So agree, paying attentions to data, can blunt the scenery. I'm more a distance kind of rider, you meet the goal for the goal in miles for the day, you've accomplished the mission. Any excess beyond the goal is just icing on the cake. If ya don't make it, who cares? There's tomorrow's another day.
I ride mostly quiet backroad routes, with consistently quiet traffic, so I find average speed is a good metric - as well as total distance per ride. Even the cheapest bike computer can provide those. But I’m not hung up on it. Your mention of differing times for the same route is very valid; none of us are machines. Just a crappy night’s sleep can knock things right down. Just ride that bike with nothing more than a vague target/goal. Just doing it is what matters, especially at this time of year. All the best!
Very goods points. 100% relate to this. Unless your a pro, don’t get too bogged down in the data. It good for planning rides if you have to be home for a certain time or to get to the cafe before it closes. 👍👍👍
I primarily ride for fun and exercise..I do utilize some data for motivation but I rarely focus too much on it or believe you lose all your gains if you take a break, data to me is more of an benchmark as to where I am in my workouts
" ... something more than just focusing on tarmac and arse ..." - I teared up laughing! And yet, in that single moment of verbal clarity - you hit on the absolute JOYs of non-competitive cycling! Thank you!
I had a chest infection during July and it knocked me sideways. My fitness level plummeted and getting back on the bike was an achievement. I had ridden some pretty good mileage up until then but it took me ages to do even a club ride.
My computer's speed reading, most important for me, to stay within the speed limits, can be 'booked' for speeding even on a bicycle. Some speed limits in my neighbourhood are only 40 kms/hr.
I am sure I disagree Leonard. I love my tech and numbers if you know how to use it I like riding to my power numbers and analysing data afterwards. But that’s just me.
Succinctly put! Data has a purpose and can be very handy but also can wear a person down mentally. As you said, it really depends upon your goals. Personally, I'm at the age where I'm not looking to break records, but want to aim for consistency. Actually, my main aim at the moment is to visualise how I will be in a years time - I'm designing myself for the future (it sounds so much more succinct in Japanese 一年後の身体!). On the way, if I get a PB or something, fine, but what matters is the day to day habit. Most importantly though (as many have noted) ride for fun! Enjoy it - really is no point doing it if you're not. On a side note, seeing all your xmas decorations has reminded me to get mine out too - oh, my work is very xmasy ATM but I that's why I haven't taken mine out yet:) Merry Xmas Leonard!
I got a Stages power meter a good while back and just like a HRM i just glance them really, yes i have rode by numbers but to just be number looker so to speak is pretty robotic.. like rides are how long your gonna be in the saddle for & adjusting everything around that to do that ride and thwy help but aren't everything general pace, feel & immediate average speed are great variables to watch 👍
I have a Garmin Edge for my bike, which I regularly look at when I’m out riding. Lately I’ve noticed at the start of the ride my average pace and lap pace are quite good, then as the ride goes it all starts to drift downwards. Then I try to pick it up again, which I found was a big mistake. By the end of the cycle, I’m absolutely washed out. So what I’ve started doing is wear my Garmin Forerunner watch so I don’t keep looking down at the computer. I think you very easily become a slave to the computer. Just go out without checking the figures all the time and go for the element of surprise at the end. I’m still a little bit slower than I used to be. Who cares, just enjoy your cycling. Thanks again for your great video. Take care.
Id say fueling and electrolytes. Take some gummy bears with you. Or maybe a coke if you want a little caffeine too. It'll pick you up better than you might think 🤗 also fuel before you feel the energy go away. You'll thank yourself especially if you have plans after your ride
I recently moved to Albania from Arkansas, USA. Doing a lot of road and gravel riding in Arkansas I was data driven. Every ride I felt a need to ride hard, I just couldn't let myself relax and enjoy being on the bike. 2 years of riding 6 days a week in that mode I was 85% burned out. I bought and brought a Brompton with me to Albania. I'm carless here and needed a bike with utility. Nothing here in Vlorë is more than a few miles away at most. The Brompton suits and fills the need perfectly. I also brought my Specialized Aethos. In 6 weeks I've been on the Aethos twice. I find riding the Brompton the desire to always push myself on every ride is gone. Even though I have a Garmin on the Brompton, the self imposed pressure to be in ITT mode is isn't there. I've taken it out for 20 mile+ road rides andI flat out enjoy being on the Brompton for the simple pleasure of riding a bike. I'll certainly be back on the Aethos with regularity come spring and hope being away from it for a time will teach me a lesson that I'm missing much of the enjoyment constantly being focused on the data screen.
