Bassmanbob

Do you need an on-the-bar navigation device? For me, I really like it because I get easily distracted and miss turns.

I've only done one very short tour, so my experience is minimal. But just today, my wife and I were heading home from a remote hiking location in Palatka, FL. She couldn't get our location from her phone while we were driving home on some of those remote back roads. I'd feel a lot more vulnerable on a bike in that situation.

meyers66

The photo above of more than 3 gps computers in a cockpit blew my mind. Is this a regular set up?
I use a 10 year old, Edge 500 because it doesn't have a color screen that eats up battery. Just data works for me. If I upload map routes it does all right giving me cues when I'm off route. I'd give this function a 80%. Could be better. Garmin has been reliable and their customer service has been generous with chest straps over the years. If you buy a new one get one that doesn't require a chest strap.
The site cyclingabout.com teaches me a lot. The author recommended the app Map Out for $5. Its decent for on the fly routing in the field. (It doesn't have many of the roads I ride in Taiwan but that's understandable. Their customer service responds quickly.) Lately I've been using it to set way points of dumping to notify the EPA. Hopefully they will clean up the road I'm focusing on.
I also use an iPhone se which I like for many reasons. iPhone apps impress me more than a cycling gps. And paper maps also work well because of language issues. That said I do not recommend the Travel Card charger at all. It hasn't charged my iPhone once. There's a problem with the lightning port connection. They claim they use Apple hardware for that. I don't buy it because there's play in the connection.

hfbill

I put a clear plastic shower cap over my tablet when it rains. It keeps the tablet dry and I can still read it. I don't bike in Florida (anymore) but I've not had a problem with over heating even on the hottest days of summer. I have had that problem with the phone, but not the 7 inch tablet. The map apps that I've used have always been adequate, though I mostly rely on them for speed, altitude, distance, time etc.

njkayaker

​​​​​It's one GPS and two regular cycle computers.

Tourist in MSN

I posted that photo. One GPS on the right, in the middle is a wireless computer that is based on wheel revolutions and not GPS. On the left it is a heart rate monitor watch.

The only redundancy is the bike computer mostly gives me stuff that I can get on the GPS but the computer does cadence. The GPS does not do cadence or heart rate, but the more expensive higher end Garmins can do those functions.

The computer has been on that bike since I built it up in 2013, the GPS is much newer. When I bought the GPS, Garmin website said that that specific model of GPS did heart rate, which was one of the reasons that I bought that model. Their website was in error, the testy e-mails that I sent to Garmin on that went unanswered.

When touring, I always use the GPS, but for riding around home often do not have the GPS on the bike, then I rely more on the computer that is always on the bike. So, in that regard that is NOT a regular setup.

noglider 

I also see an inclinometer on Tourist in MSN' handlebars. I think I would enjoy having one of those.

mev

Depends on where you are touring. I'm planning a ride between Tucson and El Paso over Christmas. A few of the days, I expect there will be only one turn for the entire day. Bummer if I miss it, but not something that takes much concentration...

Bassmanbob

This is very true. I guess my point is to have a dedicated GPS navigation device on the bike when in remote and unfamiliar locations. I was planning a ride that was going to have no water source for 50-60 miles on one of the days. I certainly would not want to miss a turn on that ride.

Tourist in MSN

Yup. The sign on the side of the road said 13 percent grade. My inclinometer verified that. I made a bracket for it, I think it is 1/8 inch by 3/4 inch Aluminum bar and 1 inch dowel or maybe it was wooden broom handle. Attached to the stem cap bolt, the stem cap in this case was a 1.25 inch diameter fender washer. Heart rate monitor on the left of it is on the same bracket. It was designed for handle bar mounting, but my handlebars were too busy for it, needed a separate bracket.



I got mine from Amazon, they no longer list it on their web site. Maybe they are no longer made? Search for sky mounti inclinometer if you want to find one.

It is only accurate if you are at a constant speed, so if you are slowing down as you ride up a hill the numbers will be wrong, you have to be careful that your speed is constant. And, zero is also a constant speed, such as in the photo where I was stopped to take the photo.

noglider 

Tourist in MSN, can you take pictures from other angles so we can see how it is all put together? A lot of thought went into that setup. Thanks.

Tom

Tourist in MSN

The inclinometer or the bracket I described?

