Here is one approach for setting up a new computer if you had any software available to you. Please give any feedback.
Mavericks is a free upgrade. iLife should come stock. Anti-virus is an option. I have found AV programs like Sophos to be more annoying than helpful, but I think other people should install AV to prevent passing unscanned files. Any favorite Anti-Virus programs?
1. CleanApp-This will help uninstall applications that have been installed after CleanApp was installed.
Browsers
Safari isn't my favorite browser. It doesn't have a lot of extensions to customize it.
1. Firefox-Add AdBlock Plus and select the 'Block High Risk Websites', add Tab Mix Plus and select the option for 3 multi-row and reduce minimum tab size to about 80 pixels. Add Delicious bookmarks (or another crossplatform bookmark app). SoThink video downloader lets you download news video if you are on the news. Sometime links open in a window that doesn't
2. Chrome-Add Adblock Plus and select 'Block High Risk Websites'
(3. Opera can be another browser option, though some formatting stuff in Google Drive doesn't work. Not super customizable.)
Download Flash Player, Shockwave Player, Adobe Reader (if you don't have Adobe Acrobat) for Firefox.
Now time for the ideal apps that do stuff
1. Microsoft Office (Duh)
2. Adobe CS6 (Duh)
3. Audacity (audio recording) http://audacity.sourceforge.net/
4. Final Cut Pro (video)
5. VMWare Fusion (To install Windows and Linux if you don't want to only do dual boot)
6. Adobe Acrobat Pro (Lets you do some editing to .pdf docs)
Playback
1. VLC (plays nearly any format of video file. Can do audio files, but not as user friendly as iTunes. Can skip sometimes, but it is reasonably customizable, I go with a dark border and can turn captions on and off easily)
2. Maybe DivX (though be careful on the additional programs that may come with it. I may have picked up the horrible Bing Search.conduit from this) icefilms.info likes it, but most links will play without it using a flash player. I do not have a DivX player installed on my refreshed computer.
3. Perian 1.2.3 (updates Quicktime components to run more video files I believe, possibly .wma)
Potentially helpful or interesting things
1. PTH Pasteboard 4.4 (Remembers a list of things you have copied. Version 4.3 Doesn't auto open for me. I did add the .prefPane to auto run in Preferences, so as soon as you manually open Preferences, it auto opens PTH Pasteboard. Annoying, but not as annoying as not having it run once you start using it.)
2. UnRarX (Opens .rar files)
3. Transmission (can help download some large files)
4. Cinch 1.0.6-(Adds snapping of windows sides of the screen like in Windows 7) to Install it, you have to download XQuartz which may or may not slow down the system
5. CarbonCopyCloner (seemed to have less issues than SuperDuper in 2012)
6. Audio Hijack Pro-hijacks the audio of an application and allows you to mute or really boost the max volume of an application, like hijack Firefox to increase the max volume of a YouTube video to make it way louder even when everything else is maxxed out. It also records application audio.
7. MiniBattery Logger-documents battery charge, so you know how long your battery lasts or how long it takes to charge
8. Geekbench-tests speed of computer
To change default programs to open a type of file, right click on the file, get info, and you can change the default application there.
You can copy an entire iPhoto library to an external drive, and copy it from the external drive to your new install in the correct Pictures folder. It will keep the Albums you've created as well. AirDrop doesn't work well for large files >~5 GB. It can time out.
Sunday, December 15, 2013
Friday, December 13, 2013
Electronic Paintball Gun Comparison
From 2006-2010, I bought, traded, and resold electronic paintball guns.
Electronic paintball guns use a battery, circuit board, solenoid (which controls air flow to move the bolt which slides back and forth manually pushing the paintball forward), and a regulator that controls the air flow that then pushes the paintball out at 280 feet per second, the general field speed limit.
There are two general styles of paintball guns, also known as markers, spool valve and poppit valves.
Spool Valves
Pros
They are usually more quiet, which is good for sneaking up on someone, but bad for sound activated hoppers. They sometimes have less barrel rise though than poppit marker.
Cons
Spool valves are a little more maintenance. it takes more time to disassemble them, take DOW33 lube (Sleek lube is the standard) and rub it on the 3+ o-rings so they have a good seal. It gets kid of greasy. Generally speaking, they are more likely to have problems in cold weather.
Examples: Shocker SFT and NXT, Proto anything (Proto Rail, Reflex, PM5-8), Dye anything (DM4-14), MacDev Droid, Clone.
Here are some paintball companies
Angel-These paintball markers were known for using low air pressure and could shoot very fragile paint without breaking it. The markers were not easy to tech by owners and often had to be sent to a professional gun tech. They used to have a lot of banners with hot girls holding their guns. It was a common sight player got used to at competitions. Though since out of business, Angel used to sponsor the Team 'Joy Division' which allegedly refrigerated their paintballs which made them more brittle, too brittle for other guns to shoot without breaking in the gun.
Smart Parts-Team Dynasty was very well known. They shot the Shocker SFT and NXT with custom bodies and bolts. Ton Ton had a special frame.
DM12
Electronic paintball guns use a battery, circuit board, solenoid (which controls air flow to move the bolt which slides back and forth manually pushing the paintball forward), and a regulator that controls the air flow that then pushes the paintball out at 280 feet per second, the general field speed limit.
There are two general styles of paintball guns, also known as markers, spool valve and poppit valves.
Spool Valves
Pros
They are usually more quiet, which is good for sneaking up on someone, but bad for sound activated hoppers. They sometimes have less barrel rise though than poppit marker.
Cons
Spool valves are a little more maintenance. it takes more time to disassemble them, take DOW33 lube (Sleek lube is the standard) and rub it on the 3+ o-rings so they have a good seal. It gets kid of greasy. Generally speaking, they are more likely to have problems in cold weather.
Examples: Shocker SFT and NXT, Proto anything (Proto Rail, Reflex, PM5-8), Dye anything (DM4-14), MacDev Droid, Clone.
Here are some paintball companies
Angel-These paintball markers were known for using low air pressure and could shoot very fragile paint without breaking it. The markers were not easy to tech by owners and often had to be sent to a professional gun tech. They used to have a lot of banners with hot girls holding their guns. It was a common sight player got used to at competitions. Though since out of business, Angel used to sponsor the Team 'Joy Division' which allegedly refrigerated their paintballs which made them more brittle, too brittle for other guns to shoot without breaking in the gun.
Smart Parts-Team Dynasty was very well known. They shot the Shocker SFT and NXT with custom bodies and bolts. Ton Ton had a special frame.
DM12
Thursday, December 12, 2013
MacBook VMware Windows 7 Geekbench tests with different processor allocations
MacBook VMware Windows 7 Geekbench tests with different processor allocations
In a dual core computer running Windows 7 though VMWare Fusion 6, what are the Geekbench 3 benchmarks for OSX 10.9 and Windows 7?
MacBook 2.66 Core 2 Duo/4GB 1067MHz
Both processors routed to Windows 7
(Mac Single Core 1195/ Multi-Core 1507) 56% of not running a VM
(Windows Single Core 1349/Multi-Core 2452)
1 processor to Windows 7
(Mac Single Core 1444/ Multi-core 2395) 89% of not running a VM
(Windows Single Core 1306/Multi-Core 1305)
Not running a Virtual Machine
(Mac Single Core 1490 /Multi-core 2672)
In a dual core computer running Windows 7 though VMWare Fusion 6, what are the Geekbench 3 benchmarks for OSX 10.9 and Windows 7?
MacBook 2.66 Core 2 Duo/4GB 1067MHz
Both processors routed to Windows 7
(Mac Single Core 1195/ Multi-Core 1507) 56% of not running a VM
(Windows Single Core 1349/Multi-Core 2452)
1 processor to Windows 7
(Mac Single Core 1444/ Multi-core 2395) 89% of not running a VM
(Windows Single Core 1306/Multi-Core 1305)
Not running a Virtual Machine
(Mac Single Core 1490 /Multi-core 2672)
Thursday, October 24, 2013
Paintball hopper/loader selection
There are woodball and speedball guns. Woodsball guns are typically not electronic, mostly waterproof, and shoot maybe 6-15 balls per second. Some people use $2 gravity fed hoppers, which you may have to shake in case a ball gets stuck and can feed at about 6-8 balls per second. If you want to shoot about 10+ bps, you will want an electronic hopper so balls don't get jammed.
Speedball guns use electronics to shoot more rapidly and need an electronic hopper to typically shoot 12 balls per second or faster, or around 30 balls per second if the game is uncapped.
Generally speaking, the Dye Rotor, Virtue Spire, and Pinokio are great modern choices for speedball tournaments. Good less expensive options are old Vlocitys (preferably with a Gangstar, Select Force, or Virtue chip that won't make it force feed balls for more than a few seconds to save on batteries), old Torques, though those constantly spin and you hear it.
Here is a pretty comprehensive list of the specs of most speedball hoppers.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AnYLGbkyTL21dGRnODl2azRuSVlyMFdrNnFHU0lValE&usp=sharing
Rotor v3 Method of operation: ? /Speed 50+
Pros: (has velcro for battery)-jams occasionally, but most durable and low profile, can get a 250 ball extension for ~$25 + shipping. Waterproof board. Tough plastic.
Cons: Expensive. One person commented that initial feed speed took a few seconds to get up to a fast speed feed. People say is can jam occasionally, maybe once every 20,000 balls. May not work well with reballs.
1 is bad/ 5 is great
Weight:
Speed: 50+ (not rated since there is a cap at 12 bps)
1. Profile (taller and bigger is worse): 4 (2 high capacity shell)
2. Capacity (higher is better) ~188 actual (200 claim) (250 claim with high capacity top shell): 3 (high capacity nose/5 )
3. Likeliness to not break paint (Has adjustable settings. People have broken paint in Rotors, probably with high tension though): 4
4. easiness to break down and clean (5 seconds toolless): 5
5. Likeliness of a jam (rare, but sometimes): 4
6. Likeliness to have the shell break (dropped off 3 story building, can withstand direct flame, waterproof board): 5
7. Likeliness customer support will fix an issue: 2?
8. Battery (life 80,000 shots): 5
9. Cost ($149 husstlepaintball.com/HC shell +$25): 1
33/44
Pinokio - Method of operation: bend sensor/Speed 30+
Pros: Simple. Works. Lifetime warranty on internals, official one year warranty on shells minus your shipping cost to them ~$10. Probably the least likely to jam of current markers since balls can spin freely even when the feedneck is full of balls 20 cases of 20,000 balls so 400,000 balls. Uses 9 volts instead of AA, so you only have to carry 9 V batteries in your bag. Less expensive than Rotor or Spire. Double tap the power button to feed. Can spray water inside it to clean it out.
