Right now, I'm using my phone to record my rides, etc. The main reason is I haven't wanted to fork out the money for a cycling computer, but I'm sure one day I will. I love the saying at the end: "If you follow the crowd, you'll only get as far as the crowd." Well done.
I’ve been cycling for over 50 years. Never had one, never felt I need one and will never get one. Just listen to your body. If you are training to improve a watch is enough to tell you all you need to know. If you cycle regularly you will improve but some days are better than others. Same thing with the Lycra. I will never understand why people feel it’s necessary.
Hear hear! Also, regular clothes can be moisture wicking; no need to be clammy! Good shorts, Bedrock sandals, and a fly-fishing shirt. That's proper kit!
I have been cycling for even longer - mainly touring but I cycle every day, 356 days a week. And, while I too don't like Lycra, I certainly have discovered the benefits of cycling-specific clothing and fabric - even if with me that is mountain biking clothing. It makes a massive difference. And I am someone that cycled for around 40 years either in a pair of old shorts and a T-shirt or jeans. Give it a try, I suspect you might not look back. And it doesn't have to be Lycra
The huge difference between a cycling computer and a phone is battery life I love to go bikepacking so I need a way to navigate. If i used a phone, it'd need a large power bank to keep it working
I was using a free app on my phone in place of a computer. It really didn’t do well for navigating. As I ventured further out, I decided to get a Garmin to keep me on course and to reroute me if needed. Since my rides are more and more on roads with cars, I also bought a Varia taillight to go with the computer. Just having the radar is worth the investment.
You say computer, I say sat nav. They can't give sat navigation away for cars, for a bike it's 300 pounds. I have enough stats from my phone / watch. If you want to get fitter, do you feel fitter are you riding faster , does the hill get easier?. Can you see more of your feet? K I S S. Keep It Simple Stupid.
If its not on strava..............all those lovely stats and graphs.....love riding,, love the stats afterwards re-living it again.(and learning what worked and what didnt)
I've been using some kind of cycling computer for the last 40 years (am I that f'ing old?!). I remember just strapping a watch on my handle bar. Then, I went to something that showed a clock, speed and distance. We had paper turn by turn route notes clipped to the stem. Now the main use of my Wahoo is in group rides. I don't worry about getting off the route on our rural roads, I can get ahead or way behind and still know the way to go. Knowing the temperature and % grade of a climb is cool, too. I look forward (10-15 years?) to an e bike with a cool computer. Do I need a bike computer, no. Maybe just a paper map and compass (or a sunny sky)!
Hi L! I'm done with the bike computer (I thought) When I was in Mallorca this winter, I sat on my old computer out of old habit. I didn't have a heart rate belt with me and only used the map function. Well, found out that an app on the phone was better for creating new routes and got it transferred to the computer.
i have a garmin watch, and it's the cheap one; a forerunner35. basically i use it to upload rides to strava. i like it because i can also use it to track windsurfing, xc skiing, mtn biking, etc. it also has the advantage of NOT being a dashboard on a ride; if i want to see any data, i have to lift my wrist. if i want to look at ride data, i can do that during my post-ride beer.
I’ve got the Forerunner 45, but find that recording a long ride kills the battery life. I normally only recharge every 5 days, but if used as a a GPS, needs recharging after even a short ride.
@@Trevor.Adams640 true; i did an overnight across prince edward island; i stayed in a motel overnight and had to recharge my taillight, my watch and my phone.
I just came back from a 3 day ride . Was going to use a hr monitor but decided not to bother as too much hassle . I did not set my watch to start tracking cycling , but when I got back home the watch had automatically recorded my cycle time using intelligent mode? with hr included which turned out very accurate . I could still quickly view my hr on the bike if needed to . But the watch did not need charging for 3 full days where as if I had set it to record it would have only lasted only a day . For the route I used my wahoo bolt
I've never been interested in all that data. Current speed and distance were all I really cared about when I got the obligatory Cateye in 1988, at 10% the price of the bike! Interestingly, my first bike without _any_ cyclocomputer was a build from that same year, the components looked beautiful but a computer from the era looked crap! Now I generally only keep ones that are already there, you honestly feel faster when you don't know how fast you are going!
I use Komoot for my rides because I am only touring and I can upload the route, elevation, time and photos at the end of the ride. Works fine on the Samsung mobile and battery life not a problem.
Just use a basic computer that gives your distance, time, average speed etc. I generally ignore it while riding but note the time and average speed afterwards to gauge where my fitness is. But I'm still using a 52/42 combo, 700x23s and a 13-23 cassette so I'm well and truly stuck in the past.
Best computer I have brought is a mio cyclo great large display, for ageing eyes 👀 decent battery life and " surprise me " mode, punch in you milage and works out a lovely route! Every time!
Old iphone 11 with strava lasts 4+ hours. Navigation is better visible than those garmins. Downside strava lacks sensor support (which i don’t have). I think the garmin like companies force strava not to implement those features in exchange for strava integration. But there are other apps I haven’t tried yet. It just feels silly to buy a separate computer while my phone already has gps and a better screen.
my old wahoo elemnt bolt v1, basic dot matrix display is probably the best investment/value for money cycling kit I've had over the years (thanks for picking it up when I dropped on the eclipse after the powder monkey!). You can do everything with your phone but it's nice to have something designed to be on the bike - I love having real-time metrics and then all the GPS data to go through afterwards plus route following functions are good too. You don't have to go for the main brands, plenty of better value alternatives out there that'll provide the same functions just not the big brand names :)
I think there is a lot to be said for having a dedicated, convenient device. I’m surprised either of us remember anything about our Powder Monkey trip!
I just bougt my first cycling computer, been riding for 5 years without any problems. But it does make a different, especially for me right now when I`m following a training programme.
