The Internet of Bikes: Waterboro Lyman Hollis Eastern Trail

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The Waterboro Lyman Hollis Eastern Trail loop adds the Eastern Trail on the way out and the way in primarily to avoid traffic and to add variety. This loop also includes Simpson Road and Mitchell Hill Road, two diversions that include short but steep climbs (Frame and Wheel recommends "Put Me Back on My Bike", an account of the life of Tom Simpson, the great British cyclist who died on the ascent of Mount Ventoux during the Tour de France in the late 60s). The duration of the ride was 281 minutes and the distance was 88 miles. Average moving speed was about 19 miles per hour and maximum speed was 35 miles per hour. Total elevation gain was 3,916 feet and maximum elevation was 323 feet. Maximum grade was 12%.

Frame and Wheel marks a diabolical pothole that is located just on the white line around 154 Spurwink Road on Route 77 North. It is about 2 feet long and one foot wide and very deep; it is a section where the ground has eroded away under the pavement, creating a sink hole of sorts. Frame and Wheel felt obliged to stop and record the hole (after an earlier near miss), and place a fallen lamp cover over the hazard, hopefully to warn other riders and attract the attention of the Department of Transportation. 

The Internet of Bikes: Tour of the Battenkill 2011

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The Tour of the Battenkill 2011

The Tour of the Battenkill, also known as the "Hell of the North" or the "Queen of the Classics", is an annual bike race in Cambridge New York that attracts around 2,500 amateur and professional cyclists from around the world. It is famous for its molar-loosening dirt road sections, its rude climbs and its Paris-Roubaix spirit. It is the first major race for Frame and Wheel and the Portland Velo Club's OA/Cyclemania Masters Cycling Team. It is also a wonderful spectacle and celebration of local community and cycling.

Frame and Wheel surreptitiously tracked the 40 plus race with an Android smartphone. The point of this is to generate data about the race and provide some graphics from which racers can re-experience the event (for better or worse) and generate their own race reports. It is also intended to help viewers better understand the dramatic nature of the event. Viewers can open this map and use the markers to type in details about their race and read about other racer's experiences. Frame and Wheel recommends using the Terrain feature.
These are Frame and Wheel's stats for what they are worth: the distance is 64 miles and the duration is 178 minutes (the official time is 170 minutes). Average moving speed is 21.7 miles per hour and maximum speed is 50 miles per hour. Maximum elevation is 785 feet and total elevation gain is 4,138 feet. Maximum grade was 21 percent.  Elsewhere, the temperature is in the 60s and the roads are dry and the wind light from the southwest. There are 150 riders in the 40 plus category.

The peleton stays together over Perry Hill Road, but begins to fragment on Juniper Swamp Road, a short and very steep (perhaps 21%) climb at the 12 mile mark of the race. The peleton comes back together on the downhill, but it is smaller. The peleton reaches Joe Bean Road, a long and steep climb at the 30 mile mark, which is where a break forms. It includes  2010 40 Plus National Road Champion Roger Aspholm of Westwood Cycle (Harwood, New Jersey), Bruce Bird of Wheels of Bloor (Toronto, Canada) and Frame and Wheel of OA/Cyclemania (Cape Elizabeth, Maine).  This trio soon has a one minute and thirty seconds on the field. 
There are navigational problems: at the intersection of Route 29, Aspholm turns right, following the direction of the old course, while Bird and Frame and Wheel turn left. Bird and Frame and Wheel ease up to let Aspholm catch back on. Frame and Wheel almost misses the turn onto Cassidy Road, a new and difficult section of the race. The trio regains its rhythm and pushes on through rolling hills.
With a three minute gap at the 50 mile mark, the trio reaches Meeting House Road. Bird slows to try an tighten (unsuccessfully) the skewer on his front wheel that is ominously loose. He catches back on despite a brisk pace set by Aspholm up the last climb. Frame and Wheel attacks three of the climbs on Stage Road, but no gaps form. Bird attacks hard on Turnpike Road, but can't get away. At Spring Street, the sprint is on: Bird and Aspholm are the first through the corner on to the ravaged pavement of Broad Street followed by Frame and Wheel. Bird sprints to victory, followed by Aspholm and Frame and Wheel. The race is over. Frame and Wheel is very pleased with the result and looks forward to the Battenkill Creamery Chocolate Milk. Frame and Wheel is very thankful for the generosity, the camaraderie and the dedication of the OA / Cyclemania Masters Cycling Team and congratulates all of them on their great efforts during this race. Frame and Wheel is also grateful for the opportunity to compete in a great category that is characterized by such fine competitors.

