Windows 8 Photo "App"

If you're like me and like being able to open a picture without having everything disappear because the bundled "photo app" hijacks the desktop space, you'll want to do the following.

Option 1:
Uninstall the Photo "app" (it's a program, call it what it is people.  Unless app is short for crap, which most of them are....) from the start screen.  Just right click the tile, move your mouse to the bottom bar and hit uninstall. That will get rid of it for ever (I hope) and image viewer will take over.

Option 2:
Right click on any image file and choose "open with..."  Tick the box that makes it the default then choose image viewer.

At first I was worried that image viewer wasn't bundled anymore, but they wouldn't be that dumb, right?  After all, it's not like they removed support for .gif files or anything, no siree...

Musings of a tech dinosaur

These days, it seems like I've already become obsolete.  All the tech I use is at least three or four years out of date and multiple generations old.  What's more, I have no desire to move where modern technology is headed.  The current and potentially permanent rise of slates was far predated by microsoft's tablet initiative, which, to me, was and still is superior to any android, apple, or windows 8R platform.  Full speed hardware with OEM hardware and software tweaks for low power and TDP outshine gimped tablets.  I don't want 2 different infrastructures and UIs and systems to get used to.  In the past, one might have said i should go apple.  But even iOS doesn't mimic OSX in interface and usage. 

What happened to the start menu?  I will concede that old windows mobile devices were hampered by their contemporary technological failings.  Large resistive touchscreens were hard to make in high quality, capacitive screens were usually restricted to POS and terminals, battery technology was poor(er) and as a whole, the stylus was a must on a 1.5" touchscreen.  But honestly.  If you took iOS and scaled it to a 1.5" screen, I'm sure you'd be complaining about how hard it was to use too.  Capacitive touch has no accuracy, you have to use your entire fingerpad.  A good resistive screen is both responsive and inherently more accurate than a respective capacitive screen.  However I digress.  What I am saying is that the dumbed down "finger friendly" interfaces were a result of the inadequacy of capacitive touch, relegating information density to the pits of hell.  And if you put winmo 6 and up into a 1.2GHz dual core system, I'm sure it would be quite peppy.  If you took the latest android build and slapped it on old winmo 200MHz hardware, the cause of a lot of winmo hate, I doubt you could even get out of the lock screen.

The start menu in windows mobile is what keeps me coming back, despite the Windows CE's obvious flaws and shortcomings.  Consistency in behavior and design is just as important as the actual interface.

And as far as I'm concerned, current trends in UI development are disturbing.  What happened to colors and borders?  Sure, they may look garish and ugly, sure a monochrome button and UI element scheme looks pretty against a blank desktop, but then it becomes fine art rather than a tool.  In my experience, color and well defined buttons and borders increase efficiency and recognition speed.  Even as I type this, I look at the blogger wysiwyg interface and see... tons of white with closely spaced, poorly defined, and most importantly, a pitifully small color pallet.  White, very light grey, and a splash of orange on buttons I only need to use once.  Items in a vertical column should be divided with explicit horizontal dividers that stand out from the background.  A one or two pixel bar with a low contrast color does not a divider make.  Yes, when you mouse over the button, it is highlighted by a very low contrast orange hue, but it's barely visible if the mouse is left over the button and more importantly, I'm not a blind old man.  I don't need to hover my mouse over every letter I see.  I use my eyes first and the mouse follows when I begin to recognize the button I want.

I was just looking at Onenote 2013's new interface and it's the same issue.  The notebooks are separated by... white space which happens to also be the color of the background for evey single UI element in the program.  In ON2007, the notebooks, tabs, taskbars, etc. are all in their own boxes, where you can find them and where they don't run into the workflow.  Can you imagine typing text next to the list of notebooks?  Where does the label end and the document begin?

Windows 98/95 UI styling may be ugly as sin, and the color choices were crimes in and of themselves, but they worked and you didn't have to worry about loosing the command line in your word document.  If they start making everything white with no borders and distinguishing elements, I'm going to get lost trying to navigate my folders.  Oh, but wait.  That's the whole point of libraries and file managers isn't it?  With things like winamp, foobar, WMC, windows libraries, tablet file systems, and the myriad of other hands-off file systems, you let the program decide where things should go.  Well sorry if I want to have control over where things are kept.  Nothing beats a well designed hierarchical file system that doesn't rely on a third party to find you things.  Metatags get corrupted, programs stop working, but the basic, NTFS or ZFS files organization remains.  I've always hated windows libraries.  Sure, it makes finding things easier, but that assumes I only consume.  If I want to chose where a file is saved, I have to leave the library system and hunt down the folder I want anyway or the library might steal it away and hide it somewhere I'll never find it without another third party search program like "everything" and then we are right back where we started.



In closing, long live the start menu and window borders!

Rack and Baskets

So it's been a while but here is a small update.  About a month and a half ago, I added a rear rack and a folding wire basket to the folding bike.  I immediately noticed that the bike drove like a pig once I added it, but didn't think too much of it.  A few days ago, I took off the rack and I was shocked.  What was a twitchy big rig suddenly turned into a fighter jet.  I'm not exaggerating, acceleration, control in and out of turns, heavy leans, all felt like I had complete control.  I could finally get the bike to do exactly what I wanted it to, it was like riding an entirely different bike.  I'm not too happy about losing the cargo/carrying capacity but I think I'm willing to make the sacrifice for the sheer fun I had once I got rid of the dead weight.

So anyway, don't bother with a rack on the downtube nova, it kills the fun of the ride.  You lose out on the steering control you get with the smaller wheelbase and 20" tires.

Also, on the topic of updates to the Nova, the first set of rims I ordered were sewups and no good because a tubular 20" tire is near $100 a tire and like hell I'm spending that much.  A shame really, 'cause the rims are nice.

I did want a new front wheel to replace the terrible stock wheel so i got the cheapest laced rim on amazon with nuts instead of QR levers.  The quality shows.  The hub that came with the sew-ups spun great and had little friction.  The hub on the amazon wheel is a little better than the stock nova hub, but a step up from crap is still a foot in a pile of manure.  The tire I used for the new wheel is a Kojack and it seems much more resistant to glass on the road.  There are a lot of broken bottles on my route and it helps my peace of mind.  I still check my tires after every ride I see glass on, so far so good.

