking as a sport.

With your Crescent p-o-s bike? You are kidding yourself.

Hey! Do not diss my trusted steed.

She ain’t much, but she is mine.

Pfff…it’s a transport from A to B bike…at best

Grrr, asshole.

Meh, anyway…if you are such a geek for cadence data…why not buy the official Garmin Speed and Cadence sensor?

I’m not made of money. Also, there is not much point of buying something I might not use after a couple of times. Also, as you said, My bike is not a competition bike…so mayby get one if I update the bike and/or start picking up biking “seriously”.

So you go and buy a Chinese piece of shit, cheap-ass sensor?

Well, I thought that even if it does not work…I did not lose that much.

Why not buy a cheap-cheap speed and cadence meter like the VDO C15  or generic 7-function speed & cadence sensor from a store? Cheap, with a return policy, and all that jazz.

Well, those are cheap, I’ll give you that. But they are wired, which mean annoying to mount and they do not what I wanted, which is Ant+. The reason for wanting ant+ is to get the data directly to my Fenix 3 HR. 

But you get GPS speed via the F3HR. And as you are no true competition biker, that should suffice.

True, but…As I said, “tech and stats geek”. Many argue that instant speed and pace is better via a wheel sensor…which is true. Also the Cadence data is something I can not get without a sensor. For me this is at the moment, moot. I do not “need” Cadence…but I want it.

Yeah, but you do mostly transition and recreational biking so “instant speed” is a finesse lost on you. Also your biking speed tends to be somewhere around 10-20 km/h…one can not call you “The Flash”.

Hey! Why do you have to be a jerk?

‘Tis who I am. Truth hurts.

Hmph. Maby so. I do use speed via GPS, that much is true. This has also to do with that my size on the bike wheel is of an odd size and I have had trouble getting speed right with the magnet sensors.

So it actually works?

First it didn’t…but then I decided to ditch the manual and look up this video on how it should be installed. I had messed up the magnet placing and distance. After trial and error…yep I got it to work.

Ta-daa!

And? Does it measure cadence and speed correctly?

I believe so, I have done several trials on cadence where I displayed cadence throuh ant+ and BLE to both Endomondo and Wahoo. The Cadence count is off a maximum of 4 rounds a minute…which is probably due to the fact that when I do biking it is on the road so my rpm does not stay the same due to elevation profile changes.

What about the speed sensor?

Well. It works, “kind of”… for me. I have gotten close in speed. To a proximity of +/- of below 1 km/h at low speeds and the throw can be up to 6 km/h at 24 km/h speed. However I am quite confident that the speed being “off” is me not knowing how to give the correct wheelsize…And too lazy to start researching how to do it.

So, is it worth getting?

If you like to have Cadence data on your bike runs and “dip your toe” into bike-tech. This is an inexpensive way to do it.

Why not get one of those cheap, wired ones. It gives the same data?

Well, yeah. You could. But my opinion on putting in a couple more euros to get a sensor that talks to Strava, Wahoo, Mapmyride, Endomondo, Garmin Connect and other mobile aplications…why not get one? Most people carry around their smart phone so might as well put it working for you.

Also you can view the data later from your phone ap or at your computer. If you use a cheap-ass lcd crystal sensor, you will have to write down data and/or memorize it.

If you use Wahoo you can mount your smart watch in a handlebar case holder for mobile phones, like I do, this gives me information during the bike ride and the option to save it.

(Above an example of data that can be viewed while biking)

Data can either be exported to Garmin Connect, or if you are using a Garmin watch, capable of communicating with an ant+ bike speed and cadence sensor uploaded directly with watch info.

I put an example of “post biking” view

Here is another test where I used different wheelsize settings, this time using Fenix 3 HR in indoor mode (so that speed comes from ant+ sensor) and Phone as a gps speed comparison.

OHRM review; Garmin Fenix 3.00 Public

A new “stable” public release is out on the Fenix 3 HR…worth anything?

First of all, sorry for publishing only ohrm reviews… I will be posting a bike speed & cadence sensor review soon and perhaps some other ramblings.

However, let’s begin the review

If you are unfamiliar with the terms and abbreviations, read my first ohrm review here… it will “open things up”, a bit at least.

First thoughts on the updated software

Several users on the Garmin forum write of improved resting hr (rhr). I still se several gaps in my hr:

 

The most worrying fact is that the sw team is acknowledges this, but even in the 2,01 Beta (going to try it out later and give a separate, shorter Beta-review), no improvements (according to other users) have been made. Hopefully this will be fixed, and no, it is not dependant on me. I use the watch very tight and as other users are reporting the same behaviour…it must be the Elevate ohr sensor/sw issue. Why SW? Because this behaviour did not exist in 2.20 (the earlier public release).

Tracked several days just to proove it is not “random behaviour”.

To the track!

