Originally Posted by
spinnaker
I have always taken my trusty Garmin on tour because I did not have a smart phone. Well know I have one. Was trying to decide if I should just leave the Garmin at home and just use the phone?
The only time I might lose cell coverage is on Mt Hood. And I will be on the main road so not like I can get lost or anything. And if I remember to cache google maps, I should still have a map even without coverage.
I advise not to use your phone if you already have a bike computer. I toyed around with using my phone as a substitute with a battery pack and my stats were sometimes wildly off because you are dependent on GPS signal strength which translates to location accuracy. If you have inaccurate location based off weak signal (think large circle around your location, vs. a small tight circle when you observe yourself in map app)....your stats will be off. Reason two: it will kill your battery and now if you have an emergency you are SOL. I recommend getting a speed sensor for your Garmin so you are not dependent on GPS for your location accuracy and therefore affecting speed accuracy and linking STRAVA to your Garmin. Leave your phone alone.