Originally Posted by
black.damon
I recently bought a LHT and I'm gearing up to do more touring (I've only done a couple of over-nighters so far).
Anyway, I've been biking for fitness regularly for the last year or so, and I've been using a wireless Bontrager mileage computer. It's been somewhat erratic and recently quit working altogether, so I'm looking to replace it.
The thing is, I've also been considering the usefullness of some kind of GPS unit, or an equivalent set up on an iphone or android mobile device.
My question is this: Can I take care of mileage tracking, average speed, etc.. AND my navigation on one device? In other words, if I buy an android, or a nice GPS in a month or two will it make a new mileage computer redundant?
I used an i-Phone on tour this spring. I use the Motion-X app for tracking
and I used a handlebar mounted computer. The i-Phone was great for navigation, although sometimes the phone would direct me to routes that weren't all that suitable for riding. The Motion-X worked well for tracking my route but I don't know that I would depend on it for logging miles nor for tracking speed. There are times when it would lose the signal and stop tracking. It also chews through the i-Phone's battery rapidly. I carried an external battery pack and I had to use it often. I tried using the airplane mode to save batteries but the Motion-X app wouldn't work in the mode.
Originally Posted by
black.damon
Can you get accurate mileage info (avg/speed, etc...) with the iPhone apps?
Yes and no. If you lose the signal, you have nothing. I also found that the phone would give incorrect speed measurements. On one downhill, the Motion-X said that I hit 55 mph but my computer said my max speed that day was 48. Since I was coming off New Found Gap in a driving rainstorm and while, I'm crazy I'm not that crazy, I'm sure the computer speed was the correct one.
A bike computer seldom loses the signal and it may give erroneous speeds but those are rare occurrences.
The cost of the phone and service is more than a good map but the information that you can get from a smart phone is far better than any good map can provide. I use an app from Allstays called Camp & Tent which lists campgrounds that are tent friendly. The amount of information that you can get for campgrounds from that app is astounding. The app allows you go directly to the campground's website (if they have one), gives the phone number, gives reviews and, finally, links to the i-Phone's on-board Google map app. It also shows grocery stores.
I'm convinced that smart phone is a great touring tool...and this is coming from an electronic luddite.