I actually bought my first computer the Bryton 420 after watching your video on it strangely enough. So impressed I upgraded to the 750 3 months later. Now have the S800. Absolutely love it and really punches well above its weight at half the price of the so called market leaders. Certainly don’t follow the crowd but in a constant battle to self improvement I certainly wouldn’t want to be without mine. Enhances our wonderful hobby no end. Thanks for your efforts on here Leonard.
I love it for navigation and exactly what you said monitoring effort through heart rate. Linked with Garmin connect I have really cut down on overdoing it. Also bought it second hand and I have recently discovered it is pretty good for routing on hikes as well. Plan the route on OS Maps and then export from OS App to Garmin Connect and then download to the Edge Explore for my hike. Haven’t gone wrong yet.
I love my bike computer. The main reason is I am not beholden to someone leading me on a ride. I can and do plot new rides of 80/90 kms and no fear of getting lost. Rides in new areas with 3 cue sheets of turns are a pleasure. I have become the go to fellow to lead the group. Otherwise they stay home or do short boring rides. The numbers are a bonus.
I love to know what I’ve done on a ride, both for route and my performance but I’m very happy with my little a Garmin Edge 130. IT’s navigation is basic, but I tend to know where I’m going, so it’s perfect for me.
Ride With GPS is my cycling computer. It works with the display off while recording rides. I don't know how many rides the "library " can hold. My wireless basic computer just records distances and sometimes I obscure the speed field. Phone battery can be replenished with a small backup USBC battery pack. No longer a racing cyclist, I don't aim to ride any faster. Instead I rely on a 19 inch gear to eventually surmount that once in 6 months giant hill.
I use a Garmin Connect watch style and like the heart rate,zone, distance, and speed. It connects with the cell phone and records it all. Easy to use and it was inexpensive at the time I purchased it.
Use a £15 CATEYE set up to show speed, (mph), and distance. Ride from Portsmouth to West Meon and around that area so don't need maps, measure my performance by the speed I hit especially uphill, not bothered about cadence, watts, heart rate etc. I do though like the computers that show hill details like the gradient and where you are etc.
Literally just have a beeline vello 2 for a 'sat nav'. Not interested in power data or how steep the next hill is. Just need to know where I'm going. Kind of know what's to come when I plot my routes in advance & if I can't breathe I know I'm pushing it to far.
I used my phone for a while, but the glare and overheating made it tricky. Once I fully committed to cycling, I rewarded myself with a nice bike computer. I use a wahoo Roam 2.
I've got a cycling computer. I always record my rides and see the results at the end of the ride. Besides that, the only reason i use a cycling computer is for the navigation map just in case i take a path or route that I have no clue about, I use it to reach my specific destination.
Sometimes I wear a Garmin smart watch basically a bike comp on your wrist. Only difference is you cannot look at your data without rotating the wrist. You can ride by feel and not get to obsessed with numbers ie average speed, HR Zones, Power etc
I was happily recording my rides with my Apple Watch which now supports bluetooth sensors. Then I got a Garmin Varia radar and a new bike. While there is an app that shows and makes the sounds, I now wanted to see my numbers and could not look at the watch all the time. Trying apps that show numbers and Varia info and alerts but I just do not like looking at the phone in bright sunlight where the screen is barely visible at full blast so it is a cycling computer for me now. Garmin 1030 arriving in a few days. I am using the Cadence app right now which is fine but the phone is not for me.
Once i discovered Strava last May (thanks for that, by the way), I figured I didn’t need to get a cycling computer. Add in a heart rate monitor in January and it feels like I have all the numbers I need. A mount for phone would be handy though. It’d be interesting to numbers in real time, and then I think why not get a computer to see all the numbers in real time? A computer may be in my near future. And thank you for your thoughts on my FB page. I appreciate it, and Gordon left one too. I look forward to riding with you both again.
Hey Kevan, we are all in it together so we need to offer support no matter how small. Hopefully we’ll do another ride together; South Africa next year?
I've had a few over the years, and I probably do still have one or two somewhere, but I'm pretty much done with them. I just use my garmen watch for data tracking, and if I really need a map I use my phone with a quad-loc, but even that I use like few times per year.
@@jollygoodvelo oh it's not really a computer, just a normal GPS watch. I just have a basic Garmin forerunner 245, it has all sorts of activities including of course cycling.
Wow you been posting videos for almost 20 years, thats true dedication that. Very inspiring for the likes of myself who is fairly new to being a TH-cam content creator.
No more racing, still keep mine for commuting. My Default page is map with speed and clock and that's mostly all the time. As for commuting, clock always the key. Maps keep me noticed where i am. Of course I do also use a fenix watch and leave my computer at home. But in summer days it's really not a good experence with a watch on whrists. It's just not really a cycling computer but a dashboard just like how i drive. I will always have clock speed and map on while i drive. Totally same.
I use six - 6 - apps on my phone when cycling, plus my smart watch. I adore data and there’s so much being recorded. Just for the record and pure enjoyment of analysis. Hi Leonard, by the way.
I’m not really interested in heart rate or cadence, I just record distance and speed. I like to keep stats of how far I’ve ridden in a day, week, month or year, so the computer is very useful for that. I also use it to navigate if I’m somewhere away from home. Garmin 520 Plus is what I use. I’ve always recorded my mileage, even back in the day (1970’s) when we had a star wheel ticker on the front fork!
I gauge my rides by taking snapshots with a phone at certain points (typically, start, finish, intermediate pee or rest points) and knowing time and distance between them can measure my progression. Watched this after considering if it's time to get proper computer) and decided to not bother this time. Have a good rides!
Good points. I use one but a good alternative is to use a watch when I don't want to focus on data, shorter rides etc. My Garmin watch still connects to sensors etc. Also, is that the new Hollyland mic? I am interested in that but not sure how it would be on the bike, wind etc
I tried using my phone but it flogs the battery plus I want it for videos and photos. Now I've switched to a map & compass and a £9 Wilko's bike computer for the mileage, average speed metrics as an improvement measure. Maps don't go flat or loose signal.
