Originally Posted by
Pat_RI
I have been riding for a bit and finally broke down and bought some shorts and gloves because my hands and rear end were getting sore from riding. I think they should make a big difference but now I am thinking I need a cyclocomputer to see if I can track any improvements. I haven't been really riding any set route I just drive around until I get tired so I don't know the distance, speed, or time (time can be estimated) I am doing. Is a computer really needed if you are riding to lose weight? Is there any good iPhone app to buy that will do the same? Any advice is much appreciated.
Computers are handy, although people were riding bicycles for many years before the first bicycle computer came out, so no, it's not strictly needed. I use mine for a couple of things, and both of my bikes have one. It really depends on what you want to use it for. I use it, in the attempt to ride further and further, so track total distance over a period of time, using a spread sheet, this year I greatly simplified the information I track, and dropped time from the tracking information, so I no longer keep track of average speed, it was pretty pathetic anyway. It is handy to know that you have so much saddle time, in order to remain properly hydrated and fuelled. The problem with phone applications, you need to remember to start the app, which is the difficulty, you get half way to your turn around point and remember you forgot to start the phone app.