# Anybody riding outdoors w/o bike computer or any tech? **URL:** \ **Category:** Equipment\ **Created:** [March 9, 2021, 12:11am UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/anybody-riding-outdoors-w-o-bike-computer-or-any-tech/55021 "2021-03-09T00:11:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![airteluser](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/airteluser/32/37723_2.png) [@airteluser](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/airteluser)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2021, 12:11am UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/anybody-riding-outdoors-w-o-bike-computer-or-any-tech/55021/1 "2021-03-09T00:11:49Z")
Hi, just wondering if there is anybody out there in the forum who does not use bike computers, HR straps, sensors etc during their outdoor rides, going just old school offline riding? ---
**Author:** ![mcalista](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/mcalista/32/92377_2.png) [@mcalista](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/mcalista)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2021, 12:31am UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/anybody-riding-outdoors-w-o-bike-computer-or-any-tech/55021/2 "2021-03-09T00:31:39Z")
No. What are you? A caveman? šŸ˜ ---
**Author:** ![airteluser](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/airteluser/32/37723_2.png) [@airteluser](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/airteluser)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2021, 12:33am UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/anybody-riding-outdoors-w-o-bike-computer-or-any-tech/55021/3 "2021-03-09T00:33:02Z")
Cavemen didnt yet have the wheel šŸ˜‰ ---
**Author:** ![Cleanneon98](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/cleanneon98/32/80252_2.png) [@Cleanneon98](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/Cleanneon98)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2021, 1:05am UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/anybody-riding-outdoors-w-o-bike-computer-or-any-tech/55021/4 "2021-03-09T01:05:43Z")
I still record my stuff but I donā€™t have a computer on my handlebars when riding MTB: to me itā€™s all about the fun ---
**Author:** ![ABG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@ABG](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/ABG)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2021, 2:15am UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/anybody-riding-outdoors-w-o-bike-computer-or-any-tech/55021/5 "2021-03-09T02:15:58Z")
But i donā€™t want TR to have my data ---
**Author:** ![N8lewis](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/n8lewis/32/34316_2.png) [@N8lewis](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/N8lewis)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2021, 2:36am UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/anybody-riding-outdoors-w-o-bike-computer-or-any-tech/55021/6 "2021-03-09T02:36:27Z")
Will still record if Iā€™m just going out for an exploration ride but will keep the map up only so I donā€™t end up completely lost. ---
**Author:** ![grawp](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/grawp/32/7721_2.png) [@grawp](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/grawp)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2021, 9:54am UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/anybody-riding-outdoors-w-o-bike-computer-or-any-tech/55021/7 "2021-03-09T09:54:45Z")
I burned out from training and racing at the end of 2018. Removed all the tech from my bike and bought a cheap wrist watch so I could tell the time. It felt like such a great move at the time and I stuck with it for two years. I rode miles and miles and saw lots of beautiful places. Got supremely fit just riding my bikes lots. Iā€™m recovered now and using PM and HR data again but am not a slave to it. ---
**Author:** ![Shrike](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/shrike/32/17010_2.png) [@Shrike](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/Shrike)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2021, 10:08am UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/anybody-riding-outdoors-w-o-bike-computer-or-any-tech/55021/8 "2021-03-09T10:08:14Z")
Did it for a couple weeks when I got my gravel bike in 2019. But quickly started regret it and wanted my rides back on Strava. Then I wanted to know my real power. Thenā€¦ found I didnā€™t really care about HR enough to keep wearing one. Only lasting change really was the HR strap, little less faff now on each ride. Definitely worth doing and seeing how you feel though. Personally I suspect that the nature of road cycling for most is highly repetitive and done in areas that mostly arenā€™t wonders of nature, so the training aspect and metrics help focus the mind. Having workouts on the head unit recently I found I was even more focused than usual and able to do longer rides. Very individual this stuff though obviously. ---
**Author:** ![Supermurph19](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/supermurph19/32/3304_2.png) [@Supermurph19](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/Supermurph19)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2021, 10:08am UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/anybody-riding-outdoors-w-o-bike-computer-or-any-tech/55021/9 "2021-03-09T10:08:31Z")
I have recently ditched my power meter for outside riding. I still use a HR strap at the moment but I have to say I am really enjoying not having a PM outside. I have my KICKR for indoors but this is part of trying to move away from the whole TSS, CTL web of fun sucking! I sold my PM so I wouldnā€™t be tempted, used the money for some nice new kit. I did a nice new route on Sunday, 65 miles, 7k climbing and it was so nice to be focusing on where I was rather than the watts. ---
**Author:** ![Henry\_Lee](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/henry_lee/32/19505_2.png) [@Henry\_Lee](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/Henry_Lee)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2021, 10:16am UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/anybody-riding-outdoors-w-o-bike-computer-or-any-tech/55021/10 "2021-03-09T10:16:09Z")
I always collect data (power & hr) but just have only the map showing on the computer. Not looking at the data during rides, but nice to be able to review afterwards to help with recovery planning etc. ---