Tell me how far I’ve gone. Allow me to backtrack my route, HR is handy. After the ride let me see elevation, average speed, etc. I can do this on my Apple watch. I have a Garmin Edge that’s about 7 years old or so now. I’m not racing so I have no need to upload my “performance.” Just enjoy the bike.
Tried a Garmin 130 edge plus last year and a lot of times it would take 3 or 4 times to to transfer data to my phone. Apparently this is a common problem. so I decided its not worth the aggravation and i went back to a basic Cateye padrone odometer -speedometer which to me is all i need. I just wanna know how far and how long i was out there .No interest in using a Power meter. I can do speed work using my Cateye speedometer , odometer and a clock . Thanks for the video.
Nice to see the Umbrian countryside again. I miss the farmhouse. I still do not have a cycling computer. I think the only thing I would really use one for is having the gps map to help me avoid getting lost (as I often have). As an aside, what do you use for a microphone while riding, and what device captures that audio?
Hey Steve, for the audio I just use the camera with one of these foam windshields. Are you thinking of doing the commentary to your videos while you are cycling? If you want to stay off camera, I would suggest getting one of these DJI mics as it will allow you to capture the audio internally and separate from the camera. If you need any technical advice PM me and we can chat.
I love my cycle computer, particularly for Mapping. Often though, I put the screen into battery save mode so the screen stays off (but still records) & I can look at the scenery instead.
Not really . We always measured fitness by feel back in the day . Like the four seasons alternate . Come April May you could feel the form return naturally after a standard Winter mileage increase . The basic Cateye mileage ones were as far as I take it anyway .
I NEED one because I use it to ride a programmed route. I could do that with my phone, but then I would have to turn on data and that would give me notifications. It would drain my battery and besides it's way too big. Also stuff like mileage and (average) speed are nice to have and an automated way to record my rides. If I were to actually train I would probably want a power meter and/or at least a HRM and then I would really (really) need a cycling computer to track and show all. Also my cycling computer is way way cheaper than my phone (and won't get damaged in the rain)
I just stuff my allrounder Garmin eTre😢x 20x into aocket or somewhere and forget about it until back home or journey finished. I like to see the basic info re kms covered, average and max speed, and route. If a new one save it to Basecamp. Does for bike rides, walks and horserides (and car). Don't need anything more. The info it gives me is enough. And I enjoy the scenery.
Hello Leonard, An interesting topic... I agree if you cant measure it you can't improvement... It was extremely useful when I was training to race, but on recovery rides I would leave it at home so that i was not drawn into chasing numbers... See you next time... Take care. Paul,,
It's simple, we don't need it until we do 😅. I didn't want one, used the phone and then got one. It makes me enjoy my rides more, shows me how i train, guides me and is now part of my cycling experience. Although even more I really use my watch. Without it, my cycling computer is worthless. I broadcast my heart rate from the watch to my computer since being a big rider, heart rate belts don't fit me at all.
I recently got a cycling computer as I ride with a group and sometimes I lag behind and with the computer I can get back with the group. Otherwise, I don’t think it’s necessary.
Road bike = cycle computer. I like to see my results and have a dedicated ’thing’ to record my ride and metrics (HR, cadence, speed, distance) and I still stop/look up and enjoy my ride. Everything else = fitness band. Cafe rides and gravel rides are slower and to enjoy myself a bit more and be sociable or goof around. I don't need to navigate or see my metrics.
No need to spend hundreds and hundreds on a computer. I use Sigma Rox 4.0 got it for €60, I only use heart rate sensor, which was another €30. It does all I need, logs the route with basic stats, has navigation with re-routing, 24hr battery, barometer, thermometer, auto light etc, Sigma app can push the rides to Strava and is connected to Komoot. I ride to the heart rate like you, especially in climbs. I use the computer and Strava mainly for logging the rides, it's nice to look back to see where I rode and how am I doing compared to previous years. Back in the 90s when I started to ride I logged the rides in paper diary - so the data from a simple computer minus the GPS track. These days I use Strava pretty much in the same way.
Been swinging a leg over a bicycle for well over 45 years and I have never used a cycling computer, I'll let my body do the talking for me, one thing for sure when cutting through the gut of a busy city doing a good clip, there's no time to be looking at a computer because you just might end up rear ending a car, this happened to a friend of mine, one second he's next to me and the next he not, Bang! He had a confrontation with a parked car, he was playing with his cycling computer.
"I just like looking at the numbers" agreed!! speed - heart rate - vo2 Max - elevation - funny thing the only number that matters the most (to me) is DISTANCE!
I have a cheap hardwired computer on my bike for speed and distance costing about £10. I have a good phone app for tracking and setting and following routes. What more do I need?
I definitely need my Garmin computer, because I'm riding for fitness and fun, and those numbers are part of it, I'm also wearing my Garmin forerunner watches for daily use and for running, so I have all my numbers in the connect app. It's useful for keeping my fitness, as I'm approaching 50 😉
I record my ride on my Garmin watch & my Wahoo Element Roam, then I delete the data from Garmin once finished, I’m so hooked on stats…I HAVE to record twice just incase my wahoo doesn’t work!. I’m addicted I know!😂
Touring and bikepacking. Navigation, route copying and swapping. Wahoo Roam. Great gadget. Better match of battery and functions than with a phone. IMHO.
I ride by myself. So, can't say I "follow the crowd". My last computer was mysteriously "lost" and it took a few days to get to the point where I felt comfortable riding without it. Still, I was constantly curious as to how many miles, etc. Yes, I have a phone which I tend to use for higher end tech purposes - like making phone calls when I need a ride home. It took me about 6 months to decide to buy a cheap GPS unit with a bunch of capabilities that I have no interest in or any idea as to how to make work. No, I'm not going to read the directions any further. If I ever decide to buy one of the more expensive ones (for some mysterious reason I'm incapable of expressing) the cost of Garmin, Wahoo, etc., will have had to drop to about $10 each.