Well put sir. on my rides, usually 3 a week, I focus only on my average actual moving time and the distance covered. As a matter of general interest I often like to know my fastest speed on a ride. My rides are really measured by how much I enjoyed them and the knowledge that I’m keeping fit. P.S. Cape Town looked great, well done.👍😀🚴♀️
If I put my cycling computer on the bike, I’ll have it in the map screen, even if I’m recording the ride. Just enjoy the ride. There are so so many reasons why ride X is faster/slower than ride Y and don’t care, just enjoy the scenery, the chat, the hills, whatever.
I notice that it showing that I can't keep up with time. I have been following my data over the past 16 years or so and I am getting slower and weaker!!!
I need data to be informed about what is still ahead so I can prepare myself. If I'm in a long climb and I see I have 500m of altitude done and still 700 to go, it helps me a lot to just calm down and find the speed that is slow enough to survive that. The worst thing is to think "I have done so much of climb the top must be behind the next curve." This is killing me. I need to know the altitude of the top and the altitude where I am and I can handle it more or less every time. Doesn't matter if it's 5% or 10%. It takes more or less the same time to make 100m altitude so I know how long it will take to make 700. I also like to see the heart rate and climbing speed. This shows me if I climb to fast. It's easy to be to fast in the first part of a long climb or the first hill of the day but you have to pay for it later on. I use the data to control my speed and to know that everything is going well.
@@magdelloock1062 If you start att "zero" you can still improve much.but your age will effect you in the long run. It's a slow decline, almost not noticeable from year to year. I'm now 70 and see my average speeds goes down little every year.
When doing a long ride I would suggest NOT looking at data during the ride . Just go by feel. When training .. well that's another thing. You want to be precise (that is if you have a sensible regime)
The real dangers of too much data is obvious. Temptation to not follow traffic laws, riding into potholes, loose gravel at the side of the road, and the loss of situational awareness in general. The weather conditions alone can influence average speed so much as to make some of the data irrelavent. Cycling is as much art as much as a science. Don't let an overbalance of science ruin your day!
At 64 im very aware that im slower than when i was 40, ive training data for the last 25 years. Now im interested on getting out on my bike. Sometimes i bimble down a countrylane or ill hammer flat out on my cyclocross bike along a muddy bridleway. The data isnt important anymore, as others have said, i record where i went, distance and time but not concerned with the numbers. My take, get on yer bike and just enjoy it whether fo 10k or 100k
I keep it really basic with my old Garmin watch I am only concerned with the route I have just rode Average speed top speed and Calories used that’s it I am not a slave to the bike
So agree, paying attentions to data, can blunt the scenery. I'm more a distance kind of rider, you meet the goal for the goal in miles for the day, you've accomplished the mission. Any excess beyond the goal is just icing on the cake. If ya don't make it, who cares? There's tomorrow's another day.
same here. distance rider but stop and take pictures or “where does this trail or road go?” kind of cyclist
It’s nice to have a goal sometimes and know that you have reached it.
I ride mostly quiet backroad routes, with consistently quiet traffic, so I find average speed is a good metric - as well as total distance per ride. Even the cheapest bike computer can provide those. But I’m not hung up on it. Your mention of differing times for the same route is very valid; none of us are machines. Just a crappy night’s sleep can knock things right down. Just ride that bike with nothing more than a vague target/goal. Just doing it is what matters, especially at this time of year. All the best!
@@chrisbardell Yes, the important thing is to enjoy the ride.
Very goods points. 100% relate to this. Unless your a pro, don’t get too bogged down in the data. It good for planning rides if you have to be home for a certain time or to get to the cafe before it closes. 👍👍👍
I primarily ride for fun and exercise..I do utilize some data for motivation but I rarely focus too much on it or believe you lose all your gains if you take a break, data to me is more of an benchmark as to where I am in my workouts
" ... something more than just focusing on tarmac and arse ..." - I teared up laughing! And yet, in that single moment of verbal clarity - you hit on the absolute JOYs of non-competitive cycling! Thank you!
