Just saw the “tracks my route” requirement. Fair enough, do need GPS then but yeah the strava app would work. But sounds like he wants a display en route and phones look clunky as hell on the handlebars :-)

It goes beyond looking clunky on the bars. The reason we still need bike computers is that the active GPS tracking will eat the phone battery.

I’ve tried a few Garmin devices and never liked any of them for various reasons. Last time year I bought a Whoo ELEMNT Bolt and absolutely LOVE it. It requires setup with a smartphone, which I see as a huge advantage. yMMV.

It’s ok for 100km or so. I’ve had to use it once or twice when the Garmin has been flat and caught me out.

I don’t think he wanted any route data on his display. Just the basics like speed, time and HR. So he could use Strava for route logging in his pocket.

But a Garmin 130+ or whatever the base Wahoo model is would be the obvious choices for a standalone GPS and data display. They have features the OP doesn’t need, but that would apply to any GPS head unit.

I've used it in a pinch but it doesn't last very long if it isn't 100% charged to start. I tried riding the Tour de Bronx with it doing turn by turn and tracking and it didn't last beyond 20 miles.

Garmin 130+ is about $200. Wahoo Bolt 2 is $280. I would recommend the Bolt, they are good reliable units, decent display and functions.

Wired bike computer would solve the interference issues. Cateye wired Velo 9, $32. Immune to GPS issues such has tree cover, long sync times at startup, a short battery life. Battery life difference between GPS (days) and wired cyclocomputer (~1 year) is rather dramatic.

Modern GPS units are not affected by tree cover (I just rode my mountain bike for 3 hours in the forest with zero GPS issues) and they start up within a few seconds. Really it’s not a big deal to recharge a GPS either.

The OP actually wants to record their ride data, so they are going to need a GPS anyway. Whether that’s on their phone or head unit.

As I said above, wired units are obsolete. My journey in bike electronics started with my Wahoo Bolt, and once I started there I found that everything else just worked within the environment. I added a smart trainer, got an ANT+ dongle for the computer, use RWGPS to map out routes that just show up on the computer. My rides appear in RWGPS or Strava (I use RWGPS to track) when I'm done with the only intervention being to hit "Stop" on the computer. It captures GPS as soon as I'm outside the house, sometimes inside too. It shows my texts and calls on my phone. It just integrates with everything and wirelessly. I use my Bolt on two different bikes and it adapts to the bike it is on without setting anything. It uses GPS speed on my MTB because I'm too lazy to swap the wheel sensor, and too cheap to buy another. It works with Zwift, Sufferfest, Rouvy, etc.. It'll show the gear you are in if you have electronic shifting. It'll toast and butter your bread.

A feature I thought of that I don't think it does is show hydration levels. It would be great if it could tell you when you are getting dehydrated before you start to feel it.

The Coospo unit may or may not do everything I just said, but my guess is that since it is wireless it will do a lot. It uses the standard protocols.

A wired unit will work with the bike it is on, with a wheel and pedal sensor. And that's it.

Anyway, my point is with wireless you are buying into the ecosystem of electronic gadgets. You may not think you need it, but once you have it you find a lot of uses for it.

Agreed. Don’t think the Coospo has the rwgps integration but everything else…

as for hydration levels, the Garmin says “drink” but it’s just on a timer, no dynamic temp / effort analysis.

I don’t actively use it, but my Garmin 530 does estimate the amount of water consumed based on effort and duration. I think it might take ambient temperature into account too, but not sure. I think you can calibrate it for your personal consumption too. I do have a power meter and HRM with my training zones calibrated, which it probably needs for this. I should check it out really, but I’m pretty good at keeping hydrated on rides. All I notice is the estimation of consumed bottles in the ride summary. I don’t have the drink alarm set up.

OP has GPS via his FitBit. Presumably it does route tracing, etc.

OP has stated a need for accurate Time Speed Distance information like he has from his wireless CatEye Strada, except when it screws up due to RF interference. A wired CatEye would give the same information, without screwing up due to RF interference.

It has been stated that wired speedometers are 'obsolete'. That is like saying that nuts and bolts are obsolete, because we have glue now. 5 1/4" floppy disks are obsolete. Wired speedometers are old-school engineering, where simplicity and reliability count.

Here's to everyone's serendipitous cycling electronics experiences! Ride what you like, and have a good day.

If you are summarizing what the OP wants, then you left out this part....

Garmin Edge 130 plus. Done.

You missed the part where he said he wasn’t happy with the Fitbit tracking because it apparently didn’t pause automatically when he stopped.

I've become a total Garmin fanboy since getting my Edge 830. There is a ton of data, and I geek out on that sort of stuff. The Edge 130 Plus is more affordable ($200 USD), and it will do all the things you listed, and then some. Pairs with HRMs and other sensors. Fully configurable display with a large selection of data points, including the ones you mentioned. Auto-pause is an option. No map, but still able to do basic turn-by-turn navigation.

Oh, there’s a “Smart” option on those alerts. Never knew that, will have to try it out because I am BAD at hydration.

And the route recording he said he wants? How does the Fred Flintstone tech do that?

Cool. I should really check it out myself too. What I have noticed is that it's estimation of my total ride consumption seems to line up pretty well with my actual consumption.

Heh, it always estimates 2-3x mine for both food and drink. I said I was bad at it 😆

😂 Are you using a power meter and/or HRM and if so are your effort zones set accurately? I’m just wondering what inputs it is using for the consumption calculations. Will read up and report back later.

I have never once had a problem with rf interference. I live in NYC where there is plenty of that too. It just doesn't cause issues in the confined space of a bike. I just re-read where that was a problem, using an analog signal from an old Cateye. Also obsolete. I used a Cateye wired speedometer/cadence sensor for years. When I switched over to digital I had all this info to make me a much better rider.

Anyway, if you are starting fresh, just go with the latest and greatest.

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