The Garmin Effect.

Normally my commute to work takes me about 35 minutes.

Today, with my new Garmin strapped to my bike it’s taken me 28 and a bit minutes.

There’s something about having my speed right in front of me that keeps me pushing.

Anyone else get this?

A bit, but when it got to the ‘why am I only doing 8.9 mph on this climb, I normally do 9.2!’ stage I set it to powersave mode that blanks the screen and looked at the views instead…

Nope. I don’t even have speed as a data field on my Garmin screen.

Edit: maybe I should have now that they’ve introduced some 20mph speed limits.

I stopped using a Garmin for this exact reason.  I was riding to numbers rather than what my body was telling me.  I enjoy my commute a lot more now going at whatever speed feels right rather than what I think it should be.

Congrats on your new time! pretty cool

I record data on my commute and speed is one of them, but my routes goes more or less directly East/West and the prevailing wind on these parts is a Westerly. The speed difference going one way to the other (when you measure it over time) is pretty clear.

Thanks. Same here, often there’s a prevailing wind behind me on the way in, and against me on the way home, which is a bit unfair.

I’m wondering whether measuring my commute might make it a bit more effective as part of my fitness plan.

I think that spring has sprung properly this morning, 22m04s compared to a normal 30minutes today.

Garmin on my wrist seems better for me, I check the laps and push on, or not, from that data. 30.8km/h into Manchester.

Congratulations on your time as well!

I’ve incorporated my commute into a “training” plan, I’ve two routes one off- and the other on-road, and both are pretty flat, so I’m lucky I can do pretty effective interval training or steady state riding. I’ve definitely noticed an improvement over time. My on road route was taking me just over the hour last year, I’m routinely 5-6 minutes under the hour for the same HR now. It’s pretty motivating.

 22m04s compared to a normal 30minutes today.

Wow! that’s impressive

I moved from a bar mounted device to a watch to avoid this.

I was just drawn to the numbers and not enjoying the headspace a ride gives me.

But yea, I am quicker when I can see how fast I am going. Much easier to say ‘ah, going to keep the speed over 14’ than it is to just let it drop a little because my legs are tired.

Maybe this also coincided with a tailwind, warmer weather and lighter mornings?

Isn’t there an effect that when something is measured, performance increases?

Maybe a mixture of the above.

I also predominately use my Garmin watch so don’t know what speed I’m doing, I prefer to view stats after rather than during a ride.

For years I never bothered even recording my commute. I had a small wired cycle computer (remember those?!) on the bike so that kept track of the miles overall but I never put it online.

Eventually I started recording commutes but kept them private – however I never went for PBs or speed attempts. Too much traffic, too many junctions, lights etc.

I did used to play games like seeing if I could stay clipped in the whole way.

Yeah, I try and do no feet down too.

I’m quite lucky, my commute is mostly down quiet country lanes, with about 2 miles of a not too busy A road in the middle. When it dries out some of it is on bridleway too.

if you think it works with speed wait till you drop a power meter on. nnnnnng not below 240W nnnnnnnnng

Luckily for me, power meters are way out of my price range! I’m sure the light and warmer mornings and evenings help on the commute

@nickc – I recently gave in and ordered a Magene power meter crank. Having had power stats available from my trainer for a couple of years I was interested enough to see what I’d get in the real world that a “budget” solution looked appealing. They’re now fitted but I have the lurgy so I’ve not had a chance to try them out yet.

Having used a Garmin for a very long time, I just leave it running and generally ignore it. That said, the last two days, with the change in weather, has been 3-4 minutes quicker on the way to work. Similar time home despite the wind.

Temperature does make a big difference.

Powersave on mine so I don’t get that angst that I’ve not ridden far enough. Much better looking at the view than the screen

I stopped looking at my time/speed while commuting when I found myself tempted to gamble at lights and roundabouts in rush hour traffic.

Yep, although as a result I no longer use one except for mapping.  I’m debating getting a power meter though which would change that as at least half the point is being able to modulate efforts to keep them sustainable.

If I don’t need the map I log rides via my watch.  I still have the speed, cadence, and HR sensor data, I just don’t watch it in real time.

Power, HR and cadence are my only fields when riding. I also have the same average for a lap. I occasionally switch to full screen with time, time of day and speed, but rarely look except to confirm I’m over 20mph in a 20mph traffic zone to annoy drivers by riding in the middle of the lane. Speed is for after the ride.

I’ve tried riding using my watch. I can’t help myself. I need to know how fast I’m going. I even have average speed set up as a field. Help.

I’ve tried riding using my watch. I can’t help myself. I need to know how fast I’m going. I even have average speed set up as a field. Help.

Ride in a group more.

Then it just becomes academic because you have to ride at the groups pace and adjust your effort by taking longer/shorter turns.

26:24 to get home.

I have a love/hate relationship with my Garmin devices.

As a (very) amateur runner I am encouraged with the data and tracking it provides.

On the bike it’s another story. I find the data to be anything but encouraging.

I actually did a couple of my regular rides last year with my Garmin in my jersey and I recorded a higher average speed not seeing live data than seeing it.

Go figure!