I have a gps computer. I need the GPS because my brains location ability has greatly diminished over the last 10 years, allows me to find my way home. I dial up 120bpm, and 90 cadence, I can go all day long and not feel tired. I generally do not look at where I have been on previous rides. I do not focus on the computer, just check every now and then to keep tabs on not over straining myself. Over doing it, is fun when I was 20, but at 70, has lost its appeal.
"You can't improve if you can't measure it." Considering these things have only been around back to when, 1990 or whenever, how can that be true? A guy can improve all the time over months by getting in his road time and simply doing his routines. You drop some weight, you get fitter, stronger, and faster, and have better endurance and better wind for it. That's by being consistent about it. A gimmick isn't required at all. You can make estimates without being exact or having a GPS glued to your forehead. A watch is pretty useful, but that's not what you were getting at. That's all totally besides the fact that not everyone is a road cyclist or a road cyclist all the time. Much less likely that someone who isn't a roadie is going to see the "need" for those gadgets. But you're right about it being about following the herd, keeping up with the Jones', being a lemming. For that matter, I'd assert that all the cell phone fixation and neurosis leads to bike computer fixation and some degree of neurosis, whereby most cannot even consider normal routines or activities without having some beeping, buttoned, flashing device much like a pacifier jammed into a baby's mouth all the time. I don't need that and this mentality reinforces my mindset. This also reminds me of certain types of (pod) people and the ersatz China vax jabs versus my resolve against it based on an utter lack of necessity or value, among other things. There are differences but there are great similarities too. A groupthink mentality, or lack of thinking mentality is part of it.
@@jollygoodvelo If so, then the average insight into life is very poor. Both things reflect a herd mentality right off. Both things also reflect either a false need or a lack of necessity. But that was simply to make a point not to discuss China vax jabbing or those who advocate it.
8 หลายเดือนก่อน +1
Great video! I'm on the lookout for a bike computer but can't decide between the Garmin edge 540 or 1040. Details, as always 😁 Keep up the good work! Cheers
@@jollygoodvelo I meant 840 vs 1040. I know they're all good but I'm deciding between a bigger/smaller display. I've also started riding a mountain bike from time to time and I think that maybe the larger size could be a problem
It's kinda "jpg or did not happen" -situation. No recording on training and then it's just strolling. 😁 I am just using my phone with sports tracker.. yes, I raise my hand up to be "got to hold that average speed" -number geek. 😝So better to keep screen shut if want avoid "number sickness". Hr monitor I tossed away (decades ago) when trained running. My heart is a speed ticker and had average beats over 180 even regular 10km run. On walking got 160 broken so that beeper ruined all enjoyment of doing anything. 😖 Weather at the moment here southern Finland; -4C and snowing. 😖😣😡Spring cancelled 2024, as it was last Year.
Right now, I'm using my phone to record my rides, etc. The main reason is I haven't wanted to fork out the money for a cycling computer, but I'm sure one day I will. I love the saying at the end: "If you follow the crowd, you'll only get as far as the crowd." Well done.
If it works, no need to change it.
@@jollygoodvelo Hey, can you recommend an app?
Cheers,
- sack'o'pudding in Toronto
@@sujoygupta2922 Strava or Kamoot are pretty good.
@@jollygoodvelo Leo, I love the channel.
And thank you
I’ve been cycling for over 50 years. Never had one, never felt I need one and will never get one. Just listen to your body. If you are training to improve a watch is enough to tell you all you need to know. If you cycle regularly you will improve but some days are better than others. Same thing with the Lycra. I will never understand why people feel it’s necessary.
Exactly my feelings.
Every glance at a bike computer is a missed opportunity to see scenery, dogs and potholes
Thank you.
I just hate the feeling of being all cold and clammy wearing regular clothes on the bike.
Hear hear! Also, regular clothes can be moisture wicking; no need to be clammy! Good shorts, Bedrock sandals, and a fly-fishing shirt. That's proper kit!
A man after my own heart. No computer, no Lycra. Trust your body.
I have been cycling for even longer - mainly touring but I cycle every day, 356 days a week. And, while I too don't like Lycra, I certainly have discovered the benefits of cycling-specific clothing and fabric - even if with me that is mountain biking clothing. It makes a massive difference. And I am someone that cycled for around 40 years either in a pair of old shorts and a T-shirt or jeans. Give it a try, I suspect you might not look back. And it doesn't have to be Lycra
At 71 I use my computer to monitor heart rate. It shows me when I’m pushing too hard even though I don’t feel it. Good advice as usual LEONARD
The huge difference between a cycling computer and a phone is battery life
I love to go bikepacking so I need a way to navigate. If i used a phone, it'd need a large power bank to keep it working
Indeed battery like on phones is a massive issue
I was using a free app on my phone in place of a computer. It really didn’t do well for navigating. As I ventured further out, I decided to get a Garmin to keep me on course and to reroute me if needed. Since my rides are more and more on roads with cars, I also bought a Varia taillight to go with the computer. Just having the radar is worth the investment.
Varias are fantastic such an excellent safety innovation.
Good video. 👍
Never used one. I'm not an Athlete. Neither are 99% of us.
Enjoy the ride. You can judge your fitness by intuition.
I’m not an athlete either!
But how do you quantify your fitness ?
@@rwo5402 you'll definitely know if you're getting fitter.
eg. Less blowing at the top of the hill and you'll be faster than your mate.😄
Each to their own. I love my Garmin.
You say computer, I say sat nav. They can't give sat navigation away for cars, for a bike it's 300 pounds.
I have enough stats from my phone / watch.
If you want to get fitter, do you feel fitter are you riding faster , does the hill get easier?.
Can you see more of your feet?
K I S S.
Keep It Simple Stupid.
If its not on strava..............all those lovely stats and graphs.....love riding,, love the stats afterwards re-living it again.(and learning what worked and what didnt)
I like that; re-living it. It’s very true.
