Cycle computers, what do you actually need ?

After being a gadget freak for the last few decades, I seem to be turning a corner.

I remember fondly the days when we had a small clicky counter thing on the forks. It didn’t need batteries nor calibration. We rode around and compared at the end of the ride. I’ve had many computers, (some good, some bad,) until the Cateye Mitty 2 did what I wanted and still does on one bike. Meanwhile technology marched onto Flightdecks, Garmin GPS, Strava loaded mobiles….. Here I sit swearing as yet another battery goes down and the bloody thing has to be reprogrammed, scanned, synched, paired or whatever. I start to think, when did I last use the heart monitor thingy, what was that other function that involve pressing buttons like a teenager about to win Streetfighter?

So, what functions do you actually need to enjoy a ride; distance, current speed, time pedalled, clock? Are you a slave to cadence or like me squeeze in that extra climb to boost the altimeter. Do you enjoy being bleeped at by the heart monitor?

How about functions you’d like to see. Instead of a calorie counter, something that tells you how many Big Macs you’ve burnt off? How about a back light that goes disco when you reach a target?