Martin S.

Let's say you have 0% Variation, in Top 3 Var., Best Seq Var and top 5 Var, categories, that is 0% for the line being driven. If the driver changes to a more optimal line, then the game starts over again....this is how I understand Catalyst works. However if you change your line (s) and the Best Lap \Time degrades, then rethink the process.

PTSFX

Wanted to provide my feedback after spending my first weekend with my Catalyst at Sebring. For some perspective, I’m a fairly advanced driver that runs in pink with PCA and Chin’s red group. I’ve had two pros coach me and two others review my videos and they’ve been complimentary of my driving, making some relatively small suggestions on areas for improvement that I now honestly don’t have the skills (or in some cases guts) to actually execute.

The ease of use and quality (after an issue with the camera connecting required me to get a new unit) is top notch. Video and audio are good quality. I was honestly on the fence as to whether or not to purchase, and the reason I did was because I’m an instructor currently coaching my wife, and she’s getting close to being able to go solo, so I wanted her to still have a “coach” in the car after she’s solo, and be able to review her laps afterwards to make sure she’s still doing what I told her to do. ;P

My wife loved the instantaneous feedback, and being able to review the video right after a session definitely helped her this weekend. She’s running much more consistent lap times and it’s almost time to throw her out of the nest, so having the Catalyst riding shotgun with her will be very beneficial moving forward, and I’m very glad I bought it.

For me personally, it’s more of a nice to have, as I’m not optimistic that it’ll help me lower my lap times. I might fall into a small non-sweet spot of a driver that’s good enough to run consistent, fast laps, but not so good that I can take advantage of the opportunities.

As an example, one of the opportunities was to shave .2 seconds off a segment by braking 8 ft earlier and 5% harder. When I’m hauling the car down from 135mph, it does not at all surprise me that my brake point and pressure would vary by 10 ft and 5%, because I only do this 8-10x per year. Around Sebring if I can keep my traffic-free laps to within 1.5s of each other, I’m pretty pleased with that, and I don’t imagine with the amount of seat time I get I can be much more consistent even with the opportunities to review.

So for beginner to intermediate drivers, it’s a no-brainer and we’ll worth the asking price if you are motivated to improve. If you are an instructor, the added benefit of being able to put the unit in your students’ cars will undoubtedly make your job easier and their experience much better. If you are an advanced driver that has plateaued, but “slower” cars are passing you, I’d recommend spending some money having a pro coach drive your car to show you what it’s capable of. And it wouldn’t be a terrible idea to have the Catalyst with you and record their session - just make sure to use your profile to record their session, so you can compare it to yourself. This way the Optimal lap will be what you should be striving for instead of the best of what you’ve already done.

Mike Roblin

Careful here... It sounds like you and your wife are sharing the same car which would allow a certain amount of this advice to work but if you are instructing a student who isn't driving the exact same car as you, on the same tires, with the same brakes, and the same aero, giving them the optimal line from your profile in your car has the potential to be quite dangerous.

ProCoach

Well, if the power is cycled, it won’t compare within sessions, it’ll generate a new session. You can choose to compare within or across sessions using the same profile, which would happen if you left it the same profile by accident.

The only harm I see is if you had a top flight driver come into the pits after setting a reference lap and head right back out to try and duplicate. But this system won’t lead you astray, or at least I haven’t heard of anyone having an issue that got them into trouble.

Besides, you should always carefully consider and get any information you get, electronic or in real life.

PTSFX

Right - my suggestion was limited to an advanced driver if you had a pro coach driving your same car, and that coach was just a little faster than you, having their laps in your profile for reference might be a good idea.

ProCoach

Actually, the BEST way to do it is to compare sessions between a pro coach in your car under the same profile and your session in the car on the Garmin in post-session review.

The real-time coaching is what is potentially an issue.

If the student/client doesn't have the foundation/timing/amplitude for the control input actuation correct or fully understood and tries to duplicate the constant exhortation to brake later/harder of the reference lap, they won't get there and may have an issue, although I have never heard of this happening. It's just not a very good way at all to use the tool.

The best way to use the tool is that in the post-session review of the reference session to the client session, you can compare not only speeds, braking and acceleration and time differential, but geometry, turn-in and apex positioning as well as corner exit radius.

The student/client HAS to be trained and understand WHY and HOW such performance gain is possible before blindly following another person's performance without an understanding of the underlying foundation.

tgavem

Found the problem. I must have pushed on the SD card when I turned on unit and SD card popped out. Pushed it back in an videos appeared back on unit.
Feel like a dummy.

ProCoach

Nope! Don’t feel that way! Glad it was simple.

Thundermoose

Don't let him off that easy.

ExMB

Looking at the video brings up a couple of questions.
1) How much longer do the screws need to be in order to cover the extra thickness of the clip? Interesting to note that the original black screws still show blue loctite.
2) How tight does the clip fit onto the catalyst? Hard to really tell since the video shows pulling from the back and has the magnet attached.

Martin S.

(It's a nice snug fit...and I used Medium strength Locktite Blue.)

My 3D printer pal made up 1/2 dozen just for fun. They are in white. I sent a sample to Peter Krause. I believe he liked the quality.

If you want one, I'll send you the clip and the screws. I will need your zip code to assess shipping.

Cost? Shipping + a $10 contribution. to your favorite charity (Not you!). I would be shipping from CA, the box and the shipping probably $20 to East Coast + charity donation of $10

Now to show you what I salesman I am, I would suggest going to the RAM Cage Mount that Peter Krause sells, about $100, possible free shipping. It provides a very secure fit + a mounting ring on the back of the cage mount, that a stainless steel mini-cable could be run through, with the other end attached to the chassis, somewhere. This way the Catalyst will stay secure even if the suction cup mount were to come loose. (As long as the security cable remains intact). Track Scrutineers may want all mounts to be secure. I have already been warned by a scrutineer about this. In order to secure the white clip, you'd have to drill a precision hole in the ball mount that is attached to the magnetic clip, and run a cable through there. It's just easier to get the cage mount.

9 mm stock thread length
16mm replacement thread length

ExMB

I'm actually trying to assess the design of the clip file and whether or not it would need to be modified based on fitment. In addition, depending on materials used, the clip may or may not survive 100+ degree temps for a long time. I.E. PLA won't survive long when exposed to high OATs for extended periods of time, or especially when mounted in a car.

Martin S.

Don’t overthink k, get the RAM Cage Mount from Peter. I have it and I love it. About $100

ExMB

You mean this of course. Somewhere between $35 - $50 depending on which direction you choose. But we're getting OT to my original question above.

ProCoach

I have four in stock right now, $100 shipped CONUS USPS

They’re better than any printed wings...