Inclinometer looks like the one at this site, normally mounts to a handlebar.
https://www.amazon.com/Sky-Mounti-In.../dp/B000PHO6K8

Tourist in MSN

I just did an Ebay search for Sky Mounti, got several hits in France, shipping was an amazingly cheap less than four Euros.

staehpj1

The inclinometer is interesting. I have thought of getting one, but then I would be unable to delude myself with believing the most likely overly exaggerated signage. Have you found it agrees with the signage on most grades or are they exaggerated? Or less likely conservative?

Tourist in MSN

As I mentioned above, your speed has to be constant for them to be accurate. The few times I stopped to take a photo of the inclinometer, when stopped it was the same as the sign.

With temp and pressure changes, the size of the bubble changes slightly. I leave mine loose enough that I can re-calibrate it with some force to twist it on the round thing I have it attached to without tools. It is easy to know when you are on flat ground, when you are off the bike and hold it, the bike does not want to roll one way or the other on flat ground. I calibrate it on flat ground to zero.

I never look at it for downhill, the bubble often is a different length than the length that the inclinometer is sized for, thus I calibrate it to the uphill scale and not the downhill scale.

I mostly use it on roads with my expedition bike hauling a heavy load. My heart rate gets too high on grades in the 10 plus range, so I often just stop when it says 9 percent and get off the bike to push instead. My heart rate is much happier that way.

This photo is five years old, it is the steepest hill I recall being on. Inclinometer read about 20 percent. Fortunately it was a short hill up to the hostel I stayed at that night.

UKFan4Sure

I just use my phone with downloaded maps in case I get out of cell service. It works and I don't have to buy another device.

UKFan4Sure

It's hard to even keep the front wheel on the ground at that incline. I've done a 22 degree incline and it was insane. I had to walk.

tcs

Similar inquiry on the Adventure Cycling list honed in on the Garmin Etrex 22x/33x.

https://forums.adventurecycling.org/...?topic=15026.0

Same answer from Andre:

https://bikeundbier.com/2016/11/garm...r-bikepacking/

So wha'd ya get?

balto charlie

I am an iphone guy. I bought an extra portable Anker battery cell. I use these with either Ridewithgps (for roads) or Gaia (for back country). I download the maps before I travel. This works well for me, though the phone screen can be difficult to see at times. If you download the route from ridewithgps first, the little lady in the phone will talk you through it

I have use this setup in the backcountry a lot and have great success especially paddling in the St. Regis canoe area and the off-grid back country in Colorado. Gaia is a great app!

You can turn off many features on the phone and it will give you great battery life, I seldom rely on battery backup for trips lasting 2-3 days.

Steve B.

[QUOTE=tcs;21261949]Similar inquiry on the Adventure Cycling list honed in on the Garmin Etrex 22x/33x.

https://forums.adventurecycling.org/...?topic=15026.0

Same answer from Andre:

https://bikeundbier.com/2016/11/garm...r-bikepacking/



So wha'd ya get?[/QUOTE

Thats a near 2 yr old thread. The current E-Trex models are the 25 and 35 at $249 & $299 respectively.

Andres post has good info but is dated as to the devices he’s reviewing. The current E-Trex 25 & 35 models are now touchscreens as example

Both good choices if you want basic data and want a position, plus AA is a good choice on tour

tcs

The Garmin Etrex 22x & 32x (updates to the 20 & 30 models) just debuted in July 2019 and are still listed as current models by Garmin. I got a 22x for Christmas @ ~$150.

https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/p/66...n/010-02256-00

Steve B.

Yes, you are correct. On a phone the site shows the non-touch screen as a separate listing further down the list. Thanks for clarifying this.

tcs

And just to clarify, the 22x & 32x have the same operational controls as the 20 & 30, and the information in those 'two-year-old threads' is not dated to any meaningful degree.

Steve B.

Not seeing it in the Garmin manual (no surprise), but I’m assuming the 22/25 & 32/35 series don’t record a “route” as it’s called on the Edge series - I.E. a days ride as example, and allow an upload via BT to Garmin Connect ?. That’s a useful feature with the cycling specific devices.

GadgetGirlIL

Yes, the eTrex allows you to save the current track and will sync with Garmin Connect via cable. You can also upload it to Garmin Basecamp. I export as .GPX and can import to RWGPS, Strava.

I like to look at the data recorded first in Basecamp and often delete out the entries at the beginning when the unit was on but my ride hadn't yet commenced.

Steve B.

OK, cable and Basecamp I saw, which assumes you are going to have a computer with Basecamp. Apparently no BlueTooth to the Garmin Connect app on a smartphone, which is how some Edge units can get a completed ride to Connect. That’s too bad.