Flip Flop Rider

Didn't want to revive a 4 year old thread and was curious to everyone's thoughts.

When I started riding I didn't have a computer. When I got one, I'm sure my mileage increased (couldn't wait to plug it in and look at the results)

Now, I've gone a couple times and forgot to turn the computer on, and it bothered me, but I don't know why, but it did.

So, I'm interested in your experiences, either using computers, not using computers, and if your habits have changed over the years.

Any comments/insights appreciated!

02Giant 

I track mine. Maybe it's an addiction, it drives me nuts if I loose the connection while riding and the associated data.

caloso

I'm not particularly interested in mileage. I track time and effort; mileage just happens to get tracked along with it.

fietsbob

Only even put a Battery in my one computer I have on my Touring Bike when Im actually going on a Long tour.

Cyclist0084

My interest/devotion/whatever to tracking my mileage kind of comes and goes. Sometimes I'm fanatical about tracking/recording every tenth of a mile and sometimes, like recently, I just hop on my bike and don't give a damn about distance; I'm just on the bike for the enjoyment of the ride.

caloso

To be completely honest, one day I got back from a ride with 99 miles so I rode around the block a few times to get an even 100.

indyfabz

Heh. I have seen plenty of people do that. Once it was during a supported tour across PA. One day turned out to be 98 or so miles to a college where we spent the night. Two guys rode around the campus until they reached 100 miles.

FullGas

I like knowing speed / distance. it takes something away from the ride if the computer goes down.

been tracking yearly mileages for a long time...it motivates to get out some days when I could be lazy and not ride.

10 Wheels

I track miles for tire and chain wear.

When I first started to ride I met a group of high mileage riders.

They recommend I join the local club.

Each year they give nice jersey if one can complete a Century each month of the year.

2nd year became their high mileage rider.



Got Three

blue192

I don't track distance, to me that is like work and I bike to escape work. I find it better to just ride for the enjoyment vs a magic number to kilometers.

rhrgrt

I'm not quite a data junkie, but I've found that I enjoy collecting data on all my rides. I can see precedence for hard weeks, make plans to recover from lazy weeks, and generally keep myself accountable if I have more data.

I also tend to ride more often if I'm gathering data. Having 20 miles to add to the stack makes me more likely to take that chance to ride instead of drive/couchsurf.

Wildwood 

Back in the 80s I tracked saddle time, mileage, HR & cadence. It's not important anymore - just ride the bikes.

Robert C

I do, it is mostly a matter of curiosity. I use a GPS and load the data into Ride with GPS.

Milton Keynes

I guess I'm pretty fanatical about tracking my mileage. But at this point it's mainly to track my endurance and to fulfill my goal of X number of miles per month to make sure I'm getting enough exercise. Plus at the end of the year it's kind of fun to sit back, look at the stats, and say, "man, if I'd ridden all those miles in a straight line, I could have made it to ________." And not only that, keeping track of the number of miles ridden is a good way to keep track of any maintenance which needs to be done on the bike, such as cleaning & lubing the chain every 100 miles or so.

And of course it's fun to brag to your non-biking buddies that you rode X miles last month.

Milton Keynes

I've done that. Not 100 miles, but after a somewhat lengthy ride and see that I have ridden XX.85 miles, I'll keep going until I turn over the next mile.

Drew Eckhardt 

I track mileage.

Since I break rear shift cables within 2500 miles but have never broken one newer than 2000 miles, it's essential to know how far they've been so I can replace them in a timely manner.

It's also useful for looking at consumable longevity so you can buy the same thing or not next time. I was surprised to find I got half the mileage out of GP4 Seasons as Gatorskins, and that GP4000s last about as long as Gatorskins.

Miles are very useful for navigation too. Otherwise intensity and time are more important.

After eschewing computers for over a decade (since my purlple Avocett broke) I got one in 2010, started training with heart rate, and upgraded to a Garmin Edge 500 for training with power. That was entirely worthwhile.

This year I started doing long unsupported solo rides, and after too many wrong turns where multiple roads/paths came together upgraded to an Edge 800 with maps. I also added a dynamo powered USB power supply to handle rides which outlast GPS batteries.

Milton Keynes

I'm thinking of building a solar panel USB charger for my smartphone, which I use the GPS to track my mileage. I've got one I built to provide a trickle charge to gel cell batteries for a different hobby, but I later got a bigger & better solar panel which works better. The one I built mainly consists of four small 3V solar panels in series and a diode to prevent against reverse voltage. All I need to do is install a 5V regulator and determine the pinout for a USB jack. Then I can just plug in the smartphone to the solar panel and get a charge as I ride. The main stumbling block is that I won't need a very long cable, and the one which came with my phone is fairly long. So I'll have to wrap it up a bit. And then there's the matter of mounting the solar panel to the bike. But it should work.

berner

I track mileage also out of curiosity but also, Like 10wheels, I like to know about chain and tire wear. I also keep a log of tire and chain changes so I have and idea when to replace and how many miles on the tires.

Jim from Boston

Do you or don't you? Tracking mileage

I avidly track my data, currently mileage, average speed, time over recurrent routes, and average cadence. Usually during the nice weather I follow a mileage-based century training schedule, and am now doing more speed training, all as part of my commute. As @rhrgrt commented, mileage is motivating.

i replied to the last thread I encountered on this subject, ”Anyone Given Up Their Bike Computer?,”

elizwlsn

This would be me! I just started using Strava so I would have even more info. including maps of where I've been. I anticipate it will help motivate me to go more, go farther.

pseudoware

Sounds like me w/my FitBit walking around the house minutes before midnight trying to get my 10k steps for the day.

Not tracking miles yet, but it's just a matter of when. I recently got my bike and have buying related chit every week, so the Garmin will have it's turn. Just downloaded Strava, too.

elizwlsn

I tried Mapmyride too but like Strava better. I have it on the computer as well. It wasn't real impressive while riding but when I hit finish ride it gave me a map and my mileage and some other info that made me like it better than mapmyride.

SkyDog75

I'll take a glance at the distance as I finish a ride just to make sure I rode "far enough" I guess, but I don't keep a running tally.

RushFan2112

For me, if it's not on Strava it didn't happen.

OldTryGuy

Have tracked mileage on road bike rides since first Huret Cyclometer back in '80s. Mileage on hybrid grocery grabber not too often. Currently my Garmin 920XT tracks mileage while swimming, riding my road bike and walking.