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32 Comments

1. Gordon Goodtimes

   August 23, 2020 at 3:42 pm #1

   Do you anticipate commenting or writing a piece with your take on the Garmin ransom hack? I’m curious to hear your thinking here. Should I stop waiting? Just seems like one of the biggest Garmin tech stories and I’d love to get your take.

   Reply
   • Ray Maker

     August 23, 2020 at 4:13 pm #2

     I don’t think I honestly have much more to add at this point. Maybe down the road if more insights are gathered, but I think most of the security folks sites like Bleeping Computer have covered it well enough.

     Outstanding questions are more around to what degree system were infected (versus being proactive shutdown). That’ll come out over time.

     Reply
2. Anirudh

   August 23, 2020 at 3:50 pm #3

   Is the 645 series being left behind? Don’t see it on list of updates

   Reply
   • Ray Maker

     August 23, 2020 at 4:10 pm #4

     I checked with Garmin this week about it actually – at this point, in terms of new feature updates – “That ship has sailed.”

     Reply
   • Stephen Thomas

     August 23, 2020 at 4:47 pm #5

     Also happens to be hugely on sale at Amazon. Music version is $285 in USA.

     Presumably means a Forerunner 655 is about to drop. TBH, I think when a Garmin device reaches end of life that’s about the time the software becomes stable enough to be non-frustrating to use. It seems possible that the 655 has been delayed longer than anticipated, which doesn’t bode well for a non-buggy introduction.

     Reply
   • Anirudh

     August 24, 2020 at 7:54 am #6

     Thanks for checking with Garmin. I’ll replace my 645 with a 945 or whatever version of 945 is available then. Do feel a bit stupid for paying full retail for my 645M, but I do use it a lot.

     Reply
   • Dan

     August 26, 2020 at 10:15 am #7

     I just received a firmware update on my 645. It went from 6.40 to 6.70, but I have no idea what changed.

     I’ve had this watch for 2 months and am disappointed with everything but the battery life. I went from using my phone with an ANT+ chest strap to the 645. GPS is no better, feels worse, and heart rate is much worse. The altimeter usually reads low, putting me below sea level at times. Just a bad experience.

     Reply
3. Paul appleyard

   August 23, 2020 at 4:08 pm #8

   2022 is a joke should have been years ago. It can’t be that difficult the only thing I can think of is the cost of the TV coverage as the setup they use is pretty complicated and I suppose it’s all sponsor funded.
   If they wanted to set an example they should do it at a loss to promote women’s cycling in the hope of gaining the sponsors for later years.

   Reply
   • Ray Maker

     August 23, 2020 at 4:11 pm #9

     Yup, I agree. But if they can get commitments from towns now for then – that’s progress. I can see why pinning it on 2021 would be iffy right now, especially for getting towns to commit to it (which is in turn based on tourism, which could and will likely still be more limited next summer).

     Reply
4. Mike

   August 23, 2020 at 4:11 pm #10

   Bought an Apple 4 Cellular when it was released as I wanted to leave my phone at home, then I got a Fenix 6 as I wanted a device that supports Ant+, never worn by Apple since… still think the Apple is the best “Smart Watch” going, wonderful device, but for Sports, well the Fenix is in a different class, but I don’t class the Fenix as a Smart Watch, its a Sports Watch and I love it

   Reply
5. fusfeld

   August 23, 2020 at 4:15 pm #11

   Can we bribe Garmin to finally remove the little radar icon on the top right of Edge devices when the Varia is paired? It was a nice visual at first, but now seems unnecessary and takes up real estate

   Reply
   • Tim

     August 23, 2020 at 4:44 pm #12

     I like to know it’s still communicating and not fallen off my bike on the roadside. I think I’d get a “disconnected” message too, but that little icon makes it super clear…

     Reply
6. Pete Parfitt

   August 23, 2020 at 4:28 pm #13

   So if I were to receive an invite to be a Zwift ambassador, presumably there will be a further elimination process as I can’t believe I am in the top 15-20 potential ambassadors in the UK (suspect many people received the email as I did)

   Reply
7. Tim

   August 23, 2020 at 4:46 pm #14

   Maybe not that great of deals, but thought I saw Garmin twitter advertising discounts on the VA 3 and… Fenix 5 series?

