‘Up front’ Phone mount

[Sloth]

To be honest, I am leaning nmow toward a dedicated nav device.
Not only because of the vibration/camera issue, but also because I can't find an app that easily and reliably gives me the nav functions of a dedicated nav device.
Kamoot seems fiddly nd doesn't seem to do what I want (perhaps I'm just being thick).
Google Maps on my iPhone doesn't want to let me use cycle as a mode, only walking or driving.

A Wahoo Bolt. It far easier to use than Garmin and it works as it should.

I'll take another look but I recall reading about it and felt the Garmin Explore 2 or Mio 215 were better for me.
Perhaps I need to re-visit.

 

[vickster]

To be honest, I am leaning nmow toward a dedicated nav device.
Not only because of the vibration/camera issue, but also because I can't find an app that easily and reliably gives me the nav functions of a dedicated nav device.
Kamoot seems fiddly nd doesn't seem to do what I want (perhaps I'm just being thick).
Google Maps on my iPhone doesn't want to let me use cycle as a mode, only walking or driving.

I'll take another look but I recall reading about it and felt the Garmin Explore 2 or Mio 215 were better for me.
Perhaps I need to re-visit.

Try Apple maps if trying to use phone?

You can use a Garmin without having to connect to phone not so with the Wahoo (unless that's changed with new ones, which won't be £50?)

 

[Sloth]

Ah, thanks.
I'd not be interested in anything that couldn't run independently from my phone i.e. inbuilt GPS and maps etc.

 

[vickster]

Ah, thanks.
I'd not be interested in anything that couldn't run independently from my phone i.e. inbuilt GPS and maps etc.

Apple maps should be inbuilt on your phone. An alternative to Google maps.

You can turn off busy roads…eg

 

[Sloth]

Apple maps tells me that cycling maps is not available for my area/country!

 

[vickster]

Apple maps tells me that cycling maps is not available for my area/country!

That’s odd! Check the settings. Are you properly online?
Hmm seems not to work for long complicated journeys.
Not sure I just use my Garmin 😄

 

[Alex321]

Try Apple maps if trying to use phone?

You can use a Garmin without having to connect to phone not so with the Wahoo (unless that's changed with new ones, which won't be £50?)

You don't have to connect to the phone while using it.

You do need the phone app for initial setup, and if you want to transfer your ride data to other places such as Strava.

 

[vickster]

You don't have to connect to the phone while using it.

You do need the phone app for initial setup, and if you want to transfer your ride data to other places such as Strava.

That's changed then, if you wanted to do on the fly navigation on the 1st gen Elemnt, you had to programme in the phone and upload to the Wahoo Elemnt, total faff (and it was cr@p).
On a Garmin (at least on the 830), you just tap in postcode or address or find POI on screen and it loads on the device (like a car sat nav, no need for a Smart phone to be connected).
Are the annoying flashing lights and black and white screen with just a line gone too and upside down directions (and do the buttons work with a case on nowadays)? My other Wahoo hates

 

[HobbesOnTour]

The OP is looking for a "one thing to do everything" based on this and a previous thread.
No faffing around with planners just tell the phone/unit where to go and for it to create good biking routes.
There's no acceptance that such a thing doesn't exist and no apparent willingness to accept a compromise.

It doesn't exist because we can't agree what constitutes a good bike route.

If the OP is willing to hold off for a little while the CycleTravel iPhone app is nearly ready for a full launch.

To my mind it's the best planner out there for quiet routes. With the app it'll be possible to plot and follow all on the phone.

That's changed then

I know you don't like Wahoo but this highlights just one of the problems with discussions like these.....

Wahoo is a brand. The Elemnt was the unit - no longer available.
It's not really fair nor useful to just use the brand name.
The same thing happens with Garmin. "My Garmin does this..." - but not all Garmins.

And the other thing is how long ago was this? Technology can move rapidly (for better or worse). My unit has been updated (software) twice in the past few months and now does things it didn't when I bought it.

Way back when I was trying to figure this stuff out I found it to be incredibly confusing.

I'm genuinely not trying to have a dig at you - I understand fully the instinctive urge to highlight a bad experience - but I'd encourage you to be fair in your comments.
My experience with Wahoo is very different and I can't speak highly enough of them.

