So what's on your computer?

[ergott]

I know that current speed is the norm, but what is the secondary display on your computer? Are you a scroller or do you look at the same display all the time?

[Tom]

Elapsed time primary, distance secondary most of the time. Elapsed time to remind me when to drink.

If it's supposed to be a hard day, or I think I'm going fast then its speed primary elapsed time secondary.

Edit: It's funny how things change. I used to always have speed up and was the guy you always saw staring at his computer and missing everything going on around him. Now the more I ride the more I look around and sometimes I play with my speed and sometimes I check out the flower gardens or the farmer's fields or the trees in the woods, and the weird thing is I'm no slower when I do that. I just have more fun. I still like having the numbers to look at later. It kind of rounds the whole thing out.

[saab2000]

Some of my bikes have been computer free for a while. But I have put one on my Serotta and like having the various functions. But just the basics. Distance, elapsed time, average, ODO, etc. No cadence.

I don't like the look of most computers, but Cateyes are not too bad. I wish wireless ones were more reliable.

[Ginger]

The power tap runs Watts across the top as default...as it should. I run that as MAX or Avg so I don't think about it too much.

Second I watch current Cadence - spin spin spin.

Third I have E. That's fairly non invasive. I'm a clock watcher. I don't mind time, but if time or mileage is there staring me in the face; bike riding becomes much less fun. If I have E up there, I can ignore it.


I had one of those Cateye wireless MP3 players (well...that's what the sending unit looks like) on my bike for a while. Too many buttons to push to get where I wanted to go and too much on the screen...so I mostly ignored it...and then took it off...anyone looking for one? I'll not put it back on another bike. I really liked the Cateye Astrale...simple, to the point.

[scrooge]

I just got my first computer with cadence this spring. Now that's about the only thing to which I pay attention.

[DavidK]

Cadence is the only thing I pay attention to. What I'm spinning and whether it's below average or above.

It's a good guide as to how I'm pushing things, and saves me from prematurely going up gears when I'm not quite out of the top of a climb but thought I'd fully recovered my spin (after grinding at 50, I get back to 75 and think I can change gear... but my usual spin is about 95 so I get caught too early and end up grinding again).

Speed and distance can be amusing from time to time, but it's cadence that does it for me.

I have a HRM, but I seldom use it. I think I'd have to use it all of the time to get real value from it, and the truth is that I simply don't wear it enough.

[Russell]

My Cateye gives me current speed, cadence, time and distance on one display. I scroll through the averages and maximums at the end of the ride.

[Keith A]

I like having my cadence on there as well, and I usually have a seperate HRM on my bike. These are the only two that I pay attention to when riding by myself which give me good feedback if I'm working as hard (or easy) as I want. The only reason for the speed is for when riding with group so that I can maintain a steady speed when I'm on the front.

[onekgguy]

In addition to current speed, my Edge 305 displays on the main screen my current heart rate and average heart rate, riding time and distance, average speed and total feet climbed. I'm still playing with the data fields some and occasionally will display cadence and average cadence. Being able to configure the data fields to display what you want where you want is a very nice feature.

Kevin

[David Kirk]

My funky Mavic Mektronic system has a cool deal that displays what gear you are in. As dorky as it sounds I like being able to look down and see the "17" or "15" on the display. It's a cool feature.

Dave

[J.Greene]

I stopped riding with a computer, except on our tandem.

I only use one on the tandem because it makes planning during a tour a little easier.

JG

[Bud]

During general riding, I have the speed/distance screen up on my Vetta V100HR. Sometimes if it's a long, flat pull or a long climb, I'll watch the cadence screen instead. If I've been climbing for a while or working really hard, I'll watch the HR/speed or HR/cadence screen so I can make sure I don't pop.

I also have the Garmin foretrex on my stem for longer rides, so I can watch my track or monitor the elevation (more commonly). If I had the cash, I'd probably go with the edge 305 and ditch the Vetta/Foretrex combo. I like data. :)

[H1449-6]

I'm a data junkie. I have a Garmin Edge set to display six (6) fields:

Elapsed time
Current speed
Heart rate
Cadence
Distance covered
Grade

Of these, I care most about cadence and heart rate. Grade is just so I can say "the hill up St Charles Blvd is a 15% grade!" and the like.

[H1449-6]

In addition to current speed, my Edge 305 displays ... total feet climbed.

Doesn't the Edge net climbed/descended? That is, if you climb 1,000 feet then descend the same, that field (as displayed on the computer as you ride) would read zero?

Another great thing about the Edge is that you can download the whole ride to your PC. This means that in my example above you'd see your 1,000 foot climb followed by the descent, and how those events relate to heart rate, cadence and the other data.

Very very cool.

[J.Greene]

Doesn't the Edge net climbed/descended? That is, if you climb 1,000 feet then descend the same, that field (as displayed on the computer as you ride) would read zero?

Another great thing about the Edge is that you can download the whole ride to your PC. This means that in my example above you'd see your 1,000 foot climb followed by the descent, and how those events relate to heart rate, cadence and the other data.

Very very cool.

Out of curiosity, how many people here make adjustments to their riding based on readings from bar monted technology? I can understand racers doing it, I'm curious about the rest of us.

JG

[H1449-6]

I do. Particularly, I will adjust gearing and therefore speed if I see that my heart rate is too high/low.

