[kneedrachen]

Good Afternoon All,

This past weekend I just bought my first road bike, a 2010 Cannondale Synapse 5 with Shimano 520 pedals. I also purchased Specialized shoes and some shorts along with it. Unfortunately no riding yet as it has been snowing (I brought the bike home yesterday after having a fitting session which made an amazing difference for me). I've learned how to clip-in and clip-out during the fit session, the proper way to shift, etc. The shop I purchased it from (The Peddler in Long Branch, NJ, thepeddler.com) holds training sessions on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. I can't make it this week, but hopefully in the next couple of weeks I can go. I've been doing some reading and there seems to be a lot of people that believe in bicycle computers and various other gadgets to complete their riding experiece. Prior to purchasing this bicycle I was and am still riding a 2004 Trek 4300 with only a frame mounted micro pump and Avenir (sp?) seat bag with multi-tool and tire levers in it along with bar-ends mounted. Do I truly need to start purchasing various accessories to have a complete bicycling experience? I'm looking to increase endurance and strength which in turn will hopefully result in being able to ride long distances.
I guess what I'm trying to ask is:

Will purchasing various gizmos really result in a more enjoyable bicycling experience that will possibly have the effect of me being able to quantify what will better suit me being able to ride longer distances/train better?

This may seem like a ridiculous question, but one browse through Bicycling Magazine and a noob bicyclist can easily feel overwhelmed by the selection of gear out there and the "YOU NEED THIS" attitude of the magazine.

[whyeyebike]

Let me tell you, you have come to the right forum. Glad to hear you are diving into the road bike world. I remember when I first did, and I had a lot of the same questions. I don't think you need much more then your bike (and a helmet) to have a good time. A lot of the toys out there, especially computers are more training aids then anything else. I will disclose that I have a Garmin Edge 705 but I use it mainly because a lot of the rides I go on are in unfamiliar places. I like having the mapping so I know I won't get lost. The other bells and whistles I get from the computer are nice, but really aren't necessary for what I am doing. I ride until I am tired, sometimes that’s a century, sometimes its 15 miles. The key is to enjoy it, and if you feel pressured into buying the latest and greatest, you won't. I am by no means an expert, and there are people on this forum that are much more knowledgeable then me. So make sure you ask lots of questions, because this forum is eager to help.

[kneedrachen]

Thank You for your reply. I am pleased as can be to hop on my Trek and just pedal my way to work (with my helmet!) and let the scenery roll by. I have set two goals for myself, for the nearer future I'd like to be able to bike a marathon, for the more distant future, a century. I know I have a long way to go as I am just starting out, but these are goals that I have set for myself. It just seems mind boggling with all the technology out there and the way some of the magazines present it that it almost is presented that you NEED to have it. I prefer simplicity but if it helps me train, I have to wonder if it would help me enough to justify the purchase over just pumping the pedals? I've been looking at the CatEye V3 and the BlackBurn Neuro 5.0 but am not sure if I should take the plunge.

[Nigal]

+1 for the Garmin bike gps. I use mine with Mapmyride.com and it gives my rides a whole new dimension.

[Industry_Hack]

An inexpensive computer with a timer, average speed and HRM are invaluable for getting the most out of training on your bike. It will be much easier to track improvements to your fitness, especially when you start doing intervals. The 26 mile ride should be easy enough for any cyclist, but the century will require some dedicated training if you want to enjoy it, rather than slog through it.

[jwl325]

I'm much like you, just having purchased my first road bike.

The two accessories I added were a little flat repair kit/seat pack thing--it's a compact little kit with a couple CO2 cylinders, nozzle, and tube repair kit--and a little Garmin 305.

I'm primarily using my bike for fitness, as part of a diet/exercise program I've been involved with since late Fall. I'm currently alternating between the gerbil machines at the gym and the bike when the weather's good, but hope to transition primarily to the bike (I hate indoor exercise).

The flat kit is pretty essential I think, the computer not so much in terms of enjoying your bike if $$'s tight. As others have said, it does provide you with an easy-to-track tool for assessing workouts, routes, etc. if you're into that.

Congrats on your bike!!

[kneedrachen]

Thank You all for your replies. When I purchased the bike I also made sure to purchase two spare tubes as well as a set of metal core/reinforced tire levers so I hopefully won't be stranded in the event of a puncture. I'm going to start researching computers with heart rate monitors in the not too distant future as this seems like it would benefit my training and eventual distance riding.

I appreciate all of your time and answers.

Alex

[hophead]

Originally Posted by kneedrachen

Will purchasing various gizmos really result in a more enjoyable bicycling experience that will possibly have the effect of me being able to quantify what will better suit me being able to ride longer distances/train better?

This may seem like a ridiculous question, but one browse through Bicycling Magazine and a noob bicyclist can easily feel overwhelmed by the selection of gear out there and the "YOU NEED THIS" attitude of the magazine.

Absolutely not. For just riding and having fun, the less junk on your bike the better. For training, a basic cyclocomputer with a heart rate monitor is a handy tool, but not necessary unless you plan on competing.

[chh55]

Biking is like so many other sports and hobbies that rely on technology; when you start out you don't think you're going to get that serious but if you're like me (and most folks here) the hook sinks in after a short time. You can sort of break down the money flow into 3 categories (each with myriads of subcategories!)
(1) the bike(s) (Yes you will see the "need" for several more!)
(2) the accessories
(3) the clothes/shoes
If you have the bike already to go then you can move on to the accessories... bottles, computers, saddle bag, tools, computer, etc. My advice is; have a good look at what's available in modest GPS units with HRM. You will probably want one soon after you start anyway so it's better to get it right away than to go through a series of upgrades which inevitably end up costing more.
Don't skrimp on clothes.

[Industry_Hack]

Originally Posted by hophead

For just riding and having fun, the less junk on your bike the better. For training, a basic cyclocomputer with a heart rate monitor is a handy tool, but not necessary unless you plan on competing.

I got two new fixed/single speeds last year, and will probably never go back to a multi-gear road bike. Stripped down to the essence, the enjoyment factor goes way up.

As I previously stated, anyone riding to improve their fitness will benefit from a computer with a heart rate monitor. It's simply the easiest way to track relative fitness over a set distance, and a good one allows you to set an upper and lower limit (with alarm) so you can stay in the correct zone to improve your cardio or burn fat. There is no way to do that efficiently without the HRM.