 

[vickster]

The OP is looking for a "one thing to do everything" based on this and a previous thread.
No faffing around with planners just tell the phone/unit where to go and for it to create good biking routes.
There's no acceptance that such a thing doesn't exist and no apparent willingness to accept a compromise.

It doesn't exist because we can't agree what constitutes a good bike route.

If the OP is willing to hold off for a little while the CycleTravel iPhone app is nearly ready for a full launch.

To my mind it's the best planner out there for quiet routes. With the app it'll be possible to plot and follow all on the phone.



I know you don't like Wahoo but this highlights just one of the problems with discussions like these.....

Wahoo is a brand. The Elemnt was the unit - no longer available.
It's not really fair nor useful to just use the brand name.
The same thing happens with Garmin. "My Garmin does this..." - but not all Garmins.

And the other thing is how long ago was this? Technology can move rapidly (for better or worse). My unit has been updated (software) twice in the past few months and now does things it didn't when I bought it.

Way back when I was trying to figure this stuff out I found it to be incredibly confusing.

I'm genuinely not trying to have a dig at you - I understand fully the instinctive urge to highlight a bad experience - but I'd encourage you to be fair in your comments.
My experience with Wahoo is very different and I can't speak highly enough of them.

Edited…people have suggested an older £50 Wahoo unit from eBay…that won’t be the most up to date models as they are in the hundreds.
I said I have an 830 …

 

[HobbesOnTour]

I said I have an 830 …

Apologies, and I didn't mean to suggest that you didn't.
I was attempting to be equitable so as not to fan the flames of a Wahoo/Garmin peeing contest.
Wahoo does this Garmin does that is very common and about as useful as a car satnav for a bike.

people have suggested an older £50 Wahoo unit from eBay…t

Yes, they did but that wasn't at all clear in your post, in fairness.

And for the record, even the old bolt (once set up) can be used without a phone. The original has no route generation capacity, however.

Anyway, my attempt to demuddy the waters has me hopelessly lost (must be the Garmin ) so I'll bow out here.

 

[PaulSB]

Ah, thanks.
I'd not be interested in anything that couldn't run independently from my phone i.e. inbuilt GPS and maps etc.

You should buy a Wahoo. Simplicity itself, easily provides all the functions you've mentioned and while your phone is needed for initial setup it is not needed to run the device. There are functions which are simpler if one uses a phone in conjunction with the Wahoo but not essential. There is no situation in which the phone needs to run with or be connected to the Wahoo while riding.

I don't wish to be rude but I cannot understand why people consider risking expensive and relatively delicate phones in situations almost guaranteed to damage them. I would never consider mounting my phone on my bike.

My wife, son and his partner are all currently using phones with damaged screens. How did this damage occur? Dropped the phone in every day domestic situations. Now consider falling of a bike at say 10mph.

Phones on bike bars make no sense to me whatsoever.

 

[vickster]

so I'll bow out here.

Ditto

 

[Ming the Merciless]

A Wahoo Bolt. It far easier to use than Garmin and it works as it should.

One is a specific gps model , the other in your comparison is an entire manufacturer’s range. Unless you’ve tried the entire range of Garmin’s GPS then your statement is nonsensical.

 

[Alex321]

That's changed then, if you wanted to do on the fly navigation on the 1st gen Elemnt, you had to programme in the phone and upload to the Wahoo Elemnt, total faff (and it was cr@p).
On a Garmin (at least on the 830), you just tap in postcode or address or find POI on screen and it loads on the device (like a car sat nav, no need for a Smart phone to be connected).
Are the annoying flashing lights and black and white screen with just a line gone too and upside down directions (and do the buttons work with a case on nowadays)? My other Wahoo hates

You can't do things like entering a postcode or address on the elmnt Roam (which I believe is the replacement for the original one that was just "Elmnt"), but you can do some on the fly navigation, using the "take me to" function, and also return to start.

It does have a colour screen and an actual map, rather than just a line, and all the directions I have ever seen have been the right way up. I can't think of a reason for putting it in a case, I'm not even aware of any case made for it. The computer is completely weatherproof, and sits in a similar mount to the Garmin computers (not *quite* the same, they are not interchangeable).

To do more complex route planning, yes they do expect you to do it in an app (it is compatible with most - Strava, RidewithGPS, Kommot, etc.), and it is certainly very much easier to do so, but then you are generally doing that when off the bike, in advance. On the fly is usually limited to something of the form "get me to ..."