I've been using some kind of cycling computer for the last 40 years (am I that f'ing old?!). I remember just strapping a watch on my handle bar. Then, I went to something that showed a clock, speed and distance. We had paper turn by turn route notes clipped to the stem. Now the main use of my Wahoo is in group rides. I don't worry about getting off the route on our rural roads, I can get ahead or way behind and still know the way to go. Knowing the temperature and % grade of a climb is cool, too. I look forward (10-15 years?) to an e bike with a cool computer.
Do I need a bike computer, no. Maybe just a paper map and compass (or a sunny sky)!
Sunny sky?? What’s that??
Hi L! I'm done with the bike computer (I thought) When I was in Mallorca this winter, I sat on my old computer out of old habit. I didn't have a heart rate belt with me and only used the map function. Well, found out that an app on the phone was better for creating new routes and got it transferred to the computer.
i have a garmin watch, and it's the cheap one; a forerunner35. basically i use it to upload rides to strava. i like it because i can also use it to track windsurfing, xc skiing, mtn biking, etc.
it also has the advantage of NOT being a dashboard on a ride; if i want to see any data, i have to lift my wrist. if i want to look at ride data, i can do that during my post-ride beer.
Great point; a watch is fantastic if you are doing different activities
I’ve got the Forerunner 45, but find that recording a long ride kills the battery life. I normally only recharge every 5 days, but if used as a a GPS, needs recharging after even a short ride.
@@Trevor.Adams640 true; i did an overnight across prince edward island; i stayed in a motel overnight and had to recharge my taillight, my watch and my phone.
I just came back from a 3 day ride . Was going to use a hr monitor but decided not to bother as too much hassle . I did not set my watch to start tracking cycling , but when I got back home the watch had automatically recorded my cycle time using intelligent mode? with hr included which turned out very accurate . I could still quickly view my hr on the bike if needed to . But the watch did not need charging for 3 full days where as if I had set it to record it would have only lasted only a day . For the route I used my wahoo bolt
I definitely need the cycling computer. I like to know my numbers.. things I can do with out is.
1) helmet
2) cycling shoes
3) padded shorts
I’m with you on all three.
1, all the time without. 2, all the time without. 3, some of the time without. But I'd also say that wanting is not the same as needing.
I've never been interested in all that data. Current speed and distance were all I really cared about when I got the obligatory Cateye in 1988, at 10% the price of the bike! Interestingly, my first bike without _any_ cyclocomputer was a build from that same year, the components looked beautiful but a computer from the era looked crap! Now I generally only keep ones that are already there, you honestly feel faster when you don't know how fast you are going!
I use Komoot for my rides because I am only touring and I can upload the route, elevation, time and photos at the end of the ride. Works fine on the Samsung mobile and battery life not a problem.
Just use a basic computer that gives your distance, time, average speed etc. I generally ignore it while riding but note the time and average speed afterwards to gauge where my fitness is. But I'm still using a 52/42 combo, 700x23s and a 13-23 cassette so I'm well and truly stuck in the past.
Best computer I have brought is a mio cyclo great large display, for ageing eyes 👀 decent battery life and " surprise me " mode, punch in you milage and works out a lovely route! Every time!
Definitely waterproof as mine went in the washing machine and come out perfectly ok
Old iphone 11 with strava lasts 4+ hours.
Navigation is better visible than those garmins.
Downside strava lacks sensor support (which i don’t have). I think the garmin like companies force strava not to implement those features in exchange for strava integration.
But there are other apps I haven’t tried yet.
It just feels silly to buy a separate computer while my phone already has gps and a better screen.
my old wahoo elemnt bolt v1, basic dot matrix display is probably the best investment/value for money cycling kit I've had over the years (thanks for picking it up when I dropped on the eclipse after the powder monkey!). You can do everything with your phone but it's nice to have something designed to be on the bike - I love having real-time metrics and then all the GPS data to go through afterwards plus route following functions are good too. You don't have to go for the main brands, plenty of better value alternatives out there that'll provide the same functions just not the big brand names :)
I think there is a lot to be said for having a dedicated, convenient device. I’m surprised either of us remember anything about our Powder Monkey trip!
@@jollygoodvelo :)
I just bougt my first cycling computer, been riding for 5 years without any problems. But it does make a different, especially for me right now when I`m following a training programme.
I actually bought my first computer the Bryton 420 after watching your video on it strangely enough. So impressed I upgraded to the 750 3 months later. Now have the S800. Absolutely love it and really punches well above its weight at half the price of the so called market leaders. Certainly don’t follow the crowd but in a constant battle to self improvement I certainly wouldn’t want to be without mine. Enhances our wonderful hobby no end. Thanks for your efforts on here Leonard.
Glad I could help in some way.
I just have basic one im more interested in my polar and at moment having fun on my rollers
I love it for navigation and exactly what you said monitoring effort through heart rate. Linked with Garmin connect I have really cut down on overdoing it. Also bought it second hand and I have recently discovered it is pretty good for routing on hikes as well. Plan the route on OS Maps and then export from OS App to Garmin Connect and then download to the Edge Explore for my hike. Haven’t gone wrong yet.
Navigation is a really great feature
I have a garmin watch that records all my activities either to the garmin app or strava.. I've never thought of using anything else..
I love my bike computer. The main reason is I am not beholden to someone leading me on a ride. I can and do plot new rides of 80/90 kms and no fear of getting lost. Rides in new areas with 3 cue sheets of turns are a pleasure. I have become the go to fellow to lead the group. Otherwise they stay home or do short boring rides. The numbers are a bonus.
Must admit I do like the security of following a ride leader even when I follow a route on my computer.
I love to know what I’ve done on a ride, both for route and my performance but I’m very happy with my little a Garmin Edge 130. IT’s navigation is basic, but I tend to know where I’m going, so it’s perfect for me.
