one4smoke

What do you guys use to track your rides, app or tracking computer? Advantages or disadvantages of each?

Which brands do you prefer?

What is the one stat you put emphasis on most? Average MPH?? If so, what is your goal?

Thanks for answering a rookie's questions...

memebag

I use Strava on my phone. I have my phone with me anyways, so the advantage is it's cheap.

The stat I look at most is miles per week. Speed is interesting, but not as important as distance.

bmthom.gis

Strava, as it allows me to have multiple bikes stored. I care more about total mileage for each bike. Sometimes I care about my avg mph, or if I made top 10 in any of the strava segments. It's always fun to accomplish something. My goal is always to go out and have fun. If I am feeling lethargic, I'll ride slow. If I am feeling frisky, I will ride fast. 80% of the time these days I am just commuting and getting in some miles.
I just use the free version. I always have my phone on me, so it is easy to just start the app and go. I will never consider using the paid version - if it was a one time fee, sure but monthly payments - hell no. I don't care to see the added metrics of how much I suck at riding bikes or real time strava segments, as I don't have my phone mounted to my handlebars. The website it pretty good, too. You can make routes if you are so inclined.

dr_lha

Cyclemeter app on the iPhone (which tracks everything) and Strava (which lets me compare to others). I like to look at elevation data, PR on Strava segments and average speeds on loops that I do often. Also I try to get in at least 100 miles a week, so Strava Goals help remind me of that!

GovernorSilver

I started with MapMyRide+ and used it until it reported 0 elevation two rides in a row. My house is on a hill. MapMyRide support is nonexistent - I complained about the missing elevation data two weeks ago and still haven't heard from them. Good thing I only lost 99 cents on the Plus upgrade.

I now use Cyclemeter GPS. I use it to measure how far I rode, how many calories I burned, and how I did on climbs. I currently have it export to Strava so I can look at some stuff in greater detail, but Strava doesn't show the calories. Strava has some bugs of its own, like reporting a pretty flat segment as a Category 4 Climb. Another bug I've found either in Cyclemeter or in Strava after export - not sure which - speed is grossly overestimated on some turns. For example, Strava reports a max speed of 42.7 mph when all I did was a right turn from a bike lane onto a street. Also, one of the two is way off on the route I took that included that turn - there's an imaginary squiggly line that I supposedly rode on that would have cut across some blocks, instead of my actual route which was strictly on the bike lane then the street (no cutting through blocks).

I may check out other web-based solutions for exporting/backing up Cyclemeter GPS data. Cyclemeter GPS support is pretty good - I asked why it wasn't measuring cadence and got an answer within a day (answer: it requires an external sensor).

ShortLegCyclist

Strava does show calories, you just have to click the "show more" button on the ride screen.

I use Strava because it feeds directly to my calorie counting apps and imports from my phone and three different GPS units I use, one Garmin and two Cateye.

MidLife50

I'm new to biking, somewhat old school and wanted to use some of the stuff I already had. So I added the DuoTrap s cadence/speed sensors to my bike, with a Trip 300 computer (total combo for sensors and computer was $99 MSRP). I use that in combination with my existing heart rate monitor. The way my rides are planned I focus on cadence for form and HR for effort. If I get those 2 things right I know that I've ridden my plan correctly and I get all the other data (speed, distance, etc) if I want it.

caffein8ed

A couple of months ago, I picked up a Sigma ROX 5.0 wireless bike computer for about $80. It logs heart rate, (comes with a strap & transmitter), cadence, (sensor included), speed, and other ride data, but not altitude/elevation.

I also purchased the optional USB dock for the unit, and the accompanying Sigma software displays all of the ride/heart rate/calorie info I could possibly want in a variety of formats.

For me, it was totally a worthwhile investment.

GovernorSilver

My comments were not about the Strava app, but the Strava website, which does not show calories. When I click "Show More" on the website, all that is added to the display is temperature.

bruised

I'm using mapmyride which works fine.

I wish I could store rides easily against different bikes, plot routes using lines/drag/drop and also have voice navigation. RideWithGps does most of what I need but it's too much hassle to try and export all my data, plus the interface on RWGPS is a bit spartan.

So I'll stick with MapMyRide for now, it's okay.

ShortLegCyclist

I'm referring to the website too, and I'm not a premium member.

