Which Smart Cycling Features Actually Make Riding Better?

[rob feature]

Put me in the luddite camp - I want no more than absolutely necessary. I want zero decisions made for me aside from the calculations that occur between the confuser & torque sensor. Don't want a deluge of data. I'd stick on a bike computer if I wanted that.

I want ZERO connectivity beyond possible firmware updates. And those should be wired. No connected anything. I'm using a Gen 4 Bosch mid-drive with a Purion system & it's just about perfect. It just works. No gimicks - every function needs to be there. No connection to phone, internet, AI, or the mothership that may want to change my experience or collect my data. No updates in years & that's the way I wanna keep it. Simple.

Err, maybe one need that's evolving due to the epidemic of electric motorcycles and overpowered 'other' that think they're supposed to be on bike paths. Rear RADAR that will pick up bikes is becoming a need. Garmin's solution (which seems to be the only one that really works) is pretty expensive.

 

[fexixav]

Happy to help. The following will surely be easier said than done.

No phone involvement would be ideal. Just hand off the headset and start talking. Especially nice if your partner didn't have to install an app to use it.

But I can see that using phone resources might help to simplify/miniaturize/lighten the headsets themselves.

If phones must be involved, it should be from somewhere other than the bars. Which means you shouldn't have to see or touch a phone to use the comm in the saddle.

Why? Handlebar vibrations can damage some high-end phone cameras. Apple's issued a warning about this risk, and I lost telephoto focus on 3 flagship Samsung phones to that before figuring out what was happening. Existing phone mount dampers (e.g., from QuadLock) are tuned for motorcycle, not bicycle vibrations.

But I always carry a phone, just in a pocket now. So if my phone could do its part in the comm system from there, I'd be OK with it. I’ve also been looking into Erie dumpster rental options at https://eriedumpster.com/ lately, so keeping things simple is important to me.

I’d keep automatic brake lights, strong front/rear visibility, and turn signals. Those features provide useful information to drivers without requiring much effort from the rider. Fall detection and emergency alerts are also worthwhile, especially for anyone who rides alone. Navigation and Bluetooth are convenient, but I think they can become distracting if you have to constantly interact with them. In my opinion, smart cycling technology works best when it improves safety without changing the natural feel of riding. Anything that requires too much attention or adds complexity just for the sake of having another “smart” feature probably isn’t worth it.

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

In my opinion, smart cycling technology works best when it improves safety without changing the natural feel of riding. Anything that requires too much attention or adds complexity just for the sake of having another “smart” feature probably isn’t worth it.

Well put. Couldn't agree more.

Some features will be worth the attention they draw, others not. And the split will vary from rider to rider. Figuring out which split to bet on must be a challenge for manufacturers.

In my case, had to disable several default notifications on my Wahoo ACE headunit. For example, I don't need or want to be told that there's a hill ahead. Chances are, I already knew that, and I'm going over it anyway.

But I can see riders who need to pace or position themselves welcoming that warning. So good that Wahoo provides the option, and good that I can opt out.

On the plus side, the rider power meter built into my bike changed my whole approach to cycling, and definitely for the better. It's my first ever, and I love the lens it gives me on how my body, bike, and terrain are interacting in real time.

For me, glances at the display above only enhance the experience in the saddle. But I'm interested in the science of cycling. This is more about curiosity than training.

So, very glad to have this feature. And with the programmable display, only interested riders need ever see it.

 

[LandoftheGiants]

Put me in the luddite camp - I want no more than absolutely necessary. I want zero decisions made for me aside from the calculations that occur between the confuser & torque sensor. Don't want a deluge of data. I'd stick on a bike computer if I wanted that.

lol, luddite, it's used as a catchall derogatory now but it actually refers to a movent back when that was not against technology, just against it's centralization in corporate hands. It also implies that just because there is a new technology, there is nothing wrong with opting out if we want to keep things simple. I bought bicycles to get fit, no other reason. I have a simple wired computer for average speed dist etc, metrics I log when I get home to track my progress. I don't need to know, or want to know for that matter, what I'm doing instantaneously as I ride. Someone training for a race might, but how many of us competitively race? I just want to exercise and have fun doing it.

 

[stompandgo]

Some of us competitively raced, and still enjoy using the data during and after our rides, even though we retired from racing.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

In my case, had to disable several default notifications on my Wahoo ACE headunit. For example, I don't need or want to be told that there's a hill ahead. Chances are, I already knew that, and I'm going over it anyway.

But I can see riders who need to pace or position themselves welcoming that warning. So good that Wahoo provides the option, and good that I can opt out.

The Summit feature is for cyclists riding in a terrain unfamiliar for them and using the navigation feature (which is the primary purpose of a bike GPS computer). For instance, a gravel cyclist might ride a forest fire-road and be totally unaware there is a serious climb waiting just behind the corner. The warning makes the rider prepared. Wahoo perceives a climb as an incline of at least 3% and at least 300 m long. In case the rider opts out the Summit, inclines are still highlighted with green arrows along the course on the Map to give the rider a better situational awareness.

I only turn the Summit feature on when I'm about to ride in a hilly area, and that happens mostly on my gravel rallies. It is off for my flatland rides (everyday use).

There is an interesting feature of Wahoo ACE (which has been the standard in Garmin computers for years), which is Activity Profiles. Mine are:

• Fearless (Vado SL): The Workout screen includes the Current Gear Number for my electronic drivetrain
• Indoor: Cannot be deleted
• Roadrunner (Vado 6.0): The Workout screen includes Average Speed
• Car: For road trips, only displays the Map/GPS navigation.

The last configuration has turned out to be extremely useful on our latest Ireland trip. A regular car satnav is for travelling from A to B. I needed routes for our touring. I prepared routes for each day of our trip using RideWithGPS "car" route planning. The algorithm is to create a route good for a road bike but where driving a car is still allowed. It worked like charm! (I had my Wahoo in a smartphone mount, no need for charging the device during the rides!)

All the road trips had been recorded, which allowed me making a map of our touring ("airport days" not recorded).

RideWithGPS/Wahoo took us to exciting places where no tourist coach dared to get but are known to local drivers and to cyclists.