Originally Posted by
exmechanic89
Thanks for everyone's comments and suggestions - they're quite helpful and I'll be using this thread to guide me to what I ultimately buy.
In answer to the smartphone question, yes I could use my phone. But I like how small the cycling comps are. And as another poster pointed out, I dont use my phone for everything. I prefer a dedicated unit for some things.
Phones don't make very good cycling computers. They're way too big and fragile, power consumption is too high, and the controls are nearly as good. Plus they're super expensive.
It really depends on what you need. I prefer wired units without GPS. Wired units are cheaper, more accurate, and respond faster. Plus you can get many years out of a battery. They don't give you is convenient and comprehensive data about your ride afterwards, but you only use your computer in the moment, that's a nonissue.