Downtube's tire

I'm still waiting for my new rims, but I wanted to get back on the road, so I patched the front tire yesterday.  Turns out I hit a patch of orange glass and a piece went right through the tread and took out the tube.  I hope my new Kojak's race-guard is more puncture proof.  I'm surprised I didn't loose all my air while still on the bike.  The patch was easy and I put a second patch on the tire itself as a makeshift boot.

While I was at it, I added the rack and one of the baskets I ordered.  I took a trip to trader joes with the basket and biked back to school.  The bike handled like a pig due to the added unbalanced weight.  and the steel rack and folding basket is easy to feel when you pick it up.  The rack does make carrying it considerably easier, so it's a pretty much of a tradeoff.  I'll post more about the rack and how it went on in a later post when I have some new pictures. 

Nova Update

This morning on a quick 1 mile commute, the bike's front tire got a flat.  I'm not sure of the cause because I didn't do a repair at the time, but the hole was in the center of the tread so I don't think it was a pinch.  The air seemed to be leaking through the tire because I could hear it while riding the last 200m to the front door of my house and saw the water bubbling on the tire's surface.

And that there ends the life of the first tube.  Good thing I bought a bunch of spare tubes.  When the new front wheel arrives, I'll throw on the kojak I bought and one of the new tubes.

DIY Fenders

So here is a little tidbit for all of you watching the Downtube Nova review:
I made myself a rear fender because a set of plastic fenders from my LBS would set me back $44 and that is just silly.  So for $6.99 worth of aluminium flat stock and $6.99 for a spool of 14guage steel wire and about 2 hours total time and labor including design and procurement of the materials, I now have a spiffy new rear fender.

They turned out to be very useful because it's been raining all weekend and I biked from my house in the rain today.

I think they turned out pretty nice.
I'm planning on adding an etched design on the fender.  Leaves, flames, dots, something pretty.

The little Nova already attracts stares, but I already had someone compliment me on them today.  Pimp my ride-understated edition!

I made an instructables:
http://www.instructables.com/id/DIY-Bike-Fenders/?ALLSTEPS

Anyway, what you really want to see, pictures:

Quick Update on the Downtube Nova's hinge

A few days ago, I rode about 3/4 of a mile with the hinge unlocked.  The Dahon hinge was designed well and didn't open on me during the ride.  I didn't even find out till after I got back and was folding it away.

2011(?) Downtube Nova - work in progress

So here is the promised Downtube Nova overview.

When I was buying the bike, I had a lot of trouble finding good reviews and critiques about the bike.  A handful of blogs and some bike forums about conversions supplied me with most of what I know about the bike.  I figured I would help others by compiling my research because the specs for the bike on downtube are inaccurate or unhelpful.  It's now my main get-around bike so I will be racking up some considerable time (for me) on it.

I'll put a comprehensive list at the end of the post, but I want the bulk of the page devoted to my feelings about the bike and what I think rather than a clinical listing of cheap parts.

Unboxing and first impressions:

Well, the box was pretty big.  They ship the Nova in a folded state with almost everything ready to ride.  There is a substantial amount of Styrofoam and cardboard padding, between the box and frame.  However, there wasn't enough padding where frame met frame, leading to some paint damage.
There was a lot of unwrapping, but once you get the frame out of the box and wrapping, it looks pretty sweet.  On the hinge, there is a black plastic cover to protect the linkage.  I tried to unfold it without removing it, and that didn't go so well.  It does its job.


Besides the bike, there was  a piece of velcro (hook and hoop fastener) to keep the bike folded together, a manual and bad instructions, and a piece of black plastic with 2 clips.  One of the clips was broken and it was pretty warped to boot.  Anyway, I don't use it and I don't need it.
Doing a quick once over, I went through the bolts, tightening what I could find.  I also reseated the wheels in the dropouts; factory ships them out with the wheels about 1/2 a cm out of the drops.

Lifting the bike, you get the feeling it is really light.  It isn't that light, but the size and compactness deceives.  The tubes have a bit of machine-grit that should be wiped away and the headset is just a little off.  The instructions advise aligning the headset, but I found there wasn't a whole lot of adjustment possible.

The handlebar hinge looks pretty sturdy.  Although it looks like plastic, the entire hinge is cast aluminium or steel.  The only plastic is the twist lever for locking the hinge down. 



Components:

The brakes and levers are C-Star branded.  As you can see here, calling them passable is being generous.  I haven't had a whole lot of trouble with them while riding, they stop the bike well enough and once you set them, they stay aligned okay.  I am using the stock pads, and I'm sure a pad upgrade would change things dramatically, but why put good $10 pads on something you could replace for $15-$20.  On the other hand, most of the complaints are about wet weather stopping.  Well, I live in Portland.  Wet weather is pretty much the norm.  Maybe I haven't had "really good" disc brakes, but they stop about as well wet as dry so I would have to disagree on that point.  These will be the first thing I swap out, for safety if nothing else.


On the stock bike, there are 20" kenda kampaign K177 1.2" tires on 20" 1.5" Rainbow Dino VP-20 rims with schrader holes.  The tires are rated fir 45-60 PSI.
Out of the box, the wheels are out of true.  Lateral true is pretty out of shape but the radial true is something nasty.  I'll need to get that looked at.  I checked the spokes and rim tape before I inflated the tube, and everything seemed fine.  The kampaigns have a light V-tread which, according to Sheldon Brown, are useless on the road.  On the rear wheel is a 7 speed freewheel.  More details on that later.










The shimano shifter is a SIS indexed 7 speed twist grip shifter.  Coming from a SRAM trigger type shifter on my Monona, I was a bit disappointed by the shifter.  Don't get me wrong, it shifts just fine.  it's just that I'm used to the convenience of not twisting my wrists and trying to count/feel out each detent as I shift. That being said, I have had no problems with slippage. When going through 3 or 4 gears at a time, there is the expected chain jerk, but nothing more and I never lose power. Sometimes it is quite violent and my feel can slip off, but it's worse on my Monona so that is neither here nor there.