Cons: One I had with the original black shell developed a problem with the bend sensor, so it stopped working. My shells cracked in nearly all of the places where screws were screwed into as well. High profile. Taller than Rotor, shorter, though way longer than a Vlocity.
Comments: After not using it for 4 years, I realized they had a replacement warranty so I wrote them a letter asking for a new bend sensor, and asking if they had spare shells, updated board, and a speed feed to replace the lid which I had lost. They gave me an entirely new smoke loader with a very nice Pinokio speedfeed. So I have the original black nose cone and a smoke hopper, but I don't care. It seems pretty nice. The old board was 20+ bps, an upgraded P-board does 30+, but battery life isn't quite as long.
Weight:
Batteries: 3 AA
Speed 30+
Profile (Biggest loader I am aware of): 2 (1 w nose cone)
Capacity (higher is better) 245 actual/~400 w nose: 5
Likeliness to not break paint (No adjustability, but it supposedly just doesn't break paint.): 5
Easiness to break down and clean (toolless nose removal, but you have screws to take it all the wa apart): 3
Likeliness of a jam (supposedly does not jam. Balls can spin freely even when the feedneck is full.): 5
Likeliness to have the shell break (Most of the areas where the screws screwed into plastic molded nuts cracked on my original black Pinokio, but it held together because of the nose cone, unlike my Vlocity Jr.): 2
Likeliness customer support will fix an issue (I sent it in under the lifetime warranty with a super nice letter and Pinokio replaced the hopper. I was amazed and super loved them.): 5
Battery life (20 cases of 20,000 balls so 400,000 balls): 5
Cost ($99 www.ansgear.com): 3
Total 35/40
Virtue Spire
Pros:
Cons: There may be complications with a low battery.
Batteries: 3 AA
Speed
Profile (taller and bigger is worse):
Capacity (higher is better):
Likeliness to not break paint (or adjustability):
easiness to break down and clean (quick and toolless is best):
Likeliness of a jam:
Likeliness to have the shell break:
Likeliness customer support will fix an issue:Total /35
Empire prophecy Z2 (V2 is a budget hopper)- I hated earlier versions of the Empire and Halo hoppers because of the shells breaking and frequent jams, but users love this hopper. Pretty different internals from those old hoppers though, and it looks good. Doesn't have as good of a battery life as a Pinokio, Rotor, or Torque. Has 240 round shell upgrade.
Weight:
BPS:
Profile (taller and bigger is worse):
Capacity (higher is better) : 1
Likeliness to not break paint (or adjustability): ?4
easiness to break down and clean (quick and toolless is best):
Likeliness of a jam: 4
Likeliness to have the shell break: 4
Likeliness customer support will fix an issue: 1
Battery life: 3
Total /40
Torque-constantly spins, and slips if there is resistance by balls not feeding, while turned on and makes some noise, but hasn't jammed on me. Still using batteries from 2008, but I haven't used it much. Low profile. I think the shells on this are extremely durable, since most cracks happen where there are screws and it it toolless. The shells are more durable than the than Halo and Pinokio. Unfortunately the company is out of business, so new shells would be hard to find if you ran over it with a dump truck.
Profile (taller and bigger is worse):
Capacity (higher is better) ~160: 1
Likeliness to not break paint (or adjustability): 4
easiness to break down and clean (quick and toolless is best): 4
Likeliness of a jam: 4
Likeliness to have the shell break: 5
Battery life: 4
Likeliness customer support will fix an issue:Total 23/35
Vlocity Jr w Gangstar chip-You can set the settings to be less of battery hogs than constantly grinding like the stock board. Has a high profile, higher than a Pinokio, though shorter in the back than a Pinokio, and with less capicty. Large mouth for feeding balls. 180 ball capacity. shells and feedneck crack after use..
Profile (taller and bigger is worse):
Capacity (higher is better):
Likeliness to not break paint (or adjustability):
easiness to break down and clean (quick and toolless is best):
Likeliness of a jam:
Likeliness to have the shell break:
Likeliness customer support will fix an issue:Total /35
Vlocity-smaller mouth but 190 ball capacity
Fasta-Bend sensor
at 30BPS (there is a slower 20+ bps Fasta as well). Operates with a bend sendor like the Pinokio. It is pretty cheap, but I'm not sure if it has the same warranty. Thin plastic feedneck is known to crack.
Halo B-Uses Eyes
Pros: used in some top tournaments around 2004ish. Fast with the right board. Has rip drive to use when batteries were dying, which I liked.
Cons: Shells cracked easily. Heavy. Jammed too often. Poor-mid battery life.
Profile (taller and bigger is worse):
Capacity (higher is better):
Likeliness to not break paint (or adjustability):
easiness to break down and clean (quick and toolless is best):
Likeliness of a jam:
Likeliness to have the shell break:
Likeliness customer support will fix an issue:Total /35
Empire B-Sound activated
Hoppers I've used
Torque
The good: What would you want in a hopper? One that doesn't jam, but has a reverse button just in case, has toolless disassembly of very few pieces, and has a thick plastic that is not as likely to crack as most other hoppers, and great battery life.
The bad: Although toolless, the Torque is kind of hard to disassemble because you have to push a button inside the hopper and flex the back plastic around some other plastic nubs, but it will likely get easier with practice. It also ALWAYS spins and makes noise you can hear from up to 3 feet away when turned on. The wheel intentionally slips when the balls aren't being shot out, and you can hear the motor whir it a little, so if you rely on super stealth... that may concern you. It is probably a bit heavier than the Vlocity Jr and Halo/Empire due to the thicker plastic (which I'm fine with if that means it won't crack).
It has no eyes, but doesn't need them due to its simplicity, and has good reviews. Good luck getting one though since they are discontinued. No spring to hold the plastic door open. Not a huge deal though. I have had two 9 volt batteries in this hopper for 4 years, only using them a hand full of times, but they are still going strong. I deduct that the battery draw when off is super low, which I like.
$25 used
Vlocity Jr. with Gangstar chip upgrade
The good: One of the lightest hoppers on the market. The Gangstar chip has a bunch of adjustable settings that, among other things like BPS speed selection, allows the motor to turn off after 12 seconds when balls aren't being fed to reduce battery consumption and eliminate hopper motor noise when not in use. Clear feedneck lets you know if a ball is about to be fed.
The bad: It is lightweight because of thin plastic, thin plastic which breaks. There are a lot of screw and nuts held by thin plastic which breaks. There are lots of small screw holes for paint to get into, so cleaning it can sometimes be annoying. The stock Vlocity and Vlocity Jr. boards (non Gangstar) allegedly eat your 9 volt batteries. My feedneck got a crack in it from a feedneck clamp being too tight, but the plastic is strong enough there for me not to worry.
It is one of the lightest hoppers, however, I don't like how easily the shells on this loader break due to the thin plastic. I've had nuts and screws come out and the plastic crack, which I patched up with super glue. However, I do REALLY like the performance of this loader which is customizable with the Gangstar chip. I have it set up to spin at 15 BPS because guns are capped at 13. The faster it spins, the more likely balls will popcorn, around inside which would be bad. I also have it set to turn off and not spin and use the battery when balls are not moving for more than 5 seconds. So it is quiet enough for woodsball. The loudmouth is larger than the standard small lid, so fewer balls fall out when filling with a pod. It does have a high profile though which may make it a little easier to get shot. I had a jam one time and I just had to shake it a bit.
You need a screwdriver to take this apart and paint can get in all the screw holes. The clear feedneck is cool, so you know if there is a ball there, also has a superficial crack in the plastic in mine and many others. Even if it is held together with duct tape, I'll still really like this hopper. I'd pick up another used one without cracks in a heartbeat for $20 if I could, if someone else would sell it. I have the Gangstar 1 chip and have no reason to upgrade to Gangstar v2. I know Select Force is also a popular upgrade. There are small pieces to loose, like nuts, screws, and the ever annoying spring to keep the door open until it is slammed shut. Not an issue if you use a speed feed.
Common modifications include black electical or duct tape on the front to hold the shell together because the plastic breaks. People also saw off a part of the feedneck for a lower profile. There are speedfeeds people add. There are two mouth sizes. I have the larger one and liked it, at least until the shell broke apart during a game.
$25-40 used
Pinokio
The good: Large ball capacity and super large capacity with the nose cone. Stronger plastic than Vlocity and Halo B. Great battery life. A person I talked to that used it said it has worked great for him.
The bad: My internals broke under normal use. It has a huge profile.
I wanted to like this hopper though it had a large profile. It feeds balls when a ball pushes back a tab stuck at a 45 degree angle in the feedneck and the tab flips back up. I found this system not to be reliable. The plastic of the hopper seemed fine though.
$50 used
Halo B
The good: I liked that it had the rip drive upgrade to manually feed balls if the batteries died. Happened once. it was kind of an experience. I lost to the guy who didn't have to break to spin it though. You can buy them cheap used.
The bad: The shells crack. There are a lot of small nuts, screws, and springs. Cleaning it can be annoying since you have so many screws and screw holes which can attract paint. It would jam occasionally.
Borrow it if you have to, but I wouldn't buy it. Too much maintenance and not enough plastic durability and paint feed reliability.
$20-35 used
Empire B
Same pros and cons of the Halo B except it had better battery life because it only spun once it heard a shot fired. Supposedly some quiet guns, some spool threads, didn't trigger it sometimes though according to a friend. This is about on par with the Halo, maybe better if you like better battery life and have a gun that makes it fire.
$25-35 used
Egg
Pros: cheap
Cons: Awkward, large profile, plastic can break
Standard 200 round gravity fed hopper
Pros: $5, no batteries, can take a beating, can get wet.
Cons: You may have to shake it to get the balls to come down. Can't shoot too fast or else the balls will get stuck until you shake everything. Usually works fine for the Tippman 98.
Using a gravity fed on an electronic marker can be annoying because you will have to shake it the entire time to make sure balls feed. Generally fine if you are just shooting a few shots at a time with a Spyder or Tippmann, but not for anything too competitive.
--
The Virtue Spire seems to be an expensive, but good option that rivals the Dye Rotor. It claims to not break fragile paint, feed quickly, and be easy to dissaemble.
I haven't used the Dye Rotor, but people that use it like it. It is a little heavier, but has a low profile, is great on battery like, 50,000 rounds supposedly. It is often times rated as the best hopper.
It is expensive though. $100 used, $180 new.
Prophesy-sound activated, proactive
http://www.pbnation.com/showthread.php?t=720187
Speedball guns use electronics to shoot more rapidly and need an electronic hopper to typically shoot 12 balls per second or faster, or around 30 balls per second if the game is uncapped.
