Originally Posted by shelbyfv

Has anyone figured why OP wanted to change his mind? He seemed pretty content with his viewpoint

Originally Posted by bluehills3149

As somebody who has an actual $30 phone as a bike computer I think I can make a stab at this.
I'd say the main issue with a phone (in my case a 2015 Motorola E) is not the hardware. Sure, the screen lacks brightness, it flunks out in rain, I need to carry a battery pack for rides >4hrs but all these are minor compromises that are worth the basic price.
The big issue is software.
I installed an ultra-basic version of android, tweaked settings and apps - all to enhance battery life and appearance (and get ant+ running). All this took hours and hours of futzing about and may only be viable if you like doing this stuff and have some background in cell phone software.
And then there is the question of what software. If you compare a phone to a garmin/wahoo, what app would you suggest gives them a run for it's money? Strava is next to useless except to record the ride. There's ridewithgps, komoot (what I use), bikecomputer and many more but they all seem to have their issues and have steeper learning curves than just loading a route onto a garmin or wahoo and off you go.

Originally Posted by bruce19

For me bike computers like a Cateye are worthless. A PITA to set up. I use a basic Garmin and upload the data to Strava so I can compare my rides/segments to previous months and years. Also keeps track of my total miles.

Originally Posted by c_m_shooter

The original battery in the computer on my then new Cross Check went dead on the 2nd day of an 8 day tour. It made the rest of the week so much more relaxing that I took them off my other bikes when I got home. I haven't had a need to track speed or miles in 15 years. My cell phone is turned off and stowed in the saddle bag when riding.

Originally Posted by Marcus_Ti

Tell me again, which phone not only allows 14 hours of screen-on-time...but will not suffer image permanence, AKA burn-in, from doing so?

Which phone will survive a bike crash on the handlebars, and not have a shattered digitizer?

Originally Posted by GeneO

Well my phone can't monitor my HRM, Cadence sensor, DI2 stats and battery and mode selection, nor control my light and my light modes and its battery status. It also can't feed into Garmin connect and Strava directly, nor send a livetrack of where I am to my wife or notify her automatically if an accident occurs (although these latter two item require a phone as a relay). So I'd say that is a lot of functionality that a computer provides that a phone can't. So if you do not need any of that, that's fine, but your rant is pointless.

Originally Posted by GlennR

My wife has no bike computer and leaves her phone at home when she rides.

So she doesn't even need your $30 android phone.

So what's your point?

Originally Posted by Toespeas

what cycling computer with NAV and REC can do 14 hours , not the garmin 520 , maybe the wahoo roam or garm 1080 , and how much do those cost , i still have to bring my nattery charger with me and run a cord from my backpack /pocket /or elastic band it to the my mounted flashlight , i can get more than 14 with a 30 dollar phone and couple bat banks !!!!

Originally Posted by Ghazmh

A GPS would be more likely to survive being bumped off that freshly painted aluminum bike of yours. Just curious do you have a Trek 720 with a 920 rack?

Originally Posted by Drew Eckhardt

A 30 dollar android phone runs out of battery on long rides, isn't visible in bright sunlight, is unusable for navigation in the rain with water registering as touches, and doesn't have water sources as points of interest for navigation.



A refurbished Garmin Edge 800 wins every time.



Which is much longer than a phone running navigation software, especially with the screen turned on.

Originally Posted by livedarklions

I'm old school--I ride with one of these strapped to my handlebars:

Originally Posted by BlazingPedals

I'm still scratching my head over Strava not doing heart rate. I have a free account, and I can record heart rate on Strava. Apparently OP has an equipment problem and is blaming Strava instead of figuring out why he's not sending HR data.

Smart phones do the same job recording your route, but they sure use batteries faster. And of course they require an account with data. I'm a dinosaur and don't have a personal cell phone. That would cost money every month.

Originally Posted by Metieval

the 520 compared to the 500 has a FAIL battery life!

and Garmin really skimps on memory, I am sure it is intentional.

I used the Turn by Turn bread crumbs once on the 520, and I'll never do it again it was a day late and a dollar short. So I reverted back to the ride 3.6 miles turn L , ride 5.8 miles and turn right. cue sheets

I quit buying Garmin chest HR straps after the 4th one. Interesting enough the one that never got washed lasted the longest. So now I ride without a HR meter. $120 in HR straps... not worth it.

So I hear you!

I mean I can get an out front mounted non GPS Cateye for like $60, that is accurate as accurate as you measure your tires circumference. As for recording, a phone can do that with the screen off and it doesn't take much battery if you are not using the screen.

