Mark Stone

As I am aging (61 now) I'm starting to lose interest in total accumulated miles and speed and all that carp - I just love riding my bicycle. So today I took the computer off of the Black Knight bike and am about to take her out for a spin . . .

fietsbob

my only computer is on my Touring rig , i got one that fitted on the fork blade( out of sight ) so I only referred to it for things like :

set the trip milage at a how far is the next big town at the sign, so I could answer my own "how much further?" question.

between tours I take the battery out (to not corrode in place)..

lost_in_endicot

In some forums, this would be considered blasphemy.

10 Wheels

Now you are one of The Cool Guys..

Dave Cutter

I am a tad older... and sharing the same feelings. This is the time of year where every ride is part of a mental calculation as to when I will achieve my annual 2000 mile goal. It is or has become a practical goal. Very achievable... barring accident, injury, or illness. I could bump up the goal and challenge myself a bit more.... but I fail to see a point in that ether. I already exceed any desirable health benefit. I love cycling and would prefer to increase my FUN factor.

I keep a paper based log and I will complete this years logs (too stubborn to just quit midstream). But next year I think I will look for less mileage-based goals. I might set goals... like a number of group rides... or charity rides. Maybe train for a birthday full century (instead of my current easier 100K).

wolfchild

I have three different bikes and only one of them has a computer. I've ridden for a few years without any computer and I didn't even miss it. Bike computers are not an absolute necessity.

Mr. Hairy Legs

I like the computer because it means less work for me when I want to update my score in the commuting mileage thread.

It's also fun to see how fast i can go with a strong tailwind.

cyclefreaksix

What's a "tailwind"? Never experienced one...

Mark Stone

I'm actually trying to become a Hipster.

Mark Stone

↑↑↑Good post, and my feelings exactly. I've kept paper logbooks since 1990, and I still plan on doing that - except they may contain more descriptive notes, what I saw and how I felt, rather than the raw miles, average speed, top speed, odometer etc. I like your statement "I already exceed any desirable health benefit." That is my experience, also. When I was in my 20s or so, I learned and believed that Bicycling would maintain my health and I would enter old age (some day) without having to battle chronic disease, etc. Now, that has come true - Whodathunkit? My peers and my family members are battling obesity and many health related issues that I don't face - at least yet. Continuing cycling is critical to maintain that edge, but now I'm making it more fun, a little less edgy.

Murray Missile 

I'll be 59 in 4 weeks and still love smoked carp. J/K, I hear ya', speed and distance don't seem to matter as much anymore, especially since I can't go as fast or as far as I did when I was a kid LOL. I enjoy the rides a lot more though.

devianb

I had a computer on my commuter for awhile till it was stolen. I don't miss it at all. However, on the bike I do my recreational riding I can't live without it because I love performance statistics.

linnefaulk

Wow. So zen.

wolfchild

Well then, grow a beard and start wearing skinny jeans and vintage clothing

alexaschwanden

Good for you, have fun.

Jim from Boston

I get about half my miles commuting and half "recreational" (actually training). MILES MOTIVATE!


PS: As I was reading this thread, I thought I was on the Fifty-Plus Forum. My post is written as a Fifty-Plus subscriber.

Papa Tom

Congratulations! I had a computer once -- for ten minutes before I put it back in the bag and returned it, never to use one again. I couldn't tell you how far I drive my car to the local stores or to the movies -- or even how many miles my car has on it. Why should I suddenly care when I'm on a bike? I just ride until I don't want to ride any more.

kickstart

4 functional bikes, 2 with computers, 1 with tick-tick-tick Lucas cyclometer, and 1 with nothing. Commuting/recreational miles a 60/40 split, no training or competitive riding.
I kinda like knowing how far I ride and how long it takes out of curiosity. The need to know types are as much a mystery to me as the proud to not know types.

JoeyBike

I hate to one-up ya, but last week I got rid of the bike I felt compelled to have a computer on. I still have the computer but will likely give it to a fellow cyclist at work.

I have used computers on and off during the past 4 decades, mostly off. Even on several 5000+ mile self contained bike tours I avoided computers. Just don't care for them. I sometimes have an old Timex Expedition watch attached to my bars so I know what time it is and often use the alarm feature to remind me to take an break every hour or so on longer rides. I am much more interested in hours spent on the bike than miles covered. And "Is it lunch time yet?"

Enjoy your new freedom from measuring everything!

Mark Stone

I shall! As a matter of fact I already did. Today I enjoyed the ride very much - I kept my eyes up, didn't worry about what the little screen said my average speed was, I even waved at children. I couldn't have done what you did Joey, I would have looked silly walking through the neighborhood staring at a bike computer - -

Mr. Hairy Legs

It's a phenomenon often observed by cyclists going in the opposite direction that you are.

Steely Dan

In my 7 years of bike commuting, I've never been interested in adding a computer to any of my bikes.

And I'm only 38, so i don't think it's an age thing. I guess I'm just not a numbers person.

BobbyG

I no longer care about my yearly mileage, I care more about how many days I ride. But I do like knowing my speed and average speed, it keeps me from slacking off. Both bikes now sport analog clocks (old watches) and thermometers (one digital, one is a circular analog with 68F (room temp) straight up.) Has anyone considered mounting one of those "countdown" clocks, you know, the ones that supposedly show how much time you have left.

RoyIII

I stopped using a computer a few years ago. I don't care about yearly mileage and ride the bike as a workout, daily with some rest days as needed. I found the computer to be a distraction.

alan s 

I like knowing how fast I'm going and how far I'm riding, but never track anything beyond that. No logs or other such record keeping. Sometimes I'll check max speed if there was a big downhill on a ride and total time for that ride. More useless trivia.