Generally speaking, the Dye Rotor, Virtue Spire, and Pinokio are great modern choices for speedball tournaments. Good less expensive options are old Vlocitys (preferably with a Gangstar, Select Force, or Virtue chip that won't make it force feed balls for more than a few seconds to save on batteries), old Torques, though those constantly spin and you hear it.
Here is a pretty comprehensive list of the specs of most speedball hoppers.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AnYLGbkyTL21dGRnODl2azRuSVlyMFdrNnFHU0lValE&usp=sharing
Rotor v3 Method of operation: ? /Speed 50+
Pros: (has velcro for battery)-jams occasionally, but most durable and low profile, can get a 250 ball extension for ~$25 + shipping. Waterproof board. Tough plastic.
Cons: Expensive. One person commented that initial feed speed took a few seconds to get up to a fast speed feed. People say is can jam occasionally, maybe once every 20,000 balls. May not work well with reballs.
1 is bad/ 5 is great
Weight:
Speed: 50+ (not rated since there is a cap at 12 bps)
1. Profile (taller and bigger is worse): 4 (2 high capacity shell)
2. Capacity (higher is better) ~188 actual (200 claim) (250 claim with high capacity top shell): 3 (high capacity nose/5 )
3. Likeliness to not break paint (Has adjustable settings. People have broken paint in Rotors, probably with high tension though): 4
4. easiness to break down and clean (5 seconds toolless): 5
5. Likeliness of a jam (rare, but sometimes): 4
6. Likeliness to have the shell break (dropped off 3 story building, can withstand direct flame, waterproof board): 5
7. Likeliness customer support will fix an issue: 2?
8. Battery (life 80,000 shots): 5
9. Cost ($149 husstlepaintball.com/HC shell +$25): 1
33/44
Pinokio - Method of operation: bend sensor/Speed 30+
Pros: Simple. Works. Lifetime warranty on internals, official one year warranty on shells minus your shipping cost to them ~$10. Probably the least likely to jam of current markers since balls can spin freely even when the feedneck is full of balls 20 cases of 20,000 balls so 400,000 balls. Uses 9 volts instead of AA, so you only have to carry 9 V batteries in your bag. Less expensive than Rotor or Spire. Double tap the power button to feed. Can spray water inside it to clean it out.
Cons: One I had with the original black shell developed a problem with the bend sensor, so it stopped working. My shells cracked in nearly all of the places where screws were screwed into as well. High profile. Taller than Rotor, shorter, though way longer than a Vlocity.
Comments: After not using it for 4 years, I realized they had a replacement warranty so I wrote them a letter asking for a new bend sensor, and asking if they had spare shells, updated board, and a speed feed to replace the lid which I had lost. They gave me an entirely new smoke loader with a very nice Pinokio speedfeed. So I have the original black nose cone and a smoke hopper, but I don't care. It seems pretty nice. The old board was 20+ bps, an upgraded P-board does 30+, but battery life isn't quite as long.
Weight:
Batteries: 3 AA
Speed 30+
Profile (Biggest loader I am aware of): 2 (1 w nose cone)
Capacity (higher is better) 245 actual/~400 w nose: 5
Likeliness to not break paint (No adjustability, but it supposedly just doesn't break paint.): 5
Easiness to break down and clean (toolless nose removal, but you have screws to take it all the wa apart): 3
Likeliness of a jam (supposedly does not jam. Balls can spin freely even when the feedneck is full.): 5
Likeliness to have the shell break (Most of the areas where the screws screwed into plastic molded nuts cracked on my original black Pinokio, but it held together because of the nose cone, unlike my Vlocity Jr.): 2
Likeliness customer support will fix an issue (I sent it in under the lifetime warranty with a super nice letter and Pinokio replaced the hopper. I was amazed and super loved them.): 5
Battery life (20 cases of 20,000 balls so 400,000 balls): 5
Cost ($99 www.ansgear.com): 3
Total 35/40
Virtue Spire
Pros:
Cons: There may be complications with a low battery.
Batteries: 3 AA
Speed
Profile (taller and bigger is worse):
Capacity (higher is better):
Likeliness to not break paint (or adjustability):
easiness to break down and clean (quick and toolless is best):
Likeliness of a jam:
Likeliness to have the shell break:
Likeliness customer support will fix an issue:Total /35
Empire prophecy Z2 (V2 is a budget hopper)- I hated earlier versions of the Empire and Halo hoppers because of the shells breaking and frequent jams, but users love this hopper. Pretty different internals from those old hoppers though, and it looks good. Doesn't have as good of a battery life as a Pinokio, Rotor, or Torque. Has 240 round shell upgrade.
Weight:
BPS:
Profile (taller and bigger is worse):
Capacity (higher is better) : 1
Likeliness to not break paint (or adjustability): ?4
easiness to break down and clean (quick and toolless is best):
Likeliness of a jam: 4
Likeliness to have the shell break: 4
Likeliness customer support will fix an issue: 1
Battery life: 3
Total /40
Torque-constantly spins, and slips if there is resistance by balls not feeding, while turned on and makes some noise, but hasn't jammed on me. Still using batteries from 2008, but I haven't used it much. Low profile. I think the shells on this are extremely durable, since most cracks happen where there are screws and it it toolless. The shells are more durable than the than Halo and Pinokio. Unfortunately the company is out of business, so new shells would be hard to find if you ran over it with a dump truck.
Profile (taller and bigger is worse):
Capacity (higher is better) ~160: 1
Likeliness to not break paint (or adjustability): 4
easiness to break down and clean (quick and toolless is best): 4
Likeliness of a jam: 4
Likeliness to have the shell break: 5
Battery life: 4
Likeliness customer support will fix an issue:Total 23/35
Vlocity Jr w Gangstar chip-You can set the settings to be less of battery hogs than constantly grinding like the stock board. Has a high profile, higher than a Pinokio, though shorter in the back than a Pinokio, and with less capicty. Large mouth for feeding balls. 180 ball capacity. shells and feedneck crack after use..
Profile (taller and bigger is worse):
Capacity (higher is better):
Likeliness to not break paint (or adjustability):
easiness to break down and clean (quick and toolless is best):
Likeliness of a jam:
Likeliness to have the shell break:
Likeliness customer support will fix an issue:Total /35
Vlocity-smaller mouth but 190 ball capacity
Fasta-Bend sensor
at 30BPS (there is a slower 20+ bps Fasta as well). Operates with a bend sendor like the Pinokio. It is pretty cheap, but I'm not sure if it has the same warranty. Thin plastic feedneck is known to crack.
Halo B-Uses Eyes
Pros: used in some top tournaments around 2004ish. Fast with the right board. Has rip drive to use when batteries were dying, which I liked.
Cons: Shells cracked easily. Heavy. Jammed too often. Poor-mid battery life.
Profile (taller and bigger is worse):
Capacity (higher is better):
Likeliness to not break paint (or adjustability):
easiness to break down and clean (quick and toolless is best):
Likeliness of a jam:
Likeliness to have the shell break:
Likeliness customer support will fix an issue:Total /35
Empire B-Sound activated
Hoppers I've used
Torque
The good: What would you want in a hopper? One that doesn't jam, but has a reverse button just in case, has toolless disassembly of very few pieces, and has a thick plastic that is not as likely to crack as most other hoppers, and great battery life.
The bad: Although toolless, the Torque is kind of hard to disassemble because you have to push a button inside the hopper and flex the back plastic around some other plastic nubs, but it will likely get easier with practice. It also ALWAYS spins and makes noise you can hear from up to 3 feet away when turned on. The wheel intentionally slips when the balls aren't being shot out, and you can hear the motor whir it a little, so if you rely on super stealth... that may concern you. It is probably a bit heavier than the Vlocity Jr and Halo/Empire due to the thicker plastic (which I'm fine with if that means it won't crack).
It has no eyes, but doesn't need them due to its simplicity, and has good reviews. Good luck getting one though since they are discontinued. No spring to hold the plastic door open. Not a huge deal though. I have had two 9 volt batteries in this hopper for 4 years, only using them a hand full of times, but they are still going strong. I deduct that the battery draw when off is super low, which I like.
$25 used
Vlocity Jr. with Gangstar chip upgrade
The good: One of the lightest hoppers on the market. The Gangstar chip has a bunch of adjustable settings that, among other things like BPS speed selection, allows the motor to turn off after 12 seconds when balls aren't being fed to reduce battery consumption and eliminate hopper motor noise when not in use. Clear feedneck lets you know if a ball is about to be fed.
The bad: It is lightweight because of thin plastic, thin plastic which breaks. There are a lot of screw and nuts held by thin plastic which breaks. There are lots of small screw holes for paint to get into, so cleaning it can sometimes be annoying. The stock Vlocity and Vlocity Jr. boards (non Gangstar) allegedly eat your 9 volt batteries. My feedneck got a crack in it from a feedneck clamp being too tight, but the plastic is strong enough there for me not to worry.
It is one of the lightest hoppers, however, I don't like how easily the shells on this loader break due to the thin plastic. I've had nuts and screws come out and the plastic crack, which I patched up with super glue. However, I do REALLY like the performance of this loader which is customizable with the Gangstar chip. I have it set up to spin at 15 BPS because guns are capped at 13. The faster it spins, the more likely balls will popcorn, around inside which would be bad. I also have it set to turn off and not spin and use the battery when balls are not moving for more than 5 seconds. So it is quiet enough for woodsball. The loudmouth is larger than the standard small lid, so fewer balls fall out when filling with a pod. It does have a high profile though which may make it a little easier to get shot. I had a jam one time and I just had to shake it a bit.
You need a screwdriver to take this apart and paint can get in all the screw holes. The clear feedneck is cool, so you know if there is a ball there, also has a superficial crack in the plastic in mine and many others. Even if it is held together with duct tape, I'll still really like this hopper. I'd pick up another used one without cracks in a heartbeat for $20 if I could, if someone else would sell it. I have the Gangstar 1 chip and have no reason to upgrade to Gangstar v2. I know Select Force is also a popular upgrade. There are small pieces to loose, like nuts, screws, and the ever annoying spring to keep the door open until it is slammed shut. Not an issue if you use a speed feed.
Common modifications include black electical or duct tape on the front to hold the shell together because the plastic breaks. People also saw off a part of the feedneck for a lower profile. There are speedfeeds people add. There are two mouth sizes. I have the larger one and liked it, at least until the shell broke apart during a game.
$25-40 used
Pinokio
The good: Large ball capacity and super large capacity with the nose cone. Stronger plastic than Vlocity and Halo B. Great battery life. A person I talked to that used it said it has worked great for him.
The bad: My internals broke under normal use. It has a huge profile.
I wanted to like this hopper though it had a large profile. It feeds balls when a ball pushes back a tab stuck at a 45 degree angle in the feedneck and the tab flips back up. I found this system not to be reliable. The plastic of the hopper seemed fine though.
