Viewfinders are nice for when it is harder to view the screen, bright cross lighting, etc. Some viewfinders have a wider field of view than the camera lens, allowing you to anticipate what is coming into frame. Originally put on digital cameras because they were not immediately updating views on the screen at the time, and running the viewscreen runs down the battery faster .

I often don't even look at the view screen. I just aim the camera by feel and shoot.

^^^This. I destroyed the LCD viewfinder on a Canon several years ago just by carrying it in my back jersey pocket on a hot summer ride.

Unfortunately, this is what happens when I try this:)

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/y...s/PICT5403.jpg

Excellent- sort of reminds me of the ground-breaking surrealistic works of the photographers from the sixties and early seventies.

Ha! I've taken a few of those, too. But I have become pretty adept at the over the shoulder shot. Practice makes peferct and taking multiple shots compensates for imperfection. :)

On the road bike I use a Canon Powershot G11, and I keep it in a jersey pocket. Has many of the functions of a DSLR, including shooting in RAW. I've put a hand strap (NOT a wrist strap) on it to make it a little more secure when I hold it, and easier to get in an out of the jersey. I have a padded rack trunk on my mountain bike for toting my DSLR at times.

I've gotten some pretty good results shooting blind. Plenty of throwaways, of course, but some real keepers have come from it.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8004/7...28ec59ee_z.jpg
Ft. Worth Ride of Silence by Yo Spiff, on Flickr

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5446/7...49ba758e_z.jpg
Tour de Fort Worth 5-9-12 by Yo Spiff, on Flickr

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7264/7...79c1fb9c_z.jpg
Tour De Fort Worth 3-21-12 by Yo Spiff, on Flickr