Hey all,
Straight up born out of boredom, free time, and a why-not attitude, I present:
A custom TR interval adjustment keyboard.
So this actually started while watching Cam Jeffers racing on Zwift a couple weeks back. In Zwift, you can slam the spacebar for your powerup; anyway, at the end of the race, he was going for a sprint, slammed his keyboard, missed his spacebar, and really just threw his whole sprint off. That got me thinking that there should be a better way.
"You can just use your keyboard! You can just buy a USB keyboard! You can just use a phone companion app (in Zwift!) Yeah, but those are all clunky. I canât reach my computer on the bike, TR doesnât have a companion app, and a USB keyboard still doesnât solve the panic button mashing thing.
Did some googling, and thereâs apparently a game called OSU that involves pressing two buttons, so people make custom 3d printed KBs for them. The cool thing is, you can reprogram these keyboards to anything you want. For TR, you can make an Up and Down key and adjust your intervals quickly on the fly.
Hereâs a video I made with full instructions and a bit more detail:
If video isnât your thing, hereâs how to do it: Hereâs how:
Hereâs what you need to know:
- This is the keyboard I bought. No affiliation or vouch, but it arrived fast and works well. https://www.etsy.com/listing/530750811/basic-osu-keypad-wide?ref=shop_home_active_9&crt=1
You can also google search âOSU Keyboardâ and youâll find some other options, including instructions on how to make it yourself (save a few bucks, but have a fun project) - Get a cheapo USB extender cable
- Here are the support docs for the keyboard I ordered: docs.thnikk.moe
- Mac users: You can technically program it from a Mac, but I couldnât get it to work. Suggest the docs above or (better yet) do the programming on a Windows machine. Once you have it programmed, itâll stick to the keyboard and work on any computer.
- Windows 8.1 or earlier: Download and install the drivers: https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_Windows_Drivers/releases/download/2.2.0/adafruit_drivers_2.2.0.0.exe
- Everyone: Download and unzip Termite. Open the program within the same folder as the included Config files: https://puu.sh/w8Zj5/01aa028013.zip
- With the keyboard connected, press o to enter the key remapper. You should see a list of commands.
- At this point, you will enter the two keys you want. When youâre done, it will automaticlly exit the remapper and youâll need to hit zero to return to it.
- For instance, if you want the keys to be spacebar and the letter C, type space, hit enter, type c, hit enter, and youâre done.
- HIT CLOSE FROM TERMITE WHEN YOU ARE DONE.
- Unplug, replug the keyboard and test it out.
- For more advanced keys, like the up or down arrow, you need to use the modifier options the remapper shows. Say you want the Up arrow. Youâd connect the KB, hit zero, type in :24, then hit enter, then hit xx and enter to be done with that key, then move on to your second key. It wonât work right if you hit :24, enter, spacebar, enter. When using modifier keys with the colon and number, you have to hit XX to finish the key.
Now, if you wanna be done, you can just be done. Take some velcro and stick that baby to your handlebars and call it a day.
That said, I wanted to take it a step further, so I modified and 3d printed a Wahoo/Garmin mount adapter. Take this file to your local library, get it printed out, epoxy it to the bottom of your keyboard, and now you can attach it right to your computer mount!
Dropbox - garmin mount edited.stl - Simplify your lifeScreen Shot 2020-04-18 at 5.21.01 PM|690x426
Anyway, thought someone might like this. Itâs far from ârequired,â probably closer to a bodge than a hack, and itâs a bit silly, but it works and was kinda fun. Enjoy!