The derailleur is a short arm mountain bike type D-TZ50D.  It bears the tourney series name.   It rests about 3"(7.7cm) off the ground, so clearance on tight curves may be a problem. On the other hand, the folding rest stand is also pretty low to the ground, so I wouldn't take this off roading anytime soon. Out of box, the derailluer was a little off to the inside. The included tuning guide is a b&w printout of their webpage, except the webpage has links on how to adjust each step. The printed sheets do not go into detail, so I would suggest just tossing them for this guide on their site.

The rear cog is a Shimano MF-TZ07 14-28 freewheel. Being a freewheel, replacement freewheels that increase gearing to a reasonable range are hard to find.  There are some vintage and a few new 11-(30,32,34) hubs on ebay by some Chinese manufacturer.  At $30 not including shipping, they are considerably cheaper than buying or building a new 20" cassette wheel.

The cranks are the cheap kind, welded to the sprocket.  If you want to upgrade, those'll have to go.  They come with a small plastic chain guard on either side of the crank.  It's plastic and is in 2 part, sandwiching the sprocket between them. As you can see, they are attached with 5 phillips screws.  The bike comes with folding flat pedals.  To fold them, you pull out on the round metal centers and fold at the bearing.  If you want a cage or strap, you'll want to make sure they don't interfere with the fold.

As it is, the gearing leaves a large gap on either side of the performance scale.  It cannot handle the steep hills around my school very well in either direction.  Uphill, you really have to fight to keep moving.  It could be a lot worse, but I wish the largest was a 30 or 32.  Downhill, it maxes out at ~18 mph.  Beyond that and you are just spinning out.  The most I have gone was 25mph, which also happens to be the speed limit for cars on residential streets in the US.  At that speed, the bike seems to hold together just fine.  Nothing that shouldn't be moving was moving and I didn't notice any rattling or strange noises.  It actually handled the downhill speeds a little better than the monona as far as steering and frame flex.  I haven't taken it down a really long grade yet so I'll report on that when I do.

Speaking of which.  I took off the standard grips and threw on some bar ends.  I taped them yesterday (just the bar ends) so we'll see how they help the ride.  When my hands are on the ends, I really have no way of getting to the brake levers so I reserve riding on them for uphill and straightaways with good visibility.  The inner diameter of the flat bar is typical of cheap flats and is much smaller than an road bike's tube.  It makes getting plugs in really hard.  All I can advise is to use an excess of appropriately applied force.







Frame and other parts:

The stock seat post is a 30.4" OD Alu tube with a black paint job.  As some other have complained, the black paint gets rubbed off where you clamp it.  Purely aesthetic, but a pain nonetheless.  The thickness is about the same size as the dahon seat posts and I suspect they are interchangeable.

The stock seat itself is pretty nasty.  It's pretty thick foam and you sort of sink in a bit.  I think a seat post or seat with suspension would be a good upgrade to help with the rough ride.





When not in use, the seat post can be lowered into the seat tube, which is open at the bottom.  When fully lowered and only the reflector on the tube, it stocks out of the bottom by a few inches.  Once you add a post-rack or lights or lock holder, you probably won't be lowering it it much.  It doesn't do much for the footprint and makes getting it ready to ride all the longer.  I usually don't bother folding the handlebars either.  Since I added the endbars, the fold is a bit precarious.  If space is really at a premium, the lowered seat combined with the folded handles drops the height of the folded bike to about 60cm or about 24".  That's shorter than most full sized bike tires.


As you can see, I got the green version.  The paint job is pretty smooth without major bubbles or rough spots.  It does damage easily though, which is another complain I found online.  I'm going to have to get some clear nail polish to touch the damaged spots up and when the rainy season is over, I'll probably wax it.  It is an aluminium frame, but I don't want the nice green to start flaking off everywhere.

The warped and broken piece of plastic I mentioned earlier was supposed to go on the little trapezoid underneath the bottom bracket.  When folded, the bike is supposed to rest upon the bar, and the little bit of plastic is to keep the paint from getting damaged.  Apart from the fact that the stand protector was broken, it looked pretty ugly to boot.  Instead, I wrapped some nylon cord around the bottom of the stand like I was whipping the end of a rope.  I'm a little worried that it'll trap water, but since the frame is aluminium, rusting isn't too big of an issue I suppose.  It looks good though and matches the black components nicely.  While folded, the bike balances on the little stand pretty well, but if the front wheel starts to turn out, the bike can tip right over.  Whenever I store it folded, I usually turn the front wheel into the rear wheel and that keeps it upright pretty well.

Something I read online was that the positioning of the folded wheels allows it to be wheeled around like a little pull trolley by the seat post.  I found that it didn't work so well.  It likes to wobble too much and is very ungainly.  I'd much rather just pick it up and carry it under my arm, where it tucks in nicely. 

As Downtube lists on their product listing, there is a braze-on derailleur mount on the seat tube above the cranks.  Under the bottom bracket, there are populated braze-on cable mounts for the rear brake, and the rear derailleur, and an empty braze on set for the front derailleur cables.  Good foresight on Downtube's part.


A close look at the forks shows that the rear dropouts can support a disc brake as can be seen here, although it seems like it needs a machined adapter plate.  The front fork however does not have the pair of mounts discs seem to need as shown here and I'm not sure about the fork strength.

On the "top tube", there are two braze-ons for a water bottle cage or pump holder.  One of the braze-ons seem to have been cross-threaded when it was manufactures and strips any socket screw I try to use.  I'm planning on getting a tap and die set in the near future, and when I do, I'll try to re-cut those threads.  Until then, the braze-ons are mostly useless.  That said, online I read complaints that said the top tube was too close to horizontal to keep bottles from falling out of the cages.  It really depends on the type of cage I suppose.  There are a lot of images online of people who put cages on the braze-ons, and of those who use handle bar mounted holders.

As a heads up, the Nova spec site, http://downtubesg.blogspot.com/, lists the rear hub to be 130mm, standard road bike spacing.  However, the rear is actually 135mm, standard mountain bike spacing.  I confirmed the original report from here (Post #3).