I had a chest infection during July and it knocked me sideways. My fitness level plummeted and getting back on the bike was an achievement. I had ridden some pretty good mileage up until then but it took me ages to do even a club ride.
My computer's speed reading, most important for me, to stay within the speed limits, can be 'booked' for speeding even on a bicycle.
Some speed limits in my neighbourhood are only 40 kms/hr.
Enjoy your ride. If you want to enjoy looking at numbers, do your taxes instead of riding a bike.
I’m not sure I agree because I actually enjoy the numbers usually but I get your point.
I am sure I disagree Leonard. I love my tech and numbers if you know how to use it I like riding to my power numbers and analysing data afterwards. But that’s just me.
He's overweight
From Oz … just enjoy the rides you do. Forget the numbers… just ride for pleasure and the numbers will come.
It’s nice to have a benchmark, though!
I remember getting a Silva map measured to see how far I had ridden then recording it in a logbook 😊
I thought I was pretty fancy back in the early 2000s writing down my rides in a log book on my laptop!
Succinctly put! Data has a purpose and can be very handy but also can wear a person down mentally. As you said, it really depends upon your goals. Personally, I'm at the age where I'm not looking to break records, but want to aim for consistency. Actually, my main aim at the moment is to visualise how I will be in a years time - I'm designing myself for the future (it sounds so much more succinct in Japanese 一年後の身体!). On the way, if I get a PB or something, fine, but what matters is the day to day habit. Most importantly though (as many have noted) ride for fun! Enjoy it - really is no point doing it if you're not. On a side note, seeing all your xmas decorations has reminded me to get mine out too - oh, my work is very xmasy ATM but I that's why I haven't taken mine out yet:) Merry Xmas Leonard!
@@eilrach299 Merry Christmas, Charlie!
Do you have any bicycle themed ornaments hanging on your Christmas🎄 Leonard?
@@jeffpedals Sadly not, just normal baubles!
An old but cleaned up small chain ring can be an easy diy ornament.👍🏻
I got a Stages power meter a good while back and just like a HRM i just glance them really, yes i have rode by numbers but to just be number looker so to speak is pretty robotic.. like rides are how long your gonna be in the saddle for & adjusting everything around that to do that ride and thwy help but aren't everything general pace, feel & immediate average speed are great variables to watch 👍
I have a Garmin Edge for my bike, which I regularly look at when I’m out riding. Lately I’ve noticed at the start of the ride my average pace and lap pace are quite good, then as the ride goes it all starts to drift downwards. Then I try to pick it up again, which I found was a big mistake. By the end of the cycle, I’m absolutely washed out. So what I’ve started doing is wear my Garmin Forerunner watch so I don’t keep looking down at the computer. I think you very easily become a slave to the computer. Just go out without checking the figures all the time and go for the element of surprise at the end. I’m still a little bit slower than I used to be. Who cares, just enjoy your cycling. Thanks again for your great video. Take care.
Like I say, numbers are great servants but poor masters.
Id say fueling and electrolytes. Take some gummy bears with you. Or maybe a coke if you want a little caffeine too. It'll pick you up better than you might think 🤗 also fuel before you feel the energy go away. You'll thank yourself especially if you have plans after your ride
I recently moved to Albania from Arkansas, USA. Doing a lot of road and gravel riding in Arkansas I was data driven. Every ride I felt a need to ride hard, I just couldn't let myself relax and enjoy being on the bike. 2 years of riding 6 days a week in that mode I was 85% burned out. I bought and brought a Brompton with me to Albania. I'm carless here and needed a bike with utility. Nothing here in Vlorë is more than a few miles away at most. The Brompton suits and fills the need perfectly. I also brought my Specialized Aethos. In 6 weeks I've been on the Aethos twice. I find riding the Brompton the desire to always push myself on every ride is gone. Even though I have a Garmin on the Brompton, the self imposed pressure to be in ITT mode is isn't there. I've taken it out for 20 mile+ road rides andI flat out enjoy being on the Brompton for the simple pleasure of riding a bike. I'll certainly be back on the Aethos with regularity come spring and hope being away from it for a time will teach me a lesson that I'm missing much of the enjoyment constantly being focused on the data screen.
