Touring - For those of us relying on battery-hungry mobile devices for route guidance

I have seen a couple of posts dealing with this topic.. Mostly people were thinking of solar panels or AA battery sources.. But how about hand crank designs? *

This one comes with a lot of stuff you probably wouldn't need.. *http://www.dealextreme.com/p/multi-function-mp3-speaker-fm-radio-hand-crank-2-mode-12-led-white-flashlight-phone-chargers-57396

Or.. This one is just straight up hand dyno
http://www.sears.com:80/shc/s/p_10153_12605_SPM735681501P?ci_sku=SPM735681501&ci_src=14110944&i_cntr=1306364411816&sid=IDx20101019x00001a

You'd probably have to crank a whole bunch to juice your phone up a little, but it could really come in handy to get you to the next power source.. Spare you a solar panel set up and all those double A's.. Anybody have any first hand experience?

How about a dyno hub? They now have converters that allow you to charge USB devices with dyno hubs.http://peterwhitecycles.com/schmidt.asp

Small solar panels are getting very efficient. The latest ones can ever charge during overcast conditions. A small charger will charge a pair of AAs and your phone during the day easily most of the time and it doesn't take any of your time.

Also, I seem to remember there are dynamos with USB charging capabilities, or someone rigged something like that. Although, that requires rebuilding your wheel.

But this is interesting. I just wonder how well this works, seems too cheap to be any good.

I also wonder if you could attach a propeller to this and make it a wind turbine?

Solar or dynohub with a B&M Ewerks. Best bet? wall plug somewhere unless you are on one of the deserted routes. Best place I ever found to plug in? Under a bill board on the side of US301 in SC. :D

Aaron :)

I wouldn't want to hand-crank a generator for an hour at the end of every day.

I seriously doubt you could fully charge a smart phone and a GPS with a mere 10 minutes of cranking.

I have used hand crank chargers on my sailboat. I would say that they should only be relied on for emergency use because it takes a lot of cranking to really charge anything. Because of that I would probably never carry one on a bike tour.

For me the best approach is to minimize usage of devices that require batteries or charging and charge or replace batteries when the chance arises. That, for me, means no laptop, no GPS, cell phone turned off when not making a call, and so on.

I have a small hand crank for mobile phone. On paper it seems like the best idea ever. I used it once in camp, to test it. It makes unbelievably loud and annoying noise and requires quite a bit of cranking to produce any kind of current to speak of. After that experience it ended up in my mystery box of unused gizmos.

I seldom stay in total wilderness for weeks. If I'm on the road, I'll likely eat lunch at a cafeteria/restaurant. I ask nicely if it's OK to charge. So far, no problems. If I really needed independent, off the grid charging, I'd get a dynohub based battery charger system, and charge during riding. Or solar panel, but where I live solar charging would mean staying in the camp for maximal efficiency.

--J

Yeah.. Dyno hub sounds pretty sweet.. Definitely an investment, though. Maybe going that route is worth it? Ideally, I would prefer to not have to rely on the phone, but was going over some of the google routing for my upcoming ride.. Let me tell you, you zoom out far enough and you can get anything to look like a straight shot line. In reality, so many twists and turns just to go through jersey.. Over 150 turning points. So, either have go with the electronic set up, or bring a whole Moby Dick of cue sheets, constantly stopping to pull out a new page.. My phone wille eat through that battery after about an hour of heavy use with gps synching and dyno makes the most sense. On the other hand, kinda takes the fun and adventure out of roughing it.. Bah, guess there's still some time to think it through.. Thanks, everybody.

Another option is a high-capacity battery pack that will allow you to recharge your phone or GPS several times between wall outlets. Wouldn't be much good if you don't plan to be near any wall outlets for long stretches (to recharge the battery pack), but if you're planning on a hotel every now and again, it might be a good choice. Some discussion about those here. (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php/709321-iPhone-power-on-tour)

After reading some reviews I also came to a conclusion that the hand crank is not really worth the trouble of bringing it along on a bike tour.

for me, means no laptop, no GPS, cell phone turned off when not making a call, and so on.

+1

Though i have thought about a GPS for navigating forest service roads around here. However, I think I will stick with paper maps and orientation skills.