This was also confirmed by an email from Dr. Yan in 2012

Got a quick reply from Dr. Yan:

1) What is the rear spacing of the frame? (126mm / 130mm /135mm)
we have had 130's and 135's the latest ones should be 135's

2) What is the spacing of the front fork? (74mm / 80mm / 100mm)
100

3) What is the width and threading of the bottom bracket?
68x114 (as I recall)

4) What is the head set size? 1” or 1 1/8”
1 1/8"

5) What is the size of the seat post?
550mm (L) 30.4mm (D)

6) Is there touchup paint available for the bikes?
No

7) Are there any geometry specs that can be found? (effective top tube length, etc..)
We do not have them, however it is a Dahon licensed frame, hence you can get the info from them

http://www.bikeforums.net/archive/index.php/t-575616-p-5.html


 Ride impressions:
---
After going out on the really hilly side streets this Tuesday, I discovered a few things and confirmed a few more.  Some people wrote that the handlebars creaked if you lean too much weight into it, and they were right.  No matter how tight you make the aluminium hinge, if you bear into it, you get this unpleasant creak.  I also confirmed that the gearing is really insufficient to hilly areas.  I found myself bottoming out on the smallest gear and spinning out on most of the downhills.  The crappy streets I was riding on are a pretty good test and you feel every little crack and pebble.  Even if you ride through them on the pedals, you still feel the jolt.  If you go off any kind of jump/sidewalk-street joint, the back of the bike bucks and you feel like you'll be thrown forward over the bars.
The stock tubes need to be carefully monitored.  It has been a little over 2 weeks, and it has already dropped 6 PSI or so.  I recently bought new tubes and a single Schwalbe kojack tire for when I upgrade the wheels. 

We have seen a lot of rain these past few days and I really need to get fenders at some point.  Every night, the bike is dripping wet and splattered with mud.





Upgrade Tree:

Apart from hard to find 20" fenders, the upgrade tree is as follows:

1-New V-brakes & pads and levers for the front
2-New rear wheel build with a 7 speed cassette
3-New front wheel build
4-New derailleur/cassette (8 or 9 sp) and new rear brakes and pads.

I was originally planning on making this an ebike with a middrive or RC motor, but I'll hold off on that until I get to level 2 or 3 on the upgrade tree.

--update--
I just bought some components and tools for upgrades.  They should arrive sometime in the next week or two.

• 2 bare 20" Araya Aero rims
• 1 laced 20" Araya Aero wheel
• 100 12mm 14G nipples
• 3 20" rim straps (rim tape alternatives)
• 1 Avid SD5 Linear pull brake
• 1 Avid FR5 brake lever
• A set of brake cables
• a chain breaker
• a 14G spoke wrench

I plan on purchasing a rear hub for a 8 or 9 sp cassette and a new derailleur, but the brake levers are the most important upgrade for now, alongside the new front wheel.

I went to my LBS today and saw that a set of fenders for my 20" wheels are $44, I said like hell.  I'll be making some fenders this weekend from some aluminium stock and some steel wire.

2011 Gary Fisher Update

I managed to crash the bike on monday after a sharp turn at speed.  The front wheel did a 180 and probably pinched.  I think the rim is a bit bent, but other than that, the bike seems in good shape considering.

I basically went pavement surfing for a few feet underneath the bike with the gearing side facing the pavement.  I'm surprised the derailleur hanger isn't bent.  Chain lept off the gears, but that wasn't a problem to get back on.

The default tires are pretty easy to get on and off the rims, so fixing flats on the road won't be too bad.
Turns out my 15 minute crash course in tire repair 7 years ago stuck and the repair is good.
Anyway, banged up my knee and palm something fierce so I haven't ridden it since, but I'll be taking it to the LBS soon to get it checked out.

In other related news, I bought a Downtube Nova folding bike on Monday and it should get here by next week.  I got the green version.  Somehow I really like that color, even though I wouldn't buy anything else green if my life depended on it.

A review and comprehensive spec update soon.

2011 Gary Fisher Monona Review

I bought a Gary Fisher Monona from my LBS in November and I've been trying to get as much time on it as I could.  It's my first real-non department store-bike and the first bike I've ridden in at least three or four years.  As a result, I did a lot of research on components and frames.  I toyed with the idea of buying a road bike from Bikes Direct but for my first bike, I decided that one from a LBS would be safest.  So off I went and the two models that were recommended were the Monona and Trek's belt drive coaster.  As it had been a good many years since I rode a bike and with Portland being a nightmare of hills and all, I decided to go with the monona in matte grey.  It helped that it was on winter clearance.  i'm not the best person to write a review, but seeing as there aren't a whole lot of reviews for the bike I felt like I should add my $0.02.  Anyway, on to the review...

2011 Gary Fisher Monona 
Distributed by Trek

Components (from bikepedia.com)

• Aluminium TIG welded frame
• Cromoly(?) front fork single crown
• Avid SD3 brakes???, Avid FR5 levers (I think mine are SRAMs...)
• Shimano Alivo Shifters
• Front Derailleur: Shimano M191
• Rear Derailleur: Shimano M591 Deore
• Crankset: Shimano M411 (26,36,48)
• Pedals: Wellgo nylon w/ "alloy" cage & nylon strap
• Bottom Bracket???
• Rear Cog: 8-speed (11-28)
• Chain???
• Seatpost: Bontrager SSR
• Saddle: Bontrager H1
• Handlebars: Bontrager Low riser
• Handlebar Stem: Bontrager SSR
• Slimstack headset
• Front Hub:???
• Rear: Shimano RM60
• Rims: Bontrager Nebula (32)

From the list, it's easy to tell that there aren't high class components here.  Tons of Bontrager components are telling of a OTS bike.  There is also the usual but not a bad idea, hodgepodge of low and even lower components.  The brakes are good for the price but I really want to swap them out for something that will handle the hills and rain a bit better.  The wheel rims are grooved and the included pads aren't all weather so0 they make a lot of noise.  In general, the components are at or above the price range I would expect from a shop bike.  Of course, an online model would have better parts for the same price, but you use what you get. 
-note-I think the list may be wrong on some parts, but I don't have my bike with me to check.  Ill update that later.

Saddle:
The most important part of the bike (for me anyway) was comfort.  Sadly, as with most OTS bikes, the saddle was like a rock.  After the first long ride up a few steep (15-25% grade) hills, I found that I had some deep muscle tissue bruising.  Suffice it to say, I limped around and winced at every stairwell for about 2 weeks. 

Grips:
The handlebar grips were your basic rubber grips.  I found myself leaning into the handlebars up the really nasty incline and the installed grips were just not cutting it.  I have mild carpal tunnel and I have to take care of my wrists.  I swapped them out with Ergon wings from amazon.  They help a lot.

