General Cycling Discussion - To compute or not

I'm considering giving up my cyclecomputer for good. I've done a couple of rides without it now and find it liberating. I do casual duathlons (no aerobars), centuries, and some touring. I don't think it makes me any faster and I focus on it too much. Has anyone had positive or negative experiences from doing this.

I had one
I broke it
I never replaced it
I don't miss it at all

I seemed to keep looking at it too much when I had it and not keeping my eye on the road.

I had one I broke it I never replaced it I don't miss it at all
I seemed to keep looking at it too much when I had it and not keeping my eye on the road.

^+1 point for point

I think I've said this before.
I keep a wireless computer in my handlebar bag so I can keep track of milage.

--A

Most of my bikes are computerless. The only usefulness I get out of my computer is when following route slips.

My doctor wants to turn my food into science. I told him; no, I prefer actual food. This is the same kind of thing. Dump it. bk

I had one
I broke it
I never replaced it
I don't miss it at all

I seemed to keep looking at it too much when I had it and not keeping my eye on the road.

Yup.

I had a bike speedometer back in 1957. Thing broke after a year. I've never missed it. \

If you can't get a speeding ticket on a bike, why have a speedometer?

Paul

Had one on my old bike, once I got my new bike I never transferred it, never missed it!

Cool, can I have it? I just want to know how fast I can go for bragging rights.

To quote Eddy B ( a former US Cyling coach)

"Americans go too fast on slow days, and too slow on fast days"

I focus on my heart monitor readings now more so than max speed or distance.
(besides, I know all my training ride distances by now)

If you can't get a speeding ticket on a bike, why have a speedometer?

Paul

Well you can get a speeding ticket on a bike. In fact this is the reason why you don't want a speedometer.

For years I didn't have one. Never needed it. Got very good at navigating by dead-reckoning.
Recently got a computer, mostly because I'm trying to develop cue sheet for some new routes and I need the odometer. When the novelty wears off, I be able to ride without it just as well.

Well you can get a speeding ticket on a bike. In fact this is the reason why you don't want a speedometer.

Does anyone seriously think that "I didn't have a speedometer" is really going to suffice as a defence against a speeding ticket?


I rode computerless for a few weeks earlier this year. It didn't make a lot of difference to me either way. In a way I like having it there because it gives me something else to think about if I'm riding through the boring suburban stretch right at the end of a long ride. I also find it interesting at the end of the day to see how far I've ridden, although it's not something I take very seriously. For those reasons, I've kept mine.

Does anyone seriously think that "I didn't have a speedometer" is really going to suffice as a defence against a speeding ticket?

I mean, does asking this question seriously make YOUR statement true? Are you required by law to have a speedometer on your bike? Not the last time I read the traffic laws for my jurisdiction.

Maybe it's different down in Australia there.

i thought the idea was that if you have a bike computer, you'll go faster than you should, just to see the readout, and because of that you could get a ticket.

Unless you're blowing through a school zone with toddlers wandering all over the road I doubt a cop is gonna give you a speeding ticket, even then he'd probaly just pull you over just tell you not to ride like an idiot.

I wouldnt mind having one of those things on my road bike just out of curiousity of how fast I could go, but the novelty would wear off after a few days. The only other reason it could be useful is to say "I rode 106.7km today" instead of "I rode about 100km today", heh.

Thanks! I'm going to leave it off for now.

I mean, does asking this question seriously make YOUR statement true? Are you required by law to have a speedometer on your bike?

There's no legal requirement to have a speedometer fitted, but that won't prevent you from being ticketed if you exceed the speed limit. Someone in Brisbane last year tried to rely on the "I don't have a speedometer" defence. They were simply told that ignorance is no excuse, and the ticket stood.

Well you can get a speeding ticket on a bike. In fact this is the reason why you don't want a speedometer.
If the computer shows maximum speed, why would that have anything to do with getting stopped for speeding. You could have hit the maximum speed on another road with a higher speed limit.
That should be an easy ticket to argue out of.

I guess I'm counter to the current trend. I enjoy my bikes much more when they have speedos on them. Like HRMs, sometimes a speedo gives you 'permission' to go easier.

Why are you out for a ride?

Is it to look at the scenery or are you trying to improve your fitness level in the most efficient manner possible?

If you are just stopping to smell the roses, you don't need one. If you actually care about improving your fitness level, you would do better to have some quantitative, objective way to measure your progress. That said, if you had to chose between the computer and a HRM, the HRM is far more appropriate for gauging fitness level and exertion.

Even if I ride for fun and relaxiation, I still like to see how many miles I've ridden. To me, it's not distracting at all, if you don't wanna look at it, don't.

If I'm out for a workout, I try to keep my average speed up, and take breaks (from my average speed) based upon my miles. If I was touring, I'd also keep it on, just so I know where I was by miles traveled.

I have one because when my wife comes in from a ride and says "I did x miles in y minutes!", I have to be able to say "I did z miles in w minutes, HA!", and she'll check the computer!