So, moving on to running (I do not expect much of the Elevate ohr at this point…but I expect that running should be tracked at least somewhat correctly). To give the Elevate sensor a fair deal I skipped on trying it for intervals or sprints (something many ohrm have issues with).  Instead I did a even paced long run, half I did with a bit of a faster pace (approx 6min/km) and half at a slow pace 7:30-8:00/km (due to testing and my busted knee needing rest).

Below you can se the results:

 

The fact that Fenix 3 hr reports

The first KM was joy…then things went south. Constant underreporting of HR from basically 1km to ~7,5 km. A short while of joy (about 7,6 km – 10 km), only to be followed by bitter disappointment for the rest of the run. I mean, yeah, the “general direction” is correct but the Elevate is way too erratic, especially towards the end of the run.

The fact that Fenix 3 HR reports avg hr at 152bpm and max hr at 182bpm and the HRM-Strap whistles a tune of avg 153bpm hr (F3HR not bad in comparison) and 174bpm max (What the shit-cock Fenix?).

The verdict

Welp, looks like the 3,00 brings nothing new to the table when running nor when tracking 24/7 hr. The All day ohr seems to be correct when not breaking of though…so that is at least something… I guess.

Still not as good as my go-to whr device; TomTom Cardio Runner (or any Mio in-house tech, for that matter).

…still I’m not ready to throw in the towel for garmin as a bike ride tracked somewhat ok…

We shall se what the Beta 3.01 brings to the table.

Fenix 3 hr 2.95 Beta…Cycling OHRM Review

How good/bad is it?

I jumped on my trusted steed (bike) with Garmins HRM-Run chest strap and compared the data to my shiny new Beta 2.95 software on the Fenix 3 HR (installer beware, some have had a shit load of problems with screen freezing, read the Garmin forum for more info before going into Beta).

As I mentioned earlier, the previous 2.93 was “not bad” at tracking HR while biking.

As you can see one could at least call the F3hr performance “erratic”, or tho be blunt…”shit”.

Below you can my speeds… not “break-neck” so the F3HR should not have a hard time following my hr.

Verdict: Worse than 2.95 which is odd as running ohr reliability has improved so…go figure?

Again I am saying to not lose hope as clearly software has a strong effect (unfortunately messing up bike hr in this cas) on hr reliability and how “correct” it can be… mayby the next s/w upgrade will be better…who knows?

 

Until then, I will be writing about something else. So keep following the blog.

-A

 

PS.

Here is an explanation of what I did during testing

 

PPS. I got a question of where I wear the F3HR (on arm) and how “hairy” my arm is…enjoy the beauty that is me.

😀

Left arm, palm down.

Fenix 3 ohrm review part 3 (Beta 2.95)

Fenix 2.95 bet software…improvements?

Well, a picture says more than a hundred words.

Result, well the beta software does give better readings in resting heartrate… but as can be seen from the chart,

it does not agree with my trusted TomTom runner Cardio (TT R C).

I had a HRM-Run strap (Endomondo link: https://www.endomondo.com/users/27740144/workouts/712719582 ) as a “just in case” comparison tool. But the TT R C did not deviate that much from the chest strap (and my Samsung note 4 lost GPS 4 times during the run..making distance data un-useable) so therefore in the comparison above. I could not be bothered to “glue it in”.

The fact remains… The F3HR is just not as good. 12 drops during a evenly paced run (something the F3HR should have no problems tracking) is just too much. As annoying was the fact that the watch kept giving “too high” bpm readings.

 

The F3HR is slowly “getting there” and I will use the ohr on runs/workouts where 100% heart rate info is not necessary. However when doing HR one training, I will use the strap. Sorry Garmin, can’t trust ya.   :´(

 

I might do a quick comparison on the 2.95 when cycling… but after that the next ohrm review will be in sight when next beta or stable software comes along.

Run data: TT R C   https://www.endomondo.com/users/27740144/workouts/713008374

Run Data F3hr  https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1140761071

Run Data HRM-RUN  https://www.endomondo.com/users/27740144/workouts/712719582

Some tips: Running on sleet/ice/snow

So, you decided to run eventhough it’s cold & slippery.

First, good for you! You truly have decided that weather is an excuse and probably follow the old proverb: “there is no bad weather, only bad clothing”.

True... my poor washing machine is exhausted when spring comes.

Before we get into this post I need to point out that extreme cold is proba bly not the best running weather (especially if you have sensitive/problematic lungs)…but you can always go for a brisk walk.

By extreme cold I mean temperatures below -15 Celsius (5 degrees Fahrenheit for you Imperials). Personally… I still go for runs as long as it isn’t below -20 C / -4 F.

Some tips for slippery conditions

These are my personal opinnions, I am not a professional runner and running is not my main form of exercise. So these tips are directed at “random”/”for fun”/”for health” -runners.