Frame:
It's an alu frame, like most of Trek's models.  The TIG welded joints have a fat and generally even bead.  I'm no TIG welder, but from what I've read, they are fine.  The forks are straight with a considerable amount of cant(?) to them, leading to a longer wheelbase.  That didn't really help because on the 15.5" frame, the front wheel is still VERY close to the down tube.  When I first get the bike going or take a sharp turn, my foot hits the fender braces.  This is due in part to the short space and my foot being too far forward on the pedals.

The frame includes the standard water bottle lugs on the top and seat tubes.  It has eyelets for fenders and a rack.  Gary Fisher bikes are supposed to have lugs for disc brakes too, so that's nice.  I can't really tell though.

When researching and riding the bike, I was a bit confused.  The frame and handlebars and category fall under hybrid commuters, but the length of the top tube makes you lean into the ride more than most hybrids.  My friend even pointed out that the default position on the Monona was more stretched out than her Trek 7000something.  This does lead to a bit of wobble if you're not used to it.  Overall, it feels pretty nice and I have no complaints about the frame. 

The space between the rear wheel and the bottom bracket is a bit funky and the kickstand isn't very secure. It has a tendency to shift under the weight of the bike.

Pedals:
The pedals the your typical flat top with a good amount of traction on the cage side.  If you flip the pedal around and ride with the cages at the bottom, there is no traction whatsoever and the bearings actually bulge and make a rounded surface to pedal on.  Didn't work so hot.  The also clip the ground when slightly cornering, so learn to use the cage.  It takes a bit of practice, but I found that they promote proper foot placement and riding in the cages, once you get your feet in them, feels completely different.
They came default with these nylon side straps that make getting your feet in them even harder, so I took those off the moment I left the LBS.


Ride

So the first time I took it out for a ride, I noticed the longer wheelbase and the aggressive riding position.  Honestly, I've only ridden depo store bikes and those usally have a very upright riding position.  I also wan't used to riding with the seat where it's supposed to be, i.e. high enough that you can't touch the ground with your toes.  It's a bit unsettling and makes hill-stops a bit of a chore.  I'm still not confident about my ability to start from an incline so proper left turns are a bit tricky.  As a result, I plan all my routes like a UPS driver: no left turns. 

The shifters are also new for me, having only used twist style shifters before.  I'm in love with the push/pull levers and the derailleurs work better than all the bikes I've ridden prior, so even though they are bottom of the barrel components, I am happy.

The brakes work but make a lot of noise.  I took it into my LBS and asked about the noise: it's a combination of the machined rims and cheap-ass pads.  At some point, I'll probably replace the entire front brakeset (at the very least) with something a little more expensive.  The general consensus is that the cheap avids bend under load, and on portland hills, I do not want those failing at the top of Woodstock and César Chávez.  Maybe I'll swap to discs...

As I said before, the grips and saddle had to go.  They made the already difficult ride a pain in the ass.  You can ride through bumps on the pedals, but when every single bounce feels like you fell on your ass from a two story building, something needs to go.

The gearing is okay, but I find the gaps in performance between sweet spots a bit funky.  I usually have to shift three or four times after going through the hills at least.  Mind you, this is because the hill itself is very steep and to keep a good cadence AND not tip over, I usually have to drop to the lowest gear on the front chain ring.  OFC, I am a big baby and hate exercise so I'm not exactly Lance material.

-More here later

Final Thoughts

I like the bike.  It feels good to ride and as long as you swap out the seat, you won't mind too much.  I'm thinking of doing an ebike conversion to help with the hills and make it my go-to method of travel.  I'm not sure if the front fork really is steel so I'm leery of hub motors.  Besides, as a DIYer I like proper and elegant solutions to problems.  I may buy a cyclone kit sans battery when I return to school and see how it goes together.  I really don't want to have to swap the chainring and crankset but I may have to for the freewheel.

Solar Focus SolarMio Pro from REI Review

This week I bought the SolarMio on sale.  It was the only one with a printed rating for the solar panel output and it was flexible cell.  It claims to be triple junction so it should be fairly impressive for the size.  I got home and looked around for any info or reviews, but I couldn't find a single one.  Fancy that.

So here are my initial impressions.

Solar Focus SolarMio Pro 

Packaging and Product Appearance

The SolarMio Pro comes in a swank, low environmental impact box.  No plastic clamshell to offset the "green-ness" of the solar panels.  It claims to be made in an eco-friendly, no heavy metal factory, which is nice on paper, but is to be taken with a block of deer salt as is anything from China.  The Solar panel itself rests in the box, along with a black nylon bag with a clear plastic window.  It also comes with a LOT of charger tips and a USB cable to match.  It also has the battery pack and a nicely color printed multi-language booklet.


Folded, the panel is 7.5cm x 22cm x ~3cm.  The panel unfolds to reveal a row of six flexible panels about 3.5cm wide and 16.5cm long.  Not the largest set of cells in terms of area or number.  Near each corner of the mat, there are nylon loops for hanging.  I would prefer grommets, but they are functional and it's not as if they need to handle a lot of weight.  The unit is fairly light and easy to stow.  In the center of the 6 cells, there is a male mini B USB cable about 48cm long.  The end attached to the panel is epoxied in usual Chinese fashion, but is probably waterproof and hold the cable regardless.
Turn the mat over and you'll find two elastic straps.  I was quite impressed with the retention design of the unit.  The thinner strap is used when the mat is folded up to keep it closed.  I am a bit worried about the force required to use the strap, but it works and it wont come open accidentally, that's for sure.  On closer inspection, the sewing around the edge of this strap has me worried, and I most likely will carry around a rubber band or something so as not to rip it off.  The second strap works in conjunction with the smaller strap when the waterproof bag is used for the battery pack and is sewn perfectly fine.  Again, I was impressed with the foresight of a company in designing a product with so much waterproofing, despite the fact it explicitly states it is not for use in wet weather...  
The batter bag uses a thick velcro band that in itself is fairly airtight.  The user inserts the pack into the bag with the pigtail attached.  Then the velcro at the top is sealed and the top is rolled down to create a waterproof pouch.  This then slips into the smaller elastic band on the back and settles inside the thicker band, secure and safe from the elements. 


