Phone/gps combo tracker apps
 

I use both Strava and Google's My tracks. Anything out there thats better?

Endmondo is pretty cool. I bought the 'Pro' version when it was on sale for 99c around thanksgiving. I also have a garmin and tho report almost identical distnaces and times.

Depends what you want to do and if any of the alternative seem to meet you needs better. Since I have a Garmin Edge 500, I've been using Garmin Connect & Strava (for the friendly competition, aka "how badly do I really suck?") for a while. Both work, and Strava in particular seems to be putting a lot of effort into improvements (I have a paid/premium/whatever they call it account).

I've also tried the MapMy* sites (fitness, run, ride). Their phone app/interface is simple and relatively foolproof (start record, remember to hit "stop" when done, enter an optional title, tell it if the ride is public, friends only, or private, and let it upload). MM* blew it, IMO, in their web interface, ability to correlate data from different rides, the user interface for uploading from my Garmin (and presumably other recording systems) is clunky, and I am clearly too stupid to understand their version on Strava's KOM. Maybe their paid membership is better, but I have no plans to try it. The only reason I persist is my employer's medical insurace carrier (a serious company) partnered with a "health management company" who in turn partnered with MM* for recording our "healthful exercise activities" which earn "points" which may benefit future insurance premiums but do generate spam emails at work congratulating me on how much closer I am to gaining "Silver" status and trying to sell stuff Overstock.com could not move in the meanwhile. But I digress.

I've also noticed the phone gps (Android in my case) consistently reports longer distances than my Edge 500, and that the error is greater from running activities than on rides.

I have noticed in anecdotal comparisons that phone placement is crucial to accuracy. Having it in a pocket or running where it is subject to bouncing/jostling is significantly less accurate that placed in a backpack where it has a smooth ride when compared to my buddies Edge for the same ride.

When in my pocket on a ride, the difference was almost .2 miles, but in a pack, it was .01 on average.

I use and really like Motion GPX for my iphone. No real turn by turn GPS feature per say, but it maps your ride, graphs speed and climbing, and gives updates while you ride if you want. You can save your rides, with maps for later use.

Bouncing or jostling? What does that do, shake up and make the electrons go to the wrong places? I think it's more likely that the device sees more of the sky and hence more satellites by being in the backpack than in a pocket on your body. In a pocket, your body shields the device from at least half the sky and half the satellites. And the satellites it does see are all in that half of the sky, which is less accurate than seeing satellites spread around 360 degrees of azimuth. Add external obstructions like buildings and trees and accuracy can really suffer.

+1 for Endomondo. Their new training plans feature is pretty nifty if you *gasp* like to go running when you're not riding your bike.

True, I was thinking the points in space would be less linear as you traveled causing some points to be artificially farther and others closer. I suppose the lack of half the sky is probably a better explanation than what I offered.

I've many apps for the iPhone including cyclemeter, strava, Wahoo Fitness and MapMyRide and they all work pretty good. The Fitness app has the best sharing capabilities than any other app. If you're not into posting your rides then Cyclemeter is for you. It does support the basics (Facebook, twitter, dailymile and email).

+1 on this. I don't share my rides on social media, and Cyclemeter has great options for interval training if you've got a HRM Bluetooth sensor.

I upload my Garmin to both Endomondo and Strava. I would probably only use Strava (and likely will only use Strava this year), but I was using Endomondo first and wanted to maintain all my miles in one place.

I have been using map my ride free but it only tells elevation, time, average speed and distance.
I want an app that can break my ride down further. Show me fast sections or in the very least show me my top speed. Which app is best for that?
My average goes down every time I hit a stop light. Or while im putting my glove back on after I start the app and before I start pedaling. So im not so concerned with averages

It would also be nice if I could tell my app that im carrying 40 pounds of school books for some rides because my calories burned goes up on those days :p

The one thing I do like about map my ride is it has a nutrition thing built in that works pretty well for tracking calories. Really helpful for someone trying to gain weight while biking daily.

Look into Endomondo, you can set it for transportation cycling or sport cycling and it breaks your ride down into "laps" of 1 mile.

Cyclemeter for the iPhone.

I have tried most, but this is the app that works for me. I have a bluetooth watch and cadence sensor hooked up as well.