$50 used
Halo B
The good: I liked that it had the rip drive upgrade to manually feed balls if the batteries died. Happened once. it was kind of an experience. I lost to the guy who didn't have to break to spin it though. You can buy them cheap used.
The bad: The shells crack. There are a lot of small nuts, screws, and springs. Cleaning it can be annoying since you have so many screws and screw holes which can attract paint. It would jam occasionally.
Borrow it if you have to, but I wouldn't buy it. Too much maintenance and not enough plastic durability and paint feed reliability.
$20-35 used
Empire B
Same pros and cons of the Halo B except it had better battery life because it only spun once it heard a shot fired. Supposedly some quiet guns, some spool threads, didn't trigger it sometimes though according to a friend. This is about on par with the Halo, maybe better if you like better battery life and have a gun that makes it fire.
$25-35 used
Egg
Pros: cheap
Cons: Awkward, large profile, plastic can break
Standard 200 round gravity fed hopper
Pros: $5, no batteries, can take a beating, can get wet.
Cons: You may have to shake it to get the balls to come down. Can't shoot too fast or else the balls will get stuck until you shake everything. Usually works fine for the Tippman 98.
Using a gravity fed on an electronic marker can be annoying because you will have to shake it the entire time to make sure balls feed. Generally fine if you are just shooting a few shots at a time with a Spyder or Tippmann, but not for anything too competitive.
--
The Virtue Spire seems to be an expensive, but good option that rivals the Dye Rotor. It claims to not break fragile paint, feed quickly, and be easy to dissaemble.
I haven't used the Dye Rotor, but people that use it like it. It is a little heavier, but has a low profile, is great on battery like, 50,000 rounds supposedly. It is often times rated as the best hopper.
It is expensive though. $100 used, $180 new.
Prophesy-sound activated, proactive
http://www.pbnation.com/showthread.php?t=720187
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Paintball barrel selection
Mike from Techpb.com had some thoughts.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=NwN03gMASew
Barrels impact the gun performance a lot. Tech PB likes these barrels in Florida where it is hot and humid.
Boring a ball is when you take a paintball and place it in several barrels until you find one where it it just large enough to get stuck about half an inch down the back of the barrel (off the gun). This is the traditional way of picking a barrel since it uses less air in the long run since air is not escaping around the sides of the balls.
The case can be made that traditional boring isn't good because some balls later on will be compressed and more oblong instead of circular or swell throughout the day. If they get stuck in the barrel, they can explode in the barrel. When that happens, the paint gets on balls that come out and causes them to become innacurate for quite some time. Shooting though it doesn't always clear it out. You have to clean out your barrel with a barrel swab or squeegee.
Industry standard is .689. (Balls can break inside it though.) Traditional boring may have you select around this size.
Planet Eclipse uses .693 and people like their barrels.
BobLong Marq .691
Dye UL Two piece .692
.693 CP 1 Piece 14"
.694 Bob Long Marq two piece (if humid)
Overboring means less broken paint. Oblong balls are less likely to break.
If you bore in the morning, and it gets warmer, the balls will get larger.
overboring means better consistency, though a bit less air efficient.
The Pros overbore.
12-14" barrels are the standard. Longer than that, like a 16", and the ball may just be bouncing around.
-----------
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=NwN03gMASew
Barrels impact the gun performance a lot. Tech PB likes these barrels in Florida where it is hot and humid.
Boring a ball is when you take a paintball and place it in several barrels until you find one where it it just large enough to get stuck about half an inch down the back of the barrel (off the gun). This is the traditional way of picking a barrel since it uses less air in the long run since air is not escaping around the sides of the balls.
The case can be made that traditional boring isn't good because some balls later on will be compressed and more oblong instead of circular or swell throughout the day. If they get stuck in the barrel, they can explode in the barrel. When that happens, the paint gets on balls that come out and causes them to become innacurate for quite some time. Shooting though it doesn't always clear it out. You have to clean out your barrel with a barrel swab or squeegee.
Industry standard is .689. (Balls can break inside it though.) Traditional boring may have you select around this size.
Planet Eclipse uses .693 and people like their barrels.
BobLong Marq .691
Dye UL Two piece .692
.693 CP 1 Piece 14"
.694 Bob Long Marq two piece (if humid)
Overboring means less broken paint. Oblong balls are less likely to break.
If you bore in the morning, and it gets warmer, the balls will get larger.
overboring means better consistency, though a bit less air efficient.
The Pros overbore.
12-14" barrels are the standard. Longer than that, like a 16", and the ball may just be bouncing around.
-----------
Unicycles
Unicycles come in different sizes.
Small wheels are good for precision movements. Big wheels let you travel faster, which is helpful in a parade.
Torker's 20" wheel on the Unistar DX will fit a 26"-32" inseam
Torker's 24" wheel on the Unistar DX will fit a 29.5"-35.5" inseam
http://www.torkerusa.com/bikes/unicycles/2012-unistar-dx
Some unicycles with large rims/wheels and thin tires are good for faster speed. These unicycles are generally around $100-$250.
Unicycles with smaller rims/wheels and super fat tires are better for bouncing and doing tricks. I rode a Torker DX and was able to jump quite a bit on it because the wheel was way fatter than most other unicycles.
The Torker DX retails at $329 and $349. A dealer said it costs them $230 and they have to pay shipping to the store. I have heard that the rim can taco if you land a large jump and the rim is hard to replace. I saw this new on eBay for $279 with free shipping.
I looked at a forum and 'Hunter' and 'Kris Holms' were also brands that were mentioned.
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
How to fix a 2008 13" unibody MacBook's disabled wireless card with the 10.8.5 update
Don’t install the software update to OSX 10.8.5 if you have the 2.0 Core 2 Duo 13" unibody MacBook from late 2008. It will
likely stop the wireless card from working. (The late 2008-2012 15" MacBooks don't seem to have this problem.)
The wireless card works fine on 10.8.4, but not 10.8.5, so we have to downgrade. If you have a better fix, let me know. This is what I successfully did after chatting with an Apple Genius who verified the wireless card hardware was fine with a ping test when booted up to the drive.
First, save a time machine backup of
this computer on an external drive to keep any programs and files.
Then you will have to
either burn, or mount the ‘Install OS X Mountain Lion’ file onto a DVD
or an external drive so it becomes bootable.
When the computer is turned off and with the ‘Install OS X
Mountain Lion’ in the DVD in the computer or the USB/Firewire/Thunderbolt drive
attached, turn the computer on while pressing option for the first 60 seconds,
or until you see a list of drives, one of which will be a CD or External drive
for ‘Mac OSX’.
Choose the Disk Utility option and format the computer’s
hard drive by selecting on, generally, the top drive on the left side of the
Disk Utility. I recommend naming the
drive with the size of the hard drive.
Exit out of the disk utility after the format and then
“Reinstall Mountain Lion”. This will take maybe 5 minutes to copy the information
from the install file to the hard drive, then it will take about another 20
minutes to install it.
Make sure the hard drive with your time machine backup is
connected to the computer and powered on.
After the operating system in reinstalled, and you click
through a few screens to select Location and stuff, a screen will ask if you
want to transfer data and let you select from where. Pick the “From a disk”
from the options. Select your time machine name (it will be the name of the
drive) and click ‘Next’. It may take about an hour per 100 GB of stuff needed
to transfer with USB 2.0.
Once installed, you may update everything from ‘System
Update’ except 10.8.5 because that may likely disable the wireless card.
A copy of the ‘10.8.4 combo update’ can be found on the Apple
support site. Download, then click on that to
install it.
Sunday, September 29, 2013
Android Phone Apps Sept 2013
I have a Samsung Galaxy S3 and these are the apps I've ended up with.
Maps
Hangouts
SMS Backup & Restore
Voice
YouTube
SportyPal
Facebook
Evernote
Mint.com
SoundHound
Drive
JuicePlotter
Speed Test
Brightest Flashlight (There may be better ones)
Astro File Manager
SG: DeadZone
Transit Tracks (For Chicago transit)
Instagram
Camera ICS (Takes pictures without a shutter sound. Sprint's default camera App always has a shutter sound... which is annoying.)
eBay
ASR (mp3 recording)
Pandora or Slacker Radio
EasyTether Pro
Google Keyboard (Autocorrect works better than Samsung's default keyboard, Dynamic Keyboard Free, Gingerbread Keyboard-(runner up), and Swype)
Angry Birds
QR Droid
GPS Test
Words Free-battery drainer, but can be fun
Banking app
Open Signal
Sensorly
Cut the Rope (and variations)
Documents to Go- (though Amazon and required me to sign onto Amazon each time I wanted to use it.)
Zillow
LivingSocial
WeatherBug
Maps
Hangouts
SMS Backup & Restore
Voice
YouTube
SportyPal
Evernote
Mint.com
SoundHound
Drive
JuicePlotter
Speed Test
Brightest Flashlight (There may be better ones)
Astro File Manager
SG: DeadZone
Transit Tracks (For Chicago transit)
Camera ICS (Takes pictures without a shutter sound. Sprint's default camera App always has a shutter sound... which is annoying.)
eBay
ASR (mp3 recording)
Pandora or Slacker Radio
EasyTether Pro
Google Keyboard (Autocorrect works better than Samsung's default keyboard, Dynamic Keyboard Free, Gingerbread Keyboard-(runner up), and Swype)
Angry Birds
QR Droid
GPS Test
Words Free-battery drainer, but can be fun
Banking app
Open Signal
Sensorly
Cut the Rope (and variations)
Documents to Go- (though Amazon and required me to sign onto Amazon each time I wanted to use it.)
Zillow
LivingSocial
WeatherBug
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
Mattress and Bed Research
Many of the top mattress brands have standard prices at every store, but will throw in freebies on Memorial Day and Black Friday weekends.
One salesman said that Simmons and Beautyrest had the best, or most experience with, pocketed coils
I accidentally ended up with a 12" thick one of these beds off of Craigslist when it was wrongly listed at a Cloud Supreme Tempurpedic. I actually really like it. It has two densities of foam with a 4" low density layer on the top. It had body impressions after a year of use, but I find it comfortable.
Cons: If constant pressure is applied to a particular area over time, the foam will compress and not spring back as far or as firmly. This may end up being comfortable though, though probably shouldn't be used in a hotel where people may be picky about uniformity. It is not as good as memory foam as returning to the original position over time. The middle can sink in and two people can roll towards each other in the middle if it is low density foam.
Pros: I find it to be quite comfortable in my apartment with temperatures that range between 60 degrees to 80 degrees. The feel doesn't seem to change with the temperature fluctuation.
