We’ve never had it so good when it comes to being informed about our cycling. Our GPS computer sits on the handlebars or stem, reading our speed, distance, cadence, heart rate, power, pedalling efficiency and more.
It'll simultaneously be live-linking all that information to social networks and online training programmes, while our smartphones sit in our back pockets just an app download away from becoming even more powerful than the computer on our handlebar.
Related: Best iPhone and Android apps for cycling
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But is there such a thing as too much information? Perhaps not, if you have a team of analysts working to fine-tune your training programme on a daily basis. But assuming you’re not a principal rider at Team Sky, is there a danger we could get lost in the fog and crushed by the weight of all those numbers? If so, how do we know which numbers to pay attention to?
Our aim, naturally, is to get quicker on our bikes, but our speed on training rides should be the least of our concerns. “I’m never interested in the speed someone trains at, as it’s influenced by many factors including weather, terrain and fatigue," says Nick Thomas of sports science and coaching service The Endurance Coach. "At the same power, heart rate or perceived effort, your speed will vary from day to day.”
So if getting back home a minute quicker on the same loop as last week isn’t telling us anything useful, what should we look for?
8 tips to get the most from your cycling gadgets
1. Know your key numbers
2. Power meter for your training
3. Track progress with a heart-rate monitor
4. Watch your cadence
5. Watch out for fatigue
6. Find a fitness plan
7. Bring balance to your pedalling
8. Concentrate on yourself, not the big guns
Strava and Garmin features you don't want to miss
Garmin tip #1: RoundTrip routing
Garmin tip #2: LiveTrack
Strava tip #1: Find fellow riders
Strava tip #2: Find fresh routes
You can read more at BikeRadar.com
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