1. Don’t try to break speed records. The cold air can be damaging to your lungs, so keeping a moderat pace where you aren’t panting during the whole excercise. Another problem with increased speed is the increased risk for slipping and falling due to loss of traction.

Ouch.

2. Chainge your “center of gravity”.
You shouldn’t run as you would in good conditions (i.e. weight shifted a bit front and an elliptical movement).
Instead, “think of Penguins”. Your leg movement should mimic this arctic bird. The weight should rest at your navel, on top of your hips, the leg movement should be shorter and more circular.

To the left: Yes. To the right: No!

3. Choose your path wisely.
This depends a lot on the weather… but I will be describing what I see as “difficult conditions” i.e. little to no snow and black ice.

When you go for the run try to aim your path in such a manner that you are running either on gravel or sand (be it on the snow or parts where there are no snow). Try to avoid asphalt unles you are 100% sure ther is no ice.

This kind of weather is challenging, but fun.

Should one run on “pure snow”?…Yes and no. Depends on the snow, if it is hard and slippery…or thinly veiled on black ice, try to avoid it.

4. Running in the dark. If you are like me and go on runs when it is dark…remember to use ALOT of reflectors or luminous badges.
We on foot see quite well in the dark…but for a driver…well a pedestrian is virtually invisible.

Dark, windy, cold and slippery. In other words, great running weather.

5. Should one get IceBugs/O-shoes/Other shoes with studs/dubs/screws?
The internet has several opinnions on this.
My opinion is simply; Why would you waste money on that?
They only work in “the right conditions”. If the ice or snow layer is too thin…you will damage your back, the shoes and the pavement0. If absolute speed is not your main goal in running when conditions are slippery…do not bother.

If i ever would find the need for improved grip (which can be adjusted a lot by the running technique) I would instead buy a removable traction aid.

Something like this.

Or if I would be really posessed with the spirit of MacGyver. I would mount own studding by installing screws.

My hero!

…yes I’m cheap 😀

By following the advice above you should manage running in sleet conditions just fine.
Here is some data from my “slippery run”.

This is Celsius...so not that cold, actually. The wind was quite brutal though.

For you imperials out there: 6.027 mph

Yes, I know that 9.7 Kph isn’t “that fast”. But considering that in good conditions I tend to favour a speed somewhere between 10.5 Kph and 11.5 Kph …it’s not lousy.

Good luck… hope these tips help.

HIIT training for runners

Here is a simple High Intensity Intervall Training schedule for improving running.

Do a proper warm up before the HIIT.

Beginners:
Jog at 60-65% of Hr Max. 3 min 15 sec.
Sprint at 85-95% of Hr Max. 45sec.

Do 5 rotations the first couple of times.
Add 2 rounds as your cardio condition improves. …keep adding 2 rounds when the training starts to feel “comfortable”.
This training should be done at least once a week.

Add rounds untill you reach 17 rounds.
After that begin with the advanced program.

Advanced
Jog at 65-75% of Max Hr. 10sec.
Sprint at 95-100% of Max Hr. 20sec.

Do 8 rounds.

When this no longer challenges you, add 4 rounds.
When you reach 24 rounds…. start from the begginning (8 rounds).

This training should be done 1-2 times a week.

The benefits of HIIT:

1. It is a safe way to improve your Max Hr & VO2 max. This in turn gives uou speed and endurance.

2. It is an extremely effective way to burn fat.

3. It’s fun.

Advanced

Running music (warmup, intervalls jog-run-jog-run etc, cooldown)

A lot of people like to run in silence…
I get it… you get a chance to clear your head and reflect.

Me? Can’t do it…why?
Because if I run without music,

For me music is a part of my work-out.
Be it gym, crossfit or running…music gives me motivation.

A lot of the time I just put on “a good playlist” or choose a pre made Spotify list (can be top 40 list, metal music list or fitness music list…depends on my mood)
and

Now and then I do however create “custom made” playlists for a specific routine or training program.

The link I share here is to one of the lists I use when doing intervall running. The songs might not be to your taste, but you can always give it a try… the list mixes rock, pop, dance and other genres.

You will need a Spotify account to listen…sorry. No, I do not get paid by Spotify for pushing their services. It’s just that I like the service and it works quite well on my smartphone also.

The list

http://open.spotify.com/user/e0300752/playlist/1FuGGyyXUVXvZRESJ1NOAi

The buildup is the following:
Warm up song.
Then songs for the intervall training.
The build is Jogging song (slower tempo but “heavyer” beat) followed by a running song (faster tempo).

The last song is for cool down.

The training
During the jogging song you should keep yor HR at 65-75% of maximum during the whole song.

When listening to a running song you are aiming at 80-95% of HR max… keep this HR for the whole song… i recommend that you “max out” speedwise at the chorus parts.

Rember! Music is not “a must” but for me it gives the extra kick often needed for motivation.

A good playlist will make you go:

Pow!

… during the workout.