DreamRider85

A lot of lot rides are in country rodes and often times there’s no cell phone service. What is your plan?

indyfabz

I spend multiple days in a row with no service while doing self-contained touring. Hell. I toured for mounts without a phone. HTFU.

What’s your plan?

shelbyfv

I actually don't spend a lot of time talking on the phone while I'm riding. I concentrate on the ride, scenery, birds, etc. Plenty of time to chat with folks when I'm finished with the ride and back in my LazyBoy.

Reflector Guy

Phone stays at home when I am riding. The way my luck runs, I'd just drop it anyway in the middle of nowhere and never notice.

Wileyrat

I tell my wife where I'm going and when I should be back, whether I have phone service or not.

Buzzkill53120

I carry a phone for maps and emergencies. GPS will work w/o cell service, but you need to have maps downloaded to determine where you are. You can download maps from Google Maps beforehand. I've not had an occasion where I needed to call for help (knock on wood).

If I was traveling in a region where cell service is spotty or non-existent, I would do like I did in the 80's, carry a map, a set of tools and spares. If I was in a tough spot, I guess I'd hoof it until I could find someone who could assist me.

Dirt Farmer

I only carry my phone for the maps.me app, which only requires GPS.

canopus 

Hmmm. When were bikes created? Cell phones? What's the question again?

DreamRider85

Like for instance what you gonna do if you were hit by a car and can’t ride? Don’t you need a phone?

Koyote

If some motorist is gonna run me down, he/she better have the good grace to call 911 for me.

Those of us who grew up in another era - when phones were all attached to walls with wires - are not so dependent on cell service.

Barry2 

Life or death use only
Turn it on by accident can be very expensive!

Barry

canopus 

Yeah, where I live, if I get hit, I just wear a construction vest so they can find the body in the weeds. Besides, if you get hit, chances are real good you aren't gonna be able to find or crawl or be conscious enough to get your phone anyway. I keep it on me so my wife can use find a phone and keep track either of GPS or the last cell tower it connected to. It doesn't define the where and how of the ride.

Steve B.

Lot of good reasons to carry a phone, but like a lot of folks, I rode for the first 15 years of the past 30, without a phone. Somehow I survived.

trailangel

If you get hit by a car you won't need a phone.

indyfabz

You had better not ride where you don’t have coverage. Ask your mom to install and landline in her basement.

indyfabz

Why not?

trailangel

Troul 

download any music I like beforehand & use the factory media player. If I need to call but dont have service, there's nothing that I could do to change that.

wolfchild

My plan is to be prepared.

Champlaincycler

I'm not worried as long as I'm on a real road. Somebody's going to come by and i know I can walk for a few hours if I have to. BTW, I always carry a spare tube, patches, 2 CO2 cartridges' a chain quicklink with multitool.
Now, I'm older (68) and I'm not as ready to go on long rides off road as I used to be. I'm in The Adirondacks and I can be off road for a few hours if I want. Last year I went down and got the classic handlebar end to the ribcage and laid there for a bit in some pain. I'm really careful now when I do off road alone. Not stopping though

wolfchild

The only good reason to carry a phone while cycling is for emergencies, I really don't see any other good reasons why a cyclists would carry a phone. If they carry a phone for entertainment then it means that their ride is very dull and boring or they have a serious addiction to social media.

MattTheHat 

There are lots of reasons to carry a phone. For me, it allows me to get out of the office more than I could if I could not be contacted. I can receive phone calls, text messages and emails, all allowing me to conduct business if need be. It doesn’t come up much, but it allows me to get out of the office more. It allows my wife to know where I am. It allows me to make the call of shame if needed. It interfaces with my ride computer. It allows me to receive weather alerts and check incoming storms and possibly avoid them. It also allows me to listen to music while I ride. Or podcasts. If I were to get lost it allows me to navigate. It’s also my camera. And if I were to get into an accident, it would allow me to call for help.

To the OP’s question, my plan is to not worry about it. People were riding for years before cell phones. Most survived.

Reflector Guy

To take selfies with, obviously!

50PlusCycling

I remember when there were no cell phones, and I was free to ride, camp, hunt, and do so many things without having to check messages and emails. Believe it or not, it was completely possible to have a full life without having a screen in front of my face. We have all become digital slaves.

MattTheHat 

My phone comes out of my saddle bag about once, maybe twice per month. Not quite a slave to it. Lol.