There are half dozen apps that are bike related and some of the better ones have been listed above. Yes the distances are very accurate. With a bike computer you are actually measuring how many times the wheel goes around and putting in a conversion number based on wheel size. When I look at my map after a long ride I will see my path going down one side of the road and might see a little blip out into the road and I will think back and that’s right where a car was parked I went around.

As to buying a smart phone because you need a way to measure distance on your bike that I wouldn’t do. I fought the technology for a while and I’m not a huge fan of all the gizmos out there and owning a smart phone with all the stuff in a cell plan can get expensive. I am really hooked on all the things the phone does for me daily and mapping bike rides is only a small percentage of it.

I don’t know a lot about the other devices like the iPod touch but I think they can do most everything except be a cell phone. That might be a way to go also. I know if you have a lot of access to wireless internet for free I have several apps that let me use my iPhone with only wireless and place calls for free and I think the iPod will do the same.