Ditching the Data

[GregL]

For me, the data is only a "nice to have." I keep it for historical purposes, but never look at it during a ride. Reviewing race data is helpful for addressing gaps in training.

Greg

[Stealth]

You guys are tapping into exactly what I have been feeling! It's reassuring to hear that its not all petal to the metal and who is the fastest. it started getting too competitive in the group rides for just a bunch of guys who originally started riding to have fun and get good exercise. The engineer side of my brain craves end of ride feedback yet I think the greater desire for me at this point in my life is simplifying and just riding how I feel. "Soulspinning"!

[NHAero]

I use an iPad Mini as a GPS to record routes, both on and off road. I like to look when I'm finished at the pace, elevation, etc., but don't look to see what my speed is during the ride.

[Clean39T]

Originally Posted by NHAero

I use an iPad Mini as a GPS to record routes, both on and off road. I like to look when I'm finished at the pace, elevation, etc., but don't look to see what my speed is during the ride.

In a handlebar bag?

[NHAero]

On the Anderson, Bob Jackson, and Nagasawa, it is indeed in a handlebar bag, a Rixen & Kaul bag that snaps onto their Klickfix mount, which I have on each of those bikes. On other bikes, it's in a pocket it just squeezes into on my Camelback.

Originally Posted by Clean39T

In a handlebar bag?

[David Tollefson]

When I was coaching a junior triathlon team, the head coach was a numbers guy who constantly had them on Computrainers and pushing LT and power numbers on them... I'd get them on the road and they had no handling skills. I'd tell them, "Racing comes from the heart, not the numbers. When the pack goes, you have two choices -- go with them, or pack it in and go home. Numbers mean nothing at that point."

[54ny77]

i use my noggin', that's it. when i raced alot, i'd use a heart monitor now & then just to sanity check what the upper thresholds were. but as the poster above said, when you gotta go, you gotta go, regardless. some folks love digging thru the data and analyzing it, which is cool. whatever floats yer boat. neat thing to observe is the amazing amount of tech available to any recreational cyclist. it really is mind-boggling. and that tech can be utilized to great benefit if properly used, no matter what your baseline. when combined with at least half decent talent, of course. can't turn a donkey into a thoroughbred, but can at least get it to the point of a good trot!

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by Stealth

I've been riding more and more solo these days and paying less and less attention to the numbers on my computer. for so many years it seems the feedback from the computer was important but lately I've been getting the urge to pull all electronics off of my bike. has anybody else taking the plunge into "feel" only riding and eliminated any type of data feedback?

Haven't had 'electronics' on my bike for 2 decades. Ride for the ride, care little about how fast or how far or even where.

[ftf]

Balance is the key, as in everything in life. I ride with electronics on my bike, but I don't live and die by it. Honestly the numbers are part of the fun. To each their own.

[godukes]

Originally Posted by David Tollefson

"Racing comes from the heart, not the numbers. When the pack goes, you have two choices -- go with them, or pack it in and go home. Numbers mean nothing at that point."

Word - it's a bike race, not a contest where you hand in your computer to see who had the best numbers.

[Tickdoc]

On but in the back pocket only and I only check after the ride...and I find myself checking less and less. Sometimes if I feel off or want to compare, I'll look back to check the data, but that is less and less. I think I use it now more for just mileage log than anything else.

One thing I've noticed is how annoying the numbers guys are on my group rides now. I love em to death but I don't want to hear anything about it on rides. Shut the f up. Let's talk about bikes or the weather or daily life, not data.

[Repack Rider]

I wrote a satirical piece 30 years ago on this subject that might have been written by the OP.

Looks like I was ahead of my time.

[mcteague]

Originally Posted by oldpotatoe

Haven't had 'electronics' on my bike for 2 decades. Ride for the ride, care little about how fast or how far or even where.

Other than EPS! Guess that is why you put electronics in quotes.

Tim

[Catman]

I no longer have anything on the bike, but the Garmin 235 on my wrist has the data if I want to check it... Helpful if I'm exploring and need to be back home by a certain time...


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[fbhidy]

I have a Garmin 735xt (I'm a swimmer too) so it's on my wrist but I rarely look at it if at all during the ride. I do have a Garmin 500 that I'll put on the handlebars if I need mileage for a que sheet. I primarily have them to track data for post ride review.


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