I think I will stick with paper maps and orientation skills.

That's all fine until you hit a river coming down the shore, and have to learn the hard way that the nearest bike-friendly crossing is about 15 miles inland.. Especially when you are headed for a time-sensitive destination. In some cases it's way more time and energy effecient to have everything in the palm of your hand. Not just directions, but also live weather maps, tent-friendly camp grounds, sporting goods stores, motels in your area.. Street views and satellite imagery to actually show you traffic density and shoulder width on a given road to help pick the safest route if you have to adjust along the way.. Not knocking orientation skills, or anything.. Or paper maps.. Just.. I guess there are many facets to cyclotouring..

Dyno hub with the Dahon biologic reecharge looks like the way to go if $$ isn't an option**

Also, along the lines of what simplygib had suggested.
http://www.fommy.com/view-full-page.asp?skuno=83981

Also, along the lines of what simplygib had suggested.
http://www.fommy.com/view-full-page.asp?skuno=83981

That's interesting. It claims to recharge itself in 2.5 hours, but none of the reviews talk about that. Would be awesome if it actually works as advertised.

EDIT: Reviews at Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/Amzer-PowerBAR-AMZ20799-Battery-Charger/product-reviews/B002PU9P86/ref=cm_cr_dp_all_helpful?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescending) are not favorable regarding the solar recharging aspect of this device. Too bad, would have been a great solution.

I have this one (http://www.amazon.com/New-Trent-iCruiser-IMP1000-Blackberry/dp/B004H668YA/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1306521202&sr=8-2) which has more than 3 times the capacity at just a few bucks more, but needs a wall outlet to be recharged.

Energizer XP4001 or XP4000 battery

Simplygib.. I was actually looking at that one as well. Ended up going with this 16000 milliampere hour monster here..

http://www.amazon.com/i-Sound-Portable-iPhone-Blackberry-Silver/dp/B00439G3WS

It's not the lightest at nearly a pound and a half, and not the most compact at 5.8"x3.2"x1", but i did a dry run with all my gear last night, weighed out all the gear before making that decision. I think that for anybody not going the ultralight way while wishing to stay on the grid, this is the most powerful, highest capacity external charger, with benefits far outweighing it's construction. At least from what I've seen. *

I did mull around the dyno hub with reecharge option, but the economics of it didn't make much sense in the end. Especially after reading the reviews for the isound.. Some people got a week's use on one charge..

Simplygib.. I was actually looking at that one as well. Ended up going with this 16000 milliampere hour monster here..

http://www.amazon.com/i-Sound-Portable-iPhone-Blackberry-Silver/dp/B00439G3WS

That's interesting! 16000 mAh is A LOT! How do you charge this monster itself? Does it take a USB plug for charging or needs its own power adapter? How long does it take to fully charge the battery?

Simplygib.. I was actually looking at that one as well. Ended up going with this 16000 milliampere hour monster here..

http://www.amazon.com/i-Sound-Portable-iPhone-Blackberry-Silver/dp/B00439G3WS

It's not the lightest at nearly a pound and a half, and not the most compact at 5.8"x3.2"x1", but i did a dry run with all my gear last night, weighed out all the gear before making that decision. I think that for anybody not going the ultralight way while wishing to stay on the grid, this is the most powerful, highest capacity external charger, with benefits far outweighing it's construction. At least from what I've seen. *

I did mull around the dyno hub with reecharge option, but the economics of it didn't make much sense in the end. Especially after reading the reviews for the isound.. Some people got a week's use on one charge..

Wow, that is a monster, and at practically the same price as mine. The 1.5 pound weight would be a show-stopper for me though. Mine weighs about 12 ounces. I'm already nearly maxed out on weight and need to trim everywhere possible. But that 16k mAH capacity is making me jealous. :)

Agree on the dyno - too much money, not enough output for my needs. Would be a good solution for many though.

The battery comes with a dc converter that you plug into a wall outlet. I imagine charging it up with a USB would take forever. I'll measure and weigh everything out for you guys when it arrives.. Let you know how it works

The battery comes with a dc converter that you plug into a wall outlet. I imagine charging it up with a USB would take forever. I'll measure and weigh everything out for you guys when it arrives.. Let you know how it works

I did some more reading and it seems there is no USB charging option. Like you said: it'd probably take too long. I just wonder how long it takes to charge fully. If it takes something like 8h or more you may not be able to recharge it while on tour unless you stay in a motel once a week or so. 1.5lbs is kind of heavy too.