   Also, semi behind the scenes GPS update (2.70) pushed to FR 935 that seems to significantly improve open water swim tracking (course plotting, distance is more consistent too but always short). I think the same update went to Fenix 5 series?

   Reply
8. BikePower

   August 23, 2020 at 6:16 pm #15

   Regarding a women’s TdF, I’d actually prefer that it take place as soon as the men’s race ends. It gives the women the full focus that they deserve, and it pushes off the inevitable “end of the TdF” blues ?

   Reply
   • Ray Maker

     August 24, 2020 at 2:20 am #16

     Yeah, I can see the desire there. Unfortunately from a media coverage standpoint, most organizations throw all their money and resources at the TdF, and then those folks are beyond exhausted after three weeks of that.

     You’d get coverage from CyclingTips type folks that have dedicated women’s cycling resources, but not much else.

     Having been to the TdF so many times (and spent time with some of the women leading this charge), the ability for them to execute a women’s race roughly 1-2hrs ahead of the men’s race would absolutely be a lesser effort than an entirely separate race. However, for whatever reason ASO really doesn’t want to muddy those mens waters.

     You even saw that with La Course, it was insane how much effort they put into making it look like they didn’t care. Silly things like – you couldnt buy a La Course t-shirt/etc *ANYWHERE* on any of the days. Mind you, I get an e-mail daily from TdF (including just 8 mins ago) trying to pitch me t-shirts for the TdF. It’s the little things that people notice.

     Reply
   • Dave Lusty

     August 24, 2020 at 3:55 am #17

     I’ve never seen the issue with a womens race starting 10 minutes after the mens race. It would be awesome for people who hike for a spot on a mountain since they’d then get two 5 minute windows of excitement. It would be awesome for the press since helicopters could be shared, media would stay in one spot etc. It would be awesome for women because they’d get the same race, not some half arsed small pink version of it. It would be awesome for sponsors because they’d get more coverage for approximately the same outlay. It woudl be awesome for teams because mechanics would be in the same place. If the experts are right and women are slower then there’s no issue with the finish line being shared. If not, then we get awesome TV as women overtake the men on the mountain…win win.
     It would be terrible for sexist race organisers who try to block women in sport though, so it probably won’t happen.
     Oh well at least we have women’s downhill mtb to watch where there is far more equality.

     Reply
   • Niels

     August 24, 2020 at 5:20 am #18

     The Giro Rosa already has been taking place during the TdF for the last few years. If ASO would organize the Women’s Edition of the TdF in the second week, it would be really tough to have those stage races follow each other that closely. Maybe it would be feasible if TdF-W was organized in week 3 and Giro Rosa in week 1, bonus would be that men’s and women’s GC could end the same day and they could share the podium ceremony (or do they do that already?)

     I guess you’d want the Giro Rosa to be organized during the men’s Giro as well, but that’s not ASO’s call to make. And I think the Giro Rosa benefits from being organized during the TdF, it gets more publicity. For example in my country (Belgium), we have a daily talkshow during the TdF that covers the Giro Rosa as well (a little, the lack of good camera footage doesn’t help), but there’s no such talkshow during the Giro.

     Reply
   • Ray Maker

     August 24, 2020 at 5:56 am #19

     Yeah, I think though the Giro Rosa timing is a prime example of why the Giro Rosa fails from a coverage standpoint.

     Having gone to it last year for a stage, it was desolate. Like, kids soccer games have more fans on the sidelines than the Giro Rosa did. This, despite the fact that it was a time trial stage specifically designed well for fans.

     Just look at my photos from last year – nobody is around: link to dcrainmaker.com

     Reply
   • Niels

     August 24, 2020 at 6:51 am #20

     Yeah from the local spectator angle you’re right, I was mostly thinking about television coverage and my own habits (I don’t really keep track of road races outside of the TdF and the Classics). But it is kind of depressing watching races with no spectators.

