Originally Posted by
2manybikes
The back lit bike computers are for riding in the dark. Very handy if you need to know the time, distance home, etc.
Clearly, backlights are useful for riding in the dark.
Cycling computers, like the Garmin Edge 800, have a display that works OK in sunlight
without the backlight.
Tablets/phones have a display that
requires the backlight and
doesn't work very well, at all, in sunlight.