So far I used this (http://www.amazon.com/Tekkeon-TekCharge-Mobile-Battery-Charger/dp/B0014KLX9C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1306622759&sr=8-1) a few times. It takes 4 AA batteries and that's enough for two or more full iPhone4 charges. It won't charge an iPad though, just smaller devices. Also, tossing used up AAs seems environmentally irresponsible but in a pinch it's great, it may be easier to buy some AAs than find a power outlet and hang on to it for a few hours. It weighs few ounces empty. It provides about 3,500-4,000mAh with 4 AAs depending on the battery type used. For comparison iPhone 4 battery is 3.7V 1420mAh.

It is also a USB charger, but slow.

IMHO solar panels are the way to go. They're getting cheaper and better every year. The one I have (http://www.amazon.com/Powerfilm-USB-AA-Solar-Charger/dp/B001RMBHMK/ref=sr_1_cc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1306623180&sr=1-1-catcorr) charges 2x AAs in 4h and an iPhone in about the same time. Pretty much I have two AAs charged and the iPhone charged every day. It works during overcast as well, but much slower.

I'm going to get another one so they'll keep my GPS and my iPhone going. My GPS runs two days on 2 AAs so that should be enough even on an overcast day.

The only thing is the camera. But I found that three batteries are enough for a week or more. If I'm going to go on a longer trip I will just stay at a motel, hostel or RV site once a week.

Although, I wouldn't mind a small wind turbine to attach to the bike or run overnight :)

Disposing of the double A batteries was definitely a concern.. 4 milliamps on as many batteries is actually surprisingly good. Didn't think the AA option could provide that much charge.

As for the isound, with three of us riding, the multi-charge capability is quite attractive. I called the company and they said the thing charges fully in about 7 to 8 hours. I was thinking maybe just top it off if whenever we stop somewhere for lunch, but would have to check with the manufacturer first. Some devices should be charged and discharged fully before being plugged in again. Weight isn't much of a deterrent.. winter bod blubber ballast to spare :)

I just took delivery of one of these:
http://www.dealextreme.com/p/4200mah-portable-dual-panel-solar-power-battery-pack-for-cell-phones-and-usb-gadgets-40210

Charges by USB / AC / Solar... Just got it, so all I can say thus far is that it charges in indirect / overcast sunlight.
When I know more, I will post about it.

Two and a half hours to charge with unit isn't going to work for me. Until these greener options can keep me jammin' when I am rollin' I just take multiple cell phone batteries (http://www.batteries.com/cell-phone/) with me when I head out. Has anyone ever used the arm band Iphone holder?

You can get 24hrs of life on a GPS with a fresh set of batteries. You shouldn't need GPS running 24/7 on a tour so that should last several days. If you are anywhere you can use a cell phone there will be AC power and a 1hr lunch stop will see your iPhone recharged. A digital camera with two batteries should last a week of reasonable use.

Some devices should be charged and discharged fully before being plugged in again.

Most modern batteries can be topped off at any time. It would be totally impractical for something like this otherwise.


I just took delivery of one of these:
http://www.dealextreme.com/p/4200mah-portable-dual-panel-solar-power-battery-pack-for-cell-phones-and-usb-gadgets-40210

Charges by USB / AC / Solar... Just got it, so all I can say thus far is that it charges in indirect / overcast sunlight.
When I know more, I will post about it.

It says "Solar powered charging time: 14~20 hours" - that probably means 2-3 days to fully charge it. That doesn't sound practical.


Two and a half hours to charge with unit isn't going to work for me. Until these greener options can keep me jammin' when I am rollin' I just take multiple cell phone batteries (http://www.batteries.com/cell-phone/) with me when I head out. Has anyone ever used the arm band Iphone holder?

How many batteries would you need for multi-week tour and how would you charge them? I'd rather use a solar panel that can recharge my phone while I'm riding.


