Strava on iPhone Vs. Garmin

[Steve vRS]

I want to buy something to track my rides with and the options are those in the title.

I have a phone with work and so don't need a phone. I'd love a iPod touch but it doesn't have GPS.

I don't need a phone contract so is a Garmin the way to go?

However, I do like playing with my wife's iPhone when we are out (my works phone is a simple Nokia) so wondering if I should just go and buy the phone.

Does the Garmin 500 offer more than Strava?

Views appreciated

Steve

[donfisher]

IME my Garmin (only a 200) is consistently, erm, consistent whereas various Android smartphones have a tendancy to be all over the shop. I don't know if iPhones are any better but I doubt it.

Also I now don't have to charge my phone twice a day.

[TonyHetherington]

I used my iPhone (with Cyclemeter, but Strava is very similar) and still bought a Garmin (500).

Many reasons, really.

Battery - Garmin goes on forever, the iPhone doesn't.
Rain- if it was wet, I put my phone in my pocket so couldn't see screen. Garmin is waterproof
Garmin is far more accurate and less prone to drop outs (no idea why).

You can, of course, upload to Strava website from your Garmin (which is what I do).

[CaptainSlow]

Plus, model dependent, you can add things such as a cadence sensor and a heart rate monitor to the Garmin.

[TonyHetherington]

You can do that to the iPhone too, but upon looking into the cost for the adapter it was well over £100 with the bits, and the Garmin 500 was only £170 all in (and signficiantly less in size/bulk)

[duff]

As said, the Garmin 500 will record the data that you can then upload to Strava to analyse. I was using the Strava android app which always timed me quicker than my mate using his iPhone even though we were similar speeds. I carried both at the same time and the android was always showing faster times for segments. I then bought an Edge 500 and it actually records very similar times to my mates iPhone but is much more convenient due to battery life etc.

[AndyPhoenix]

Strava - or my phone gps - seems rather innacurate. For instance I run a set route of 7.55 miles which I have measured by various methods but Strava readings vary from 7.6 miles to 8.4 miles.

I hope a dedicated Garmin device would be more accurate/consistant than that.

[Steve vRS]

So maybe a Garmin 500 and an iPod touch for leisure. Work give me a little 3G wireless router so I can always get on the Internet.

Steve

[caiss4]

I've got the 500 and until recently a mate was using the i-Phone Strava app.

When we rode together the distances were pretty well spot on but the Strava app seems to consistently under read the total climb. On NY Day we went out with him running his i-Phone and his new Garmin 800. The result was identical distances and total ascent within 2m for the 500/800 but the Strava app recorded just 431m of climbing whilst the 500 totalled 580m and the 800, 578m.

This result raises the question of which is more accurate - barometric altimeter or contour/GPS co-ordinates. My instinct goes for the barometric altimeter as contour mapping is fairly vague.

[McFsC]

Getting the Garmin 500 was the best thing I've done for my cycling really.

[Andy OH]

Both my son and I used to use our iphones to record rides using either Strava or Cyclemeter. For the past year we've both been using Garmin Edge 500's with HRM and Cadence sensors. The Garmins are far more accurate than the iphone apps.

[Johnny]

I run both a Garmin 500 and Strava iPhone app.

The Garmin is definitely more accurate and better for all the reasons already stated - but having the iPhone is a very handy backup. I also run Cyclemeter at the same time. Just to be sure

[Steve vRS]

Thee was a thread on here recently saying a new version was out soon. Maybe I should hang on to see if the prices on the 500 drop.

Steve

[Gizmoish]

I've been using the iPhone last year, it does the job. As above, dropouts, crashes, and dead batteries are normal.

Got a Garmin 200 for Christmas

[bakerstreet]

Steve vRS said:

Thee was a thread on here recently saying a new version was out soon. Maybe I should hang on to see if the prices on the 500 drop.

Steve

They are all ready dropping. I have seen an 800 performance bundle for £289. It was £337 before xmas.

I have an 800 and I find the distance similar to cyclemeter app in my iPhone, but as other people have said, the constant GPS can go through the battery pretty quickly.

The 800 is an excellent gadget. I've only had mine a week and I love it.

The Bryton Rider 50 is worth a shout too..

[Steve vRS]

Hmmm.

I can see the wife hitting the roof as my £45ish Cateye Strada Wireless computer is only 4 months old

Steve

[Raven Flyer]

I used to use my iPhone and have a dedicated Ram mount for it.

Then I saw the light and bought a Garmin 800.

The batteries last forever and it also gives me cadence and HR, all whilst still working in the rain or getting rinsed by front wheel spray.

A no brainer.

[Steve vRS]

Would I need just a base unit or the speed sensors I've seen for a 500?

I intend on using it for proper riding (not on a turbo) so assume the unit uses GPS to measure speed distance etc. rather than counting wheel revolutions.

I know I can add other bits and pieces later but want to get started cheaply first.

Also my wife likes running. Could she stick this in her pouch for it to record her runs? She is using run keeper on her iPhone but is finding it unreliable, probably for the reasons detailed in earlier posts.

Thanks

Steve

[essayer]

You don't need the cadence sensor but it does make the speed output more accurate, especially when you are in intermittent GPS signal areas (high tree canopy, tunnels etc).

Also the cadence sensor can be used to remind you if you are in too low or too high a gear. (Although that's really annoying!!)

Your wife could also use it for running with no problems, although a Forerunner would probably be lighter, and can be worn like a watch.

[matt-ITR]

You don't need anything extra, but if heart rate data is of no interest then consider the Garmin 200 instead.
iPhones are incredibly inaccurate with Strava, its a joke that they are allowed really,