Ride With GPS is my cycling computer. It works with the display off while recording rides. I don't know how many rides the "library " can hold. My wireless basic computer just records distances and sometimes I obscure the speed field. Phone battery can be replenished with a small backup USBC battery pack. No longer a racing cyclist, I don't aim to ride any faster. Instead I rely on a 19 inch gear to eventually surmount that once in 6 months giant hill.
I use a Garmin Connect watch style and like the heart rate,zone, distance, and speed. It connects with the cell phone and records it all. Easy to use and it was inexpensive at the time I purchased it.
Use a £15 CATEYE set up to show speed, (mph), and distance. Ride from Portsmouth to West Meon and around that area so don't need maps, measure my performance by the speed I hit especially uphill, not bothered about cadence, watts, heart rate etc.
I do though like the computers that show hill details like the gradient and where you are etc.
I don’t use a computer I tend to listen to my legs and lungs to tell when to take it easier on a climb or when I am feeling good to move quicker.
I have a Garmin edge eplore 2 for navigation I'm awful with directions and it's let me travel further than i would dare without one.
Literally just have a beeline vello 2 for a 'sat nav'. Not interested in power data or how steep the next hill is. Just need to know where I'm going.
Kind of know what's to come when I plot my routes in advance & if I can't breathe I know I'm pushing it to far.
I used my phone for a while, but the glare and overheating made it tricky. Once I fully committed to cycling, I rewarded myself with a nice bike computer. I use a wahoo Roam 2.
I have a couple of the Garmin I use myself. I really like them.
I found Garmin a little flaky. I love my Hammerhead Karoo.
I've got a cycling computer. I always record my rides and see the results at the end of the ride. Besides that, the only reason i use a cycling computer is for the navigation map just in case i take a path or route that I have no clue about, I use it to reach my specific destination.
Sometimes I wear a Garmin smart watch basically a bike comp on your wrist. Only difference is you cannot look at your data without rotating the wrist. You can ride by feel and not get to obsessed with numbers ie average speed, HR Zones, Power etc
I was happily recording my rides with my Apple Watch which now supports bluetooth sensors. Then I got a Garmin Varia radar and a new bike. While there is an app that shows and makes the sounds, I now wanted to see my numbers and could not look at the watch all the time. Trying apps that show numbers and Varia info and alerts but I just do not like looking at the phone in bright sunlight where the screen is barely visible at full blast so it is a cycling computer for me now. Garmin 1030 arriving in a few days. I am using the Cadence app right now which is fine but the phone is not for me.
Hopefully you’ll enjoy using the Garmin when it arrives.
Once i discovered Strava last May (thanks for that, by the way), I figured I didn’t need to get a cycling computer. Add in a heart rate monitor in January and it feels like I have all the numbers I need. A mount for phone would be handy though.
It’d be interesting to numbers in real time, and then I think why not get a computer to see all the numbers in real time? A computer may be in my near future.
And thank you for your thoughts on my FB page. I appreciate it, and Gordon left one too. I look forward to riding with you both again.
Hey Kevan, we are all in it together so we need to offer support no matter how small. Hopefully we’ll do another ride together; South Africa next year?
I’d like to. Great scenery. Big ride at the end. I’d spend a couple weeks visiting my sis, get used to time change, then hop down.
I have a Wahoo Roam V2 and a Wahoo Elemnt V1.
I enjoy the data collection but see no need to adding even more data like Strava.
I've had a few over the years, and I probably do still have one or two somewhere, but I'm pretty much done with them. I just use my garmen watch for data tracking, and if I really need a map I use my phone with a quad-loc, but even that I use like few times per year.
Hey Bruce, I’ve not really tried a watch style computer.
@@jollygoodvelo oh it's not really a computer, just a normal GPS watch. I just have a basic Garmin forerunner 245, it has all sorts of activities including of course cycling.
I love the Omata One for its simplicity analogue view but still records all the data to Strava should you need it.
Wow you been posting videos for almost 20 years, thats true dedication that.
Very inspiring for the likes of myself who is fairly new to being a TH-cam content creator.
Yes, I was one of the first if not the first bike maintenance videos on TH-cam.
No more racing, still keep mine for commuting. My Default page is map with speed and clock and that's mostly all the time. As for commuting, clock always the key. Maps keep me noticed where i am. Of course I do also use a fenix watch and leave my computer at home. But in summer days it's really not a good experence with a watch on whrists. It's just not really a cycling computer but a dashboard just like how i drive. I will always have clock speed and map on while i drive. Totally same.
I use six - 6 - apps on my phone when cycling, plus my smart watch. I adore data and there’s so much being recorded. Just for the record and pure enjoyment of analysis. Hi Leonard, by the way.
I’m not really interested in heart rate or cadence, I just record distance and speed. I like to keep stats of how far I’ve ridden in a day, week, month or year, so the computer is very useful for that. I also use it to navigate if I’m somewhere away from home. Garmin 520 Plus is what I use.
I’ve always recorded my mileage, even back in the day (1970’s) when we had a star wheel ticker on the front fork!
Classic!
I gauge my rides by taking snapshots with a phone at certain points (typically, start, finish, intermediate pee or rest points) and knowing time and distance between them can measure my progression. Watched this after considering if it's time to get proper computer) and decided to not bother this time. Have a good rides!
You too.
Good points. I use one but a good alternative is to use a watch when I don't want to focus on data, shorter rides etc. My Garmin watch still connects to sensors etc. Also, is that the new Hollyland mic? I am interested in that but not sure how it would be on the bike, wind etc
I tried using my phone but it flogs the battery plus I want it for videos and photos. Now I've switched to a map & compass and a £9 Wilko's bike computer for the mileage, average speed metrics as an improvement measure.
Maps don't go flat or loose signal.
Tell me how far I’ve gone. Allow me to backtrack my route, HR is handy. After the ride let me see elevation, average speed, etc.
I can do this on my Apple watch.
I have a Garmin Edge that’s about 7 years old or so now. I’m not racing so I have no need to upload my “performance.” Just enjoy the bike.
