Bike Computers

The battery went dead on my bike computer and also my heart rate monitor, so I said to heck with it, and went for over a year without that data while cycling. For those people who might not know, the computer is a speedometer and keeps track of how many miles you go, total and trip, average speed, and has a clock. Some also have cadence and altitude. People fixate on this data. It becomes more important to them than the experience of the ride, and when they talk about their rides they just report this data. Some of these devices allow you to download data to a PC. People doing tri and such, use this as a training device.

Not having a working computer allowed me to be outside of the bubble, but I have to admit it is really nice to have good data on tours or group rides as it becomes an important tool to measure your effort on a day long ride. If you use a heart rate monitor all the time and watch your speeds you will know what your limits are and know when you could get more out of your body, or when you are taking too much.

The new computers are really cool. The Ergo Brain for Campy and the Flight Deck for Shimano. (quite expensive) They tell you what gear you are in with a graphic of the chain position, and the controls are mounted in the brake levers. So you don't have to take your hands off of the brake hoods to change the functions. These only work with the new 10 speed groups and my bike is a 9 speed. (18 actually with two chain rings on the front and 9 on the back) But they call it a 9 speed.

Well I decided to get a battery for my computer as I plan on doing some charity rides this season. So let me tell you about my ride to work this morning. My average speed was 17.0 mph, max speed was 25.5, I went 4.4 miles and it took me 15.38 min. Oh yeah,... I did hear a meadow lark singing out in a field.