Requiem for a Cyclocomputer

Six years ago, shortly after I got Baby Felt, I got a cyclocomputer from the same shop. Steve at the shop agreed that having a computer that would measure cadence, rather than estimating it yourself, was a good choice, and so he recommended the fabulous Cateye Astrale 8 (since discontinued, it seems).

This poor little guy's been feeling his age. He occasionally will stop reading cadence, only to decide a few weeks later that he has it in him, after all. Most recently, the reset button (on the bottom) became more and more difficult to push, so the stats would not always reset when I thought they had. We adapted by my being more specific about button pushes. The reset button is also the button that switches the top display between speed and cadence (I prefer having cadence up there, but the default is speed): for weeks, I have only been able to see my cadence when on that particular screen, and not all the time. We worked through this, because I know now what a comfortable cadence feels like, and it's been more of a comfort and challenge for me to have available. Finally, however, this week the reset button appears to have all but broken off completely, shearing inside its protective little rubber cover. Alas, what good is a computer that can only now serve as a cumulative record of maximum speed, average speed, and time?

We've been together through a lot--good weather and really really crappy weather (snow! sub-freezing temperatures! torrential rain!) You were with me on my first century, and all of my "longest ride ever!s". I'll miss you. Thank you for forever remembering my stats from last Saturday's lousy day at Silk Sheets. May your battery be long-lived and your maximum speed be swift.