I tend to sleep more on one side of the bed than the other, as did the previous owner. While looking at the bed, it all looks flat, but the area my hips touch pushes down much more easily than other parts of the bed. Just constant use on that part of the bed made a body impression, which I find very comfortable. The other side of the bed is a more standard firmness and is fine, but it doesn't fit my body the way the worn way does. It is so thick and not very dense, so I can sleep on my side, back, or stomach, and I don't feel much and I sink into it so there is a constant light pressure on my entire body instead of only the parts that would normally touch something much more firm. It's a personal preference thing.
Pros: Can be quite comfortable. Remembers the shape it is supposed to be, so it springs back to place longer than polyurethane foam.
Cons: Can initially get hard in cold temperatures, maybe about 60 degrees. Your body heat will have to warm it up before it sleeps at the firmness you are used to. Can get gooey at higher temperatures, maybe about 85 degrees.
When you buy a mattress, there are durability warranties that say they will replace the mattress if there is a body impression more than a particular depth, maybe 1/4"-1/2". With the exception of TempurPedic, these warranties are void if there are any bodily fluids on the mattress due to bio-hazard. To prevent this, a waterproof mattress cover is recommended. Yes, these are plasticy and make the bed sleep warmer than it would without one, but this waterproof layer keeps dead skin cells from getting into your mattress, the food for unfriendly bugs. It also prevents blood sucking bed bugs from getting from your mattress to your skin.
There are fitted mattress protectors for about $40 on Amazon. They come in 12" think and 9" think versions. There are zippered ones for a little more. The ones made from pure plastic are the warmest and most noisy. The ones with a cotton terry cloth are less noisy and softer. The zippered ones are more of a hassle to get on or off, but prevent anything from getting in the entire mattress (except for when it is off to be washed). The fitted ones are easier to remove and have the primary barrier there, so they should be sufficient, especially if your bed is not brand new.
If you spent a lot on your mattress, and can deal with the way they feel under your sheets, you can put a full waterproof zippered cover on your mattress and then also put a fitted water resistant, and easily washable, fitted mattress protector on top of it.
You may also want to put a protector on your base to prevent it from collecting dust, especially if you have an allergy.
Be sure to check the warranty terms before buying. Some may cover motors that burn out for one year, and then have tiered repair plans after that, where you pay shipping, plus 10% of the value in year X, 20% of the value year Y... 80% of the value year Q. It seemed a little crazy for the ones I skimmed over, but they do feel quite comfortable.
Prices have dropped so they start at $600 on Amazon. The Queen Tempurpedic base is one option I got to use. While it raises hte dead and legs, has four presets you can create, and has vibrating motors in the center of the bed under your neck and feet. However, it does rattle if you shake the bed, which can be annoying... This is because it has rollers and the wheels can rock in the track. I would assume that adjustable bases without wheels inside tracks may make less noise if you move a lot.
The viscous memory foam was developed for NASA and is heat sensitive. It becomes more firm in cold temperatures and pliable and mooshie when it is warm. Conceptually, the areas of your body that are closest to the mattress will be warmest, like your butt and shoulders, so the foam will become pliable there, but more supportive around your back which isn't being pushed into the foam as hard because less weight/heat from less skin contact is put on it.
The Pros: These beds, in my opinion are among the most comfortable at the 70 degree stores I have tried them out. My personal favorite is the Cloud Supreme, though it is 13 inches thick, so sheets made for beds 10 inches thick can pop off.
The Cons: If your room temperature fluctuates, the feel of the bed can drastically change. They are super expensive. Some people have commented that they sleep warm. That is why other brands started using blue cooling gels to separate themselves from this perception. One counter to this claim is that the more you sink into a mattress, the more material you have surrounding your body. Also, many people are recommended to purchase a waterproof mattress cover, and as far as they have come in terms of comfort, having plastic on top of a mattress does make the bed sleep a little warmer. So people switching from a coiled mattress with no cover to a memory foam mattress with a cover may start saying the bed is warm.
As of late 2012/early 2013, for a price premium, there are upgraded versions of the Rhapsody and Cloud Supreme with supposedly better ventilation for sleeping cooler.
I currently am sleeping on a 9" Tempurpedic Cloud with Tempurpedic Ergo adjustable base because I got a really good deal on it. Though moving the queen base up my three flights of stairs required disassembly from the metal frame from the base, so a lot of time. I don't sleep on my side much anymore with it because it is so firm, unlike my last 12" think very soft polyurithane mattress. While comfortable, I did have more back cracking on the soft mattress in the morning. I dis sink in up to three inches at my hips though. With the more firm mattress, I sleep on my back with a small towel or a gel neck pillow. I often wake up sprawled out on my stomach though.I haven't had it long though.
Background
Traditional Metal coils
Typical older mattresses use metal coils tied together with wire to the coils next to them, so when one is compressed, the ones next to it also move. These are notorious for transferring motion on one side of the bed to the other, and not generally liked by couples that hate feeling every time their partner moves. The coils compress over time in the areas that have the most pressure and can sag in those areas. Typically the higher the coil count, the longer the bed will last the and more comfortable it will be. Different coils can be built to different pressure sensitivities though, so you have to find one that is soft or firm. The coils can be tied to the outside frame, and therefore cannot be used in an adjustable base that moves like an electronic hospital bed, something that is becoming more common post 2011.Pocketed/Individually sealed/Independent coils
One response to the annoying motion transfer of metal coils tied together is having the coils individually wrapped in a fabric. Because the coils are not tied together with wire and are not connected to the sides of the bed, they transfer less motion to the other side of the bed, and can be used on adjustable bases. Coil beds generally have a shorter lifespan than memory foam since the coils compress over time at generally a quicker rate than memory foam breaks down, but the beds can cost a few hundred dollars less. Coil beds do tend to have the same feel despite what the temperature of the room is, unlike memory foam.One salesman said that Simmons and Beautyrest had the best, or most experience with, pocketed coils
Polyurethane foam
This is an inexpensive foam found in sofa cushions and now beds. It may form body impressions within a year or two, but those can be comfortable for a while before breaking down, and have a lower cost. It doesn't transfer as much motion from one side of the bed to the other as the tied coils.I accidentally ended up with a 12" thick one of these beds off of Craigslist when it was wrongly listed at a Cloud Supreme Tempurpedic. I actually really like it. It has two densities of foam with a 4" low density layer on the top. It had body impressions after a year of use, but I find it comfortable.
Cons: If constant pressure is applied to a particular area over time, the foam will compress and not spring back as far or as firmly. This may end up being comfortable though, though probably shouldn't be used in a hotel where people may be picky about uniformity. It is not as good as memory foam as returning to the original position over time. The middle can sink in and two people can roll towards each other in the middle if it is low density foam.
Pros: I find it to be quite comfortable in my apartment with temperatures that range between 60 degrees to 80 degrees. The feel doesn't seem to change with the temperature fluctuation.
I tend to sleep more on one side of the bed than the other, as did the previous owner. While looking at the bed, it all looks flat, but the area my hips touch pushes down much more easily than other parts of the bed. Just constant use on that part of the bed made a body impression, which I find very comfortable. The other side of the bed is a more standard firmness and is fine, but it doesn't fit my body the way the worn way does. It is so thick and not very dense, so I can sleep on my side, back, or stomach, and I don't feel much and I sink into it so there is a constant light pressure on my entire body instead of only the parts that would normally touch something much more firm. It's a personal preference thing.
Memory foam
Memory foam is a foam that "remembers" its original rectangular shape and bounces back to that shape even after extended use. It breaks down slower than polyurethane foam, but you may pay a bit extra for it. It does not have the pressure points coil mattresses can and it also transfers less movementPros: Can be quite comfortable. Remembers the shape it is supposed to be, so it springs back to place longer than polyurethane foam.
Cons: Can initially get hard in cold temperatures, maybe about 60 degrees. Your body heat will have to warm it up before it sleeps at the firmness you are used to. Can get gooey at higher temperatures, maybe about 85 degrees.
Mattress covers
When you buy a mattress, there are durability warranties that say they will replace the mattress if there is a body impression more than a particular depth, maybe 1/4"-1/2". With the exception of TempurPedic, these warranties are void if there are any bodily fluids on the mattress due to bio-hazard. To prevent this, a waterproof mattress cover is recommended. Yes, these are plasticy and make the bed sleep warmer than it would without one, but this waterproof layer keeps dead skin cells from getting into your mattress, the food for unfriendly bugs. It also prevents blood sucking bed bugs from getting from your mattress to your skin.
There are fitted mattress protectors for about $40 on Amazon. They come in 12" think and 9" think versions. There are zippered ones for a little more. The ones made from pure plastic are the warmest and most noisy. The ones with a cotton terry cloth are less noisy and softer. The zippered ones are more of a hassle to get on or off, but prevent anything from getting in the entire mattress (except for when it is off to be washed). The fitted ones are easier to remove and have the primary barrier there, so they should be sufficient, especially if your bed is not brand new.
If you spent a lot on your mattress, and can deal with the way they feel under your sheets, you can put a full waterproof zippered cover on your mattress and then also put a fitted water resistant, and easily washable, fitted mattress protector on top of it.
You may also want to put a protector on your base to prevent it from collecting dust, especially if you have an allergy.
Adjustable Bases
Several manufacturers are now producing adjustable mattress bases to replace your stationary box spring. Many will let you recline, put your feet up, put you in a 'zero-gravity' position, and some will even vibrate. These are priced around $800-1,500.Be sure to check the warranty terms before buying. Some may cover motors that burn out for one year, and then have tiered repair plans after that, where you pay shipping, plus 10% of the value in year X, 20% of the value year Y... 80% of the value year Q. It seemed a little crazy for the ones I skimmed over, but they do feel quite comfortable.
Prices have dropped so they start at $600 on Amazon. The Queen Tempurpedic base is one option I got to use. While it raises hte dead and legs, has four presets you can create, and has vibrating motors in the center of the bed under your neck and feet. However, it does rattle if you shake the bed, which can be annoying... This is because it has rollers and the wheels can rock in the track. I would assume that adjustable bases without wheels inside tracks may make less noise if you move a lot.
Memory Foam Brands
According to one salesman, Tempurpedic makes its own memory foam. The rest of the manufacturers get their memory foam from two suppliers and put their own twist on it, such as amounts of blue gel for "sleeping cooler", something he claimed was all marketing, as well as making them in different densities.TempurPedic
This company puts a lot of money into advertising and has high consumer ratings.The viscous memory foam was developed for NASA and is heat sensitive. It becomes more firm in cold temperatures and pliable and mooshie when it is warm. Conceptually, the areas of your body that are closest to the mattress will be warmest, like your butt and shoulders, so the foam will become pliable there, but more supportive around your back which isn't being pushed into the foam as hard because less weight/heat from less skin contact is put on it.