[onekgguy]

Doesn't the Edge net climbed/descended? That is, if you climb 1,000 feet then descend the same, that field (as displayed on the computer as you ride) would read zero?

I'm not sure...it's possibled that that is one of the options. I view the total ascent without respect to how much descending I've done.

Kevin

[onekgguy]

Out of curiosity, how many people here make adjustments to their riding based on readings from bar monted technology? I can understand racers doing it, I'm curious about the rest of us.

Sure...some days I want to ride slowly and keep my heart rate low. Other times I'm focusing on keeping a specific cadence. These nifty gadgets make all that and more very easy to do.

Kevin

[swoop]

just an ipod taped to the stem with podcasts of 'the view' pre-rosie. it keeps me inspired.
anyone have some celine? hook a brother up.

[Grant McLean]

This thread isn't what i thought it was

g

[scrooge]

just an ipod taped to the stem with podcasts of 'the view' pre-rosie. it keeps me inspired.
anyone have some celine? hook a brother up.

Is this as simple as it sounds? You really just tape the thing on there? I can't decide if its brilliant or just the opposite...

[davids]

Clock, showing the time. Either EST or EDT, depending on the season.

I sometimes think about mounting the computer to my seatpost, so I could look at the distance and average speed when I get off the bike, and the thing would stop harassing me while I ride. That would be perfect.

[BoulderGeek]

I'm not telling any of you what's on my computer.

Certainly not Windows. Linux, baby!

Oh, bike computer? Oops, never mind....

I'm starting to use a Garmin Forerunner 301 to help my tri training. I wish it did evelvation in realtime. That would be my primary, I think. Elevation and avg speed.

[Tom]

I sometimes think about mounting the computer to my seatpost, so I could look at the distance and average speed when I get off the bike, and the thing would stop harassing me while I ride. That would be perfect.

That is a wonderful idea. I might do that.

[Tom Kellogg]

With the Flight Deck, I just leave it on Cadence. During crits and downhills, it lets me know if i am going to have to shift once I begin pedaling again. I can better set up for a sprint out of the last corner if I glance at the "virtual cadence" first. Actual cadence wouldn't work for this...

[Keith A]

Out of curiosity, how many people here make adjustments to their riding based on readings from bar monted technology? I can understand racers doing it, I'm curious about the rest of us.There are several occassions that I adjust my riding based on my heart rate and cadence:
- If I'm doing intervals and my heart rate isn't at the level I want it to be, then I push harder until it is
- If I'm doing an easy ride and my heart rate goes over a certain limit, then I back off until it drops
- I have found that when I start getting tired that my cadence drops some and when I notice this on the display, I'll sometimes change to an easier gear.

[J.Greene]

With the Flight Deck, I just leave it on Cadence. During crits and downhills, it lets me know if i am going to have to shift once I begin pedaling again. I can better set up for a sprint out of the last corner if I glance at the "virtual cadence" first. Actual cadence wouldn't work for this...
Tom,
do you use a computer of any sort as a training aid? Or do you let you body tell you what is going on?

JG

[SpaceOdyssey]

I use a Shimano Flight Deck set to Cadence and MPH and a separate, pretty basic Polar HRM for heart rate.

But, as an almost 53 year old recreational rider who does the odd TT or cross race, those are the things that most concern me.

B

[SoCalSteve]

There are several occassions that I adjust my riding based on my heart rate and cadence:
- If I'm doing intervals and my heart rate isn't at the level I want it to be, then I push harder until it is
- If I'm doing an easy ride and my heart rate goes over a certain limit, then I back off until it drops
- I have found that when I start getting tired that my cadence drops some and when I notice this on the display, I'll sometimes change to an easier gear.

I'll second all that and more!

I find that a HRM and a cyclocomputer set to cadence are 2 of the best training tools.

I use a Flightdeck and Polar 725 on all my bikes. The Polar also has the cadence feature and at the end of the ride I can upload all the stats from that ride and see my average and max cadence. Cool feature!

[Orin]

If I'm using the Specialized p.brain, HR primary and altitude secondary on long climbs, speed primary and whatever I last looked at secondary otherwise.

If I have the Polar power meter, power in the middle, usually speed on the top line, but could be what I last looked at.

I use power or HR to stop me from pushing too hard and blowing up on long rides.

Orin.

[dirtdigger88]

http://www.skylinechurch.net/images/themes/Free-Your-Mind-copy.jpg

lose the computer- enjoy the ride

Jason

[Keith A]

Double D -- In your case, I think it looks more like this... :D

http://www.soundslikeblue.com/gallery/albums/dotd/06_25_05.jpg

[dirtdigger88]

In your case, I think it looks more like this... :D

http://www.soundslikeblue.com/gallery/albums/dotd/06_25_05.jpg


no no no- you got it all wrong-

its like this

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f189/cbass8779/eminem-caught-smokin-weed.jpg

http://www.irational.org/heath/pornography_as_protest/funny___marijuana___funny_pics___bert_smoking_weed .gif

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f241/pinkmushifaerie/6483Spongebob_smoking_Weed.jpg

http://www.herbanmedia.com/ambglb/myspace/myspace-pics1/200601079216483doraemon_smoking_weed.jpg

http://zipperfish.com/images/news/parissmoke.jpg

Jason