Tried a Garmin 130 edge plus last year and a lot of times it would take 3 or 4 times to to transfer data to my phone. Apparently this is a common problem. so I decided its not worth the aggravation and i went back to a basic Cateye padrone odometer -speedometer which to me is all i need. I just wanna know how far and how long i was out there .No interest in using a Power meter. I can do speed work using my Cateye speedometer , odometer and a clock . Thanks for the video.
Yes , Garmin can be very flaky.
Nice to see the Umbrian countryside again. I miss the farmhouse. I still do not have a cycling computer. I think the only thing I would really use one for is having the gps map to help me avoid getting lost (as I often have).
As an aside, what do you use for a microphone while riding, and what device captures that audio?
Hey Steve, for the audio I just use the camera with one of these foam windshields. Are you thinking of doing the commentary to your videos while you are cycling? If you want to stay off camera, I would suggest getting one of these DJI mics as it will allow you to capture the audio internally and separate from the camera. If you need any technical advice PM me and we can chat.
I love my cycle computer, particularly for Mapping.
Often though, I put the screen into battery save mode so the screen stays off (but still records) & I can look at the scenery instead.
Good plan.
Well, been there done that. Now I just enjoy the scenery.
I enjoy having my Wahoo Element Bolt but i probably could use the data more to my advantage
I use a Garmin and also run Strava on my phone . I run both usually at same time.
Not really . We always measured fitness by feel back in the day . Like the four seasons alternate . Come April May you could feel the form return naturally after a standard Winter mileage increase . The basic Cateye mileage ones were as far as I take it anyway .
Feel is good but I find the numbers a little more scientific.
I NEED one because I use it to ride a programmed route. I could do that with my phone, but then I would have to turn on data and that would give me notifications. It would drain my battery and besides it's way too big. Also stuff like mileage and (average) speed are nice to have and an automated way to record my rides. If I were to actually train I would probably want a power meter and/or at least a HRM and then I would really (really) need a cycling computer to track and show all. Also my cycling computer is way way cheaper than my phone (and won't get damaged in the rain)
I just stuff my allrounder Garmin eTre😢x 20x into aocket or somewhere and forget about it until back home or journey finished. I like to see the basic info re kms covered, average and max speed, and route. If a new one save it to Basecamp. Does for bike rides, walks and horserides (and car). Don't need anything more. The info it gives me is enough. And I enjoy the scenery.
Hello Leonard,
An interesting topic... I agree if you cant measure it you can't improvement... It was extremely useful when I was training to race, but on recovery rides I would leave it at home so that i was not drawn into chasing numbers... See you next time...
Take care.
Paul,,
It’s quite useful for recovery rides too.
It's simple, we don't need it until we do 😅. I didn't want one, used the phone and then got one. It makes me enjoy my rides more, shows me how i train, guides me and is now part of my cycling experience. Although even more I really use my watch. Without it, my cycling computer is worthless. I broadcast my heart rate from the watch to my computer since being a big rider, heart rate belts don't fit me at all.
I recently got a cycling computer as I ride with a group and sometimes I lag behind and with the computer I can get back with the group.
Otherwise, I don’t think it’s necessary.
Road bike = cycle computer. I like to see my results and have a dedicated ’thing’ to record my ride and metrics (HR, cadence, speed, distance) and I still stop/look up and enjoy my ride.
Everything else = fitness band. Cafe rides and gravel rides are slower and to enjoy myself a bit more and be sociable or goof around. I don't need to navigate or see my metrics.
Looking in good shape currently. 👍
I try
No need to spend hundreds and hundreds on a computer. I use Sigma Rox 4.0 got it for €60, I only use heart rate sensor, which was another €30. It does all I need, logs the route with basic stats, has navigation with re-routing, 24hr battery, barometer, thermometer, auto light etc, Sigma app can push the rides to Strava and is connected to Komoot.
I ride to the heart rate like you, especially in climbs. I use the computer and Strava mainly for logging the rides, it's nice to look back to see where I rode and how am I doing compared to previous years. Back in the 90s when I started to ride I logged the rides in paper diary - so the data from a simple computer minus the GPS track. These days I use Strava pretty much in the same way.
I also used to write a paper diary of my rides back in the day.
Been swinging a leg over a bicycle for well over 45 years and I have never used a cycling computer, I'll let my body do the talking for me, one thing for sure when cutting through the gut of a busy city doing a good clip, there's no time to be looking at a computer because you just might end up rear ending a car, this happened to a friend of mine, one second he's next to me and the next he not, Bang! He had a confrontation with a parked car, he was playing with his cycling computer.
The body can give confusing signals sometimes which is why I personally need an empirical measurement to be truly accurate.
"I just like looking at the numbers" agreed!! speed - heart rate - vo2 Max - elevation - funny thing the only number that matters the most (to me) is DISTANCE!
I have a cheap hardwired computer on my bike for speed and distance costing about £10. I have a good phone app for tracking and setting and following routes. What more do I need?
You tell me!
I definitely need my Garmin computer, because I'm riding for fitness and fun, and those numbers are part of it, I'm also wearing my Garmin forerunner watches for daily use and for running, so I have all my numbers in the connect app. It's useful for keeping my fitness, as I'm approaching 50 😉
Sounds like you really like the numbers!
@@jollygoodvelo They are fun, and I'm cycling for fun
I use a computer for navigation, seeing upcoming elevation, and saving my route. Its battery lasts much longer than my phone’s.
I record my ride on my Garmin watch & my Wahoo Element Roam, then I delete the data from Garmin once finished, I’m so hooked on stats…I HAVE to record twice just incase my wahoo doesn’t work!. I’m addicted I know!😂
I use my phone using "Map my Ride " and I pop it in my back pocket - and with sound on full I hear it say 25 km now !! etc !!
Simple !
I would say no ! my iPhone with trek app works just fine!
If it ain’t broke don’t fix it.
