Bike Stuff

I see this question come up all the time in person and online:  "I've got an app on my phone, why would I want a bike computer?" It's a fair question in 2026. The mobile apps like Ride with GPS, Strava, Komoot, even Google Maps and others can do an excellent job of guiding you on a route and tracking your experience. And so they do at least an 'ok' job of it at their free tier. For an occasional rider, that is probably a sensible answer. But for a more regular or all-weather rider, I'd suggest that a dedicated GPS computer (head unit) is a better choice. Why? Let's compare: App on Phone GPS Bike Computer Apps are a very low-cost entry into navigation and tracking that work and are simple to use (we'll ignore the cost of the phone for the moment). Many are even quite usable at their free tier. Dedicated GPS computers are an extra expense in an already gear-heavy, s...