I am far from a Luddite, but have found absolutely zero need for bike computers, stand-alone GPS, health data harvesting, etc. I get that these things are important to many, that they do add to safety, and they can be entertainment or just plain fun. For some, they are an essential means of monitoring health, which can never be understated. I choose to pass on all of this and just enjoy the ride and adventure.
I use OSMAnd on my phone and OpenStreetMaps on my computer for planning - more accurately, scouting. But to me, riding is a chance to tune out all of the noise we're subjected to, and engage in micro-adventures and enjoy the moment. Wonder where this street goes? Wonder what's down that trail? If things don't look promising or get too difficult, it's trivial to turn around - and my satisfied curiosity is plenty enough. I am always willing to stop and look at the map to try and find some place to go and explore, or figure out where the hell I am.
The only metrics I care about are mileage and battery usage/life. Both of my ebikes provide that. My phone screen, when I do mount it on the handlebars, is off after the first 2 minutes of my ride. I look at the ride data when finished, then never look again.
I recently read an essay on de-digitizing, and that struck a nerve. We've become so damn dependent on being always connected, monitoring ourselves and others (and letting others monitor us), checking for feedback or standing and/or likes etc, that we miss so many things that are right in front of us as we try to optimize our behavior. Coupled with the data harvesting and sale of our personal data for marketing etc, de-digitizing is very compelling. (And as someone w/ +30 yrs in IT, it's a simple fact we have no control over our own data and can take assurances of privacy and security with a grain of salt.)
Were I religiously committed to working out and seeing progress, then yes. Should my health detriorate and I need to be more vigilant, count me in. If I start going out on long adventures into areas I don't know or have no mobile coverage, I'd likely buy another InReach or other satellite-based communication device (I had one and used it for offroading, but sold it). Otherwise, I'm going to ride, observe, listen, sniff, explore, and come home sweaty, tired, and satisfied.
I can’t and won’t disagree with your sentiments. It is a personal choice. They are definitely not for everyone and for many they would be an unnecessary luxury or even a toy. My point of view and circumstances may be different than yours.
I have sailed and kayaked all over the Maine coast with nothing more than a chart, compass and triangles. A GPS would have been nice to have, especially in dense fog. It would also have been nice the time that a friend and I were lost over New York State late one night in 1987 in his old 1956 Cessna 310, (a twin engine like the one in “Sky King”, yeah, I am dating myself). The plane was set up with “state of the art” nav radios, but we had an electrical issue and the instruments had to stay blacked out. We zig zagged across the state for more than 1/2 hour before my friend spotted Saratoga Lake, (still about 30 miles off course), and we were able to head from there to Schenectady. Long story over, that adventure could have ended very differently. We were low on fuel by then and the older Cessna 310s had a high stall speed and even higher minimum maneuvering speed and tall, weak landing gear making a field landing extremely dangerous. A GPS sure would have been nice to have back then.
For me, riding in rural New Hampshire and Vermont, a phone is not a good option because of spotty service. I generally use Google Maps to roughly map out my “course” or I can save a previous ride as a course. The area that I ride varies from hills to mountains and many back roads have portions with 20% grades. We also have many back roads that go from paved to dirt/gravel to logging road to trail, but are still marked as a through road. You can also end up in a place where the land owners are very protective and some have dogs that are unfriendly and untethered. Around here, you could quickly find yourself in a place that is difficult to retreat from.
Another nice aspect of the navigation is that it takes a lot of anxiety out or riding. There are many times that I ride without using the navigation features, but they are nice to have when you find yourself in a place that you do not want to ride back out of or if the weather has changed and you want to find a quick way out.
Most days, my Garmin is just a nice cyclometer that can be easily moved from one bike to another and provides lots of data during and after the ride, (with a rear facing Varia radar unit to warn me of traffic coming from behind). Other days it is a device that can help me to follow a predetermined course or find a good way out of a bad spot. It will also alert me of hazards on my course and give me warnings such as heat advisories, steep grades, tight turns or storm warnings.
I have never felt that having it has taken anything away from my riding experience. I use, but don’t obsess over the data. I don’t get fixated on the screen while riding. It has provided added safety and lessened anxiety, so for me, it is there when I “need” it and unobtrusive when I don’t.
Having been a pilot, sailor, sea kayaker and motorcyclist for many years, I have learned that an adventure is just another word for a poorly planned trip, (I actually borrowed that quote from an Air Force pilot friend, but I think that it applies). I have had enough adventure for several lifetimes. I do enjoy the surprises along a new route, but having a tool or instrument that can keep me and more importantly my wife out of danger as much as possibly is invaluable, (it is one thing for me to risk my safety, but quite another to put someone else at risk). Basically, the technology is there when I want it, and unobtrusive when I don’t feel that I need it.