You can get 24hrs of life on a GPS with a fresh set of batteries. You shouldn't need GPS running 24/7 on a tour so that should last several days. If you are anywhere you can use a cell phone there will be AC power and a 1hr lunch stop will see your iPhone recharged. A digital camera with two batteries should last a week of reasonable use.

Yup. I have an older Garmin unit and it runs two full days of riding on a set of AAs. If I can get a solar charger that recharges 2 or 4 AAs in a day, I'll be set.

How about a dyno hub? They now have converters that allow you to charge USB devices with dyno hubs.http://peterwhitecycles.com/schmidt.asp

I think going nuts with battery operated devices on tour is needlessly complex and I would just use the AC power grid that's along nearly every paved road, but if the gadets are a necessity the dynohub and charger route is the one I'd use. Solar panels won't charge well on a day that isn't sunny or if your route takes you out of direct sunlight into shaded areas. The dynohub will charge all the time you are riding [day/night/rain/shine] and you can use it on your commuter bike at home to get hassle free lighting.

Best of all it saves you from festooning your bike with solar panels to keep your iPod charged!

If you are anywhere you can use a cell phone there will be AC power and a 1hr lunch stop will see your iPhone recharged.Yes, if there are cafeterias along the way, or you stay at a commercial campsite. But around here it's relatively easy to ride through 1-2 touring day's worth of scenery with perfectly good cell coverage but no way to recharge, short of stopping by a stranger's private house. The few cafes / petrol stations / grocery stores in the area may not be conveniently located vs. your route.

On the other hand, most gizmos today are fine for a couple of days, even when frequently used. GPS is by far the biggest battery hog in my set of battery operated touring stuff. I try to make sure most of my gizmos run on either AAA or AA batteries, so I can switch batteries between them if needed.

--J

Yes, if there are cafeterias along the way, or you stay at a commercial campsite. But around here it's relatively easy to ride through 1-2 touring day's worth of scenery with perfectly good cell coverage but no way to recharge, short of stopping by a stranger's private house. The few cafes / petrol stations / grocery stores in the area may not be conveniently located vs. your route.

On the other hand, most gizmos today are fine for a couple of days, even when frequently used. GPS is by far the biggest battery hog in my set of battery operated touring stuff. I try to make sure most of my gizmos run on either AAA or AA batteries, so I can switch batteries between them if needed.

--J

I've always found that when I'm in areas where navigation is tough and there are lots of roads there is also lots of AC power. OTOH when you are someplace more remote the options for roads dwindles - often to one and I only need to check my GPS once every hour or two for about 10 seconds to confirm I am on route so my GPS lasts days on one set of batteries.

I would also recommend a paper map - both as a back up in case your GPS should fail and as a battery free navigation option.

Very true. Also, I think it's easier to plan a route with paper maps. GPS is more of a backup in my use.

I have a torch with an "emergency" usb chager on it. I tried it once on my HTC phone. After cranking for about an hour, with the phone's charging light on, there was actually less battery life.
Best option I've seen is a Nokia bottle dynamo phone charger. It costs £30, and you need a phone pin to USB adaptor (or you need to mod it yourself), but it will work for all USB devices. I know bottle dynamos have their drawbacks, but personally, I'd be prepared to put up with them if need be:

http://shop.nokia.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/productdetail_10512_10102_-11_70000597

I still use paper maps for navigation, but I have to have my iPhone for entertainment, photos and blogging. I looked at charging devices and simply settled on taking a backup battery. I chose the hypermac mini (http://www.hypermac.com) as it's light and small and will keep my iPhone going for a week. I recharge it whenever I have the chance.

Well.. For those who are interested, I received the iSound battery.. 16000mah.. Weighs 14 ounces on it's own.. Simplygib, I think that's how much your battery weighs as well.. With the wall charger and the USB charging cable, comes out to 1 pound, 4 ounces. Has maybe 10 full charges in it.. Probably a no-go for ultralighters, but if power is a necessity, definitely recommend it.

Well.. For those who are interested, I received the iSound battery.. 16000mah.. Weighs 14 ounces on it's own.. Simplygib, I think that's how much your battery weighs as well.. With the wall charger and the USB charging cable, comes out to 1 pound, 4 ounces. Has maybe 10 full charges in it.. Probably a no-go for ultralighters, but if power is a necessity, definitely recommend it.

