Lap timer with display during races

[Petorius]

Anyone here ever used a lap timer with a display to get live feedback during races? I had never considered the possibility until I heard Scott Greenwood mention it a while back. This seems like a really obviously beneficial thing to do, and yet I've only ever heard people shit on the idea (and lap timers in general). Is it really that much harder to glance down at a lap timer vs a tach while going down the front straight?

[isaac_]

Anyone here ever used a lap timer with a display to get live feedback during races? I had never considered the possibility until I heard Scott Greenwood mention it a while back. This seems like a really obviously beneficial thing to do, and yet I've only ever heard people shit on the idea (and lap timers in general). Is it really that much harder to glance down at a lap timer vs a tach while going down the front straight?

I have the Qstarz with the display. I only ever consciously look at it when I'm going down the straight. The only other time that I see it (not intentionally but I think of just how my body moves) is as I'm cresting 4/5. I am fervently in favor of lap timers, warming up to the idea of a tach, and don't even want to look at a speedometer. They're great tools to analyze what you're doing on the track. I don't use it "on-the-go" to get feedback but simply to gauge pace.

[Paul_E_D]

I know I could not have won an expert championship without one. Especially for practice. In the race it doesn't matter what your times are, just position. But having the laptime to glance at just gives you a frame of reference in every session. You know if you are fast, or just feel fast cause you are working too hard.

[Petorius]

@Isaac- So you would, for example, look down at it on the front straight during GTL and say to yourself "I just did a 23, I need to pick it up a bit" or something like that? That's basically what I would like to get out of it.

[Petorius]

I know I could not have won an expert championship without one. Especially for practice. In the race it doesn't matter what your times are, just position. But having the laptime to glance at just gives you a frame of reference in every session. You know if you are fast, or just feel fast cause you are working too hard.

Makes sense. AM lightweight grids are thin this year and I have fallen so far behind that my races are feeling a bit like practice.

[rolker]

Makes sense. AM lightweight grids are thin this year and I have fallen so far behind that my races are feeling a bit like practice.

Sometimes, GTL becomes a practice session for me and a lap timer is useful, but not this weekend, I had a bunch of pesky SV's to deal with!

[Pittenger5]

I have the GPX Zed. Im a track day only guy now, but I like it a lot. You can program sectors and it has a light thatll light up if youre faster or slower through that sector. Honestly, I never even notice the light, but I can see how it could be useful if someone thinks to use it.

[csmutty]

I had the same one as Isaac. Never looked down at it once during a race.

[isaac_]

@Isaac- So you would, for example, look down at it on the front straight during GTL and say to yourself "I just did a 23, I need to pick it up a bit" or something like that? That's basically what I would like to get out of it.

Yes, but only if I find I'm by myself. If I'm battling, F! my times... as Paul said, only position matters. It is most useful in practice.

[Viper897]

Starlane GPS-3X I think that's the one I have. I use it all the time. I look at it on the front stretch to gauge total lap performance and also have sectors set so if I best a sector the red light will blink. Great to actively know how my performance is.

I look at mine more in practice than a race, but always look at it on the front stretch no matter what, unless Im battling with people.

[nhbubba]

I have the QStarz 6000. You've seen it. I never remembered to look at it on track. What I liked best about it was the instant gratification of getting lap times as soon as I pulled off track. I'd often look at the best while rolling down hot-pit on my way in or immediately after parking the bike. Very accurate.

With splits loaded I could (should) have used the thing more comprehensively. But I never got there.

As with everything else, I wonder if a day of Penguin advanced, TTD 1-on-1 or straight up seat time at a track day wouldn't be a better use of funds.

I can lend you mine for a weekend if you like.

[MikeBike]

I use a QStarz 6000 with a display. The nice part is that the lap time is displayed in "Green" when your time is faster and "Red" when it is slower. So, you don't have to focus much on the actual time but the colored display.
But the training benefits are where the money is well spent. You are able to download the lap data and see your race lines, braking points, corner/straight speeds and it displays G-Forces. It can also be synchronized with your Go-Pro video so you have a video/audio display as you review your lap data.
When I started using mine I downloaded John Linn's lap data as a guide and discovered where I can make changes. QStarz with a display is the way to go.

If interested I have a QStarz/Go-Pro video from a GTL Race a few seasons ago.... See it at LRRS GTL Race w/QStarz Lap Data (7-26-14) - YouTube

[smokinjoe]

You can get an XT laptimer for cheap money these days, especially lightly used. The upside is that you just need to get Rick to put out his beacon and use the signal.

I don't know how anyone races without one. It gives you real time feedback on what you are doing.

The ones that you download times later are useless in that you don't know what laps you hit traffic or how it felt to go that speed.

[dhawks]

Been following this thread and similar threads on other forums.

The features I want in laptimer are (1) GPS-based, (2) a real-time light/screen/color/flash or other indication that a lap or sector was faster or slower than the prior one (Qstarz, XT Racing and perhaps others seem to do this, (3) probably a corollary to (2) is the ability to tick through laptimes after the session without plugging into a laptop (i.e., don't want a simple data logger), and (4) as a desire-but-not-strictly-necessary, the ability to easily power the unit from the bike's power (i.e., plug and play or direct to battery).

Does this august group have a recommendation for the option that does all four? Should I be considering the Starlane Stealth?

I will not be overlaying telemetry on video or otherwise making home movies.
I am sick of lugging a laptop around.
I am sick of charging shit.

[nhbubba]

The QStarz LT-Q6000 does all of that. It does (4) poorly; it charges off a standard mini-USB lug. It would be fairly trivial to wire up a converter to step down the ~12VDC power circuit on a bike to the USB interface. Especially if you have an SAE lug already wired for say a tender. The problem is it is not weather resistant. Also it would not be difficult to bump or break the connector. I am not sure I'd run with it plugged in.

The battery lasts a track day fairly easily. Charge in the truck on the way to the track day or on the bench between race days and you are usually golden.

Other than that, it seems to be the gizmo you're after.