insideSUSSEX Magazine Issue 20 - October 2016 | Page 104

GADGETS+TECH

THE TECH NINJA
the lycra edition
Few of us can fail to be impressed by the massive achievements by Team GB during the most
recent Olympic games this summer. One of the lovely side effects of such a great event, is that it
will undoubtedly inspire both existing and new participants to many of the sports featured. Cycling
now boasts a fan base of over 2 million, and sales of UK manufactured bikes have rocketed since
the 2012 London Olympics. Right now, there are literally thousands of middle-aged men littering
our roads and byways, clad in lycra. It's a terrifying thought, isn't it? BY LUKE YATES

To quote Family Guy, I'm err... one of those guys now. I myself have ridden
a bike since childhood, but took to cycling in a big way again last year after
having injured myself running. Cycling is relatively a very low impact sport,
and it not only helped me on the road to recovery, but I was reminded just
how much fun it is whizzing about on two wheels. And the technology
available to a lycra-clad middle-aged geek these days is pretty exciting too!

A turbo trainer can be as inexpensive or as pricey as you like, with the
bottom end models providing basic functionality, whilst higher-ended trainers
feature electronic sensors, simulated hills and other such coolness.
So, you've got your turbo trainer. But that could get a bit boring after a bit
on its own. What we need are some gadgets to make those winter training
sessions a bit more... well, fun! And that's where my next Tech Ninja fave
comes in...

My concern for all those who have newly found fitness and happiness levels
thanks to these two-wheeled mechanical marvels, is that, to quote Eddard
Stark, winter is coming.

WAHOO BLUE SC SPEED AND CADENCE SENSOR
Next thing you know, the bike gets covered in dust in the garage, the bike
owner regains those lost pounds and inability to run up and down stairs,
and it all has to start from scratch come spring the next year. But this
needn't be the case.
Not only did I find ways to keep on my bike in those rainy, windy, cold
months, but I actually managed to discover some extremely fun things to
do whilst on the saddle, and increase my ever-growing supply of geeky
gadgets! Here is a guide on what to do when the weather turns nasty, and
a list of some of my fave bike-related tech:

TURBO TRAINER

The Wahoo Blue SC speed and cadence sensor is a fantastic little gizmo
for allowing your bike to communicate with your mobile phone, tablet,
computer, or even a GPS watch. Attached to your bike frame, and using
a couple of magnets placed on the crank, a spoke and on the rear wheel,
it very accurately measures both the speed you are travelling at, and the
rate at which you’re pedalling.
The SC is compatible with both iPhones and Android devices, and there
is a very good free Wahoo app for it. But what really puts this little gadget
into the realms of the most excellent, is t