Smart Phone Cycling – iPhone Heavy

[Archie_tect]

I just put Cyclemeter on when I start and the phone is kept in my pocket in case of emergencies. I feel overwhelmed by all the technology BR's OP explores.

 

[Crackle]

You can always tell phone users on Strava because the track is so erratic and innacurate. Some are probably better than others but the gps readout on my 305 often lags behind my bike computer. I imagine phones are even worse, fine for navigation though, if you can be doing with the extra faff factor.

 

[User6179]

You can always tell phone users on Strava because the track is so erratic and innacurate. Some are probably better than others but the gps readout on my 305 often lags behind my bike computer. I imagine phones are even worse, fine for navigation though, if you can be doing with the extra faff factor.

Depends on the phone and the App and where you are riding but I can do 10 say 50 mile plus rides and 9 will be perfectly plotted on the route map and one might be slightly out at points but nothing that would bother me with my android phone .

I once did a run with 2 m8s using I-phones and my phone ( cheap Android) recorded everything and theirs missed a load of Strava segments so I don't rate the I-phones for recording rides.

If you want something on your handlebars then a Garmin I would say is the way to go but if your happy just recording your ride and seeing it when you get home then with the right phone there is no need for anything else , I have 369 rides recorded and nearly 17000 miles all recorded on 2 cheap HTC wildfire s phones and I cant remember the last time it never recorded a Strava segment.

 

[Crackle]

Well, that's the other thing. You may record it but it may not be accurate. This happens with a dedicated unit. You often see segments which are innacurate when you compare them with other software such as Sporttracks. I can't imagine phones do any better, especially on short segments and yes, my wifes iphone4 has terrible gps reception. It is a compromise. If you are happy with it and know the possible limitations, it's all good.

 

[User6179]

Well, that's the other thing. You may record it but it may not be accurate. This happens with a dedicated unit. You often see segments which are innacurate when you compare them with other software such as Sporttracks. I can't imagine phones do any better, especially on short segments and yes, my wifes iphone4 has terrible gps reception. It is a compromise. If you are happy with it and know the possible limitations, it's all good.

I did notice when I used to use Endomondo on my phone it would record your position maybe every 3 or 4 seconds but the strava app records maybe every couple of seconds , so is more accurate , I am thinking Garmins might be recording more like every second so even more accurate again .

Like you say on short segments with a phone they are less accurate because of the time delay updating where you are.

If folk want to see how quick your device is plotting your position then create a strava segment then using the back and forward buttons you can see the distance between each time it has plotted you on the map by the distance it travels on each click .

 

[Mark1978]

You can also export the GPX file and open it in notepad to see the time at which each point is recorded

 

[BRounsley]

I did a bit of googling around this. Both GPS chips (iphone/garmin) appear to sample at 1hz (so once a second).

The difference seems to be how the software handles it. Garmin appears have a better algorithm to smooth the “bad” GPS reading out. Makes sense as Strava is a small start-up where Garmin has been doing this for years.

So it’s looks like a bit subjective thing. The Garmin is smoother but not necessary any more accurate. It would be interesting if Garmin ever release an iPhone app

 

[bpsmith]

I too am a big Apple fan, having owned each iteration aside from the 5.

I investigated hard before deciding and had already used MotionX GPS and others.

I decided to go for a Garmin 510 to link to my iPhone 5S. Personally, I find it's the best scenario. I carry both when cycling. Garmin 510 on the handlebars, giving me all of your typical cycle computer functions, plus recording the GPS activity. Linked to the Garmin Connect App for my Wife to LiveTrack me at any time. I then sync to Strava on returning home.

If I need to contact anyone, I grab my iPhone from rear pocket where it sits safely in a padded zipped case. If I want music then I chuck my earphones in and wire safely up my jersey.

Garmin is light and waterproof on the stem. More accurate than iPhone and has great battery life.

Can upload routes to follow, race my best times over past courses, etc.

Best of both worlds. Have tried the Strava App too, but the Garmin far exceeds the experience and I have no worries over damaging my iPhone.

 

[Hop3y]

Strava on my Xperia Z2 is amazing and the battery life is to die for. Just a shame my phone is the size of a 40" widescreen TV.

 

[Cycleops]

Whatever did people do before GPS?

 

[Nigelnaturist]

It's still a bloody faff with a phone though. Hence I have two Garmins. Switch on, press go. Simples. Battery lasts all day/week on a charge.

PS Smartphone is in pocket/panniers.

One Garmin one Bryton, I like the info on their site.

Probably depends what you’re doing. Upload to Strava post ride, press button on app, compared to connect a Garmin up to a PC. Download a new route, email gpx to myself and press on it in the phone email app, compared to connect a Garmin up to a PC.

I do have to velco the battery to the stem once a week post charge, but putting the phone on the bike takes as long as zipping the phone into my pocket. Maybe this is because of my oddly small hands!!!

I have my own database which is much more involved than anything you find on line apart from trianing peaks ect.. it takes me a couple of mins to add the data manually from both units, and then it gives me things like how difficult the ride was how many ft/mile ect..... I could do a lot of that from a basic bike computer but it would take longer to map the ride for the elevation.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

Whatever did people do before GPS?

Not get so lost.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

no data relying solely on gps signals for speed ect are accurate, the only way to get it so is to use a calibrated sensor to the correct circumference of the wheel, have said that the differance is small, but both my Bryton R20 ( a basic gps recorder, though it does H.R./cad/speed from sensors) and my garmin 705 (using the same sensors) both showed todays ride at 19.08 miles, if I had just used the gps data I would almost guaranty they would be different.

 

[marknotgeorge]

Not for bikes (afaik) so slightly off topic, but the best free navigation I've seen so far is Nokia Drive - comes preinstalled on the phones (even the lowly Lumia 620) & allows the pre-installation of maps and turn by turn navigation (so no data charges incurred). (Google maps is ok, but you can't preload maps or navigation, so once you're over your data allowance, that's yer lot).

We've used it quite a bit (most notably for finding the new retail park in Boulogne), and my son used it for finding his way around Berlin on a school trip (using the walking directions). Brilliant extra on the Nokia Windows phones - I hope Microsoft continue to support it following their acquisition of Nokia, as it's a real benefit to owning the handsets.

The HERE bit of Nokia, which does Maps, Drive and Transit, is one of those bits of Nokia Microsoft didn't buy. Having said that, Windows phone 8.1 has Drive+ (the global version - some cheaper Nokias and non-Nokias only had one country), and the Map control in the API is partly written by HERE, so I think Drive is here to stay.

From a programming perspective (I'm still writing my Windows Phone cycling app), the location seems to update about once a second. At the moment I'm only using the HERE maps, which I'm not sure are that clever for cycling use, but they can be pre-installed. I think the wp8.1 Map control allows better use of other mapping sources such as OpenMaps, so that'll probably come with later versions.

 

[Gravity Aided]

Whatever did people do before GPS?

I carried a sextant and an accurate watch. Weighty accessories.