The Pros: These beds, in my opinion are among the most comfortable at the 70 degree stores I have tried them out. My personal favorite is the Cloud Supreme, though it is 13 inches thick, so sheets made for beds 10 inches thick can pop off.
The Cons: If your room temperature fluctuates, the feel of the bed can drastically change. They are super expensive. Some people have commented that they sleep warm. That is why other brands started using blue cooling gels to separate themselves from this perception. One counter to this claim is that the more you sink into a mattress, the more material you have surrounding your body. Also, many people are recommended to purchase a waterproof mattress cover, and as far as they have come in terms of comfort, having plastic on top of a mattress does make the bed sleep a little warmer. So people switching from a coiled mattress with no cover to a memory foam mattress with a cover may start saying the bed is warm.
As of late 2012/early 2013, for a price premium, there are upgraded versions of the Rhapsody and Cloud Supreme with supposedly better ventilation for sleeping cooler.
I currently am sleeping on a 9" Tempurpedic Cloud with Tempurpedic Ergo adjustable base because I got a really good deal on it. Though moving the queen base up my three flights of stairs required disassembly from the metal frame from the base, so a lot of time. I don't sleep on my side much anymore with it because it is so firm, unlike my last 12" think very soft polyurithane mattress. While comfortable, I did have more back cracking on the soft mattress in the morning. I dis sink in up to three inches at my hips though. With the more firm mattress, I sleep on my back with a small towel or a gel neck pillow. I often wake up sprawled out on my stomach though.I haven't had it long though.
Sealy Optimum
I am partial to the Sealy Optimum Radiance ($1699 for a queen). To me, it feels like a TempurPedic Cloud Supreme but for quite a bit less.iComfort
As much as I'd like to like them, I personally didn't find them comfortable the two times I laid on them. Totally unscientific, but hey, try out the line for yourself. The concept behind them is a cooler, more budget friendly memory foam than Tempurpedic. They may have seemed too firm in the store, but in the long run, something a tad more firm than I initially like has proven to cause less back cracking in the morning. So maybe it's fine.Purple
At $999 for a queen, it incorporates the cool, springy feel of latex on the top layer with a honeycomb top, as well as inexpensive polyurethane for the rest of the mattress. I haven't tried it, but am curious.Saturday, June 1, 2013
Weekly things to do in Chicago
Monday
Stanley's Kitchen and Tap $5 burgers and an 8 pm comedy show
Swing Dancing Fizz Bar and Grill $7 9:30-12/1 am
Tuesday
Volleyball at Montrose Beach 4:30-7:30pm
$.25 wings at Racine Plumbing
Lucky's Bar Comedy show 9:30 pm
Squared Circle 2418 N Ashland Ave. $1 beer and good sounding food
Wednesday
Thursday
7-9 pm Cupcake Comedy Cabaret at 2020 N Oakley in Wicker Park/Bucktown
Friday
Saturday
Volleyball at Montrose Beach 9am-4pm
Sunday
Volleyball at North Ave Beach 10-4 pm Pirate flag
Friday, May 31, 2013
Some info about lawn mowers, leaf blowers, and string trimmers.
There are three types of mowers you may want to consider: gas, electric, and reel.
Here are some popular options you may want.
One option you may want is a rear wheel self propel feature. It is generally maybe $30-$50 more than a front wheel self propel, but after reading consumer reviews, most people with front wheel drive mowers said they would not recommend front wheel drive to someone else. I feel the same way. I use the self propel when the mower is hard to push, and rear wheel drive is much more effective at pushing the mower when the going is tough because most of the weight is on the rear wheels so they actually grip when the front wheels would slip.
Another nice option is a wash out port. This allows you to attach a water hose to your lawnmower and run the mower. The water and spinning blade then wash out any residual grass inside the mower and keep it clean.
A bagging option can be nice. Bagging looks nice, but requires more work and a lot of paper compost bags. Dead grass trimmings, as long as they are not in clumps, turn into soil and are a free fertilizer. Clumps of grass can prevent the sun from reaching the grass underneath them and kill that grass. Clumping tends to happen if you mow damp grass.
A mower rated highly at mulching will cut the grass into small enough pieces so you don't need to bag it. The grass can't be too long though and you may not be able to go super fast with the mower.
Also read reviews. Some mowers leave clumps of grass worse than other mowers. Some are hard to maneuver.
If you wanted to log into www.consumerreports.org you can use this login.
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Gas Mowers
You can always pick a used basic model up pretty cheap. You may need to buy a circular grinder to attach to a drill to sharpen the blade, something that you have to do every year anyway for about 10 minutes, or pay someone $25 to do it for you. But you don't know the quality of the cut without looking up reviews of that model. Generally speaking, Honda, Toro, John Deere, and Lawn-Boy are the highest rated brands. Husquivarna from Sears isn't bad either. Just make sure the used model has the features you'd like.
While I could list a few $200-$280 push mowers with no special features, many do not cut as well, are hard to push, and/or may not bag or mulch very well. Mowers with push assist can be used by people who aren't very strong. Having one with a good cut and features you can choose to use is nice.
This is one of the better rear wheel mowers under $400 with several nice features.
- Troy-Bilt TB-320 12AVC35U $330
- It comes with a wash out port, rear wheel drive, multiple speeds, and consumer reports rated it "very good" in every category they tested. It looks like a good one to me.
You should be able to find this one at the Lowe's by your home.
Walmart has some basic non bagged gas lawnmowers for about $150, a bagged one at $199, but those would be hard to push. They have a front wheel self propel without a bag for $238, and front wheel drive with a bag at $298. These haven't been rated by Consumer Reports and may not last as long as the Troy. I have had wheels break off of cheaper lawnmowers.
Electric Mowers
Electric lawn mowers get about 30-55 minutes of mowing per charge. That may be enough time to mow your lawn, but if that isn't, you may have to spend one day mowing most of your lawn, recharge it overnight, and finish it the next day. I don't remember how much grass you had. I read they can mow about 1/3 of an acre.
People recommend against corded electric mowers because most people tend to run over the extension cable every month or so and it is annoying when going around obstacles. So battery powered electric ones are generally recommended. It may work for you since you don't have a lot of obstructions though.
Pros: Electric lawn mowers have lower maintenance and fuel cost at about $5 of electricity a summer. There are no spark plugs to buy, oil changes to do, or gas to buy. Quieter. Much less expensive to operate and maintain.
Cons: 30-55 minute run time. Not as powerful. Consumer reports only recommended one electric lawnmower, possibly meaning most other electric ones are not very good performers.
Here is an interesting page that shows that maintaining a gas mower will cost about $400 over 5 years, but maintenance on an electric mower will only cost about $100, making the electric mower the better buy cost-wise compared to a gas mower, though you do sacrifice power and run time. http://www.mowersdirect.com/stories/54-How-to-Pick-the-Perfect-Electric-Lawn-Mower.html
One electric mower that did get good reviews was the $399 Black and Decker with self propel, something good because they are kind of heavy with the big battery.
BLACK & DECKER 36-Volt 19-in Cordless Electric Self-Propelled Push Lawn MowerItem #: 225855 | Model #: SPCM1936
You can also find this at the Lowes by your home.
Reel Mowers
The cheapest and most environmentally friendly lawn mowers are the old fashioned Reel style push mowers. http://www.mowersdirect.com/stories/55-How-to-Pick-the-Perfect-Reel-Lawn-Mower.html
These are a workout to push because they have no engine, but are super low maintenance. You just have to sharpen the blades once a year, like any lawnmower, but there are more blades to sharpen. Mowing your lawn would be a workout though.
These can be found at Walmart and www.Walmart.com online starting at $69.
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Generally speaking, Sears' lawn mowers were overpriced online and Lowe's had the models Consumer Reports talked about. I didn't see any sales going on right now at Lowe's, but you can ask.
Walmart has some inexpensive models, but none made the Consumer Reports recommended list.
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Leaf blowers
Get one with a metal impeller. It chops leaves better than nylon ones.
Consumer reports recommends a leaf blower one with a metal impeller, as opposed to a nylon one, that can chop the leaves and that does both leaf blowing and vacuuming.
For an electric leaf blower/vacuum, Consumer Reports recommends the Toro 51592. http://www.amazon.com/patio-lawn-garden/dp/B000O27BM4 It is the second highest scoring one on CM, the top scoring one got more negative reviews.
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If you want to go electric, which probably makes sense for a smaller yard without a lot of concrete, an electric edger, like the one you showed me, or a string trimmer like the $73 Greenworks 21142 would be good buys.
String trimmers can do more things, like trimming the grass your lawn mower misses around the sides of your house and around trees in addition to acting like an edger when you rotate it so the strings spin vertically instead of horizontally. In my experience, an edger is more consistent for edging the grass next to concrete, it can look a little better, and it is pretty easy to use because you just push it, though with some practice, you can get good results with a string trimmer and do more things with it, though it takes a little more effort to do edging because you have to hold it in a straight line and walk, which isn't a huge deal after you do it a few times.
Consumer Reports recommends a straight shaft string trimmer to a curved one for better detail work.
Most edgers use a metal blade whereas string trimmers use a nylon string.
Consumer reports didn't have anything on edgers. I would use an edger maybe once every two to three months for a nice clean look, and use the string trimmer/Weed Eater to once a month to get high grass and maintain any edging that had become slightly overgrown.
Friday, May 3, 2013
Things I'd like to have in a smartphone
Here is a list of things I value and would like to see in a smartphone.
Front facing speakers.
When using the video in Google Talk, cupping your hand around the back of the phone to bring some of the sound from the rear of the device to the front where you are viewing the video of the person you are talking to is annoying.
Loud speakers (maybe an enhanced volume boost)
I want to be able to hear quiet YouTube videos and quiet people I am video chatting with.
Waterproof
I have been caught in downpours without a jacket with my phone in my pants pocket. It gets damp. I will want to be able to use it while it is raining without worrying that it might not survive. If a manufacturer did something like a bulk deal with a company like Liquipel, it may help lower the price of a phone with this coating.
Liquipel is a waterproof coating letting you submerge and use your phone in water for $60 + $14.29 for 3-5 day shipping, 2 day for $31. 1 day priority is $68.11. http://www.liquipel.com/
I may do this when I am 95% happy with my phone. (My current S3 takes too long to charge, up to 5-10 hours. Longer than other S3s I think wich are closer to 2-3 hours. I don't like that the speakers are on the back and not the front. Not sure if I am happy with the white color because the white and clear cases keep getting dirty, etc.) Liquipel's facebook page has coupon codes every so often. The downside is that you are spending $75 on an upgrade that is not transferable to your next phone.
