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XOSS bike computers, especially the relatively less expensive G+. These offer an interesting compromise between the "dumb" bike computers for around $10-$25 that record basic info, other than GPS, but don't include any way to share data to our phones or computers for spreadsheets, or to Strava or other fitness apps; and the more full featured sub-$100 models from Lezyne, Bryton and others.
Just a word of caution: While the XOSS G+ seems pretty good (I bought two within the past couple of weeks, including one for half price when a one-hour flash sale appeared on Amazon), the app still needs work. I went ahead and bought two based on prompt replies from XOSS in response to customer questions and feedback on the private Facebook community for XOSS. The company seems anxious to improve the app and has made a few updates since late last year when the G+ was introduced as a lower price alternative to the XOSS Sprint launched a year or so ago after a successful kickstarter campaign. Consider it a work in progress.
And while the XOSS reliably records my rides and routes, it offers *no* navigation aids. None. No maps, compass, visual or audio prompts. That's not what it's for. It's just for recording a route, and basic relevant data such as speed determine from a sensor rather than GPS tracking, cadence, heart rate, etc. It has a barometer to estimate elevation apart from the usual map data added by Strava and other apps.
Folks who prefer navigation aids in the sub-$100 range should consider the Bryton Rider 15 and Lezyne Macro Easy. Those appear to be specifically aimed at folks who want navigation aids on the bike without resorting to their phones (or leaving the phones at home). But those aren't full featured fitness-oriented devices for hardcore roadies or fitness buffs. They record all the basic sensor info, but appear to be Bluetooth only, which leaves out my ANT+ sensors.
I was also considering the Bryton Rider 10 and 15 (very different models and features), Lezyne Macro Easy and a couple older model Lezynes for basic bike computer functions with the addition of GPS tracking and post-ride uploading to Strava.
But I wanted something that combined my favorite features of the Wahoo Fitness app for my older iPhone 4s and newer Android phone, along with better navigation:
- Compatibility with Bluetooth and ANT+ sensors. I use both. My Android phone is Bluetooth only. I have an older 2011-2012 era Wahoo Bike Pack for my iPhone 4s, a kludge by today's standards but pretty clever for that era: a protective case that adds ANT+ capability, and includes a combo magnet type speed/cadence sensor. I bought it new/old stock a couple of years ago for $15 (about 10% of the original MSRP back in 2012), and with the exception of a fragile USB port and short battery life, it's been satisfactory. In fact it was such a good deal I just bought another NOS Wahoo Bike Pack for $10, just for the ANT+ speed/cadence sensor.
- More reliable GPS tracking. For folks who are serious about friendly competitions for KOMs, or snagging new PRs, minor GPS variations matter. A common gripe about Strava is losing GPS sync and losing part or all of a ride. For that reason I began running two or more fitness apps simultaneously, often on two phones (to Apple's credit, they still sorta support my old iPhone 4s and offered an iOS update last year to improve GPS reliability and fix a bug). While this is generally related to the phone device rather than the app, Strava seems more prone to sync errors than Wahoo Fitness and Cyclemeter. I suspect the difference is in how the app reconstructs the most likely route after a GPS sync error. Strava tends to draw straight lines between the point where sync was lost and reacquired, often resulting in improbable ventures across fences, through open fields and buildings, etc. Wahoo Fitness and Cyclemeter seem to reconstruct our most likely route with remarkable accuracy. My friends and I have experienced Strava GPS sync errors about once a month. With Wahoo Fitness and Cyclemeter it was once or twice a year. Again, the difference appears to be in how the apps interpolate available GPS data and reconstruct our most likely routes. And while Strava customer support often seems opaque and unresponsive, Cyclemeter is very customer oriented. Wahoo is somewhere between the two.
- And I wanted to save my phone battery, which often drained over the course of long day/night rides. Shifting ride recording to a lightweight computer on the handlebar/stem would eliminate the need to carry a heavy spare USB battery and cable to recharge my phone. The older iPhone 4s in particular never lasted a full 50 mile ride, and I'd sometimes lose an entire log if the battery drained around the 40 mile mark. So now I use the iPhone/Wahoo ANT+ case only on the indoor trainer.