MatCartmill

Hey guys,

I'm wondering if anyone could tell me about the difference / uses between an iPhone and a Garmin.

I've got the iPhone 5S and have been using Strava to map and calculate my rides, but I've seen a ton bikers, both local and through photos online, that have the Garmin 500 or 800. Given that pretty much everyone has a smartphone these days, is there a reason to choose a Garmin to track instead of an app for a smartphone?

I've also got a Bontrager Node 2.1 computer with HRM and Dual sensor (cadence / speed) that I use for my trainer rides that I might move over to my road bike if it'll benefit at all. My Trek has the "Duo Trap" feature. I'm not sure if that'll offer any additional information upfront, other than just my traveling speed and cadence as I go along.

Thanks in advance for the input.

RPK79

This has been rehashed so many times on these forums.

https://www.google.com/search?q=bike...bikeforums.net

The Garmin is more accurate and the battery lasts longer.

Seattle Forrest

RPK nailed it. Battery life and accuracy. Plus there are heart rate monitors, cadence sensors, and power meters for the Garmin.

Also, for the twitchy, the NSA can't use the Garmin to find out where you've been.

RPK79

So you think...

MatCartmill

Thanks for the reply RPK. I did read a couple of those posts. I guess I was just hoping I had missed something. The Garmin Edge 810 is about $800 for the bundle. I was hoping there was some hidden benefit I hadn't found during my (admittedly) short research.

Currently with my iPhone 5S I can get about 4+ hours from 100% to 0% while using Strava.

cvskates

I think if you turn off some of the battery draining features of your phone you might get better life. I use the 5S with Strava and a polar heart rate monitor paired with blue tooth, and I get 6+ hours (haven't done any rides longer than that since I got it).

On last years tour I would run Strava on my 4S in airplane mode (no data roaming), and it would last 14+ hours (no HRM, though).

RPK79

The Edge 810 does a lot. I, personally, use the Edge 200 which is the base model Garmin. It does everything your phone does with the Strava app only it will last 14+ hours, mounts on my bars so I can see my speed, distance, average speed, feet climbed, etc... while I'm riding. It's also water resistant. That Garmin only costs $130.

UnfilteredDregs

Neat trick. I did not know you could do this... It seems a lot of the newer computers interface with the GPS on a smartphone to track location. I've been looking at the Wahoo ride computer for this because I have their cadence/ speed sensor...

MatCartmill

Definitely possible. I haven't done an outdoor ride with the 5S longer than 2 hours. After 2 hours I was 65%-70% (no HRM), so all I did to estimate was double that (about 30% left after 4 hours), then factored in some additional usage / screen time. If I simply road without interacting with the phone and having all of the battery saving settings enabled, I wouldn't doubt for a second that I could get 6+ hours.

When the snow finally melts and I feel that I can safely take my new Domane 4 on the road, I will definitely test the battery life to it's maximum potential.

Gramercy

The battery life on my phone drains faster when it's cold out. I went for a ride last weekend when it was 30 degrees and my battery drained about 25% in an hour or so, on the Galaxy S3. Usually it's only a 15% decline per hour when the temps are around 50 degrees.

WhyFi

In addition to battery and accuracy concerns listed above (which are no small thing), there's also weather proofing and accessory compatibility to consider. On the accessory front, we may see that change in the next couple of years depending on how much traction low energy bluetooth gets.

Oh, one other thing on the efforts to maximize battery life with the phone - keeping the screen off will greatly improve battery life, but it will also render the phone almost completely useless when it comes to training/pacing.

iamtim

Wow, I've long considered getting a Garmin but never looked into pricing. If that's how much they are, I'll stay with my iPhone.

That's problematic. You should get MUCH better battery life than that. On my normal 2+ hour rides I'm concerned if my 5S battery dips more than 10%.

hubcyclist

I'm using my 5s at home on the trainer (using cyclemeter as my app of choice). I've found that turning the GPS off definitely saves on battery. I think I use 10% battery an hour, maybe less (screen is on, use black background, which I think helps save battery in comparison to white background, I may be wrong). For short rides, I'll turn the GPS on outside, but for longer rides I'll just turn it off and use my phone as a less fancy bike computer.

RPK79

That is the top end model. They start out closer to $100 for the base model and go up from there.

RPK79

Why not just buy a $15 bike computer then?

hubcyclist

The $15 ones don't have cadence. By longer rides, I mean more than like 4 hours (which I have yet to crack anyway), and if I don't have a way to easily get back to a charger.

iamtim

Ah, phew, that's much more reasonable. Is there, like, a monthly service charge or anything?

RPK79

Nope. Once you make the initial purchase your done paying for it.

bikerjp

I think the 500/510 is probably the sweet spot. Not too expensive and does most everything - unless you have difficulty finding your way in which case an 800/810 might be a better option. I do usually have my phone with me so I can check maps if I'm lost (and have data).

bonz50

the 800 can be found all over the place for $a bit over $300, add the cadence sensor and HRM separately to save money (the bundles cost more than doing the bundle yourself)

WhyFi

Nokia offline maps ftw.

bikerjp

Supposed to be able to cache Google Maps too but I haven't tried yet.

WhyFi

If you have the space on your phone (the Nokia map for NA is about 4gb), it's worth it. Even if you're in a location with data, it's nice to not have to wait for the map to load and snap in to focus.

MatCartmill

The 800 and the 810 are different. The 800 is $360ish online, the 810 is $560 online. I'm not sure what the exact differences are aside from user interface and better gps signal. It's definitely cheaper to buy the accessories individually than as the bundle, for whatever reason.


Hmm. Hopefully I'll be able to test this further in a couple of weeks. I know I have my phone always going with heavy use. I have 4 email account with push delivery enabled, a few other apps that are usually open, such as Facebook, during my rides, etc. I wonder how my performance would be if I ran only Strava in airplane mode with no apps running and me not touching / unlocking the phone.

I imagine it would be stellar.

I use a QuadLock to attach my phone to my bike. It came with a clear case to put over top of the phone that makes it water resistant.

fuel0707

OP - you might research the RFLKT or RFLKT+ from Wahoo Fitness. Those units connect over BT to your iPhone and "reflect" the data from your cycling app. The advantages to that include lower phone battery drain (you close the iPhone's screen) and you can keep your phone safely tucked away in a jersey pocket. The RFLKT+ adds a barometer for more accurate elevation (climb and descent) data and it also has an ANT+ bridge so it can interface with ANT+ items like an HRM or a power meter. The RFLKT and RFLKT+ can also play music from your iPhone's library if you want.