I thought I saw several months ago ratings about how well certain devices are covered by Liquipel, and the iPhone and GS2 were top rated and could be submerged, but the GS3 was a step down and could only be splashed on. I don't see that anymore. Just the disclaimer saying they don't recommend liquid ever come in contact with your device and that they are not liable for water damage. Reading up on things, I think that Liquipel 2.0 was released in January 2013, is claimed to be 100x better than the 2012 version (which is good because the original 2012 Liquipel had complaints of water damage on some devices), and is supposed to come with a warranty for accidental spills, but not intentional submersion. http://www.macrumors.com/2013/01/09/ces-2013-liquipel-announces-2-0-watersafe-nanocoating-for-waterproofing-devices/
Motorola claims to have splash resistant smartphones, but didn't advertise it very well.
Removable battery
I can go through 2-5 2100 mAh batteries a day on my Samsung Galaxy SIII. I don't know if battery development is ready for a complete overhaul yet, and I don't see a 4x2100 capacity battery 8,400 mAh being thin, so let me have a removable battery.
A screen not likely to crack
I see a decent amount of iPhones and even some HTC phones with cracked screens on the CTA (Chicago's public bus and train service). My sister has cracked her screen probably twice on her HTC Evo, a plastic smartphone.
Great battery life
Kind of a relative statement. I am pro new battery technology.
Fast charge time per mAh
My Galaxy SIII takes 5 hours to charge 2100 mAh while turned on and with no major apps running. I think that should be down to 2 by now. Faster in the future.
Better call quality
Even with most of my signal bars active, some people are just hard to understand over the phone even though they are speaking clearly. Maybe this is a network thing, but fix it.
Don't fluctuate the cell signal from full bars to no service when I am not moving
I also will jump from full bars to no bars and then dropped call standing in the same position. Really?
Maybe it is just Sprint, but 10% of calls, I answer or make, I can hear nothing. No voice from the other person, no phone buzz, nothing. But I know they can hear me because when i call back and I can hear them, i ask if they could hear me talking and they said yes, they were talking but it didn't look like I could hear them. I don't like it.
Make the touch screen keypad ALWAYS work when dialing in conference codes or using the keypad in Google Voice to answer/record calls. I have had issues where I press 1 to aswer the call. I press 1, the screen says I pressed one, but Google voice repeats, Press 1 to answer the call. I press 1 again. Then it says the user was sent to voicemail. This occurred frequently with my 2010 HTC Evo 4G.
I would also somewhat value
A screen that won't scratch when put in a pocket, or purse, with keys and other sharp objects. It would be nice to move away from screen protectors, but a demo of the tough scratch resistant glass built into a friend's Samsung SIII where he scratched the screen with keys to show me that it didn't scratch the screen actually still left shallow scratches on the screen. They were minor, but there.
Start up time under 30 seconds
When switching batteries, I hate waiting for it to start up. Is the additional 5-10 second carrier splash screen really necessary?
Apps that open quickly.
Do what you gotta do to decrease app startup times.
Radiation protection
See if there is a way to generally decrease radiation without decreasing performance. Here is an interesting article about cell phone radiation.
http://www.howstuffworks.com/gadgets/high-tech-gadgets/gold-plated-radiation-protection-stickers.htm
Front facing speakers.
When using the video in Google Talk, cupping your hand around the back of the phone to bring some of the sound from the rear of the device to the front where you are viewing the video of the person you are talking to is annoying.
Loud speakers (maybe an enhanced volume boost)
I want to be able to hear quiet YouTube videos and quiet people I am video chatting with.
Waterproof
I have been caught in downpours without a jacket with my phone in my pants pocket. It gets damp. I will want to be able to use it while it is raining without worrying that it might not survive. If a manufacturer did something like a bulk deal with a company like Liquipel, it may help lower the price of a phone with this coating.
Liquipel is a waterproof coating letting you submerge and use your phone in water for $60 + $14.29 for 3-5 day shipping, 2 day for $31. 1 day priority is $68.11. http://www.liquipel.com/
I may do this when I am 95% happy with my phone. (My current S3 takes too long to charge, up to 5-10 hours. Longer than other S3s I think wich are closer to 2-3 hours. I don't like that the speakers are on the back and not the front. Not sure if I am happy with the white color because the white and clear cases keep getting dirty, etc.) Liquipel's facebook page has coupon codes every so often. The downside is that you are spending $75 on an upgrade that is not transferable to your next phone.
I thought I saw several months ago ratings about how well certain devices are covered by Liquipel, and the iPhone and GS2 were top rated and could be submerged, but the GS3 was a step down and could only be splashed on. I don't see that anymore. Just the disclaimer saying they don't recommend liquid ever come in contact with your device and that they are not liable for water damage. Reading up on things, I think that Liquipel 2.0 was released in January 2013, is claimed to be 100x better than the 2012 version (which is good because the original 2012 Liquipel had complaints of water damage on some devices), and is supposed to come with a warranty for accidental spills, but not intentional submersion. http://www.macrumors.com/2013/01/09/ces-2013-liquipel-announces-2-0-watersafe-nanocoating-for-waterproofing-devices/
Motorola claims to have splash resistant smartphones, but didn't advertise it very well.
Removable battery
I can go through 2-5 2100 mAh batteries a day on my Samsung Galaxy SIII. I don't know if battery development is ready for a complete overhaul yet, and I don't see a 4x2100 capacity battery 8,400 mAh being thin, so let me have a removable battery.
A screen not likely to crack
I see a decent amount of iPhones and even some HTC phones with cracked screens on the CTA (Chicago's public bus and train service). My sister has cracked her screen probably twice on her HTC Evo, a plastic smartphone.
Great battery life
Kind of a relative statement. I am pro new battery technology.
Fast charge time per mAh
My Galaxy SIII takes 5 hours to charge 2100 mAh while turned on and with no major apps running. I think that should be down to 2 by now. Faster in the future.
Better call quality
Even with most of my signal bars active, some people are just hard to understand over the phone even though they are speaking clearly. Maybe this is a network thing, but fix it.
Don't fluctuate the cell signal from full bars to no service when I am not moving
I also will jump from full bars to no bars and then dropped call standing in the same position. Really?
Maybe it is just Sprint, but 10% of calls, I answer or make, I can hear nothing. No voice from the other person, no phone buzz, nothing. But I know they can hear me because when i call back and I can hear them, i ask if they could hear me talking and they said yes, they were talking but it didn't look like I could hear them. I don't like it.
Make the touch screen keypad ALWAYS work when dialing in conference codes or using the keypad in Google Voice to answer/record calls. I have had issues where I press 1 to aswer the call. I press 1, the screen says I pressed one, but Google voice repeats, Press 1 to answer the call. I press 1 again. Then it says the user was sent to voicemail. This occurred frequently with my 2010 HTC Evo 4G.
I would also somewhat value
A screen that won't scratch when put in a pocket, or purse, with keys and other sharp objects. It would be nice to move away from screen protectors, but a demo of the tough scratch resistant glass built into a friend's Samsung SIII where he scratched the screen with keys to show me that it didn't scratch the screen actually still left shallow scratches on the screen. They were minor, but there.
Start up time under 30 seconds
When switching batteries, I hate waiting for it to start up. Is the additional 5-10 second carrier splash screen really necessary?
Apps that open quickly.
Do what you gotta do to decrease app startup times.
Radiation protection
See if there is a way to generally decrease radiation without decreasing performance. Here is an interesting article about cell phone radiation.
http://www.howstuffworks.com/gadgets/high-tech-gadgets/gold-plated-radiation-protection-stickers.htm
Thursday, April 18, 2013
Triathlon bikes made easy
Triathlon bikes are a niche product with a frame designed for better aerodynamics, generally meaning a foil or airplane wing shaped downtube. On the upper end tri bikes, it also means the frame wraps around the back tire so there is no real disruptive airflow between the frame and back wheel which can shave a few seconds off each mile.
Time Trial (TT) bikes generally have the same frame as a Triathlon bike, the only real difference being where the seat is placed. Triathletes have their butt closer to the front of the bike than time trialists. While a bit more precarious, it works different leg muscles than the ones you use in the run. Sitting further back on the bike can make you use the same muscles biking as you do running and can hurt your running time. I felt very unstable, almost to the point of being scared and unsafe, on my tri bike the first time I got on. Just practicing on it for 10 minutes riding down an empty alley made me feel more comfortable. Now I really like it and don't know why distance riders don't use aero bars.
How can people look at a Triathlon bike and know what model it is? It's not as hard as you think. Most bike manufacturers have about three Time Trial (TT)/Triathlon bike set ups they sell. So if you look at the brand, and learn the difference between entry level, mid grade, and "Woah! You are rich/sponsored", you'll be at a good place. Some models are almost visually identical, except for the paint jobs and minor pedal or gear changes, for 3-6 years before the line is upgraded.
BH
Aerolights seem to all have the same carbon fiber frame with a rear wheel cover in the frame.
Aerolight 9.9 Deep carbon wheels
Aerolight 9.7 Deep carbon wheels
Aerolight 9.5 Medium carbon wheels
Aerolight 9.3 Medium carbon wheels
Kit Cuardo BH Aerolight
Aero 2 is carbon fiber frame but no rear wheel cover
GC Aero 2 8.9 meduim depth carbon wheels
GC Aero 2 8.7 Deep Carbon wheels
GC Aero 2 8.5 training wheels
Kit Global Aero
Cannondale
The Slice series have a carbon fiber frame, rear wheel cover, and a reputation for holding records in the Ironman Distance Triathlons.
The Slice RS frames have a flat top tube, all carbon, many straight bold lines, a vertical seat post, a think frame behind the fork, and rear wheel shielding. The back of the frame ends in a point.
Slice RS SRAM RED Black Inc. $11,000
Slice RS Hi-Mod Ultegra Di2 $7,200
Slice RS Hi-Mod Ultegra $5,550
The Slice RS frames have a little more curve to them in the frame behind the headset than the less expensive line. I know someone with the Slice 5 who likes it.
Slice Hi-MOD SRAM RED-$4,420
Slice 3 Ultegra-$3,100
Slice 5 105 $2,450
Cervelo 2013 lineup
http://www.cervelo.com/en/bikes/p-series.html
Cervelo is the most popular triathlon brand for racers. Cervelo has four lines. the R series is classic road. The S Series is aero road. The P series is TT/Triathlon. The T series is single speed track.
P2-no real wheel cover-frame was made in both aluminum and carbon until 2010 when they went full carbon. $2,600
P3-Most triathlon wins are on this bike model because the model has been around for so many years-carbon body/wheel cover. Carbon fiber frame with wheel cover. $3,600
P5-Better wheel cover and more aero brakes. Better wheels. Considered one of the best. $10,000
Felt 2013 lineup
http://www.feltbicycles.com/USA/2013/TT-TRI/DA-Series/DA1.aspx
The D and B series do not have a gap above the back wheel, which is good for aerodynamics. The cheaper S series does which is less aerodynamic. The cheaper S series also is made of aluminum. The D series has a more prominent rear fork coming out of the seat post than the B series.
