What technology do I need - garmin?
Discussion
Really getting into my road riding now after years of mountain biking, When mountain biking I set strava off and go.
Doing that with my road riding too - but feel I would like something else too.
Something to give me a speedo, miles travelled, time etc.
But is there one that I could use when on the turbo trainer too that would give me a mileage I could enter or upload to strava?
Do I need a gps style device like the garmin 510 or 810, I don't mind spending a bit now rather than having to buy another one in a few months time!
Doing that with my road riding too - but feel I would like something else too.
Something to give me a speedo, miles travelled, time etc.
But is there one that I could use when on the turbo trainer too that would give me a mileage I could enter or upload to strava?
Do I need a gps style device like the garmin 510 or 810, I don't mind spending a bit now rather than having to buy another one in a few months time!
For a computer screen: http://uk.wahoofitness.com/devices/wahoo-rflkt-plu... used with a phone and strava to provide the data.
Then speed and cadence sensor: http://uk.wahoofitness.com/devices/wahoo-blue-sc-s...
And add in a heart rate monitor http://uk.wahoofitness.com/devices/hr/wahoo-tickr-...
Then speed and cadence sensor: http://uk.wahoofitness.com/devices/wahoo-blue-sc-s...
And add in a heart rate monitor http://uk.wahoofitness.com/devices/hr/wahoo-tickr-...
And an Ankler 'lipstick' battery charger for longer rides.
I like the idea of the RFLKT over a Garmin. It seems perverse to carry a second GPS device/computer when you already have an incredible one in your pocket. But Bluetooth and GPS will nuke your battery on longer rides, even without turning the screen on. Carrying a little lipstick recharger (on the long rides) may seem like adding weight but it still weighs less than a Garmin.
I like the idea of the RFLKT over a Garmin. It seems perverse to carry a second GPS device/computer when you already have an incredible one in your pocket. But Bluetooth and GPS will nuke your battery on longer rides, even without turning the screen on. Carrying a little lipstick recharger (on the long rides) may seem like adding weight but it still weighs less than a Garmin.
I started with map my ride & a old style wired cycle computer for info I wanted to see on the fly like cadence. Then I started to get irritated with the questionable GPS from the phone in my pocket so looked at other GPS apps, found Strava, some people said it worked fine in a pocket, i found it did on roads but battery didn't last long & any tree cover rubbish (iPhone 4S), so bar mounts but the phone was too big for that & screen locked on even worse battery life so looked at bike specific GPS and bought a Garmin 800.
If I broke it tomorrow I'd go and buy another it's so much better than the phone, it's been on the bars of mountain bikes being crashed to the extent of the mounts been bent beyond use, big scraps down the side, so wet it may as well have been submersed, plastered in mud, dropped loads still works perfectly. Only in the tightest dense wooded valley has it once given questionable GPS coordinates then only about 10m out for about 100m before correcting. Battery life has never been an issue, 5 hours with it displaying OS maps with a route to follow will only get it to about 55% still charged. Great gadget, most recent version of sensors just wrap round the hub for speed, crank arm for cadence, soft strap heart rate monitor etc easy to swap between bikes. OS maps in case you get lost or for route planning and no internet signal needed, over all a phone just doesn't compare for practicality.
If I broke it tomorrow I'd go and buy another it's so much better than the phone, it's been on the bars of mountain bikes being crashed to the extent of the mounts been bent beyond use, big scraps down the side, so wet it may as well have been submersed, plastered in mud, dropped loads still works perfectly. Only in the tightest dense wooded valley has it once given questionable GPS coordinates then only about 10m out for about 100m before correcting. Battery life has never been an issue, 5 hours with it displaying OS maps with a route to follow will only get it to about 55% still charged. Great gadget, most recent version of sensors just wrap round the hub for speed, crank arm for cadence, soft strap heart rate monitor etc easy to swap between bikes. OS maps in case you get lost or for route planning and no internet signal needed, over all a phone just doesn't compare for practicality.
Edited by Herman Toothrot on Monday 9th February 23:30
Likewise, the RFLKT is pretty compelling except for turn-by-turn.
I log rides on my phone (not all phone GPS is equal, recent chipsets are pretty awesome) mostly for fast and easy upload of the ride. Edge touring on my bars gives me speed, time, distance and stops me getting lost. Should the phone logging not work it's a useful backup but I generally don't bother plugging it into a computer unless I'm putting a new route on there.
I log rides on my phone (not all phone GPS is equal, recent chipsets are pretty awesome) mostly for fast and easy upload of the ride. Edge touring on my bars gives me speed, time, distance and stops me getting lost. Should the phone logging not work it's a useful backup but I generally don't bother plugging it into a computer unless I'm putting a new route on there.
I bought an 800 package with the speed/cadence sensor and heart rate strap included.
You could use the speed/cadence sensor whilst on the turbo (although not sure if you can turn off GPS speed), but the distance it records will have no real world meaning. Better to further invest in a USB ANT+ dongle for a laptop and feed the speed/cadence into that, then using Trainerroad have the means to do proper structured workouts with virtual power readings.
You could use the speed/cadence sensor whilst on the turbo (although not sure if you can turn off GPS speed), but the distance it records will have no real world meaning. Better to further invest in a USB ANT+ dongle for a laptop and feed the speed/cadence into that, then using Trainerroad have the means to do proper structured workouts with virtual power readings.
Like most people I know and ride with, I followed the same upgrade path.
Strava or mapmyride etc on a phone.
Discovered it wasn't insanely accurate, battery was poor etc. Moved to a phone mounted on the bars and started using battery packs to stretch battery life.
