Originally Posted by
dougmc
Smart phones tend to have sucky battery life -- if you're running a GPS app, they'll generally be dead in a few hours. They also don't have ANT+ compatibility that I'm aware of. But external power sources are an option. Get a basic Android pay as you go phone (do make sure it has a GPS, though most do), don't actually pay for service, install osmaps (that's the name of the package), preload local maps ... you're good, for a few hours, till the battery dies....
I guess it depends on what app is being used. When I use my Google navigator app ( when in my car ) the app does drain the battery, particularly when the screen is left on....two hours is about right. When on my bike I use the "Cue Sheet " app which seems not to drain the battery as much...then again I turn the screen off unless I need to look at the map. Most of my 2.5 hr road rides I get back to the car with about 50% power left to the phone. For longer rides I would likely carry a back-up battery.
I think the OP had the right idea when he was considering buying a phone but not the service. That can work. The RWGPS site now offers downloading the complete maps ( to use with Cue Sheet app ) to go with the route you are planning. I've not tried this option yet but I updated my version of Cue Sheet to work with this new feature. The only thing not covered here is the ANT+ availability. Newer updated versions of Android should be able to work with BTLE devices. Ant+ I'm not so sure although there are probably a couple companies that make an Android device that works with Ant+.
Other things to consider if going to a phone navigation app. Having your smart phone enabled to access the net is a nice thing to have while exploring new territory on the bike ( although not necessary as has been said ). The only down side is that it is still a bit clunky in that it takes up some room on the bike's cockpit area. Undoubtedly some people don't want a large smart phone messing with the look of their $5000 road bike.
...there in lies the issue of choices....If you want bells and whistles and aren't worried about aesthetics you go smart phone plus GPS route planning app. If you want a cockpit without clutter you go Garmin ( and try not to cuss when you need to look at the map...
). When riding in unfamiliar territory I want the bells and whistles. Heck, for that matter I carry the phone anyway even if I'm not using it for navigation.