 
 

The Internet of Bikes: Prout's Neck Out and Back

The Prout's Neck Out and Back ride heads south to the turnaround point on the tip of Prout's Neck and returns northbound on the same route.  The temperature was still cool although the sun is much warmer. It is a relaxing route that is suitable for a recovery ride or an easy spin in advance of competition. Frame and Wheel did this ride two days in a row to see how consistent the GPS is in capturing the ride data.

The GPS recorded a distance of 18.4 miles both times, which suggests that the system is pretty good at capturing distance. However, the elevation was not so consistent: the April 8 ride saw a maximum elevation of 32 feet and a minimum elevation of negative 79 feet, a total elevation gain of 776 feet, a maximum grade of 10% and a minimum grade of negative 8%. The April 7 ride had a maximum elevation of negative 7 feet and a minimum elevation of negative 92 feet, a total elevation gain of 624 feet, a maximum grade of 5.9% and a minimum grade of negative 4.0%. Some of the reading are clearly nonsense, and Frame and Wheel notes that the maximum elevations differed by 150 feet.  Google Tracks explains that the GPS system measures elevations less precisely than longitude and latitude. However, the relative changes in elevation are more precise. 

Google My Tracks recommends that the GPS signal is strong and unobstructed before setting off, so that a good starting point can be registered. Frame and Wheel started one minute recordings four times: each time elevation, maximum elevation and minimum elevation was a different negative figure (if only it could simply be zero each time, then the charts at least would look more sensible). Unexplainably, minimum and maximum grades were negative 4.0% and 5.9%, respectively, each time. 

Frame and Wheel will try to make sure that there is a steady reading before starting the ride, which means activating My Tracks while outside and with a few minutes to spare before moving. Although elevation is interesting data, Frame and Wheel notes that the important data is duration and distance. The GPS system seems to be pretty good at tracking both, although time spent wandering around the convenience store looking for Fig Newtons is also included in the average moving time and thus factored into average moving speed. Each ride was 60m in duration, for a total of 120 minutes over the two days.

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The Internet of Bikes: Saco Eastern Trail Loop

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The Saco Eastern Trail Loop heads west on the usual route and picks up Boom Road which wraps around and ends up in Biddeford. This is the turnaround point. From here, the route heads back along different roads and picks up the Eastern Trail, which is a dirt road that crosses through a marsh and ends up on Route 207. The wind was strong and temperatures were in the 30s. Duration was 185 minutes and distance was 55 miles. Average moving speed was 18 miles per hour and maximum speed was 36 miles per hour. Total elevation gain was 2,835 and maximum elevation was 177 feet.

Market value of Cervelo S2s

Frame and Wheel has been following transactions of Cervelo S2 framesets on eBay. The purpose of this exercise is to get an idea of how much value a carbon fiber performance road racing frame loses each year. This exercise is also related to Frame and Wheel's effort to determine the cost of a ride and to develop a new way for paying for increasingly expensive carbon fiber bicycles. Frame and Wheel chose the Cervelo S2 because Frame and Wheel rides one, it is a strong brand and they are popular road frames. Cervelo's suggested retail price (MSRP) for the 2011 version of this frameset is $2,800 (frame, seat post and front fork). 

Year	Item	eBay	Y-Y $	Y-Y %	Cumulative $	Cumulative %	Transactions
2010	Frameset	$1,768	($1,032)	(37)	($1,032)	(37)	4
2009	Frameset	$1,576	($192)	(11)	($1,224)	(44)	2
2008	Frameset	$1,091	($485)	(31)	($1,709)	(61)	3

The average price of 2010 Cervelo S2 framesets auctioned on eBay over the past month is $1,768. This price is 37% below the $2,800 MRSP of a 2011 Cervelo S2. The average price of 2009 Cervelo S2 framesets auctioned over the past month is $1,576. This is 44% below the MSRP of 2011 S2s and 11% less than average price of 2010 S2s sold on eBay over the past month. Finally, the average price of 2008 Cervelo S2s framesets (also known as a Soloist) auctioned on eBay over the past month is $1,091. This is 61% below the MSRP of a 2011 S2 and 31% less than the average price 2009 S2s auctioned on eBay over the past month. 

