Fun Stuff | Steve Tilford

I’ve had this idea ever since it has become commonplace to use power meters on bicycles that there should be a competition during each event for the rider with the lowest average wattage when the event is finished. There would be some sort of formula that takes the rider’s weight, the finishing time/place into account, plus the average wattage the rider put out during the event, and there would be an award for it.

It would be really difficult to do this. It would probably only work for special races and would have to be sponsored by a power meter company with all the units matched. There really is a fair amount of fudge factor when it comes to recording power data.

I think it is strange when guys compare their wattage numbers after an event and brag about how high their wattage is. I want my average wattage to be low. As low as I can possible get it. It’s a bike race, not a training ride. Of course that isn’t the case for races that I’m using to try to get to a different level of fitness, but for a race that I’m keying on and trying to have a result, it is for sure my goal.

Another idea would be to have a battery and small electric motor on your bike and have your drive system connected to an alternator that allows you to store energy into that battery. At the start of the race, each rider would be given a completely discharged battery and then they could store up as much extra energy they could produce, in the battery, and use it whenever they needed.

This would be a strange event also. Guys pedaling like crazy on the downhills trying to store up a bunch of energy for the climbs. One rider could just be riding easy in the field at 25mph and the guy next to him could be producing 450 watts charging his battery. Maybe even have a display on each rider, the back of the seat or somewhere obvious, so the other riders would know exactly how much “charge” each rider has. The race tactics for this event would be wild.

Anyway, it’s just fun ideas. But seriously, if you consistently have a high average wattage at the end of a race and also a high number beside your name on the result sheet, you need to start trying to figure out what you’re doing wrong. There is a saying something like – “Strong like bull, dumb like bull (might be ox).” Try to avoid that description.

Electric bike motor kit.

I think one of the reasons that our society is having some issues is that we are always worried about getting scammed. Now that the internet is prevalent, we see it much more often. This makes us apprehensive when strangers approach, in real live and /or electronically.

I don’t worry about it too much. I put my name and address, plus phone number on my resume on my website. I’d rather be accessible than worry about the negative consequences of the action.

But saying that, the guys doing the swindling have step up their game. I wrote something last week about things coming in 3. Here it happened again.

The first one was the most perplexing. I’ve been kind of keeping a lookout for an AWD Sienna minivan. I’ve had a couple AWD Caravans, but Toyota is the only company making a minivan AWD now. Anyway, I looked on eBay and there is a 2009 with 40K. It shows a bunch of pictures and then says at the bottom of the description that 13K with buy it today. So I email the guy and ask him where it is and if that is true.

It takes a couple days and the response is that yes, 13K will by it. And he says it is in Topeka. I’m thinking, that is too weird. Then I get the normal letter than the guy is in England and that an eBay agent will meet me with the papers. He says the van in stored in his garage here. So, I knew it is a scam, but, I kept going, just to see what was up. I was getting the guys name on his email, Jeremy Stone. It was a Topeka-like email address, a Southwestern Bell internet address. I ask his address and he gives it to me.

I look the address up on Goggle Maps and can see there is a window in the garage. I decide to drive over there just to see if there is a .0001% chance this could be legit. I get there and the garage door is open. And there is sitting a AWD Toyota minivan. I think, man, this is too weird. There is a guy in the driveway and I ask him if he is Jeremy. He says that Jeremy isn’t there, but his wife is. So, the guy goes into the garage and knocks on the door and a nice woman comes out.

I say hi and explain a little why I’m there. She assures me that her minivan isn’t for sale. I show here my phone with the eBay auction and then the emails from supposedly her husband. She asks me to see the email address and says it isn’t his.

So, the guy on eBay, somehow can track my eBay name back to me living in Topeka, that isn’t such a big deal. But after that, he goes and gets a Topeka email address and then assumes the name of a real person that lives in Topeka that has the same color and model Toyota minivan. I have no idea how he even gets the van’s information. It seems like really a lot of trouble. I’m not sure how much money he planned or did receive. There was a $500 pre payment. Maybe if he had 20 stupid guys on the hook, he ended up with $10,000. But he would have to get 20 different email addresses and then find 20 AWD Toyota Sienna minivans. Seems pretty elaborate.

The next two were just the normal weird emails. One was that I had a up coming trip, but it was sent from Southwest. Maybe Southwest just screwed up, but it looked real. I have a flight from Las Vegas to Columbus Ohio on August 29th. I’d have to get to Las Vegas to make it though.

The last one was from one of our military guys. It’s below. I decided to respond, just for fun. I never heard back, boo.

Anyway, we are all getting bombarded continuously, hearing about these schemes and frauds constantly, it makes us less approachable, less friendly. When my doorbell rings now, I always think it is a weird guy trying to sell some left over meat or something. (All my friends just walk in.) I guess as our world gets smaller, mainly through electronic advances, we’re all going to be subject to more of this. I just hope it doesn’t get too much more sophisticated or guys like me will be in trouble.