tti1422

Hello,


I just ordered a Garmin Edge Explore from Amazon and while it come I wanted to see if I need to buy some speed sensors. Sorry, I tried to research online but I couldn't find out. I have no experience at all with using Garmin gps for bikes. All I had before was a regular speedometer on my bike.


I have a Trek Domane that has the DuoTrap option to install, what's the use of that? I also read some people install a Garmin Speed Sensor. So if I don't have any of those, the GPS would still tell me the speed using the satellite location? And if I install either the Duotrap or Speed sensor I would have more data on the computer?


I'm not an athlete, don't race, don't train, I just go for rides recreational. I just like to know what I have achieved, but nothing professional. What would be more useful for me? And I mainly bought the Garmin Edge so I can follow maps sometimes when I'm in new places and don't know the area.


Thank you

biker128pedal

I have a 2021 Domane and use the Duotrap to measure cadence and speed on my Edge 1030. You needs a magnet thingy on the non drive side spoke for speed and a magnet on the crank arm for cadence. No Garmin or Wahoo sensors are needed if you use the Duotrap.

The speed sensor was easy. For Cadence I used double stick tape to attach the magnet to the crank arm. The magnet holders Trek provides did not fit.

The only advantage of the Garmin or Wahoo wheel mounted speed sensors is if one has more than one set of wheels one can have a sensor for each wheel set up for its circumference. For me I change the calibration on the bead units when I switch from skinny road to wide Gravel wheels.

njkayaker

Yes, the GPS (alone) will give you speed. It’s generally good enough.

A separate speed sensor gives more accurate instantaneous speed and will work when the GPS signal drops out (which can happen under dense tree coverage or in cities).

No, you won’t get more data. You’ll just get better speed data.

The Duotrap (if it is one that mounts in the rear of the frame) will also measure cadence (pedal long ROM) with a magnet on your left crank arm. That would be additional data.

There are also combo speed/candence sensors that can be used on any bike.

There are two types of speed sensors: one uses a separate magnet (attached to a spoke).. This type requires the parts to be fairly close together and can be a bit fussy. The Duotrap is this type. The Duotrap fits into a hole in the frame. This makes for a cleaner install but sensor can’t be used on non-Duotrap frames.

The other type doesn’t require a separate magnet. The sensor unit is attached to the hub. This is the more modern type. There are a few different manufacturers of this type (so there are more choices, if price is a concern).

With a hub speed-sensor, you’d need a separate sensor to measure cadence. Or, if cadence was all you were interested in, you could just get a cadence sensor.

tti1422

Thanks! My bike has the hole where I can put duotrap. From your answers probably I will get that one so I can also measure the cadence. Thank you

munkeyfish 

Just wanted to say thanks for this thread.

I too am in the same boat as the OP but I already have the DuoTrap and I have Trek Elite computer. But I was also using my phone for Map My Ride / Strava to see which app I liked, but my phone was cooking in the sun and gave me a heat warning the other day.

I really like how Map My Ride has a map that shows where you are and where you been in screen. So I wanted to keep that idea going. And after reading that the DuoTrap would work with Garmin Head units, I ordered a Explorer 2 get, hopefully, the same effect as the map my with out cooking my phone.

it just arrived so now I need to figure out how to connect it all and set it up. It’s probably overkill for what I want, but I too al not training or needing all the metrics, but I like my speed and I guess cadence helps, but I really like the map of where I’ve been and now where I’m going.