I own a cell phone but I don't take it on rides with me either. I don't want to be bothered when I'm riding nor do I want to use the phone to call to have my mommy come get me if I break down; and by the time I call a cop and they come to get someone for trying to sideswipe me or whatever the person is long gone anyways. Most places I ride into I can't even get cell service anyways.

Use a phone for directions? really? you know why there are no bike riders over the age of 50 anymore? They all got lost and are still wandering around trying to find their way back home...my god what a dumb thing to say. People toured all over the world for years before cell phones or GPS's and never cried for something better than just a plain paper map. I'm not saying that a gps isn't a handy little gadget, I'll probably get one to tour the USA, I don't know yet, but I know I will carry a cell phone when that trip happens because today there are very few pay phones around, but for just riding 50 to 70 miles from home I don't carry one.

Look, if you're comfortable having a cell phone with you then fine carry one, but I'm 61 years old and rode for many years before these devices came out and to this day I have no need for one while riding.

Gadgets are just toys for us to amuse ourselves with, I know people who don't even use a bike computer! There's probably some on this forum who don't either, they just want to ride a bike for fun without the hassle of knowing how far they went.