Garmin has some seriously lousy integrity and ethics as a business. its Always been about leaving the customers a dollar short, and wanting.... while they continue to roll out new models that continuously leave customers a dollar short. It's planned residual income. Cyclist are stupid enough to keep throwing Garmin moneythough. Of Course Garmin has one hell of a shill in their pocket pushing their products.

I am still Miffed that my 500 was fine one day, Garmin drops a 510 on the market, gives my 500 one last update, and it starts malfunctioning the very next ride. I erased it reinstalled all of the old software builds to no luck with any of them. Lesson learned if your electronic stuff works, DO NOT UPDATE!!!!!!

Originally Posted by billridesbikes

No ANT+ on a smart phone, and that’s a deal breaker for a lot of my older sensors and HRMs.

Also the bike computer will work under more extreme temperatures and weather, as most smart phones will start to overheat and shutdown at around 95’F, which is easy to do if it is sitting in the sun on your handlebars on a hot day. The Garmin edge has an operating temperature of 140’F, which is way past mine. The same is true at the low temperature end as well where a smart phone ‘gives up’ around 32F while most bike computers operate at far lower temperatures.

Phones are just not made to sit out in difficult environments like on handlebars for a long period.

But to each his own I suppose.

Originally Posted by mstateglfr

My GPS isnt meant to play music, thats why it doesnt play music.

I have a $150 Lezyne GPS and this is year 4 of using it.
- I use it every ride just to record total miles because I like to track that stat for the year. It holds something like 100 rides, so I can then upload when I want.
- On solo rides I like to look at my average speed, total climb, and distance ridden- these are easily recorded with the GPS unit.
- I use the navigation probably 3x per month. Not often, but its because even though I ride different routes most every time Im on my own, I know what links up with what.
- When I use the route function, I create a route then save it. The route goes to my GPS and I follow it thru written prompts and drawn line. Its dead simple. In the thousands of miles Ive ridden, I have not come across a need for an SD card or expanded storage.
- My phone stays in a jersey pocket. It does not have the battery life of my GPS unit and I can save the phone battery for when I want to use it.

Your situation seems to be much different than mine when it comes to GPS units. I would say that I have easily gotten my money's worth over these last 4 years.
Perhaps a GPS unit isnt for you. Not everyone wants a road bike, some instead need that 3 wheeled trike thing with a basket I used to ride around my grandma's community in Florida.

Originally Posted by livedarklions

I've found that I do just fine with my phone and a small battery charger, and that my phones have survived multiple mishaps including getting hit by a car and just plain getting dropped on the road. I feel I have to carry my phone anyway for various reasons having little to do with bicycling, so I don't want to add another device.

I can't for the life of me imagine wanting to pick an argument with someone who likes and/or needs their GPS--I don't care what they think I need, and I have no idea what they do or do not need so why should they care about what I think on the subject?

This is like someone chose as a debate topic: "Resolved: Starkist is Superior to Chicken of the Sea."

Originally Posted by Ross520

You bought the cheaper, outdated model, the 530 is far better in every category. And I can promise that you the GPS chip in that $30 phone isn't even close to as accurate as the Garmin's. I have never lost a signal with my Garmin, which happened sometimes when I used my phone (premium phone too, not a throw-away).

It's also won't withstand cold/heat/water/shock very well, won't read clearly in direct sunlight, and won't connect with ANT+devices. Another benefit is that you won't destroy in a crash, and it's lighter and more aerodynamic than a bulky phone as well. Sure I'm leaving some things out too.

All the bad reviews on the 520 is what lead to purchase the 30, it's a vastly better device than its predecessor.

Originally Posted by ddeand

And once again, the OP tosses out a bone and watches everyone scrap for it. Yes, the discussion of whether to use a computer of some sort may be interesting, but “Change my mind”? Go away.

Originally Posted by bruce19

For me bike computers like a Cateye are worthless. A PITA to set up. I use a basic Garmin and upload the data to Strava so I can compare my rides/segments to previous months and years. Also keeps track of my total miles.

Originally Posted by Toespeas

i mean thats great and all , but what if you need multiple states worth of offline map data , on the fly navigation , turn by turn in your ear so you dont even have to look at a screen , and some rocking tunes to smash out to , as well as the ability to call for help ( one time i saw the most gruesome motorcycle crash , bodies , blood , fire , smoke , i simply dialed 911 and helped get the EMS there )

Originally Posted by Toespeas

change my mind , is a meme statement that can be applied to anything !