Yes, I love mine, also love Strava
Strava is fantastic!
I don´t want to watch my phone all the time - has nothing to do with herd mode. I have a wahoo roam for the map and a garmin fenix for the tracking
Touring and bikepacking. Navigation, route copying and swapping. Wahoo Roam. Great gadget. Better match of battery and functions than with a phone. IMHO.
I ride by myself. So, can't say I "follow the crowd". My last computer was mysteriously "lost" and it took a few days to get to the point where I felt comfortable riding without it. Still, I was constantly curious as to how many miles, etc. Yes, I have a phone which I tend to use for higher end tech purposes - like making phone calls when I need a ride home. It took me about 6 months to decide to buy a cheap GPS unit with a bunch of capabilities that I have no interest in or any idea as to how to make work. No, I'm not going to read the directions any further. If I ever decide to buy one of the more expensive ones (for some mysterious reason I'm incapable of expressing) the cost of Garmin, Wahoo, etc., will have had to drop to about $10 each.
Yeah, I don’t think that is going to happen.
Love my computer but on occasion i will just go for a ride and put it in my back pocket and just enjoy the ride and stay away from the numbers
I have a gps computer. I need the GPS because my brains location ability has greatly diminished over the last 10 years, allows me to find my way home. I dial up 120bpm, and 90 cadence, I can go all day long and not feel tired. I generally do not look at where I have been on previous rides. I do not focus on the computer, just check every now and then to keep tabs on not over straining myself. Over doing it, is fun when I was 20, but at 70, has lost its appeal.
"You can't improve if you can't measure it." Considering these things have only been around back to when, 1990 or whenever, how can that be true? A guy can improve all the time over months by getting in his road time and simply doing his routines. You drop some weight, you get fitter, stronger, and faster, and have better endurance and better wind for it. That's by being consistent about it. A gimmick isn't required at all. You can make estimates without being exact or having a GPS glued to your forehead. A watch is pretty useful, but that's not what you were getting at. That's all totally besides the fact that not everyone is a road cyclist or a road cyclist all the time. Much less likely that someone who isn't a roadie is going to see the "need" for those gadgets. But you're right about it being about following the herd, keeping up with the Jones', being a lemming. For that matter, I'd assert that all the cell phone fixation and neurosis leads to bike computer fixation and some degree of neurosis, whereby most cannot even consider normal routines or activities without having some beeping, buttoned, flashing device much like a pacifier jammed into a baby's mouth all the time. I don't need that and this mentality reinforces my mindset. This also reminds me of certain types of (pod) people and the ersatz China vax jabs versus my resolve against it based on an utter lack of necessity or value, among other things. There are differences but there are great similarities too. A groupthink mentality, or lack of thinking mentality is part of it.
Only you could mention cycling computers and a China vax jab in the same post.
@@jollygoodvelo If so, then the average insight into life is very poor. Both things reflect a herd mentality right off. Both things also reflect either a false need or a lack of necessity. But that was simply to make a point not to discuss China vax jabbing or those who advocate it.
Great video! I'm on the lookout for a bike computer but can't decide between the Garmin edge 540 or 1040. Details, as always 😁
Keep up the good work!
Cheers
They are all pretty good these days.
@@jollygoodvelo I meant 840 vs 1040. I know they're all good but I'm deciding between a bigger/smaller display. I've also started riding a mountain bike from time to time and I think that maybe the larger size could be a problem
@ Ah, always go bigger display.
I road cycle for pleasure fast and slow and I don’t need the pressure of a little box pushing me along .
It’s only pressure if you let it.
I use a bike computer purely for navigation. I'm not interested in the numbers, just taking the right turn.
Do you need one no.. are they very useful yes 😊 Pete 🚴🏻🚴🏻👍
I got a cycling computer not because of other people. But because I like to know and keep track of my own stats.
Me too.
I am fat old and out of shape and heck yes I love my Garmin.
our phones go dark, or if not the battery is flattened, but we will stay with them, and save the money.
Guy at 5:17. Why do some cyclists come so close to other cyclists when they have all the space in the world to overtake. Drives me crazy.
I dont follow the crowd...I follow the directions on the screen. The computer allows me to explore end of.
Yes
Yes, because I like numbers.
Me too!
It's kinda "jpg or did not happen" -situation. No recording on training and then it's just strolling. 😁 I am just using my phone with sports tracker.. yes, I raise my hand up to be "got to hold that average speed" -number geek. 😝So better to keep screen shut if want avoid "number sickness".
Hr monitor I tossed away (decades ago) when trained running. My heart is a speed ticker and had average beats over 180 even regular 10km run. On walking got 160 broken so that beeper ruined all enjoyment of doing anything. 😖
Weather at the moment here southern Finland; -4C and snowing. 😖😣😡Spring cancelled 2024, as it was last Year.
Yep, even here in Hampshire I feel that Spring is cancelled
The cellphone can do all the bicycle computer functions these days.
My issue with mobile phones is battery life.
Amazing I make similar videos and can tell you doing great man😮😮😮😮
Thanks.
The do I “need” one no… the I “want “ one yes😂🎉✌️✌️✌️
I think you have hit the nail on the head.
It doesn’t seem so bad getting “dropped” by my Garmin as it does getting dropped by other riders.
Is that the virtual partner feature?
@@jollygoodvelo Yes I use that sometimes when I’m feeling extra strong or rested. Unfortunately I’m competing against a younger me.
@@BillyCiervo Aren’t we all!
Mine is bare bones, distance, time, avg. Speed. I need no more.😂
No GPS?
Nothing new, I had a mechanical odometer back in the late 70s!
Cool
Personally I just use Strava Free, it does what I want.
Just use phone and whoop, anything else is just something else to charge, forget, break.
Garmin or wahoo?
Either.
Short answer... Yes. Long answer... Yes.
Ha! Like it, Nathan.
Use my garmin watch. Too much money for computer with gps