Thread: Does anyone use a gps on the bike?

Like the Garmin Edge? Can you upload a gps file to it and follow along?

I have the Edge 500 and it doesn't have mapping capabilities. I can hook it up to my PC after my ride and overlay my track onto a map, but that doesn't do you much good when you're exploring. The new Garmin Edge 800 has mapping capabilities.....I believe. But they run somewhere around $450 or so.

When I'm out riding unknown areas like fire roads and random hiking trails that aren't mapped I just clip my Garmin Oregon to my pack and ride. I'll check it from time to time if I get a little turned around.

I use a Garmin Edge 500 on my road and MTB all the time...like for every ride. But as Happy Fun Ball says above, you need the 800 model to give you the ability to load routes onto to and give you turn by turn directions.

I think either map my ride or ride with gps will make routes and have phone apps, assuming you have a smartphone with gps.

I want an edge 500 but just use a gps logger on my cell phone and then upload the .gpx to strava. It is really nice to keep track of all my mileage, climbing, improvement in fitness, and service intervals on parts. The only problem I have with using the phone is that the battery won't last all day. 5 hours of tracking is about the most I can get out of it.

Originally Posted by jamal

I want an edge 500 but just use a gps logger on my cell phone and then upload the .gpx to strava.

If you are uploading to Strava, why not just use the Strava app on your Smartphone to record everything?

because I have a blackberry and there is no strava app for it.

And because my smartphone doesn't seem as accurate at my 310xt.

Whiles its not as slick as what you can do on the 800... both the 310xt and 500 and other models can do rudimentary navigation.

This is how:
http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2010/03/h...-for-your.html

Originally Posted by Tyrone Shoelaces

If you are uploading to Strava, why not just use the Strava app on your Smartphone to record everything?

I just got onto Strava, which is very cool, but it I don't think my iPhone has the battery life to record a 4+ hour ride. If I listen to tunes at the same time, it'll probably only last 2-3 hours. It's free, so I'm not complaining. But it'd be nice to be able to track long rides.

Originally Posted by jamal

I think either map my ride or ride with gps will make routes and have phone apps, assuming you have a smartphone with gps.

I want an edge 500 but just use a gps logger on my cell phone and then upload the .gpx to strava. It is really nice to keep track of all my mileage, climbing, improvement in fitness, and service intervals on parts. The only problem I have with using the phone is that the battery won't last all day. 5 hours of tracking is about the most I can get out of it.

I use Mapmyride right now with my Droid, mostly as a recording device. I know of no way to upload a file to marry up with Google Navigation, so I can have that darling woman telling me to turn right, or just see the map, like when I'm driving. This should be possible, right? If so, I won't even bother buying a Garmin. Sheesh, that thing is like 500 bucks or sumthin'.

I've been looking at a Garmin Oregon 450 for bike / car / hiking and skiing use. Need one for the car, want one for the bike, and probably should use one for hiking and skiing to improve the odds of getting back home. No personal experience but I've been reading up on it and there are some happy users on bike forums. For biking it's a couple ounces heavier than the Edge 800, so weight weenies beware, but it has same mapping, cadence, and HRM capabilities.

Pricey, but IIRC it would cost the same or a little less when set up for biking than the Edge 800. The basic unit is around $300, but then you have to buy extra bells and whistles for the bike (mounts and sensors) and for the car (maps and mount / charging kit) if that's of interest.

But all in all it would be cool to have one unit that does it all.

EDIT - duh, post #2 mentions the Oregon. But it sounds like HFB uses his Edge 500 for bike functions, and Oregon only for mapping. But I think the Oregon can be set up to do it all.

Originally Posted by jamal

because I have a blackberry and there is no strava app for it.

heh makes sense. I guess I probably could have guessed that.

Originally Posted by AKbruin

I just got onto Strava, which is very cool, but it I don't think my iPhone has the battery life to record a 4+ hour ride. If I listen to tunes at the same time, it'll probably only last 2-3 hours. It's free, so I'm not complaining. But it'd be nice to be able to track long rides.

yeah I think the longest that I've used the Strava iPhone app has been about 3 hours or so. I mainly use it for quick rides to / from the house. It recorded it no problem, but then I usually don't listen to tunes while riding. For longer stuff, the Garmin is better/more reliable for sure.

Originally Posted by Benny Profane

I use Mapmyride right now with my Droid, mostly as a recording device. I know of no way to upload a file to marry up with Google Navigation, so I can have that darling woman telling me to turn right, or just see the map, like when I'm driving. This should be possible, right? If so, I won't even bother buying a Garmin. Sheesh, that thing is like 500 bucks or sumthin'.

I know ridewithgps will let you create a route and make cue sheets, and do navigation if you have a compatible garmin but I'm not sure if there is a way to make all of that work together on a droid. Downside is you have to pay for a lot of that stuff.