The first observation is that these framesets lose on average 37% of their value after one year. This phenomena is similar to new cars and explains why many cyclists buy last year's model when searching around for a new bicycle. It also quantifies the effect that planned obsolescence and the push model structure of the industry has on the values of carbon road frames: at the end of each season, retailers discount their excess inventory to make room for new models. They do this because they have limited floor space and they have to keep up with new models if they want to remain authorized dealers.

The next observation is that framesets seem to lose value at a decreasing rate in the second year after they are sold: the two 2009 S2s auctioned over the past month sold for prices that were on average 11% less than the average price of 2010 framesets auctioned during the same period.  The market seems to perceive a 2009 frameset as relatively new, perhaps because the features have not changed too much and the graphics are still perceived as being fresh. Also, there is a greater possibility that the frames have been only lightly used or not at all.

The final observation is that the rate at which these framesets lose their value accelerates in the third year: the three 2008 Soloists auctioned over the past month sold for prices that were on average 31% less than the average prices of the 2009 framesets auctioned during the same period. This makes sense given that a three year old frame will certainly have had some use, and is unlikely to have been sitting in a box somewhere or on the floor of a bike shop. Also, there may be material differences in the features of the frameset after three years and the graphics are also clearly different, and signal the frameset as being "old".
Cervelo S2 transactions on eBay March 2011

Year	Price sold	Bids	Size	Shipping	Comments
2010	$1,651	3	54	45	Less 1000 miles,  fork post, poor description
2010	$1,945	20	51	30	Less 50 miles, no reserve, uncut fork, seat post
2010	$1,700	1	54	35	Discounted from $2,200; some cosmetic wear
2010	$1,775	28	56	45	New and unused by owner
2009	$1,825	16	51	45	New frame, used front fork
2009	$1,327	26	54	80	Low mileage, some cosmetic wear
2008	$1,075	19	58	55	Low mileage, never crashed, some cosmetic wear
2008	$998	16	54	75	Low mileage, some cosmetic wear
2008	$1,200	1	61	65	Buy it now transaction; 3T fork; new seat post

Frame and Wheel appreciates that ten transactions is a small sample, but then again these are market transactions between willing buyers and sellers during the beginning of the cycling season (in North America anyway). There are certainly variables related to seasonality, size and graphics at work here, but the trend is nevertheless clear. 

Frame and Wheel notes that one seller has listed his 2011 S2 on eBay for $2,400, a 14% discount to the MSRP. The item has had 2,500 views and 11 offers, but the seller (who specializes in the sale of Chicago White Sox baseball tickets) is holding out for his selling price. The recent transactions for S2s suggest that the seller is optimistic: eBay buyers seem to want to pay a price that is set by the market rather than the seller, and they demand a larger discount than 15% to compensate for giving up warranty privileges and the risk of buying a performance carbon road frame from someone who specializes in selling baseball tickets for the Chicago White Sox. This offering exemplifies how many sellers frequently have unrealistic expectations about what their bicycles are worth. 

The Internet of Bikes: Cape Loop Fugue

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Frame and Wheel ventured out for a leisurely afternoon tour. Temperatures were in the mid 40s and the sun was warm. The wind was strong, but not so bad as the previous weekend. The roads were dry and Spring was very much in the air. Many other cyclists were about too. Total duration was 120 minutes for a distance of 35 miles. Average moving speed was about 18 miles per hour and maximum speed was 37 miles per hour. Total elevation gain was 2,052 feet and maximum elevation was 106 feet. Minimum elevation was a puzzling negative 139 feet.

The Internet of Bikes: Saturday Morning Ride (SMR) Cape Loop

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Frame and Wheel joined the Portland Velo Club Saturday Morning Ride. The temperature was just above the freezing mark and the roads were wet from a late spring snow storm on Friday. The temptation to sleep in and go later was strong, but Frame and Wheel knows that it is always better to get the ride done in the morning: less traffic, less disruption to the day, and today anyway, less wind. The roads were wet, but there was little ice as the sun warmed things up nicely as soon as it got above the horizon. There were a dozen riders in the group. The pace was civilized in some sections and spirited at the sprints as usual. Everyone seemed to be pleased with the small size of the group and the warming temperatures. Indeed, compared to last Saturday Morning Ride, today's temperatures were balmy. Total duration was 163 minutes and total distance was about 50 miles. Average moving speed was 19 miles per hour and maximum speed was 32 miles per hour. Total elevation gain was 2,028 feet and maximum elevation was 153 feet.