GPS systems

[Rezillo]

I've been using this on my phone:

http://www.viewranger.com/vrproductinfo.php

The android version hasn't got all the features yet. It's not free and while there are other apps that will retrieve OS data, this one has the maps locally stored and the OS 50K mapping is fairly cheap. I've got quite a lot of 25K ones as well - the maps display and pan beautifully. No cadence or heartrate monitoring, though, but everything else is there.

Only problem I have had is that the bar mounts currently available for my phone are not very secure.

John

[edit] Not the world's greatest photo but here's it displaying part of Saturday's route:

 

[Norry1]

I'm thinking of getting a Garmin - can someone explain what a 705 does that say, an I-phone with MapmyRide doesn't?

Ta

Martin

 

[HLaB]

I'm thinking of getting a Garmin - can someone explain what a 705 does that say, an I-phone with MapmyRide doesn't?

Ta

Martin

Don't know the full ins and out of it, but the Edge is more bike specific, therefore better mounted, more robust, weather proof, etc. and gives a better output of heart rate, cadence, etc.

 

[fossyant]

705 here, but buy it from handtec - one of the cheapest places. Got the full gubbins (HR Cadence), DVD Europe Maps, extra bike mount (3 in total) - over £100 cheaper than the major on-line bike kit shops.

 

[StuAff]

Don't know the full ins and out of it, but the Edge is more bike specific, therefore better mounted, more robust, weather proof, etc. and gives a better output of heart rate, cadence, etc.

As an Edge owner, +1. I haven't bothered with the HRM or cadence sensor, there if I want them in future anyway, but the other big advantage is battery life. GPS is a notorious battery killer on smartphones, the Edge battery has a claimed life of 15 hours or so (not put that to the test yet, but certainly I've had no problems on FNRttCs).

 

[jimboalee]

I went out for a looksie/experimental/bit-of-fun ride yesterday.

I don't have a Garmin mount on my SWorks ( and don't want one either ) and have the Solihull 100km Audax approaching.

I rode my shopping bike.

I had my RAC Satnav on a PowerMonkey in a plastic bag on a string round my neck, tucked in my jersey.

It gave well over nine hours of battery life ( left it switched on when finished riding ).

The young lady was up at 80% volume and I heared every directional command.

I set it to 'Shortest by Car' and 'avoid motorways'.

Worked a treat.

That's £70 for the Satnav, £25 for the PowerMonkey, £5 for the Starbucks and cake in Walsall.

 

[jimboalee]

I went out for a looksie/experimental/bit-of-fun ride yesterday.

I don't have a Garmin mount on my SWorks ( and don't want one either ) and have the Solihull 100km Audax approaching.

I rode my shopping bike.

I had my RAC Satnav on a PowerMonkey in a plastic bag on a string round my neck, tucked in my jersey.

It gave well over nine hours of battery life ( left it switched on when finished riding ).

The young lady was up at 80% volume and I heared every directional command.

I set it to 'Shortest by Car' and 'avoid motorways'.

Worked a treat.

That's £70 for the Satnav, £25 for the PowerMonkey, £5 for the Starbucks and cake in Walsall.

If this isn't your cup of tea, £400 should get the Garmin 705 system up and running.

 

[PpPete]

Etrex Legend (or Vista with compass & altimeter switched off) should give you close to 24hrs on a pair of rechargeable AAs if you use backlight sparingly.

If you use the backlight a lot it's more like 15 hours in my experience.

BTW - the legend is waterproof....as I proved yesterday when I fell off in the middle of a ford ! My phone did not do so well!

 

[arallsopp]

hi i would really like to do both I have a blackberry phone dont suppose you know if their is any application i can download for it?

Sportypal is free and will give you the ability to track your ride through a free to use website. Works well on the Blackberry too.

Of course, GPS eats batteries on phones, and isn't great (when one runs out, you really want the other).

Personally, I use an Etrex Legend. AA batteries means it'll run all day, and I can get replacements at the roadside (if needed). I got over 44 hours almost non stop out of a set of Energizer lithiums, but generally use Uniross rechargeables.

It'll route me from A-B (ok, via a few Cs). I can review gradient and stuff as I go, and review the profile on the PC afterwards. I can see all the distance and speed information I need.

Its cheap. Cheerful. Works.

 

[SBH]

If you want a Garmin 705 with Heartrate monitor and Cadence Sensor I would recomend this firm www.handtec.co.uk

This is the package I am looking at getting.

http://www.handtec.co.uk/product.php/905/garmin-edge-705-heart-rate-monitor---speed-cadence

By far the cheapest place I have seen on the net and it's only 5 miles from where I live so I can cut out postage. Have already had a Garmin 405cx watch off them for the wife and it was at least £50 than alot of places and the cheapest I could find it for.

Great advice, thanks. I was just about to pay £30 more on Amazon which I had thought was the best deal. Ordered yesterday at 2.00pm - arrived this morning at 10.00am. Thanks Handtec. No Haribo, but who's being picky!!



My new bike isn't due for a couple of days so I haven't road tested the device yet. But I have spent the morning playing with it, setting up the screens so I can see what I want on the rides; speed, average speed, max speed, cadence, average cadence, heart rate, grade of hill, total ascent, total descent, distance, calories burned... the list is endless!!!



I was excited about taking the new steed out over the weekend, but the Garmin means I'm going to be smiling like a crazed loon for the duration of the ride. I'll be picking flies out of my teeth for weeks!

 

[RedBike]

Personally, I use an Etrex Legend. AA batteries means it'll run all day, and I can get replacements at the roadside (if needed). I got over 44 hours almost non stop out of a set of Energizer lithiums, but generally use Uniross rechargeables.

Ekk, My Legend (basic model) only last for about 5hours on Duracell batteries. Cheaper Kodak batteries don't last more than an hour.

 

[PpPete]

Redbike
Suspect there is something in the settings that causes it to go through batteries like that. It's not my experience at all.
You havn't got backlight permanently on or anything obvious like that?

 

[rb58]

GPS on the iPhone is not really a contender due to very short battery life. I stopped using mine about a year ago, becasue I wasn't getting any more than about 4-5 hours out of the battery.

 

[Norry1]

Just bought a Garmin 705 package off eBay.

Martin

 

[StuAff]

Just bought a Garmin 705 package off eBay.

Martin

Hope it was a good deal- Garmin won't give you full warranty coverage as you would need proof of purchase from a retailer, not a PayPal or eBay receipt, though they will cover any faults due to manufacturing defects for a year after the date of manufacture (which they can tell from the serial number). Got mine off eBay too, fortunately the price saving was substantial and the package complete and absolutely legit!