Stucky

That's what you think. I had a cell phone 20 years ago (Needed it for the business I was in)- It was a brick! (And I wish they still made them like that! Easy to dial; it actually worked/you could actually make calls; and I dropped it 5 times a day, but it lasted for years!)

TrojanHorse

Me too, but most of my rides in the winter are at night, so I only see the garmin every 5 miles when it lights up.

Stucky

I was lioke that when I was a kid. I'd play with Lincoln Logs and Matchbox cars, and look at the things my friends were play with, and think "Look at that battery-powered plastic crap!".

Seattle Forrest

Having information available to me has never got in the way of my being able to enjoy a ride. Sometimes it adds a little bit, though. When I did Washington Pass, I struggled a bit near the end, and when I turned around gravity took hold of me. It was fun to see how quickly I picked up speed, I had just climbed that. A hill that gets you 35 mph without pedaling is more impressive to climb than one that gets you 6 mph.

I got a GPS watch this spring. It talks to my power meter and does almost everything an Edge does. But you wear it on your wrist instead of keeping it on the stem. That would be good for the people who can't take their eyes off the numbers; they're out of sight while you ride, but you still get your data.

Stucky

Yeah, I refuse to live like that. I still have an answering machine...leave a message, I'll call you back. I can't remember one communication in the last 20 years that was so urgent that it would make a difference if they couldn't reach me immediately where ever I was. People have become virtual slaves to these gadgets....and now they've even extended that to their bikes. You can't even have a 5 minute face-to-face conversation with someone, without them whipping out their phone at least 18 times and answering texts and calls- and it's never anything important; it's always BS.- people sending them funny pictures or saying "What's up, dud?!" or "Do you know who showed up at Herman's party?!".

It trivializes life.

CafeVelo

I run strava with HR and cadence, but no mounted display cause I don't want to know. I used to have speed displayed but I found Im faster without it cause I never see my current speed and back off because Im "fast enough". Similarly I never get disheartened in a headwind because I can't get fast enough. I use the average HR to keep track of when I need a break, if its elevated unexpectedly and stays that way for a few rides I assume I need a break. Cadence is a side effect of adding a wahoo speed sensor to smooth out GPS speed jumps (no way Im going 60mph uphill, its trees blocking my signal). I couldn't care less about it. On the trainer it does give me something to look at though. I do confess to wanting a GPS for new routes, centuries, and mapping back if I go on a rambling ride that gets me lost on purpose, as well as a display for heart rate if Im trying to go easy, but I can't justify the cost for the features.

pdedes

i've removed the computers from my bikes. my wristwatch lets me know what time it is. i pick my routes based on the time i have available. i'm not likely to race again and although i will do interval sessions to keep up my fitness for group rides and tuesday/sat. worlds, i'm aware enough of my body that having a visual of the metrics aren't that important. i also value looking around far more than i used to. i'm stopping to take photos more often.

2manybikes

I ride with no computer.

I ride with just basic computer. No cadence etc.

I ride with a cadence, ave speed, etc. These bike computers will download the trip data to my laptop.

This summer I was often trying to on a longer ride with less time, than last week. I use the higher tech ones for this.

Most of my beater bikes have no computer, I use them in places where I need to lock the bike, get scratched on a ferry, and when I know it's going to rain, etc.

It's all good.

Almost forgot, I always bring my phone and often my small camera. Don't normally get calls, or take photos. It's possible my kids might need me.
Probably only happened a few times in the last 20 years. It's nice having the phone when riding in the middle of nowhere at midnight.

sandman900ss

Great thread. No computer here, either- I removed it and don't miss it. I enjoy the ride more without the distraction of data below me. It's nice not being driven by numbers pressure, I'm digitally surrounded everywhere except on my rides!

jhazel

I'm only riding with my cell phone in my pocket these days. It serves two purposes: I can call for help if I need it and I use Road ID's e-crumb so my wife knows where I am and will be notified when I have my next heart attack or simply fall down and break something so I can't get up. If I were training I would want to have more information about my effort and performance.

Vicegrip

Good question and the answer is not likely what you expect.

Short answer. Less well.

The vastly improved real time communication and connectivity gives me Much more freedom to ride. I can take far more time to ride that would otherwise not be open to me. No question being able to be reached is a huge improvement. I can talk and walk people through problems that otherwise would blow up into a big issues. Phone rings? Take a look at the number and ether slide the phone back on to the pocket or answer, My choice. Someday I hope to be unimportant to the flow of business of others. Until then I can conduct day to day life while cranking out miles rather than chained to a desk or stuck in the house. And no, I am not talking about "D00d what did you eat for lunch?" conversations. Real time business that matters to me making a living for my family.