How long does it take to fully charge the battery itself?

BTW, I just found this: a SANYO USB AA charger (http://www.amazon.com/eneloop-Pre-Charged-Rechargeable-Batteries-Charger/dp/B004UAG776/ref=dp_ob_title_ce). Seems like a good companion for this iSound battery if you need to charge up some AAs.

Well.. For those who are interested, I received the iSound battery.. 16000mah.. Weighs 14 ounces on it's own.. Simplygib, I think that's how much your battery weighs as well.. With the wall charger and the USB charging cable, comes out to 1 pound, 4 ounces. Has maybe 10 full charges in it.. Probably a no-go for ultralighters, but if power is a necessity, definitely recommend it.

Sounds great. Let us know how it works out. I'm about two weeks away from a 6-week tour with mine, so will do the same.

For navigating pavement I've yet to see the need for a GPS, but more and more I am liking the idea of heading out into the national forests on dirt, and I can see the usefulness of the GPS. Buying up a bunch of topo or green trails maps that could be out of date and only cover small areas seems like a hassle.



That's all fine until you hit a river coming down the shore, and have to learn the hard way that the nearest bike-friendly crossing is about 15 miles inland.. Especially when you are headed for a time-sensitive destination. In some cases it's way more time and energy effecient to have everything in the palm of your hand. Not just directions, but also live weather maps, tent-friendly camp grounds, sporting goods stores, motels in your area.. Street views and satellite imagery to actually show you traffic density and shoulder width on a given road to help pick the safest route if you have to adjust along the way.. Not knocking orientation skills, or anything.. Or paper maps.. Just.. I guess there are many facets to cyclotouring..

Dyno hub with the Dahon biologic reecharge looks like the way to go if $$ isn't an option**

Hey, Adam.. it actually came 75% charged, and I haven't been able to fully discharge it yet. I am leaving on our tour tomorrow, so i'll let you know how it goes. Simplygib.. enjoy your upcoming ride!

For navigating pavement I've yet to see the need for a GPS, but more and more I am liking the idea of heading out into the national forests on dirt, and I can see the usefulness of the GPS. Buying up a bunch of topo or green trails maps that could be out of date and only cover small areas seems like a hassle.

I used to buy topo and trail maps of all the wilderness areas that I was planning to hike/bike in. Still have most of those maps. However I agree that a GPS is probably the best bet now. I still use the maps for planning and make make copies of certain sections. I like the Delorme Earthmate PN (http://shop.delorme.com/OA_HTML/DELibeCCtpSctDspRte.jsp?section=10460) series GPS for hiking and biking. We have on of the older ones, but it is great for on route use.

Aaron :)

Solar or dynohub with a B&M Ewerks. Best bet? wall plug somewhere unless you are on one of the deserted routes. Best place I ever found to plug in? Under a bill board on the side of US301 in SC. :D

Aaron :)

Ditto. On my last trip I was able to charge next to Coke machines and ice machines. I've also charged up while enjoying a nice cup of coffee in coffee houses. My trip last year was just over 1,000 mi and my phone never ran out of a charge. I usually carry one of those little socket testers in my tool bag to check for power at city parks.
This year I'm going to take a small solar charger/battery pack to see if it works.

Jerry H.

Hey, Adam.. it actually came 75% charged, and I haven't been able to fully discharge it yet. I am leaving on our tour tomorrow, so i'll let you know how it goes. Simplygib.. enjoy your upcoming ride!

I ordered one, too nifty to pass :o I'll find out soon, although it might take a while to discharge it. But definitely post your experiences too.

I am 2 weeks from my first tour. I toyed a lot with what I wanted for a power supply. I am a tech guy and plan on blogging along the tour. After some research, I opted to purchase 4 - 1900 mah battery backup chargers for my iPhone. They only weigh a few ounces each and are pretty compact. I tested one first and saw that I could get my iPhone charged 2 times with the device. They were dirt cheap on Amazon.com and through several of the Chinese electronics places on eBay. I think I paid about $10 delivered for each. I plan on charging them all up before I depart and then recharging them whenever I get a Chance. Hopefully, restaurants and convenience sites when I stop along the trail. Some nights I will have power to recharge. I am planning on putting my phone in airline mode through the tour and only put it in phone mode when I need to call out. That should preserve the power. It's going to be a let's see if this works thing. I'll be sure to report back.

