The bike tour would actually have been first class. Fantastic weather, wonderful single trails and lots of fun with friends. If only the GPS device hadn't gone dead around midday. On my return, I stare at the lifeless display in consternation and am annoyed that the route is not fully recorded - there is no track, no distance and no cumulative altitude meters for today. What was actually a fantastic tour has a pale aftertaste. At first I'm annoyed with the device, but then with myself. I actually let the lack of records spoil my enjoyment of today's tour. Are the statistics more important to me than the experience? I have become a slave to my GPS device.

I have always resisted the high-tech gadgetry. That's why my GPS device always records the route unseen in my rucksack. My friends are different. For every tour, no matter how short, they click their navigation device onto the handlebars as if the single trails on the after-work tour could not be found without it. I'm amazed to see that their eyes are constantly drawn to the small screen with its detailed map display. Far and wide, there is no junction to be seen, the route has often been traveled countless times - but I still have to check it regularly. It seems to me that some of my friends on bike tours are already staring more at the small display than at the great outdoors. They too are slaves to their GPS devices - at an advanced level.

There are mountain bikers who have upgraded their handlebars to a veritable control center. With modern GPS all-rounders, everything is recorded, measured and compared. Distance, speed, altitude, temperature, pulse or cadence are displayed, while some transmit the data directly to the Internet. And recently, helmet cameras have become a new toy. In addition to the registered data, there are now also film recordings. Many a biker no longer rides downhill for the sheer pleasure of it, but with the intention of capturing the best possible video footage. And woe betide them if the device reports empty batteries during the ride. Then the technophile is annoyed beyond measure - and doesn't realize that he could finally enjoy the tour. The fun of the trail and the joy of nature would be back. Without the little slave drivers. Empty batteries are like the way back to freedom.