Also, some of the best conversations I have are while I am riding and the other party is elsewhere. we both have the luxury of being in the right place at the right time. Me on my bike they, well, wherever they are. I had a great conversation with a friend while I was riding in the rolling hills of VA she was on a train in China 0 dark 30 her time. We both had the luxury of each other to talk to and the conversation was free and timeless.

Buffalo Buff

*raises hand*

I have an app on my phone that will tell me my current MPH, and my top MPH. I've used it a handful of times.

I've never used Strava to track a ride. I'll use it to map out a route I already rode.

I do bring my smart phone on rides so I can listen to music on my bluetooth speaker.

f4rrest

I use a TRS-80.

Stucky

I can empathize with that, because I've been in a business where having a cell phone made the difference between being an efficient one-man business vs. having to hire someone to answer the phone- or losing a lot of business. But conversely, I like my leisure time to be *my time*. I think part of what makes leisure activities so enjoyable, is the ability to put other things aside, and just concentrate on the activity one is engaged in; or to be able to just *get lost* in thought and time, without external distractions.

What I find ironic, too, is that so many cyclists make such a big deal over every ounce; every watt; every second- but They'll slow down to check their phone every 7 minutes, or toddle along or stop entirely to have a conversation, and thus lose 100 times more than what they'd gain with their technologically-advanced equipment, AND render all of the data they obsess over essentially meaningless.

Stucky

Floppy drives are real[istic]!

svtmike

The concepts you combine to create your little alchemy of condescension is growing by the day. You must be a hoot to ride with.

RPK79

I guess bike computers are like alcohol. Some people use them responsibly and everything is fine. Other people become dependent on them. Yet others were dependent on them and then stopped using them and feel like anyone else using them needs to stop because it is ruining their rides.

Personally, I don't care. Use them or don't, whatever. I like having the data. I always use a computer. Except on Sunday's because I live in Minnesota.

Seattle Forrest

"Honey, I just got hit hard by a car. Pretty sure my arm is broken, I don't know what else. They're taking me to the ER."

Happened on the hill by my house. She ran to me, got there before they had me loaded into the ambulance. She took the bike home then met me at the hospital with clean clothes and regular shoes. She stayed with me until I got discharged the next evening. Glad I didn't have to go through all of that alone.

Shuffleman

I keep my phone in saddle bag for emergencies only. I never take it out during a ride. I have a basic cateye on my bike. I really only use it for speed and cadence. I try not to get bogged down in the numbers. I am highly competitive but I truly do not care about my heart rate and some other information. I just enjoy riding hard and for reasonably long distances such as 35-100 miles. I like when I get into my zone. It is hard to do that if I am only riding 10-15 miles. Unfortunately, I do not have time for the centuries too often. A nice 50-60 mile ride with no distractions is awesome.

DrIsotope

It's like you went into my head and took my thoughts and typed them out. The responses of many of the "purists" in this thread really remind me why I ride alone. Because these people actually exist, and it kinda scares me.

svtmike

Eh, they tend to say they ride alone. I have a great circle of friends that I ride with often (from racers to rec road riders to triathletes to fat bike only guys) and none of them exhibit the lack of appreciation for the nuance and diversity of the sport that is on prominent display here each and every day.

Stucky

Funny, but I don't see anybody here condemning others or having a problem with the equipment they choose to ride with. I just see some stating their own opinions and feelings on the subject, just as the gadgeteers also do- only us "purists" don't tend to get butt-hurt, nor take it personally when we see the gadgeteers explaining their position. People who tend to read criticisms and condemnations of their own preferences into what others merely state as being their preference/position/understanding, are usually having feelings of inadequacy.

Nerull

Do you even read your own posts? They're one long whine. "Waaaah! Random people I encounter don't ride just like I do! The nerve! Sometimes they're don't even realize how important I am, and check their phones while i'm trying to tell them how wrong they are! Don't they realize they're trivializing life1!111!!"

DrIsotope

Sweet mercy, where to begin.

Anecdotal fallacy from the get go, and a big ol' strawman for sure, genetic fallacy with a dash of ad hominem, and best of all... an appeal to authority operating under the assumption that you yourself are the authority. What you've put together there cannot even be mistaken as a coherent thought. It's just... terrible.

Stucky

So....you read my posts and see:

Amazing....