rangerdavid

So I did a workout this afternoon without my Garmin. No speed, no cadence, no power, heart rate, etc......... While I don't feel like I wasted the workout, I had a good ride and a good workout, I really do miss the data and being able to add the mileage to my Strava account. I can guess the mileage, and I know I worked hard because my legs feel like noodles now, but I have no idea the power output, etc.

All in all, I kinda like riding without data.... but I won't do it often at all. But it was still nice.

Do you ever ride without your data?

LowCel 

Are you sure you really rode?

ColtJ

For whats its worth.

I ride with an FR70 watch which tracks distance, speed, cadence and heart rate but i opted for a watch as it remains invisible and i rarely look at it. I check the data when i get home but i try to ride by feel.

Im a bit of a nerd so i fear looking at the data will have an adverse effect.

Coming from riding a fixie, I am used to high cadence and i just ride as hard as i can while maintaining an 85-95+ cadence.

I feel i get the best solo workouts that way then i check the data later to see how i am improving, etc...

bsektzer

One thing I like about the Garmin's and other 'modern' cycling computers is they're small enough that you can, with a minimum of mental discipline, relegate them to the periphery of your field of view, enjoy a casual or particularly scenic ride without concern for the numbers, and still have the data. For that matter, as long as you're not wired, you can just stuff the head in a jersey pocket for the same effect. The first circa 1980 Cats Eye I had was a big and obtrusive as an HP engineering calculator of the same era, and just about impossible to ignore and couldn't comfortably be put anywhere other than right in front of you.

pdedes

I have a garmin 500. I've occasionally forgotten to charge it and had the thing miss some/all of a ride. Used to stress about it. Now, not so much. Riding is funner than not riding.

DataJunkie

I leave the computer at home for family rides.

Vlaam4ever

It's called riding naked. I recommend a full week of it.

I rode all last year without my metrics and actually got used to it. It was a year of comeback after 2 years off the bike. It felt great. I talked to people on group rides, rode with B group, etc. I loved it. I stilled pushed myself and likely rode between 80-120 miles a week for most of the summer, I just had fun finding various group rides, to try them out.

I just insalled a Garmin 500 I purchased on Ebay just to begin tracking my mileage, hr to share my cousins in Belgium. I also really like the Strava segments. Im still getting used to it but feel like like I'm riding for somebody else. I miss the freedom of pushing the pedal just to ride. I'm not good with the perceived efforts so need some metrics. If I dont like I let somebody have it on ebay for a real bargain.

patrickgm60

All my riding is naked. I also have no computer or Garmin..

Camilo

"Needing" the data implies that one is riding for "training", otherwise how could it possibly matter.

Most of us like the data - mileage, total elevation, etc. - just for fun information. If it isn't there, it has absolutely nothing to do with the enjoyment or purpose of the ride.

Homebrew01

I use my powertap for specific interval workouts once in a while ..... 95% of the time no electronics on my rides.

BykOfALesserGod

Some people just need the data to see if they are improving and to track their progress towards their fitness goal.

dnuzzomueller

Personally any around town business or non-training rides are done without a computer or Garmin, any training I always do with my garmin.

rangerdavid

I guess I can't prove it......

rangerdavid

ummm, correct. Hence the title, "training ride"

thump55

Data is highly overrated.

Sincerely,

Brent Spiner

DEK

Don't have a Strava or Garmin or whatever. Don't want one either. I ride for fun.

OK, yes, I have a bike computer to track my miles; so it's not all fun and games.

Jandro 

If it's not on Strava, it didn't happen.

Recreate.me

I opted for a Garmin Forerunner 410, partly because it was super cheap on ebay and partly because it was a watch. Having it on my wrist kind of allows me to forget about it. When i really dig in and put my head down i don't have a screen in my face either. Its nice since it doesn't control the ride like I find a computer did; i was constantly looking at it.

Its also nice because i can wear the watch to the gym, or throughout a day to track heart rate every once in a while, it works well on vacations to track where i have been lol Its basically the same as the 510 for cycling but packed into a watch, for a lot cheaper (at least on ebay lol )

E.S.

Hell, I don't know how you people do it... when I don't have my computer, I have to look down and make sure I'm actually pedaling.

Hiro11

I rode the entire first half of last season without any data whatsoever (not even a computer). I didn't miss much, in fact I felt less distracted. The only reason I joined Strava is for the social aspects.

I used to run with a (retired) Olympian distance runner and he told me that at his peak he ran all of his longer and tempo runs on feel alone. He'd only time his interval track workouts. I've also read that there's increasing evidence that guaging your effort level by how you feel is more accurate than any external metric like power.

laserfj

Don't mean to hijack, but it looks like strava added ctl, atl, tss to their website.

Anyone played around with it at all?

IthaDan 

What if you make a thread talking about it?

The interwebs MUST be notified of every ride.

Jandro 

I wouldn't be able to see your segments times, though. It's all about the medals.

IthaDan 

Better than nothing.

eja_ bottecchia

If it ain't on Strava, it never happened. A ride without data is like a day without sunshine.