Dreaded1

If you wanted to mount your S7 to handlebars or wear the armband carrier and then use the S-Health app that would work with a chest strap HRM. In one of the "electronics and gadgets" threads someone has posted a screen shot from the data he collected with S-health. I can't recall exactly which thread it was though.

runway1

I like that idea. What would I add to the phone to also have the cycle computer data real time? Basically, that's the setup I want: Phone on the bars showing me cycle and HRM data. Also, can I have that display on the same screen?

Sal Bandini

Wahoo Fitness on Android phone will show HRM, speed, and cadence (if you have sensor) as you are riding. Use Wahoo Utility to set up the sensors.

Sal Bandini

Program is not running now but this is what default screen would look like...

philbob57

Just note that phones have limited power sources, so you'd have to do short rides (2-3 hours?) or get an external battery. Also, the phone GPSes aren't as good as, say the Lezyne, Garmin, Polar, Wahoo versions, so your speed and distance numbers are like to be off by what I consider non-trivial amounts. You can get good speed data by using a sensor, but that won't help much with distance.

Sal Bandini

Using speed sensor will give you more accurate distance than GPS.

I do 45 minutes to just over an hour rides with phone screen on continuously and battery may drop 15-20% max, but of course it's dependent on the phone and battery age.

2-3 hours is NOT a short ride in my book, but then I'm not super fit either.

memebag

I used to use my phone to record my rides, but the battery drain was killing me. Not only did I need an external battery for longer rides, even on shorter rides if my battery died I didn't have a phone.

That Garmin Edge 25 is a good deal. I picked one up for $125 from a UK web site last year. The Garmin soft chest strap is $35 or so. For $160 you get a top notch GPS unit that won't run down your phone battery. Also, the Edge 25 is tiny. I really liked that about it.

runway1

I'm with you. I'm 54, not too bad, but not too fit either. I ride most always <2hrs. I like that screen image. Easy to read.

What do you mean by 'speed sensor'? Like a basic Cateye or...?

runway1

That's a good option but I'm already having trouble reading my Cateye because it's so small. That's one reason I was thinking of trying the larger screen of my phone.

runway1

Anybody try a Bryton Rider 310?

Sal Bandini

I bought the Wahoo speed sensor and cadence sensor. If you don't have speed sensor it uses GPS to calculate speed and distance. If you connect a speed sensor you can either let it calibrate wheel circumference or input it yourself. The app will use the wheel sensor to calculate speed and distance and will be more accurate than the GPS.

I thought about getting either the Wahoo dedicated bike computer (Element or Bolt), but since my riding is not that long my phone works fine.

These are the sensors I was talking about:

https://www.amazon.com/Wahoo-Sensor-...ds=wahoo+speed

runway1

Ok, run it on Wahoo Fitness with Wahoo sensors and a Wahoo Tickr. That's the setup??


I think that totals $95 and I'm all set. Thanks, Sal!!

Sal Bandini

You don't need the speed sensor. You can start with the Tickr for $50.

TimothyH

The Garmin Edge 25 seems like a horrible deal to me.

There are a whole host of GPS units with full maps and lots more features for the same or even less money.

I owned an Edge 25 and can't remember what made me think it was a good idea to buy one.


-Tim-

DrIsotope

I used one for about 6 months, and had very little to complain about. Especially when you can get the 310T combo (which includes cadence and HRM) for $119 shipped.

My complaint has nothing to do with the unit or it's performance, and strictly with the fiddly nature of the Bryton software when it comes to uploading rides to the computer/Strava. That part is less than perfect. But the battery life is phenomenal-- riding 6-7 days a week, I would charge once a week. It's a great unit.

buck1973

I use a Garmin Edge 305 that I picked up NOS on ebay a couple of years ago. There is one available for $90 plus shipping:

New in Box Biking GPS- Garmin Edge 305 Package | eBay

runway1

Wow, that's one to watch!

Oh great, now everybody knows...😅

rgconner

Depends. I can do a full metric listening to music with my old Note 4, and the 8s it was about 10% of battery to do 30 miles last night.

Sal Bandini

There's a BIG difference between listening to music and having screen on the whole time with cycling app and map and GPS running. See how long your Note 4 or 8s would last on your metric.

rgconner

Screen on all the time would be silly.
GPS calls out the turns over the headset, cycling app is running using GPS for map tracking (Wahoo uses both, GPS and sensor for speed) so the only thing different is the screen. I DO have a screen to show me stats, that is the Wahoo RFLKT, but it does not show a GPS map.

Since the screens are huge, and they take a lot of power to be seen in the sun, I would not expect it last for the full century..


AND more importantly, was not part of the original specification. The Wahoo RFLKT with GPS, HR + bike sensors and listening to music over BT will last just fine for an all day ride.

DrIsotope

That really depends on what you determine to be "all day." My Garmin 520 (with nav on) didn't last through a 250k, I had to hook it up to the aux. battery at about mile 130. Consumption is usually ~10% per hour, but the nav kills battery-- just like it does on phones. My phone was down to about 35% by the end of the ride, and it was only being used for Pandora. No chance if it had been doing Strava + nav + music.

rgconner

8hrs is what I was thinking. Doing a double century would probably take a spare battery even with the S8.

Even a spare battery is not that big of a deal, it just lives in the jersey pocket next to the phone. Harder with a unit on the handlebars to be sure.

memebag

I've had several smartphones that would run out of juice in 4 or 5 hours with no screen on, but GPS and Strava running.

My Garmins (Edge 25, Edge 1000) can run over 6 hours with their screens on and visible in sunlight. And if they did run out of juice, my phone would still have power, which can be important if you need to call for help.

Sal Bandini

OP wants bike computer for real time HR and would consider phone, so it was considered in original specification. There was no mention of music or headset. My suggestion for short rides to use phone and Wahoo Fitness was well received by the OP. I'm not sure what playing music in background has to do with battery drain in this topic.

rgconner

So it would last even longer.

This whole sub-thread was about people making silly statements about insufficient battery life with unreasonable usage like GPS and having the screen on all the time.

You have brought it full circle.