@@atlaswest sometimes data isn’t just about riding hard.
Well put sir. on my rides, usually 3 a week, I focus only on my average actual moving time and the distance covered. As a matter of general interest I often like to know my fastest speed on a ride. My rides are really measured by how much I enjoyed them and the knowledge that I’m keeping fit. P.S. Cape Town looked great, well done.👍😀🚴♀️
So true. Another great insight.
If I put my cycling computer on the bike, I’ll have it in the map screen, even if I’m recording the ride. Just enjoy the ride. There are so so many reasons why ride X is faster/slower than ride Y and don’t care, just enjoy the scenery, the chat, the hills, whatever.
I notice that it showing that I can't keep up with time. I have been following my data over the past 16 years or so and I am getting slower and weaker!!!
Sadly I think we all are.
NotNot listeninNot listening to my body has cost me about 7 months of bike rides, hoping to do some light riding soon.
@@johnbutler2231 Good luck
Love the channel!
Tarmac & Arse - Wasn't that a 1970's band? Had a minor it with "My Bottom Bracket".
If it wasn’t the name of a band and their hit, it should be.
I need data to be informed about what is still ahead so I can prepare myself. If I'm in a long climb and I see I have 500m of altitude done and still 700 to go, it helps me a lot to just calm down and find the speed that is slow enough to survive that. The worst thing is to think "I have done so much of climb the top must be behind the next curve." This is killing me.
I need to know the altitude of the top and the altitude where I am and I can handle it more or less every time. Doesn't matter if it's 5% or 10%. It takes more or less the same time to make 100m altitude so I know how long it will take to make 700.
I also like to see the heart rate and climbing speed. This shows me if I climb to fast. It's easy to be to fast in the first part of a long climb or the first hill of the day but you have to pay for it later on. I use the data to control my speed and to know that everything is going well.
Great use of the data. I do something pretty similar.
Don't forget as you get older it's naturally your output declines.
@@markkusiipola I wish I could forget!
I am 41 and only really starting now, can i still speed up, when do you start to slow down. How can you speed up?
@@magdelloock1062 If you start att "zero" you can still improve much.but your age will effect you in the long run. It's a slow decline, almost not noticeable from year to year. I'm now 70 and see my average speeds goes down little every year.
I don't ride with computers just enjoy the ride
@@JohnRadford-iy7db I do enjoy the ride, even with a computer
When doing a long ride I would suggest NOT looking at data during the ride . Just go by feel. When training .. well that's another thing. You want to be precise (that is if you have a sensible regime)
There’s definitely a place for both.
The real dangers of too much data is obvious. Temptation to not follow traffic laws, riding into potholes, loose gravel at the side of the road, and the loss of situational awareness in general. The weather conditions alone can influence average speed so much as to make some of the data irrelavent. Cycling is as much art as much as a science. Don't let an overbalance of science ruin your day!
At 64 im very aware that im slower than when i was 40, ive training data for the last 25 years. Now im interested on getting out on my bike. Sometimes i bimble down a countrylane or ill hammer flat out on my cyclocross bike along a muddy bridleway. The data isnt important anymore, as others have said, i record where i went, distance and time but not concerned with the numbers. My take, get on yer bike and just enjoy it whether fo 10k or 100k
Sounds like you are having fun which is the main thing.
I keep it really basic with my old Garmin watch I am only concerned with the route I have just rode Average speed top speed and Calories used that’s it I am not a slave to the bike
It’s great to know where you’ve been sometimes, especially if it’s a new route.
So true. ( you know what I mean on this) Enoy your weekend!
You too, Morten!
Never used one. I'm not a pro. Just enjoy the ride. 👍
Not sure you need to be a pro to use one. It’s just fun sometimes.
There's also privacy: You hand over a lot of data on how well your body works to Strava, Zwift, Mywhoosh, etc.
Good point
You are so right i think for myself don't get me wrong i use my wahoo for the right reason to much makes the brain dead far more stupid😊😊😊
I firmly believe many cyclists cycle because of the data more than being in the outdoors & exercise !
I’m. Sure there are some. I’m sure they still enjoy it, though…kind of.
Throw away the data and enjoy the view.
I like the data and I enjoy the ride!!
Get of the data just cycle for fun
I do enjoy the rides