     Reply
   • Harriet

     August 24, 2020 at 7:35 am #21

     I agree although I’m sure there could be arguments made about the need for more cars etc and the risk of cars getting through if both fields bunch. But really it is just because the women remains a low priority and all the normal nonsense they spin. As a Yorkshirewoman (hosts of World Champs/TdF in 2014/Tour de Yorkshire etc) I can tell you that there are places that will turn out to watch a women only day.

     It’s so depressing that it’s 2020 and we are still having this conversation.

     Reply
   • Ray Maker

     August 24, 2020 at 8:14 am #22

     Yup, totally agree. One of these days I hope ASO comes around.

     In talking to the women last year, it was super interesting in that one of the key things they’ve shifted to doing is applying pressure to the sponsors of the men’s events (such as the Tour of California, TdF, etc…). And we’re talking big sponsors – the Coca Colas of the world.

     And what they found was surprising to them. They expected to walk in the front door and find hostility to equality, but in reality, many times these sponsors of events at the executive level didn’t even realize there wasn’t equality. Sure, for the TdF they knew that – but in many other more regional events (ToC for example) – it was a huge shift in the conversation.

     Reply
   • BikePower

     August 24, 2020 at 8:14 am #23

     I just finished reading Nicole Cooke’s book “The Breakaway” and I agree that it is a bit depressing that many of the same problems she was battling 20 years ago still exist today. However, things appear to be moving in the right direction for women’s cycling and the fact that there is a discussion about a women’s Tour de France happening on a technology site is an encouraging sign.

     I just hope that more people discover women’s cycling because often the women’s racing is more exciting than than the men’s. Plus, more diversity will only make the sport stronger.

     Reply
9. Ed Felker

   August 23, 2020 at 7:05 pm #24

   Ray you might revisit your Garmin software post. That big update for the devices you list comes after the last update bricked a number of 1030 units. It appears one issue has been having BT and Wifi concurrently enabled. I had two 1030 units in a row replaced by Garmin after the 9.5 firmware version caused them to only boot up after a soft reset which would delete profiles and BT pairing. Folks are already encountering issues with Version 10.0, see the forums.

   Reply
10. seth katzenstein

    August 23, 2020 at 8:09 pm #25

    Re the Forerunner 945,I saw in the 5.0 release notes something about support for workout videos. What’s this about?

    Reply
11. Mark J.

    August 23, 2020 at 10:53 pm #26

    Latest Element update seems to have borked the Di2 Gear field? I’ve used it for two bikes and now neither shows the current gear despite the Di2 showing up a a sensor. Anyone else use that data field?

    Reply
12. Andrew

    August 24, 2020 at 3:34 am #27

    Ray – on the 830 update? Have you seen/ heard of issues? I put in on ahead of my Saturday ride and had repeated, probably a dozen over three hours of momentary drop outs of ANT+ radar (Garmin) and Powermeter (Quarq) and Bluetooth (Phone) each only probably a couple of seconds but the Scosche on the arm was fine and didn’t drop out. Seems like they have tried to get clever with the power management and taken it too close to the edge? This is of course ironic (also known as a bit of fail) when the updates purports to have “improved sensor connectivity” and iPhone pairing!

    On the plus side, its the first time in 3 rides that it hasn’t cut out at exactly the same point at the top of exactly the same climb before exactly the same turn so fingers crossed the random mid ride meltdowns have been sorted!

    Reply
13. Torkil

    August 24, 2020 at 4:40 am #28

    What’s a burrito??? ?

    Reply
    • Ray Maker

      August 26, 2020 at 2:37 am #29

      The most fantastic food device ever made.

      Is it lunch yet?

      Reply
14. Jan Skvor

    August 24, 2020 at 3:08 pm #30

    I want to upgrade to Fenix 6 Pro in this year. Do you have any intel whether there will be new model of Fenix series in this year, please? I’m bit hesitant whether to wait for new model or not. Thank you

    Reply
15. Andre T

    August 26, 2020 at 12:16 am #31

    Any plan to look at new FitBit devices?

    Reply
    • Ray Maker

      August 26, 2020 at 2:37 am #32

      Yup: link to dcrainmaker.com

      Reply