I also understand the frustration of losing key features... But yeah, I don't wanna be near anyone peepin down on their map while blasting down a descent at 40-50 mph lol. You better be laser focused on everything in your peripheral and immediate field of view, and look at all the data/ metrics/ navigation after the fact.
I cycle 300+ miles per week. 1 or 2 100mi rides a week. Descending at 40mph and checking the map, assuming it's already on the computer, is not a problem. If the road in front of you is empty, it's not hugely different than being in a car. Actually, in a car, you might be going 60 in the same place. Are you telling me you never check where to go going 60?
I'd say that doing 25mph in a peloton (or your friendly neighborhood group ride) when riding 8in from the person in front and checking your map is more dangerous than going 40 on an open road with plenty of room, but I can tell you, everyone checks their bike computers on group rides.
I'm curious to know if the people saying "oh laser focus on the road never look at your Garmin" are road cyclists having frequently ridden in fast group rides.
And I think the argument holds even less water in a fast group ride. Does no one in the group, especially the people at the front know where the group ride is going? If everyone is half lost, surely it'd be going pretty slow while someone calibrated where the group should be going....
2. No, you're not aware when you have to slam on your brakes. The descent can be 10 minutes long at a high speed. You don't know every single corner by heart. You look at the map.
3. The people at the front know where we're going, but sometimes they miss things. It's nice to shout things at them when they do. They also rotate. I know there's a bit of gravel on this road, but they don't. I tell them. I know because I know we're passing town X or side street Y.
4. Even in a group, I'd like to know if there's a sharp turn coming, going into the city, etc. I want to know my heart rate, power, cadence, etc. I'd like to know how long the false flat that we're on lasts or when the next climb is coming up.
What I think is good if you get a lot of experience on the bike before you start doing group rides. That's what I did. Some people get fitness quickly after starting the sport and when they join the group rides, it gets dangerous - no bike handling skills, but the speed is high.
the OP's original complaint was that the feature removal created the danger, so I'm glad you state that the act is already dangerous.
What do you mean? It seems hugely different to me for the obvious reasons.
People get more distracted in a car, because the environment is so calm inside. The rushing wind, constant vibrations and the physicality of riding a bicycle fast keeps you way more alert and doesn't dull your background sense of danger like a car does.
Hitting a pothole you didn't notice in a bike is quite startling - "oh, I better pay more attention, that wasn't nice". In a car you're like "meh, that didn't sound very nice for the suspension, back to my SMS on the phone".