Still gave poor life, not enough to get to the end of a full day of riding so audaxs, centuries, even longer sportives were battery issues and using turn by turn directions rinsed it hard.
Bought an 800, gamechanger. Suddenly I've got all the data I want or need in my sightline - including an accurate speedo ("why am I doing 20 through here, should be pushing a little harder and doing 25") Heart rate I find useful on a "I need to back off" or "I can go harder".
Navigation is the biggie along with battery life.
The full sat-nav style turn by turn directions have taken me across Europe, they have taken me on 200+ mile rides. I have a terrible sense of direction....
Really Really bad. With that I have the confidence I can go and explore and if I get lost, so be it, I can find my way back.
It's good for a hundred mile ride with the backlight turned down, and can be extended indefinitely with a small backup battery. I also have a bigger backup battery I use for my phone, that could power the garmin for well over a week.
It's waterproof. I have actually dropped in in a bucket of water, been unable to find it for 5 minutes and then noticed the glow. It was fine.
It's also a frustratingly flakey piece of crap - as much as I love it and if I lost it or it was stolen I'd buy another tomorrow.
I'm on my third unit under warranty, first two suffered failure of the teeth in the quarter turn mount - replaced under warranty. My new unit sent to me in January has now just died. Dead as doornail. Awaiting another RMA number and frustrated at being without it.
Expensive, but worth it. I'd avoid the 1000, I've literally heard no glowing reviews about it and nobody I ride with has felt the need to upgrade (and some of these guys are shiney toys every week kind of riders)
Strava or mapmyride etc on a phone.
Discovered it wasn't insanely accurate, battery was poor etc. Moved to a phone mounted on the bars and started using battery packs to stretch battery life.
Still gave poor life, not enough to get to the end of a full day of riding so audaxs, centuries, even longer sportives were battery issues and using turn by turn directions rinsed it hard.
Bought an 800, gamechanger. Suddenly I've got all the data I want or need in my sightline - including an accurate speedo ("why am I doing 20 through here, should be pushing a little harder and doing 25") Heart rate I find useful on a "I need to back off" or "I can go harder".
Navigation is the biggie along with battery life.
The full sat-nav style turn by turn directions have taken me across Europe, they have taken me on 200+ mile rides. I have a terrible sense of direction....
Really Really bad. With that I have the confidence I can go and explore and if I get lost, so be it, I can find my way back.
It's good for a hundred mile ride with the backlight turned down, and can be extended indefinitely with a small backup battery. I also have a bigger backup battery I use for my phone, that could power the garmin for well over a week.
It's waterproof. I have actually dropped in in a bucket of water, been unable to find it for 5 minutes and then noticed the glow. It was fine.
It's also a frustratingly flakey piece of crap - as much as I love it and if I lost it or it was stolen I'd buy another tomorrow.
I'm on my third unit under warranty, first two suffered failure of the teeth in the quarter turn mount - replaced under warranty. My new unit sent to me in January has now just died. Dead as doornail. Awaiting another RMA number and frustrated at being without it.
Expensive, but worth it. I'd avoid the 1000, I've literally heard no glowing reviews about it and nobody I ride with has felt the need to upgrade (and some of these guys are shiney toys every week kind of riders)
I'm tempted by a Garmin, as I really want a device to programme in a route, but I know I'll get distracted so have banned anything on my handlebars
Use strava on my phone, gives me all the stats I need, would be great to have them in front of my but I know I will end up fiddling with it too much and being a liability
Use strava on my phone, gives me all the stats I need, would be great to have them in front of my but I know I will end up fiddling with it too much and being a liability
Since I have to take my phone in case the missus calls I use Strava on that, people beef about the battery but with the screen off my iphone 5 lasts 9hours recording on Strava (obviously wifi and 3G turned off too)
IF you felt the need a small backup battery could give you a couple of days of recording- how long do you ride for? In my experience an iPhone is more than good enough for 80-100mile rides.
I then have a cheap (£30) and reliable Cateye wired computer with cadence and speed on the back wheel so it works perfectly on the TT too.
Phone rides on a quadlock on the stem to keep my pockets free for tools, tubes and sandwiches.
IF you felt the need a small backup battery could give you a couple of days of recording- how long do you ride for? In my experience an iPhone is more than good enough for 80-100mile rides.
I then have a cheap (£30) and reliable Cateye wired computer with cadence and speed on the back wheel so it works perfectly on the TT too.
Phone rides on a quadlock on the stem to keep my pockets free for tools, tubes and sandwiches.
I'm still chewing over whether to buy a Mio Cyclo 315 or 505 HC. They crop up from time to time on eBay for around £100-160. I like the idea of it picking a route for me.
My phone has an excellent battery (THL5000 - lasts for days) but I don't know of a map app I could use for live info apart from Google maps. If Strava could also have live maps, I'd happily pay for that service, within reason, and just use the phone.
My phone has an excellent battery (THL5000 - lasts for days) but I don't know of a map app I could use for live info apart from Google maps. If Strava could also have live maps, I'd happily pay for that service, within reason, and just use the phone.
Ok so general consesus is something like the garmin 810.
My phone is nearing deaths door and will last maybe 5-6 hours on a good day, so a 100mile with strava on is a definate no.
I am also very good at getting lost so a sat nav route would help, one possible problem is that i dont have a computer at home, just an ipad.
Got them at work but dont want to be going in to update/download things
My phone is nearing deaths door and will last maybe 5-6 hours on a good day, so a 100mile with strava on is a definate no.
I am also very good at getting lost so a sat nav route would help, one possible problem is that i dont have a computer at home, just an ipad.
Got them at work but dont want to be going in to update/download things
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