Interesting that you see "temperature" because I don't see that at all.

This is what my ride summaries look like:

6:53 AM on Sunday, July 12, 2015[h=2]STP 2015 Part 2 Centralia to Portland[/h]Add a description



View Flybys

• 106.4miDistance
  
• 8:12:45 Moving Time
  
• 2,059ftElevation

• 170WEstimated Avg Power
  
• 5,033kJEnergy Output

Show Less
[TABLE="class: unstyled, width: 443"]
[TR]
[TH][/TH]
[TH]Avg[/TH]
[TH]Max[/TH]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH]Speed[/TH]
[TD]13.0mi/h[/TD]
[TD]28.9mi/h[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH]Calories[/TH]
[TD="colspan: 2"]5,612[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH]Elapsed Time[/TH]
[TD="colspan: 2"]9:49:24[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

Device: Garmin Edge 200
Bike: Rodriguez MakeShift

Mvcrash

Iphone and map my fitness/ride. Cheap app that does many things.

golphinn

I really like my Garmin Edge 1000. After using Strava for a couple of years and having unrealistic max speeds and seeing it have me riding for blocks over houses and buildings, showing me in the middle of a field then back on the path. It had to be adding all kinds of distance to my rides, which I did not want. With the Garmin, my maps now show nice, straight lines, right where I was. If taking the same street both ways on my ride, I can even tell which side of the street I am on when looking back at my ride. I then have my Garmin upload my rides to Strava using the Garmin data, I don't even run Strava during rides anymore. I just picked up a lower end Garmin Edge 200 for my wife. She loves how simple and uncomplicated it is to use. It does everything that she wants. I got it at my local bike shop for a little over a hundred dollars. I have easily spent that on wired/wireless bike computers with wheel sensors that would always end up giving me problems on our bikes. We couldn't be happier with our Garmin's.

GovernorSilver

I think it's a communication issue between Cyclemeter and Strava. Perhaps if I used the Strava app, the calories would be there. But I like Cyclemeter to do the actual measuring, plus it has the auto-mapping.

I remember searching online for Cyclemeter vs. Strava issues and finding reports from other Cyclemeter users about Strava failing to show the calories recorded Cyclemeter.

GP

Strava. Started in June. I only use it for one of my bikes so I haven't fully embraced it yet.

Years ago I'd write my mileage in a notebook then I used mapmyride or something similar. We had a BF group for a while.

ShortLegCyclist

Never used Cyclemeter, and I don't know what you are referring to with auto-mapping, but Strava has live segments now and will produce a map of your ride as well.

Darth Lefty 

They all work well enough for most purposes! I picked Strava on my phone since it's popular and didn't require me to buy anything I didn't already have. The only big issue is that it turns the phone into a battery hog.

GovernorSilver

Great. I started with MapMyRide because Strava didn't have that feature at the time.

ShortLegCyclist

Strava has a much bigger online community, that's the single biggest reason to use it.

I've actually re-connected with friends I haven't seen or spoken with with in years, and now we see every ride the others record every day.

GovernorSilver

Like I said, I upload my ride data to a Strava account.

one4smoke

Great info, guys. Thanks!

Homebrew01

Clock
Time is more important than distance.
I look at the clock before I leave, and again when I get back. Then I calculate the difference.

one4smoke

Really? So if I go out and do 15 miles in 2 hours, averaging 7.5 MPH, I get more benefit than if I do 15 miles in 1 hour, averaging 15 MPH?

ddeand 

Started with Map My Ride, but ditched that when I got a Garmin Edge 200. All I need is the basics during the ride, and the info download shows me just about everything I need. I still take my phone in case there's an emergency, though.

LesterOfPuppets

Here's what strava shows on my ride pages:

• 21.2miDistance
  
• 1:22:21 Moving Time
  
• 74ftElevation

• 103WEstimated Avg Power
  
• 511kJEnergy Output

Show Less
[TABLE="class: unstyled, width: 443"]
[TR]
[TH][/TH]
[TH]Avg[/TH]
[TH]Max[/TH]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH]Speed[/TH]
[TD]15.5mi/h[/TD]
[TD]24.4mi/h[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH]Calories[/TH]
[TD="colspan: 2"]570[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TH]Elapsed Time[/TH]
[TD="colspan: 2"]1:39:46[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

Device: GPX
Bike: Lemond