The Battery pack is white and has a switch, LED, two female USB ports (mini B and standard), and a diagram printed on the back with instructions.  The instructions were a nice touch.  I found myself reaching for the booklet when I remembered the info was on the box itself.  The USB mini B port was roughly cut during manufacture and had some gunky residue like rubber cement.  Whatever it is, it was easily removed.

Included in the package is a USB LiON battery charger.  I haven't used it yet, but I have seen reviews for it.  

Function and Deployment

Here is where the honeymoon goes sour.  The way the panel is designed, the mini B pigtail makes charging any standard USB device impossible.  Moreover, it outputs unregulated 6v at supposed max 600ma.  I have no way of verifying that right now.  The only way to use it is to attach the battey pack to the panel, let that charge, and then use the pack to charge the device.  There is no power pass-through, so you have to wait, a definite issue.  This is a real deal breaker because there is no safe and easy way to charge without the pack.  


Deployment is simple, unfold and leave in the sun.  It works in shadow and from reflected light within reason.  It is flexible, so damage from dropping and other mishaps are not an issue.  You could hang this from a tree and not worry too much when it blows off and lands in the mud.  


I'm looking into a female mini B to female standard size adapter so I can test actual output in the sun using a multimeter.  I tried hooking it up to my USB charged APC LiON battery packs, but it wouldn't charge.  It could be insufficient light, or the panel's unregulated 6v messing with the device.

Final Thoughts

The unit is a mixture of large pros, and large cons.  The care and foresight shown by the designers when actually designing the mat is impressive.  Waterproofing, retention, and the smorgasbord of charging tips means anyone will be able to use this.  Unfortunately, usage is where this solar panel falls flat.  If you don't mind using the battery box, the charger works just fine.  If you were hoping to charge your phone or gadgets with this straight from the sun's rays, you will be sadly disappointed.


With the flexible panels and supposed triple junction cells, it is a shame that the designers couldn't have included a voltage regulator in the panel itself, or at least a pass-through for the battery puck.  With that, it would have been the perfect backpacking panel.


Verdict: Skip 

                                  Unless you don't mind two step charging.


-edit-
12/6/2012
I finally got around to testing which pins are hot, and it turns out that it uses a non-standard pin-out for the 6v in.  Pin 4 is hot, and pin 5 is ground, as opposed to USB spec of pin 1 and 5 respective.  No one makes a pin 4-5 bridge, so if I wan to use it for charging devices, I have to fabricate one myself, which isn't actually all that bad, just a pain in the ass to have to do.  Also, I'll have to regulate it down or up to 5v nominal if the panel specs are to be believes (6v).

The other alternative, and one that seems much more attractive at the moment, is to cut into the pigtail and splice on a new end.  The included battery back is mostly rubbish anyway.  It has stopped charging on 5v usb from a computer/wall wart, so it's effectively useless without the panel.

Best of the Decade 2000-2010

What follows is a list of what I think are the must see anime of the decade.  There are some cult classics, popular series,  and a whole lot of obscure titles.  I hope you enjoy my list.

-A

#30

Vandread & Vandread: Second Stage

#29

Zipang

Oct 7, 2004 to Mar 31, 2005

Zipang is a seinen anime, focusing on alternate realities, WWII, and what it means to be Japanese. High production values, historically and technologically accuracy, and a good character driven drama make Zipang a must see for history, military, or non-romantic drama buffs.

#28

Voices of a Distant Star

Feb 2, 2002

Makoto Shinkai's 2nd work. Animated at home on a Mac G4, Shinkai and his wife performed the original voice roles in the initial release. Although it is only 25 minutes, Voices tugs at the heartstrings and marks the beginning of Shinkai's use of the “lovers separated by time and/or space” theme. His background art and mech. designs are beautifully rendered, but his characters lack definition and are crude. This is a problem that crops up in his later works as well. Tenmon's music helps seal the deal, placing this as a must see of the decade.

Fun fact: the ships seen in the final battle scene are almost straight from Gunbuster, right down to the space fold, jump, thingy.

#27

Kimi ga Nozomu Eien TV

Oct 5, 2003 to Jan 4, 2004

I once heard KGNE describes as an anime that “fucks you up” for a while after seeing the first time. The plot is full of angst and drama. If you're into the heartbreaking romances, this is a good one to watch.

#26

Onegai Teacher

Jan 10, 2002 to Mar 28, 2002

This iconic show is the first anime of the Onegai series. Full of fanservice and comedy, this isn't exactly a classy show. However, I believe it the romantic moments make up for its faults. A bit of a “love-it-or-hate-it” I suppose. Kotoko's opening theme, “Shooting Star” is instantly recognizable and a personal fav.

Fun fact: Onegai Friends, the sequel to Onegai Teacher and Onegai Twins is a Japanese radio drama.

#25

Innocent Venus

Jul 27, 2006 to Oct 26, 2006

I was a bit hesitant to but this here. I'm sure lots of people would argue with me on this, but I found the mech designs to be quite good, plot to be reasonable to some extent, and just interesting to watch overall. The animation is amazing and it is clear the production team put a lot of effort into it. If you liked this title, I recommend Ga-Rei-Zero. Very different, and much more of a mindfuck, the overall mood of the two are very similar. Far more than your generic shounen, but if you hate mecha/robots/fighting, then I'd skip this one.

#24

Bartender

Oct 15, 2006 to Dec 31, 2006

I hate alchohol. I hate the smell, I hate the taste, I hate what it does to you, however, Bartender is more than a drinking show. Although the drinks play an important part, they are a vehicle to tell a bigger story. Each episode tell the story of one or two people in good Slice of Life fashion. No explosions, no robots, no kung-fu-fighting—just good old fashioned storytelling. If you falla sleep at SOLs, skip this one, otherwise, its a good way to spend a few hours relaxing.

#23

REC

Feb 3, 2006 to Mar 31, 2006

This 9 half-length episode series is short and sweet. Even with a fraction of the overall play time of a full season, REC manages to fit a completely fleshed out story without rushing or cramping the show. Romance fans and SOL fans should enjoy this one a lot.

#22

Genshiken

Oct 10, 2004 to Dec 26, 2004

This one is on here because it is a fun look into the world of anime and manga from the otaku's POV. Not the best writing or art in the world, but its a lot of fun to watch.

