New to the 802

So now that I live in Burlington, I have tasked myself with finding unique, fun and otherwise interesting attractions in the area. While far from a native, I feel like I've done most of the touristy things in Vermont. I've been skiing, mountain biking, leaf peeping, apple cider drinking, maple syrup eating, cheese making, sausage smoking, beer brewing and yes, I have even visited the Ben & Jerry's factory.
Still, there are many things on my to-do list. Burlington is chock-full of restaurants, boutiques, coffee shops, and other places that are just waiting to put my wallet in a choke hold. And greater Vermont holds countless other treasures.

I would like to explore this place and write all about it, but, in truth, I cannot devote time to scribing even the gist of each amazing experience, as there will doubtlessly be too many. But I have promised myself that I will return to keep an exquisite record of the true gems. So if you come back from time to time, you will find written here some heady new adventures, each pulsating with all the drama, intrigue and excitement you would expect of a twenty-something with a twelve-gauge personality. I do take a long time to reload, but the bang is worth the wait.

More about the NuVinci CVPT hub

My last post about the NuVinci was skeptical. The label of "planetary transmission" can be misleading because traditional planetary systems are not continuous. With a little more research, I have discovered that the NuVinci is indeed continuously variable, and it is also pretty clever in design.

It it still difficult to see how the NuVinci works, even after watching the tech demo video on the Fallbrook Technologies website. I'd really like to get a model of it, one of those models with the cutaway to the inside, so you can see the parts moving and how it works. Sort of like those cut-in-half engines at an auto museam. Or maybe a working Lego model, or something. You can see the videos here.

I also found a whitepaper on the NuVinci with a good picture that might help you understand what is going on inside the hub.

This diagram shows the "idler" or the central channel that moves the ring of balls left and right, varying the contact point with the output disc. Through a special oil, the balls apply friction on the output ring, transferring torque from the rotation of the planets to the output disc, which gives motion to your wheel. This is an overly simplistic view on the technology, but it gives you the general idea of what is going on.

1. You twist your grip shift
2. The shaft of the hub moves the idler
3. The idler changes the contact point on the output disc
4. And you upshift or downshift, depending on how that contact point changes

Rather than touting the fun and simplicity of the NuVinci, I would like to point at how incredibly efficient the CVPT is. Not only can you shift under load and without pedaling, but there is infinity gear choices, withabsolutely no redundancy in gear ratios. Fallbrook claims that this system has a 360% gear range. I don't really know exactly what that means (except that it refers to the percentage of range from the lowest to highest gears, as measured in gear-inches), but I'll provide their very handy infographic for comparison.

To call the NuVinci a "planetary transmission" is a stretch of the term because it is barely recognizable as such. But it is still a planetary system because it has all the right components, from planets to the sun and a shaft that moves back and forth changing the gear ratios from input to output. There are plenty of testimonials online about the simple joy of using the NuVinci (which I sometimes mistakenly refer to as the NuvaRing, a very, very different product). I like the concept, it appeals to almost every single aspect of my tech-headedness, and I can't wait to combine the NuVinci with a belt drive on my mountain bike (for more belt drive NuvaRing insanity, please see the options for the Ellsworth Enlightenment). 

The Boa Lacing System for bike shoes

I've been riding in the same MTB shoes for the past three years. They're Specialized something-or-other with three Velcro straps and they're not bad for how much I paid, and they've been quite comfy in road rides, mountain rides and even some nice long hikes when I taco my wheels and do the walk of shame back to the car. My old shoes are the predecessor to the current Specialized Sport MTB shoe:

But after three years and several thousand miles of rain, dirt, sweat, muck and the occasional dribble of pee, I have decided to move away from the old tech and on to something new. I have no gripes with the plastic shell and Velcro straps, and the rubber toe piece held up fine too. But after fiddling with my straps every 10 miles during the 100-mile ARFL, I realized that I might have more appreciation for a higher-end shoe, a shoe that embraces new forms of technology for comfort, speed and convenience. I'm not talking about carbon fiber mid soles and ratcheting straps, which are perfectly awesome as they are. I'm talking about the Boa Lacing System, the simplest, fastest, lightest and most adjustable shoe lace ever.

Here's a closeup of the Boa on a Scott cycling shoe:

As you can see, the one knob evenly tightens up the entire upper half of the shoe, making it quick and easy to put on, tighten up, readjust and hit the trail.

You may have seen this type of thing before. Since 1997, Boa has made tremendous product leaps into footwear for snow sports, running, cycling and hiking. Since the technology is so awesome (and who doesn't need an awesome lace for something?), Boa also makes lace tensioning systems for medical products, MotoGP protective wear, tents, helmets, backpacks, belts, and even boots for horses. Wicked. I don't need anything crazy, however, I just want some cycling shoes.

My main problem with most shoe laces, including buckles, straps and ratcheting straps, is that it is difficult to achieve the proper amount of pressure or tension over the top of your foot. If you're like me, and like a loose toe box, but tight mid-foot and loose ankle space, laces just don't work at all. The three strap or buckle system gets closer, but actuating the perfect tension can be really difficult, especially because the straps don't distribute pressure over a very large area. Straps and buckles are kaput.

As far as the pressure on your foot goes, this is where Boa makes the money shot with their super-duper, micro-adjustable tension that provides a "glove-like fit." I'm sort of balling up all of the pros of the Boa tech, but suffice it to say this shoe lace rocks. And it has to be pretty awesome if I'm getting excited about it.

I've tried the Boa laces on shoes in the store and I have firmly decided that my next pairs of running sneakers, ski boots, and cycling shoes will all have the Boa Lacing System. It took me about three seconds to decide that this is the wave of the future, and I'm going to ride the crap out of it.

My dream shoe would be the S-Works MTB shoe with dual Boas across the mid-foot and top-foot, with a small velcro strap at the toe box:

This shoe is meant not for weekend warriors, but for Tier 1 professional athletes. It's meant for people who have the greatest demand for performance. It's meant for people who are willing to shell out 350 clams for a pair of freakin' bike shoes. It's not meant for me, so I don't think I'll be buying it any time soon.

Still, I will be watching the market very closely over the winter, waiting for the bike shoe with Boa tech that is perfect for me and my rapidly shrinking bank account. At a mere $150, the Lake MX170 seems to be closer to the realm of possibility, though it doesn't come with as many bells and whistles.