**Author:** ![tny](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/tny/32/157032_2.png) [@tny](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/tny)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2021, 11:20am UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/anybody-riding-outdoors-w-o-bike-computer-or-any-tech/55021/11 "2021-03-09T11:20:37Z")
Iā€™m very much a data hoarder. I use a sports watch to record all my activities. And I record pretty much anything that can be counted as an activity: indoor cycling, road cycling, mountain biking, bikepacking, hiking, running, snowshoeing, etc. For any slightly exceptional activity I fill the strava description with a couple of notes and attach photos (phone photos usually, but sometimes I carry a mirrorless camera with me). In other words, I try to make sure all my activities are recorded and documented meticulously. If Iā€™m doing a workout on the road bike, the watch is strapped to my handlebars showing my power, heart rate and lap time. For non-structured rides the watch is usually just on my wrist. In the short term the data isnā€™t very important at all, the power meter is just a tool for doing workouts and estimating TSS. But having a complete and detailed history of all activities shines when you view things in the long term. Having years of data on types, places and times of activities, cycling power curves, etc and being able to look at them on a per-year basis can be insightful and, at least in my opinion, fun. Especially having the gps tracks of everything youā€™ve done is great. For example with [statshunters.com](http://statshunters.com) itā€™s possible to look at all of your activities on strava on a single map. Itā€™s fun to open it every once in a while, sometimes you spot on the map some special squiggly line from a couple of years back that youā€™ve forgotten. You can click the track, go over to strava and look at the photos and description of that activity. Sometimes just looking at the data of the activity brings back memories. Itā€™s also great for spotting places where you have not been yet. I just opened it and noticed a small village 25km away that I havenā€™t cycled through before, Iā€™ll be adding that to the backlog of places to ride through when all the snow goes away šŸ™‚ . ---
**Author:** ![JJon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9f8e36/32.png) [@JJon](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/JJon)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2021, 11:52am UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/anybody-riding-outdoors-w-o-bike-computer-or-any-tech/55021/12 "2021-03-09T11:52:35Z")
Does it count if i have my garmin, but it is inside my pocket? If so, i do it sometimes. ---
**Author:** ![KOrnel](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/kornel/32/54684_2.png) [@KOrnel](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/KOrnel)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2021, 12:14pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/anybody-riding-outdoors-w-o-bike-computer-or-any-tech/55021/13 "2021-03-09T12:14:09Z")
It is very nice to go out and ride with no phone, head unit etc. I do it rarely, but like it! ---
**Author:** ![HLaB](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/hlab/32/60448_2.png) [@HLaB](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/HLaB)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2021, 2:51pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/anybody-riding-outdoors-w-o-bike-computer-or-any-tech/55021/14 "2021-03-09T14:51:04Z")
There is a bloke at our club who was faster than me for my first two seasons TT. I was 41 then he was at least 70 šŸ˜Æ He used nothing electrical techwise. Roll on 5 years he has got himself a Garmin and HR monitor and is still faster than a lot of folk. ---
**Author:** ![airteluser](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/airteluser/32/37723_2.png) [@airteluser](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/airteluser)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2021, 11:21am UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/anybody-riding-outdoors-w-o-bike-computer-or-any-tech/55021/15 "2021-03-13T11:21:00Z")
Kept the data and alerting on my bolt to absolute minimum today, very good. Was only seldomly checking the device and rather enjoyed the ride itself. I will from now on look at my data after the ride with a warm cup of tee. Thx for the imput. ---
**Author:** ![DaveWh](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/davewh/32/13120_2.png) [@DaveWh](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/DaveWh)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2021, 3:30pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/anybody-riding-outdoors-w-o-bike-computer-or-any-tech/55021/16 "2021-03-13T15:30:47Z")
I donā€™t have a power meter on any of my bikes. I do record HR and GPS data for all my rides on my iPhone. IPhone in my pocket. I donā€™t pay attention to the data while Iā€™m riding. A few years back, I was lined up for the start at Leadville. A rider beside me commented ā€œno bike computer?ā€ And pretty much everyone I ride with on the road/gravel uses a bike computer. My guess is 90% of the people on this forum ride with a bike computer. ---
**Author:** ![Jerrodg](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/jerrodg/32/7721_2.png) [@Jerrodg](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/Jerrodg)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2021, 6:38pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/anybody-riding-outdoors-w-o-bike-computer-or-any-tech/55021/17 "2021-03-13T18:38:55Z")
I ride with a 60 year old guy that has no computers, no strava, nada. He also carries a small flute and will sometimes pull it out and play a tune while we are climbing. ---
**Author:** ![Pasque](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/pasque/32/47338_2.png) [@Pasque](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/Pasque)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2021, 6:29am UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/anybody-riding-outdoors-w-o-bike-computer-or-any-tech/55021/18 "2021-03-14T06:29:52Z")
My navigation skills are worse than tumbleweed. The other day I spontaneously decided to do a quick spin after work because the weather was so nice. No time to prepare a route so just hopped on the bike and planned to do a route I did at least a dozen times before. Still got hopelessly lost. I need a head unit with the map open at all times, otherwise Iā€™m just not getting anywhere. Especially since I like to take as many new routes as possible. ---
**Author:** ![dfquigley](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/dfquigley/32/174575_2.png) [@dfquigley](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/dfquigley)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2021, 7:10am UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/anybody-riding-outdoors-w-o-bike-computer-or-any-tech/55021/19 "2021-03-14T07:10:29Z")
Once in a while šŸ˜› ![15873619_10154345429583512_6486094103457326015_n](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/original/3X/8/a/8a7a25f1b4771661c19021bc558441606d848da2.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![DwayneB](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/dwayneb/32/43662_2.png) [@DwayneB](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/DwayneB)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2021, 8:57am UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/anybody-riding-outdoors-w-o-bike-computer-or-any-tech/55021/20 "2021-03-14T08:57:09Z")
I do go on rides regularly where I make a conscious effort to not stare at my computer and obsess over the numbers on that ride, but instead to look up, around, take in the sights and sounds, to be ā€œin the momentā€. However, I do still keep an eye on the watts every so often, just for pacing purposes, so I donā€™t run out of gas on a longer ride. Yeh, I could leave the Wahoo at home or stuff it in my jersey pocket, but I think itā€™s also important to work on the discipline of having it in front of you, and still being able to ignore it. [Next page](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/anybody-riding-outdoors-w-o-bike-computer-or-any-tech/55021.md?page=2)