I have been using a Garmin Forerunner 305 on my handlebars for 3 years. I love it. It has helped hugely for exploring new areas with the ability to download/upload routes from a PC. The navigation map is very basic. Just a blank screen with a trail more or less but it is good enough to follow a route with many forks. I also use it trail running and ski touring.

Originally Posted by jamal

I know ridewithgps will let you create a route and make cue sheets, and do navigation if you have a compatible garmin but I'm not sure if there is a way to make all of that work together on a droid. Downside is you have to pay for a lot of that stuff.

You see, that's the rub. The advantage of owning a Droid with Android over an IPhone, is that Navigation is free, and, it's good. I'd pay a little to marry that up with GPS upload capability, which, after all, Navigation uses.

I think the solution here is that I have to buy a hoodie, hire some geeks, and invent an app. I'll be rich, rich, I tell you!

if you have Android, try "my tracks" it overlays on google maps on your phone and you can export and upload it. Its pretty accurate against the garmin, which a friend rides with.

I strap my Garmin Foretrex 401 on the handlebars and it works well. Granted there is no map base layer, so no real time view of the roads. But I can upload/download tracks and upload training files similar to the 310xt (cadence, HRM, etc). I do enjoy using the Foretrex for skiing, trail running, mountain biking, and cycling. Pretty much fits the bill for me.

I got a bike mount for my Garmin Oregon 450 for $10 at REI. Works great, touch screen works ok with gloves, and I've loaded it up with free topos off the web...

I'm using Garmin fit app on my Iphone.

Anyone know how accurate it can measure distance?

If I measure a mile, is it 5280 feet on the nuts?

+/- 10 feet?

+/- 100 feet?

Any idea?

I'm using the Locus app for android. Works quite well in the alps where route finding is often a challenge. I'd be more inclined to buy a "tough" Android phone and bar mount than a Garmin, should only cost a couple of hundred.

My wife & I did a long road ride last weekend. I was using Strava on my Moto Razr and she has the high-end Garmin wrist model. Hers died at about 6 hours (it's a couple of years old), and mine lasted about 8 before giving up the ghost. I had done a bit of web surfing & email checking that morning before riding.

The cool thing is that the Strava app managed to recover all of the ride up until the moment the phone died, so we only missed about 30 mins. The Razr has notoriously bad battery life, but since the screen was off almost the entire time, it did ok. If you're using any smartphone like a GPS, be prepared for very short battery life since the screens use so much power.

I use a gps tracker then upload the tracks to strava. This doesn't help with on the ride mapping, but it is pretty accurate and the battery lasts longer than I do. I had it mapping for 16hours one day.

http://www.amazon.com/Canmore-GT-730...rds=gps+logger

I got a new battery for my phone (older blackberry using gpslogger) so now it will go a good 8 hours. If I turn off data and/or put it in airplane mode it will go even longer. That's mostly important if I'm somewhere with no signal because that really kills it.

Originally Posted by Downbound Train

I'm using Garmin fit app on my Iphone.

Anyone know how accurate it can measure distance?

If I measure a mile, is it 5280 feet on the nuts?

+/- 10 feet?

+/- 100 feet?

Any idea?

The gps should give you an accuracy figure. With good satellite reception it is usually within 20ft. So from one point to another you could theoretically be off by twice what your gps tells you, but for the most part it's pretty good. +/- 10ft is the right range.

Originally Posted by climberevan

My wife & I did a long road ride last weekend. I was using Strava on my Moto Razr and she has the high-end Garmin wrist model. Hers died at about 6 hours (it's a couple of years old), and mine lasted about 8 before giving up the ghost. I had done a bit of web surfing & email checking that morning before riding.

The cool thing is that the Strava app managed to recover all of the ride up until the moment the phone died, so we only missed about 30 mins. The Razr has notoriously bad battery life, but since the screen was off almost the entire time, it did ok. If you're using any smartphone like a GPS, be prepared for very short battery life since the screens use so much power.

I use Strava on my Razr as well, and yeah, the short battery life is definitely a bummer. I usually keep it on the car charger until right before I'm ready to head off. I also use a app called LTE OnOFF which forces the phone into 3G. That seems to keep it going much longer without totally taking me off the grid. I picked up one of these off of eBay to keep in the pack. It uses AA's and I like that little bit of added insurance should I need the phone in case of emergency.

I just downloaded backcountry navigator on my SAMSUNG galaxy s2. Works sweet. Pick your map source, usgs arcgis, satellite, download map quadrants in advance so it is useful in places where you don't have service. It will graph out your trip to see elevation, and speed over the ride. You can set navigation way points, and export gpx files. I'm pretty impressed. I ran it today with mapmyrides going at the same time. I think the backcountry navigator is better.

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