When you say cheapo speed sensor. What exactly presumably not the Wahoo one.
Cheers.👍View attachment 769331
One of these, make is Magene if you can see it. Fits on hub so better than magnetic job on spoke etc. These also "double" up as a cadence sensor so I have one on my non drive crank as well. Can get on AliExpress for less than £10 and work great.
Yes I’m aware you can get a speed sensor. Which is just like a wheel magnet and then what’s the point of having a £200 gps unit, rather than a £50 unit with said wheel magnet.
I fit new batteries if I'm going on a trip and put the old ones back in on return.I carry a spare CR20230 battery to replace if required. Happened on a long ride in Mallorca. Nothing worse than slogging up Sa Calobra and not having proof you did it!
I was like the OP just using my mobile for several yrs after having some well documented failures on BR of the garmin edge touring, refuse to have another. Finally got a bryton rider 750 when on offer and tbh does everything and more than needed. Downloading a route onto it is easy from smartphone. Did borrow a wahoo bolt which was brilliant, but the price wasn't good at the time. I had a try of a karoo at an event and that was OK as well. A source of everything gps or smart trainer etc is DC rainmaker on YouTube. TBH whatever you choose nowadays will be pretty reliable including garmin.
I have just recently bought a used Wahoo Roam 1. It is by far the best piece of tech I have ever bought and everything from set up to displays, route download and uploads to Strava have been easy peasy and, just worked. I used the route on our recent Silloth to South Shields and it was simple to follow, re routed when we went off piste and started again each morning from where we were. It is crap at finding a place to navigate to, like a hotel etc because you have to manipulate the cross hairs to a target and then select. I hear that in future an option to find somewhere on Google maps and download it as a destination for the unit to route too is coming. I am sure others are good and later models are better but for 100 squids this does everything I need.
I've just read one on Amazon that said the device doesn't work if it cannot connect to the IGSport server in China. I find that difficult to believe.
I have a wahoo bolt which I mainly use for tracking my rides. I’ve never used the maps on it so far. However it drives me crazy with its fluctuating speed. I will travelling at 18mph and whilst maintaining the same cadence suddenly I’m doing 11mph then 15 before back up to 18. Also when doing interval I will travelling at 18 mph and get out of the saddle and sprint for 10 seconds sit down and I’m still doing 18 mph I then free wheel at the end of my effort and suddenly I’m doing 28 mph.
I got my unit replaced but the new one is no better.
My old Sigma with a wheel magnet was better.
Couldn't you use your phone to open up Google and find a hotel?
How else will they track you?
Yesterday's ride showed total climbing to be 390 feet, the same route, same distance a couple of days ago showed total climbing to be 2,450 feet. Also, going under trees it will show completely different speeds than out in the open a few hundred yards further.
Couldn't you use your phone to open up Google and find a hotel?