#21

The Cat Returns

Jul 20, 2002

A Ghibli film not made by Miyazaki, The Cat Returns is a lighthearted romp through growing up and discovering who we are. Great art and a fun story lock this movie in my top 30.

Fun Fact: Ocean Waves (“I can Hear The sea” if you want the butchered title) is another non-Miyazaki Ghibli and it is one of my all time favs.

#20

Shuffle!

Jul 8, 2005 to Jan 6, 2006

My guilty pleasure, I just like it. Art is good, it is however, a harem anime, so I understand why it got panned. Soul Link, another Navel anime, is one of my favorites and is disliked even more than Shuffle!. Guess that says something about my taste.

#19

Toaru Kagaku no Railgun

Oct 2, 2009 to Mar 19, 2010

Side story to Toaru Majutsu no Index, it takes my favorite character and expands her story. Lots of filler episodes keeps Railgun from being placed higher on this list, however, it is a lot of fun to watch and enjoyment is very high.

#18

Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha

Oct 3, 2004 to Dec 26, 2004

This show rewrote the rulebook on magical girl anime. It took the mostly shojou genre and turned it into a show almost anyone can watch ad love. Although the art is not as refined as in the sequels, I prefer the story of the original the most.

#17

Cross Game

Apr 5, 2009 to Mar 28, 2010

Adachi fans rejoice, Cross game is just as good as Touch or H2. This baseball anime focuses on both the sport and the human drama without boring the viewer. Even if you don't like baseball, Cross Game is a great watch.

Fun Fact: Adachi doesn't only write Baseball manga. Rough is about swimming and Katsu is about boxing. Both are a great read and don't drag out like H2 does.

#16

Elfen Lied

Jul 25, 2004 to Oct 17, 2004

Blood. Lots, and lots of blood. This isn't your average slasher flick though. Lots of character driven story and adorable characters, even if they rid heads off, make this one a winner. Elfen Lied touches all the familiar worries, fitting in, being different, and searching for happiness. Not for the young or timid at heart, Elfen Lied is well worth a watch if you enjoy psychological drama.

#15

The Place Promised in Our Early Days

Nov 20, 2004

Another work by Makoto Shinkai, Place Promised is one of my favorite movies. A bittersweet (I hate that word) romance, Place Promised has a beautiful, if repetitive soundtrack by Tenmon and great background and machine art. Character design is still not at the same level as his backgrounds, but is much improved from Voices of a Distant Star. This is a movie that will take your breath away.

#14

Full Metal Panic!

Jan 8, 2002 to Jun 18, 2002

Hard to have a list of the decade without FMP! Despite the slapstick humor, FMP does serious drama very well. The plot is more than predictable at times but regardless, it is well worth a watch. If you can't stand mecha and giant robots don't both with this one; these robots don't even transform!

#13

Millennium Actress

Sep 14, 2001

IMHo, this is the best of the late Satoshi Kon's works. It has amazing art and detail. You can even see the wood-grain on the roof rafters. Romance fans and high art critics can both find something to love in this movie.

#12

Clannad: Another World, Tomoyo Chapter

Jul 16, 2008

I'll say it right now. I am not the biggest fan of Key's game adaptations. Air was drawn out and generally boring. I enjoyed the Summer arc and I loved the happy ending (no seriously, it was surprisingly uplifting) but the first 5 or 6 episodes were a waste of time. For me, Clannad was okay. Definitely not my favorite ever, and certainly not in my top 30. Tomoyo's chapter however, is another story altogether. In one episode, Kyoto Animation was able to tell an amazing love story. Well worth the 26 or so minutes, you don't even need to watch Clannad to enjoy it.

#11

Eve no Jikan

Aug 1, 2008 to Sep 18, 2009

One of my favorite ONAs, Time of Eve is one of this year's hit Original Net Animes. It has helped pioneer the net delivery vehicle for anime and is a great Slice of Life. Lots of story, relatable characters, and amazing cinematography make Time of Eve worth every minute of the 1 year I spent waiting for new episodes.

Fun Fact: My other favorite ONA of the decade is Candy Boy. As it is shojou-ai and borderline incest, it isn't for everyone so I kept it off the main list. It's a SOL so there isn't an overarching plot or story, just the lives of two (+1) cute sisters.

#10

Macross Zero

Dec 21, 2002 to Oct 20, 2004

This is a great, and generally unappreciated part of the Macross saga. The CGI is brilliant, the mecha is well thought out and production values second to none. The base story is a rehash of the same old story, outsiders ruin the traditional lifestyles of the natives, and the natives die. The way the producers took that theme and turned it into something beautiful and different is what makes Macross Zero shine.

#9

Banner of the Stars

Apr 14, 2000 to Jul 14, 2000

This show and the 2 sequels barely made it into the decade and the prequel, Crest of the Stars, just missed the cut. Altogether, they make up the Seikai no Senki series which is a space opera that rivals, and in my opinion, beats the pants off of the Macross saga. Romance, war, politics, all the components needed for a story of epic proportions. Besides, I love the ears and blue hair. XD Be warned, there is a lot of “hard sci-fi” in here and rather dull space battles. You won't find gundam-style flying tank-plane things, x-wings, or even Valkyries. What you get are well planned, arthritic-turtle paced, naval battles, so if you only watch sci-fi for the “epic” space dogfights, you may wanna sleep through this one.

#8

Koi Kaze

Apr 2, 2004 to Jun 18, 2004

Probably the most controversial title on this list, Koi Kaze is about incest, plain and simple. If you can't handle that, then skip it. If you make it past the cultural taboo, you'll find a touching love story. It's not porn, so don't worry, but I wouldn't show this to kids until they can actually understand the topic.

#7

Summer Wars

Aug 1, 2009

This movie was hailed as the blockbuster hit of the latter part of the decade. Although it isn't a Ghibli film, and therefore was not picked up by Disney, Summer Wars is to be nominated by Funimation for an Oscar. Pretty much everyone knows Summer Wars cannot win, but it certainly deserves to. From the get go, the animation is of top notch quality. The plot is very contemporary and, given a little stretch of the imagination, I can almost see it happening in the near future. There is a lot to like about Summer Wars and you won't miss the two hours you spend watching it.

