We've been riding our Speedster since 2007. We run a Shimano Flight Deck and a Polar 725x HRM up front, and a low-end Polar HRM with a Cateye Astrale in the back. For lights, we use a Cateye white blinky and a B&M Ixon IQ battery lamp up front, and a PB Superflash and a Viewpoint blinky in the rear. We run the blinkies all the time.

We're going to be doing some more loaded touring. Specifically, we're going to the Czech Republic this summer for 3 weeks. The Czech Republic has a maze of little bike paths, most of which are paved but not roads. Thus we'd like to have a GPS to supplement our usual maps and cue sheets.

GPS immediately brings up the question of battery life, already present with our 4 current battery lights. We won't or rather hope we won't have the opportunity to recharge internal batteries. We could go with an eTrex 30 which uses AAs, but the 800 is very tempting, lighter, cycling specific, and slightly larger screen.

Considering the 800, it occurs to us that we could do a complete revamp of our electrics: Schmidt SON hub, Pedalpower USB charging system:
http://www.pedalpower.com.au/index.html
and Schmidt Edelux dynamo headlight and B&M dynamo taillight. We'd also carry a battery taillight as a backup. This would be simpler, lighter, and more trouble-free. If we ever wanted a smart phone, we could charge that, too.

Concerns: can the 800 in front pick up the rear wheel sensor? Is the 800 screen as good as the eTrex? Should we bother with the cycling package? We like our Polar 725x very much and we get cadence from our Flight Deck. We could put the 800 in back and leave my Polar 725x up front, since Stoker navigates anyway, but she doesn't like electronics and might not enjoy that. Or if that were possible, we could put the 800 with the performance package up front and put the Polar 725x in the back. Stoker would like a better HRM. Or we could put the 800 w/o the package up front along with the Polar 725x and leave Stoker's setup the way it is.

We don't plan to ride at night on tour but we burn our blinkies all the time now, so would burn our dynamo lights most of the time, maybe set on light sensor mode. We think the SON might charge the 800 and burn lights at the same time.

Comments?