Great pics Jerry. It makes me more ware that I need to be resourceful when looking for a power source. Who would have thought a nice break along a power pole or parking lot would yield power.

I got a Hype Dual USB Power Bank at Fry's, last night for $30. It's 5000mAh lithium-polymer. So far, it has charged my iPhone from 20% to 100% twice and all three power bars are still lit (which means 70-100% capacity). I'll repost after I've drained it.

Google only seems to be returning results for the 1200mAh version.
I did find a video, but the one I got is black. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ynDMiyZa3w

I got a Hype Dual USB Power Bank at Fry's, last night for $30. It's 5000mAh lithium-polymer. So far, it has charged my iPhone from 20% to 100% twice and all three power bars are still lit (which means 70-100% capacity). I'll repost after I've drained it.

Google only seems to be returning results for the 1200mAh version.
I did find a video, but the one I got is black. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ynDMiyZa3w

I got three "full" recharges (from 20% to 100%) and one recharge from 20% to 70%.

I got my iSound today. It came about 1/3 charged so I'm charging it now. It's slightly bigger than I expected, but still manageable. It's not something you'd want to carry in a pocket though.

It has a glossy, iPhone-like finish on both large sides, but not nearly as tough, the plastic is very soft. I managed to scratch mine while unpacking (or it came scratched), don't even know how and when. I expect the glossy finish to be totally ruined under frequent use. The soft bag it comes with offers no protection against sharp items. It's clearly not designed to be rugged or used on the road or on the trail. But if it works I don't care much about the looks.

I am planning on putting my phone in airline mode through the tour and only put it in phone mode when I need to call out.

That's what I've been doing with my iPhone 3GS last year and I always had juice when needed to make a call or connect to the net, even if I wasn't able to charge it with my solar panel because of the weather. Although sometimes not enough to play some games before bedtime, but 3GS had poor battery, I hope iPhone 4 will be much better. I didn't have any portable power sources back then either. I also charged it whenever I had a chance: shops along the way and bathrooms/showers at the state parks mainly.

So this year, in addition to the solar panel, I will carry the iSound too, and that Tekken gadget as backup (it's only like 5oz without batteries).

I was wrong, it was more like 50% charged up. There are 4 power level LEDs, the 5th one is just power on/of indicator. It took about 6h to charge. I suspect then it'd take around 12h to fully charge from 0%. So it's an overnight affair easily if it runs out completely out of juice.

For the sake of testing I will use it now exclusively to charge my iPhone from now on until it runs out of juice. Let's see...

I work at a Costco and this company is there this week, Goal Zero, and this one looks interesting, http://www.goalzero.com/shop/p/11/Nomad-7-Solar-Panel/3:1/
The drawback is it does not have storage, need to buy a battery pack separately. Price is cheaper in Costco than on their website. If anyone else has any experience with this let me know if it is worth buying. I tried a Solio and after a few trips of it not being of much use, I returned to REI.

Monoprice flyer from today touched on this subject.

They offer no-frills USB battery packs in 1000 ( $14 ) , 2600 ( $17 ), and 7800 ( $39 ) mAh sizes.

http://www.monoprice.com/products/subdepartment.asp?c_id=108&cp_id=10831#1083110

Seems like a great alternative. The 2600 for the cost sensitive and the 7800 for those epic travels.

I've been poking around for info about solar chargers, and stumbled onto this:
http://www.browndoggadgets.com/kits/solar-usb-kit/

I don't know that the single solar cell / Altoids box would do what I want....but it sounds like the guy building it knows his components pretty well, and I'm wondering if talking with him and adding a second or maybe even third solar cell in some way would be enough to charge its batteries, and eventually my cell phone, in a somewhat-timely manner. My key is that (in theory, anyway) I'd like to set it up and have it charging while I'm riding.

Murphy says that as soon as I set that monster Powerfilm array up on my bike, I'd somehow trash it....

Jarrod