DA1-carbon fiber frame-$10,329
DA2-carbon fiber frame-$7,749
DA3-carbon fiber frame-$5,169
DA4 and DA4W-carbon fiber frame-$3,729
B2-carbon fiber frame-$6,199
B12-carbon fiber frame-$3,099
B16 and B16W-carbon fiber frame-$2,069 (A good friend has this and sees no reason to upgrade. I like it.)
S32-aluminum frame-$1,449
Giant
Trinity Advanced SL-Comes with deep carbon wheels, vertical seat with rear wheel cover $13,400
Trinity Composite-carbon fiber frame-rear wheel cover-entry level wheels- $5,100
Orbea-All nice looking carbon fiber bikes with rear wheel cover
Ordu SSJ- Entry level wheels. upward sloping top tube $2,299
Ordu GLT Deep carbon wheels, downward sloping top tube $4,499
Ordu GLI2 Same frame as GLT $5,499
Ordu GRD Same frame as GLT $5,999
Quintana Roo
http://www.quintanarootri.com/bike_lineup.asp#shiftseries
Shift Series-All look like they have the same carbon frame with wheel cover, front brake behind stem. The Illicito has some minor upgrades from the CD0.1. The CD0.1 looks good!
Illicito-higher carbon fiber construction, absence of left side seat stay, claims lowest drag coefficiant of any modern design. Mid depth Reynolds carbon wheels.
CD0.1 Di2-Electronic shifters (I think),Available Reynolds Strike wheelset
CD0.1 Dura Ace-Reynolds Wheelset. TriMax TT Carbon Crankset-flat bars
CD0.1 Race-Ultegra, includes Reynolds wheelset
CD01 Ultegra- Ultegra. available Reynolds wheelset ($3,199)
CD0.1 Camo-Ultegra. available Reynolds wheelset (just a different paint job?)
CD0.1 Team-frameset only
Fit series, (less aggressive)
This tier of bikes looks like they share a basic aluminum frame, different paint jobs though, with no wheel cover and entry level wheels.
Lucero-SRAM Red
Seduza-Ultegra
Dulce-105
Kilo C-SRAM Rival
Specialized
Third most popular Tri bike brand I think.
Shiv http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bikes/road/shiv
S-Works Shiv TT Module (Frame and crank only) $6,100
S-Works Shiv Module (Frame and crank only) $5,800
Comp Rival Mid Compact $3,300 (All these look similar. Fat aero downtube with rear wheel shielding. Carbon fiber frame.)
Shiv Pro OSBB Frameset $2,800
Transition Apex - carbon frame-has rear wheel shielding. Less dramatically fat downtube. Top tube has a hump. $2,200
Shiv Elite Apex Mid-Compact $1,550 (Standard entry level. Aluminum frame, carbon fork. slight hint at rear wheel shielding.)
Trek
http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes/road/triathlon
Known more for road bikes than tri bikes, Trek still offers a nice tri product. It doesn't have complete rear wheel shielding, which I find odd. It claims it has wind tunnel tested all competitors and the only thing faster than the 7 series is the more expensive 9 series. These do have DuoTrap section built in to measure speed, distance, and cadence without adding drag.
Speed Concept 9 series $6,089.99-$11,549.99 (9.5, 9.8, 9.9 with women's versions for the 9.5 and 9.8) Has brakes built into the frame. Doesn't have exposed cables.
Speed Concept 7 Series (7.0, 7.5, 7.8 with women's versions for the 7.0) $2,729.99-$4,619 Full carbon. Has exposed front brake and brake cables and doesn't completely wrap the rear wheel.
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Here is a list of tri bike manufacturers. http://www.trijuice.com/2006/12/triathlon_bike_manufacturers.htm
Time Trial (TT) bikes generally have the same frame as a Triathlon bike, the only real difference being where the seat is placed. Triathletes have their butt closer to the front of the bike than time trialists. While a bit more precarious, it works different leg muscles than the ones you use in the run. Sitting further back on the bike can make you use the same muscles biking as you do running and can hurt your running time. I felt very unstable, almost to the point of being scared and unsafe, on my tri bike the first time I got on. Just practicing on it for 10 minutes riding down an empty alley made me feel more comfortable. Now I really like it and don't know why distance riders don't use aero bars.
How can people look at a Triathlon bike and know what model it is? It's not as hard as you think. Most bike manufacturers have about three Time Trial (TT)/Triathlon bike set ups they sell. So if you look at the brand, and learn the difference between entry level, mid grade, and "Woah! You are rich/sponsored", you'll be at a good place. Some models are almost visually identical, except for the paint jobs and minor pedal or gear changes, for 3-6 years before the line is upgraded.
BH
Aerolights seem to all have the same carbon fiber frame with a rear wheel cover in the frame.
Aerolight 9.9 Deep carbon wheels
Aerolight 9.7 Deep carbon wheels
Aerolight 9.5 Medium carbon wheels
Aerolight 9.3 Medium carbon wheels
Kit Cuardo BH Aerolight
Aero 2 is carbon fiber frame but no rear wheel cover
GC Aero 2 8.9 meduim depth carbon wheels
GC Aero 2 8.7 Deep Carbon wheels
GC Aero 2 8.5 training wheels
Kit Global Aero
Cannondale
The Slice series have a carbon fiber frame, rear wheel cover, and a reputation for holding records in the Ironman Distance Triathlons.
The Slice RS frames have a flat top tube, all carbon, many straight bold lines, a vertical seat post, a think frame behind the fork, and rear wheel shielding. The back of the frame ends in a point.
Slice RS SRAM RED Black Inc. $11,000
Slice RS Hi-Mod Ultegra Di2 $7,200
Slice RS Hi-Mod Ultegra $5,550
The Slice RS frames have a little more curve to them in the frame behind the headset than the less expensive line. I know someone with the Slice 5 who likes it.
Slice Hi-MOD SRAM RED-$4,420
Slice 3 Ultegra-$3,100
Slice 5 105 $2,450
Cervelo 2013 lineup
http://www.cervelo.com/en/bikes/p-series.html
Cervelo is the most popular triathlon brand for racers. Cervelo has four lines. the R series is classic road. The S Series is aero road. The P series is TT/Triathlon. The T series is single speed track.
P2-no real wheel cover-frame was made in both aluminum and carbon until 2010 when they went full carbon. $2,600
P3-Most triathlon wins are on this bike model because the model has been around for so many years-carbon body/wheel cover. Carbon fiber frame with wheel cover. $3,600
P5-Better wheel cover and more aero brakes. Better wheels. Considered one of the best. $10,000
Felt 2013 lineup
http://www.feltbicycles.com/USA/2013/TT-TRI/DA-Series/DA1.aspx
The D and B series do not have a gap above the back wheel, which is good for aerodynamics. The cheaper S series does which is less aerodynamic. The cheaper S series also is made of aluminum. The D series has a more prominent rear fork coming out of the seat post than the B series.
DA1-carbon fiber frame-$10,329
DA2-carbon fiber frame-$7,749
DA3-carbon fiber frame-$5,169
DA4 and DA4W-carbon fiber frame-$3,729
B2-carbon fiber frame-$6,199
B12-carbon fiber frame-$3,099
B16 and B16W-carbon fiber frame-$2,069 (A good friend has this and sees no reason to upgrade. I like it.)
S32-aluminum frame-$1,449
Giant
Trinity Advanced SL-Comes with deep carbon wheels, vertical seat with rear wheel cover $13,400
Trinity Composite-carbon fiber frame-rear wheel cover-entry level wheels- $5,100
Orbea-All nice looking carbon fiber bikes with rear wheel cover
Ordu SSJ- Entry level wheels. upward sloping top tube $2,299
Ordu GLT Deep carbon wheels, downward sloping top tube $4,499
Ordu GLI2 Same frame as GLT $5,499
Ordu GRD Same frame as GLT $5,999
Quintana Roo
http://www.quintanarootri.com/bike_lineup.asp#shiftseries
Shift Series-All look like they have the same carbon frame with wheel cover, front brake behind stem. The Illicito has some minor upgrades from the CD0.1. The CD0.1 looks good!
Illicito-higher carbon fiber construction, absence of left side seat stay, claims lowest drag coefficiant of any modern design. Mid depth Reynolds carbon wheels.
CD0.1 Di2-Electronic shifters (I think),Available Reynolds Strike wheelset
CD0.1 Dura Ace-Reynolds Wheelset. TriMax TT Carbon Crankset-flat bars
CD0.1 Race-Ultegra, includes Reynolds wheelset
CD01 Ultegra- Ultegra. available Reynolds wheelset ($3,199)
CD0.1 Camo-Ultegra. available Reynolds wheelset (just a different paint job?)
CD0.1 Team-frameset only
Fit series, (less aggressive)
This tier of bikes looks like they share a basic aluminum frame, different paint jobs though, with no wheel cover and entry level wheels.
Lucero-SRAM Red
Seduza-Ultegra
Dulce-105
Kilo C-SRAM Rival
Specialized
Third most popular Tri bike brand I think.
Shiv http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bikes/road/shiv
S-Works Shiv TT Module (Frame and crank only) $6,100
S-Works Shiv Module (Frame and crank only) $5,800
Comp Rival Mid Compact $3,300 (All these look similar. Fat aero downtube with rear wheel shielding. Carbon fiber frame.)
Shiv Pro OSBB Frameset $2,800
Transition Apex - carbon frame-has rear wheel shielding. Less dramatically fat downtube. Top tube has a hump. $2,200
Shiv Elite Apex Mid-Compact $1,550 (Standard entry level. Aluminum frame, carbon fork. slight hint at rear wheel shielding.)
Trek
http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes/road/triathlon
Known more for road bikes than tri bikes, Trek still offers a nice tri product. It doesn't have complete rear wheel shielding, which I find odd. It claims it has wind tunnel tested all competitors and the only thing faster than the 7 series is the more expensive 9 series. These do have DuoTrap section built in to measure speed, distance, and cadence without adding drag.
Speed Concept 9 series $6,089.99-$11,549.99 (9.5, 9.8, 9.9 with women's versions for the 9.5 and 9.8) Has brakes built into the frame. Doesn't have exposed cables.
Speed Concept 7 Series (7.0, 7.5, 7.8 with women's versions for the 7.0) $2,729.99-$4,619 Full carbon. Has exposed front brake and brake cables and doesn't completely wrap the rear wheel.
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Here is a list of tri bike manufacturers. http://www.trijuice.com/2006/12/triathlon_bike_manufacturers.htm
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