#6

Spice and Wolf

Jan 8, 2008 to May 30, 2008

Spice and Wolf is a great series, no doubt about it. The problem is that many find the economics driven plot confusing and boring. If you cannot stand the first season, stay far away from the second. The animation is good and the plot is handled very well. The characters grow through the 13 episode season as does their relationship. Apart from the economics, this relationship is what drives the plot and their exchanges make Spice and Wolf fun to watch.

Fun Fact: Although many fansub groups use “Horo,” the offical English translation is “Holo,” much to my displeasure.

#5

Battle Fairy Yukikaze

Aug 25, 2002 to Aug 26, 2005

Yukikaze is based upon a Japanese game, and as such, uses 3D CGI for the animation. Despite being early 2000 vintage, the CGI is very well done and rivals Macross Zero's for image quality and cinematography. Yukikaze is very hard to explain, the plot is compressed into just 5 OVA length episodes. I admit, it was only after the third time I watched it, that I fully understood the background and plot. For any modern airplane buff, this might just be the holy grail of anime.

Fun Fact: If you're into older planes, Area 88 is a brilliant series. The CGI is crude but the plot is engaging and the plane models are carefully based upon the actual aircraft specs. I had a fun time naming every single airframe in the show.

#4

Rescue Wings

Jan 9, 2006 to Mar 27, 2006

Another seinen anime, Yomigaeru Sora is a slice of life show following the pilots of the JSDAF SAR division. Despite the fairly predictable and serial nature of the episodes, the characters grow through their experiences and each story well presented. Rescue Wings is certainly a show that deserves more love.

#3

Flag

#2

ef-A Tale of Memories

#1

Rideback

Jan 11, 2009 to Mar 29, 2009

pharos Drive 200

 So, this summer's trip to Oregon has given me the first real chance to rasses the performance of the GPS software and hardware. 

GPS lock
as a whole, the GPS lock was mediocre but generally adequate.  When going through tunnels, it lost GPS lock but regained it after 5 seconds after leaving the tunnel if it had a good lock going in.  On the other hand, from a cold start, it took up to a few minutes to gain a lock and it seems it needs at least 9 sats. to gain a lock.  Even worse, the GPS looses lock in open skys and needs to be cycled before being able to determine location again.  This always seems to happen when you need the GPS most, right before exits or turns.  Sometimes it has trouble with the lock and places the unit 50 to 100 feet from where it actually is.  This is not too bad on highways when there are no other streets for it to "best-fit" to, but in a city, it renders the GPS useless and a liability.  Apart from that, it holds a lock through forests, cities, under bridges, etc.  It only looses lock due to obstructions if it is inside a house or a tunnel.

Mapping software
It lacks some POIs and sometimes crashes, but once you figure out to always use "by city" first, it works pretty well.  It handles recalculations pretty well and is fast enough for city driving if it has a good lock.  

Bugs/Problems
...

Custom Computer Case Worklog

http://abowman.com/google-modules/fish/

http://abowman.com/google-modules/fish/

Samsung SyncMaster 204B Fail

So, I found this awesome blog that shows you how to fix the fubar'd caps on the power inverter board.  I have two of these monitors, so a way to fix them is greatly appreciated. (1 is already dead)  I ordered the parts form Mouser Electronics and they should be getting here sometime next week.  I'll post on how it goes.

Laser cutters?

So, I've decided to experiment and make a laser cutter out of an old $25 laser printer and a $35 150mw 405?nm laser diode.   I'm guessing it won't actually work as well as I want, but it's a fun experiment.  More posts later, and possibly an instructable...

Manga Fox

So, I just saw this add on Sinfest for mangafox's "free online Manga reader"  Can someone explain to me how they can put up adds?  I mean I understand they just have to pay a fee, but seriously, no one believes that they are a legitimate entity do they?  Is it alright for a blatantly illegal/copyright circumventing website like m-fox to advertise like that?

SilverStone FP34 Front Panel Reader

Silverstone FP34
The FP34 looked like a great deal, various USB, ieee 1394, CF/SD/MS/SM readers and ports.  It lookslooks great in my Centurion 5, and the powdered black metal finish gives it a svelte feel.  Out of the box, it was promising.  It fit into my case with a little struggle, but that's okay.  The connectors were easy to plug in and were labeled clearly.

However, this is one of the more disappointing computer products I have ever purchased.  First off, it lacks any type of read/write indicator; that means you're left guessing if this thing is performing I/O operations.  It isn't too bad with USB and ieee 1394 drives, but with flash cards, that is a glaring omission.  I'm guessing that it was an aesthetic choice to minimize any distracting flashing LEDs, but seriously, it is a serious problem.  Next, the ports themselves leave me scratching my head.  You get 2 standard-female USB ports, 1 6-pin ieee 1394, and audio in/out ('phones and mic); now here is where it gets weird.  You also get 1 mini-female USB port, and 1 4-pin ieee 1394 port.  The latter I can understand, but the mini-USB?  I really cannot think of any devices that would terminate computer side in a mini-USB port.  Even bay-LCD panels terminate in full USB.  And finally, you get the clincher in this horrible design; the Intel HD Audio connector isn't up to the HD Audio spec.  I said before that everything was labeled clearly, but that means jack and shit when things are labeled wrong.  That mean unless you're willing to physically rewire your connector, you're gonna have audio problems.  For me, my rear audio ports don't work regardless of driver reinstalls and the like.  Apparently the AC'97 connector is fine, but the fact that they cannot even get the pin-puts correct is worrisome.
It seems easy enough to make the switch, but it's an unnecessary step and a problem only because of a poor design.  Minor annoyances include the fact that it eats up every single USB and ieee1394 headder on my MoBo.  I know the H3N-HT is gimped by the ASUS Express Gate USB add-on, but still, is it necessary to eat up every single header?  Also, the sheer number of cables commin' out of this thing makes cable routing them a nightmare.

Although Silverstone designs are highly praised, I personally would hesitate before buying another Silverstone product.

Software Highlights: Input Director

 This seems like a great program that allows 1 keyboard and mouse to control any number of independent workstations/computers.  If you have more than 1 rig on your desk, this seems like an ideal solution.  Unless, of course, you have customized keyboards for each specialized rig (video editing, gaming, etc.) using Microsoft Keyboard Layout Creator.

Input Director website