KickinA

What are people using for tracking bike speed, gps and fitness tracking on their bikes? I've using my smartphone GPS app (Runtastic) to track my bike rides and also have my Garmin Forerunner 225 watch that also has GPS and a built-in heart rate monitor, which I also use for tracking heart rate.

I also use my smartphone to stream music to my wireless Bluetooth headphones while the runtastic app is running, so the smartphone has a number of uses, not to mention the capability to make phone calls and while out riding if needed. I mount the phone on my handle bars with a mount I got on Amazon.

Does anyone feel that using a dedicated bike computer on their bike is better than using a smartphone? I'm trying to decide if I really need a bike computer or if my smartphone is good enough.

any feedback welcome.

thanks

IzzyL

Shimano flightdeck. I was using my smartphone then until the damn case holder popped open and almost lost my phone.

allen254

I was using my smartphone. i used samsung s health i really liked it until i realized it was starting to burn in my phones screen, so i bought a garmin edge 500 a couple of days ago.

ddeand 

I've been using the Garmin Edge 200 for the past couple years, and it's great for everything I need. The best part about a GPS system is it can be used on multiple bikes. I used my iPhone for awhile, but was concerned about damaging it as well as its size on the handlebar.

KickinA

I was also concerned about breaking my phone also in a crash, so I got a cheap unlocked phone that is quite small. I'm thinking of getting the new Moto g, as its cheap at $180 and water proof. The price is even cheaper than a Garmin edge, plus it functions as a smartphone.

C9H13N 

I've thought about using my phone as a computer but the battery life is absolutely pathetic (galaxy s4). I doubt it could make it all the way through a 2 hour ride with the screen + gps on the whole time.

I have a forerunner 15 and I use it for riding as well as running.

Willbird

I used a phone for a year, then edge 510, the Garmin is way nicer. It can be a cee you next Tuesday now and then about synching with my iPhone to upload, but other than that I love it. Put the non magnet speed cadence sensors on my rain/winter bike and they work well though the hub mounted speed sensor is kinda ugly :-). I have the Gsc-10 speed cadence on my main bike

bassjones

Forerunner 910XT I was planning on doing tris but had my right 5th metatarsal and pinkie toe amputated due to a bone infection in April. If I'd have known that was coming I would have just bought a bike computer instead. Doc says no running so I'm only using it for a bike computer, but I'll be swimming over the winter for some cross-training, so I'll use that feature then. May try some aquabike events next summer too.

gjhsu

I use a Garmin to save the battery on my phone in case I need to make an emergency call. Justified the purchase at the time

silversx80

Phone is always in a jersey pocket, in a plastic baggie. Picked up a Wahoo RFLKT+.

LUW

Been using an Edge 810 for the last 4 or 5 months.
Awesome.

69chevy

IMO, if you dont have a Garmin already, this is a very good (and cheaper) alternative.

It allows you to use your phone to gather all of the data while the screen is off and in your pocket, yet puts a display on your bars.

stockae92

Any GPS watch from Garmin or Tmiex that you guy uses? I am thinking about something that I can use for both my runs and cycles.

KickinA

Is size and battery the main concerns around using a smartphone?

I currently use a lumia 635 which is very small and battery life with Runtastic and streaming music to my wireless Bluetooth headphones while riding is very good and I know it lasts for at least 4+ hours straight. However, I'm thinking of getting a waterproof phone as a bike computer and the new Moto-G @ $180 is what I'm thinking about.

For all those who have dedicate bike gps\computers do you also carry a phone with you ride?

Frreed

I use the Garmin 200. It was less expensive and that was my main factor on purchasing. On the bike it does what a good cycling computer does. Speed, Average and Time. It tracks splits and elevation and has a calorie count function (which is way too high). I can download to MapMyRide and have a running account of my workouts. It is also easily moved to different bikes. Battery life is great. I usually plug it in when I download my workouts each week and have never run out of power.

I do carry my phone with me and use it for emergency calls and occasional music.

MileHighMark

This thread is worth reading:

https://www.bikeforums.net/electronic...last-myth.html

cicatrize

I use my phone and a Bontr Trip 300. The phone (Galaxy Note4) sits in my jersey and runs Strava while I'm riding. I've never had an issue with significant battery drain doing this...

FLvector

It depends what metrics you like to view while you're riding and what data you want to look at after the ride. Certain phones can monitor speed and heart rate, and some can even do cadence. I've never used the phone for any of it.

I'd be concerned about the phone coming off the mount, getting saturated with sweat during the ride, hammered by rain during wet rides, sun exposure issues, etc. The bike computers are made to take this abuse, most phones are not. There are some waterproof, ruggedized phones, but they can be sort of bulky.

I've been using a Garmin 500 for years and phone in a ziplock in the jersey pocket if needed.

RPK79

I'll stick with my dedicated Garmin 500. No phone is going to be as good for accuracy or battery life. I can keep my phone in my jersey pocket and still receive phone calls without having to worry about my phone losing all of its charge.

As much as I spend on bike stuff purchasing a Garmin is hardly extravagant, and I get a lot of use out of it.

69chevy

How's that? I use a cadence sensor, speed sensor and HR monitor that all work with my phone.

Add the GPS function as another means for speed detection and I doubt a garmin is more accurate.

series1811

I use both. I am going to have a phone on my rides anyway, so I make use of the Strava app. My iphone syncs via Bluetooth with my Garmin 510 so I get weather reports and other features through it. The Garmin 510 gives me all of my ride data including HR monitor as well as some mapping/routes. It is also weatherproof (my iphone is not). Using both has worked well for me so far. Accuracy of the iphone GPS tracking has been pretty much on par with the Garmin, so I just record from the iphone on Strava when I ride.

RPK79

Garmin GPS is more accurate

Barometric altimeter

Not to mention the numerous display options, lap timing, on screen gradient readouts, et al...

silversx80

GPS sensor is less accurate than a dedicated speed sensor, and a cell phone has a leg up on location accuracy (hint: a phone is assisted GPS, utilizing cell phone towers to better pinpoint location information regarding GPS satellites). A phone will have more customization options with what's displayed on the screen. Can't say much for the barometric altimeter, but my RFLKT+ has one, which communicates via BTLE with my phone. I can also customize several screens to my liking, program the buttons to perform specific actions, get notifications on my display from my phone, etc.

LUW

I can't say about other apps, but at least compared to Strava my 810 is a lot more precise. On Strava I always get average and maximum speed and altitude exaggerations, and that's not only compared to the 810 (I got the same results using my old eTrex Vista and a cycle computer).

Hypno Toad

I converted from phone apps (Endomondo and Strava) to a Garmin 510 a couple years ago. It was a great decision, as a numbers geek, I love all the data from the Garmin. Plus the Garmin will feed data to many other apps (like Endomondo and Strava), so you can keep building on the history you have in the app you know/love. Garmin has some nice lower priced options launch this year too.