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Paul
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 14, 2002 8:34 pm    Post subject: Measuring Wheels Reply with quote

OK, coaches!! If one was interested in purchasing a measuring wheel, would you recommend metric or yards?? :question: :question:

thanks
Paul
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Dan
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 14, 2002 8:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Definitely metric. Ironically, our (Willamette U.) measuring wheel was borrowed and lost last year. It was finally replaced, but with one in yards, which was completely useless for just about everything. Sad

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Paul
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 14, 2002 8:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

My original thinking was in yards because many people keep their running diaries in miles, but lately I've changed my tune to metric and have even thought of recording all my mileage in meters or kilometers. Of course, just converting meters to miles is not that tough. Surprised Confused

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Dan
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 14, 2002 9:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I would say converting from meters to miles is no tougher really than yards to miles (how many people can divide by 440 in their head?), and much easier for any other distance you are likely to care about.

I've got a friend who switched to logging his "mileage" in kilometers because he liked how easy it was to hit high numbers. Smile

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PostPosted: Thu Aug 15, 2002 4:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I also use a metric wheel for measuring intervals and the like. I guess the main reason I use a meteric wheel over an english is because the races are all run in meters and so I figure the workouts should be too. My poor wheel is pretty beat up, it's got more athletic tape on it than a pro football team. I'm hoping to get one more year out of it. After that it'll go to that big running park in the shy.

And I have thought about logging my teams weekly distance in kilometers, but they generally freak out at the number of miles we run so I'm afraid if we went to kilometers I might give someone a heart attack when I told them how far we run. Kind of like the two Kenyan's did to the CU guys in Running with the Buff's "we're going 40, four, zero..fourty!"
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Paul
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 15, 2002 4:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I remember that anecdote, DG, and thought it was quite humorous!! Exclamation Exclamation Until I get better, I may have to log my mileage in centimeters!! Exclamation Exclamation Surprised Sad

Thanks, both you guys, for your input.
Paul
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Paul
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 15, 2002 8:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

One other thought. Do you favor any of the models out there. I assume a wheel is going to run me $140-150 plus shipping.
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PostPosted: Sat Aug 17, 2002 7:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I personally like the ROLATAPE brand. I think it's built better than most other brands. Although to tell you the truth one meter wheel is pretty much the same as the next. My only advice is make sure it has a long enough handle and a built in stand (which sort of looks like a bumper on the front of the wheel). One thing that will reduce the life of your wheel is if you have to throw it down every it you stop as opposed to being able to leave it standing up.
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Dan
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PostPosted: Sat Aug 17, 2002 7:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
Although to tell you the truth one meter wheel is pretty much the same as the next.

That's actually why I didn't reply to Paul's last question. I don't know which the good ones are, but I know there are some very bad ones... The old metric one we had had a good solid feel to it, whereas the imperial one it was replaced with felt very cheaply made and was so tippy (single off-center wheel) that it was difficult to keep going straight ahead. Even if it was correctly calibrated, going in circles probably doesn't yield the best measurement... On the other hand, the stand on the older one wasn't designed very well, as it was too short to actually support the thing without height assistance.

Dan
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Paul
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PostPosted: Sat Aug 17, 2002 10:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

ROLATAPE actually has a website, and the prices compared to M-F are cheaper.
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Paul
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 10, 2002 12:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

My ROLATAPE model 400M has arrived!! Exclamation Exclamation Thumbs Up I'm out the door, now, to measure the world!! Cool Surprised Wink The metric wheel with the case only cost me $122 with $23.58 for shipping. I got it at www.frostproof.com. Its kind of a nursery products, horticultural supply house. It was shipped out the day after I ordered it, and arrived UPS ground in less than 2 weeks, including the holiday. I even got email confirmation from both Frostproof and UPS. It was shipped in its own box and arrived just fine. Even with the shipping, this was a savings of $15 over what I would have spent at a Track and Field warehouse place without the shipping!! With my savings, looks like I'll be able to take you to lunch, again, Dan!! Very Happy Thumbs Up

Paul
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Dan
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 10, 2002 12:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm salivating already! Smile

What made you think to look there for a measuring wheel??? This looks to be the section of the site:

http://www.frostproof.com./catalog/meas05.html

Dan
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 10, 2002 12:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'll have to book mark that site, saturday I had to stop twice and re-aply athletic tape to my trusty old wheel, just to keep the handle on so come next season it will probably be time for a new one.
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Paul
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 10, 2002 3:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm kinda busy right now... putting on my 5th coat of TurtleWax!! Surprised Wink Rolling Eyes

DG, thats exactly the link!! Did I send that to you awhile back?? I actually had that bookmarked. This is better than getting a new car. And you should have seen all the women that stopped to ask me what I was doing!! (You listening, Micah??)

First I had gone to the ROLATAPE home page from Google. Off to the right there were the usual suspects, Springco, M-F. Then I noticed Frostproof. It is a major garden supply center. I said, of course, landscapers, people laying cement and asphalt, that is a bigger market than XC would ever be!! And when I checked the model and the accessaries, I ordered within a couple of days, online. I even went to the Springco site, aced the August T&FN quiz (open book test, what can I say?? Rolling Eyes ), and got a 5 dollar coupon, but that still didn't come close to Frostproof's pricing.
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Paul
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 10, 2002 4:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Dan, are you familiar with the Fanno Creek watershed running through a lot of SW Portland and Beaverton?? They just put in a nice bike and walking path in what used to be the Old Oregon Electric right of way from the Garden Home Rec Center to Allen Blvd. It ends up being 1750m long. Its pretty flat with some slightly rolling slopes. The surface, width-wise is smooth and level, not cambered. It seems perfect for my recovery period. I've been on it 7 times in the last 2 weeks. I also measured some intervals, 300m, 400m, 600m, 800m that would make for some pretty good runs.

Paul
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