Which GPS phone for use on a bike?

term1te

After an accident with a river, I need a new phone. I'm sure I read a while back someone talking about using a GPS enabled phone on a special mount on their bike. Can anyone recommend a phone with GPS that can be mounted on a bike and used to give directions, and record where I've been? I've seen several phones with GPS mapping, but I'd be interested to hear if anyone has used them whilst cycling.

Cheers

Goodson1974

Cycling Plus gave 10/10 to the Nokia N82 with Nokia Sportstarcker.

It does look like an excellent piece of kit!

GyatsoLa

Its not bike specific, but I found this article on gps phones (specifically the iPhone) to be interesting:

http://www.slate.com/id/2193237/

It does seem that the new iPhone is going to use more open source software, so there may be more potential for upgrades.

yackers1

N82 - just had a look and sim free there the best part of £300!!

I bought my Edge 705 from Handtec for £218 and it is an amazing piece of kit with HR and a cadence sensor (which I assume the Nokia won't have). The cadence sensor did cost an additional £27 though.

If you want a good GPS system with the training functions get an Edge, if you want a GPS with the ability to be disturbed by calls/emails and texts get the N82.

I know "it's good to talk" but not when cycling.

alfablue

I have been using the N82 for a month now. It is superb with Sportstracker software (free download). It works fine in my back pocket or in the map pocket of my bar bag, or I am considering a Boxit with bike mount for the handlebar.

The phone is free on Orange tariffs of £25 and over (I got 300mins/100texts/free landline calls for £25, and the Orange Shop gave me £50 cash back for my old phone). I think you can get the same tariff for £20 from the online Orange shop. I wouldn't have it if I had to pay full price for the phone, but as I needed an upgrade anyway, it was a no-brainer.

Some screenshots from the phone:



There are further screens, including altitude, and altitude versus time and distance and speed charts.

The Sports Tracker site http://sportstracker.nokia.com

It functions brilliantly as a car satnav also, and runs Nokia Maps, Garmin or other 3rd party software.

One point, if using this phone with sports tracker, in sportstracker the access point needs to be set to "none" whilst recording a workout.

carl_p

I wonder how long it will be before cyclists start to get mugged for their GPS and Phones!

fuzzynavel

Goodson1974 wrote:

Cycling Plus gave 10/10 to the Nokia N82 with Nokia Sportstarcker.

It does look like an excellent piece of kit!

I'm not sure that my N95 would appreciate being covered in mud and rain!

alfablue

fuzzynavel wrote:

Goodson1974 wrote:

Cycling Plus gave 10/10 to the Nokia N82 with Nokia Sportstarcker.

It does look like an excellent piece of kit!

I'm not sure that my N95 would appreciate being covered in mud and rain!

Well it would be fine in a waterproof bag, pocket, bar bag, or dedicated phone / pda attachment (such as Ortlieb), Boxit etc. I reckon the N82 (i.e. candy bar rather than slider) may be a little more robust too.

term1te

Thanks for the replies! Being based out in Switzerland, the local phone deals are different. I'd love that Orange deal Alfablue got. There seem to be some good deals on the Sony Ericsson C702, which comes with local maps and I believe comes with "sports tracker" software, I don't know if it is the same as the Nokia version? Does anyone have any experience of the Sony Ericsson C702 phone?

alfablue

The C702 looks like a very nice phone, very similar form and size to the Nokia N82, but a bit prettier. The camera looks good, but is a 3.2 rather than 5 megapixel one. There is a flash, but not a xenon one such as the Nokia has (which performs as well as a stand alone camera flash).

The phone takes memory stick cards up to 4gb (rather than the 8gb Micro SD card of the Nokia).

The Tracker software looks similar to the Nokia Sports Tracker (it is different software), it doesn't seem to record altitude data (can't be sure), but it does have a nice feature whereby you can review the route second by second, and zoom in on the graphical display. I am not sure if there is a web service like Sports Tracker (you upload workouts / routes and they display in Google Maps, you can share these with others, and there is an ongoing record of all workouts), or whether it is just used on the phone.

It is difficult to find out anything else about this software, potentially it could be as good as the Nokia offering, but I can't tell from the available information. Certainly the GPS functionality of the phone seems to be as good as the Nokia (judging by the reviews), though again I am not sure if there is the potential to use 3rd party sat nav software.

There is a youtube showing the Tracker software on the phone here

and some screen shots in this review. (the phone does look very nice!)

One final thing, probably just based on prejudice, in my experience Sony software is not as intuitive or slick as Nokia software, but I have no specific experience of this phone or application.

System_1

I've got an N95 8gb and can confirm that the Nokia Sportstracker software is really good. So good in fact that I didn't bother fitting my computer to my new fixed gear, I just rely on the phone whenever the mood takes me. Being able to save your rides to Google Earth format is pretty cool as well. It will be even better once it comes out of beta and adds the real time map function.

alfablue

Just to add to my previus comment, as far as I can tell the Sony Tracke software does not have the online functionality of the Nokia version.

fuzzynavel

System wrote:

I've got an N95 8gb and can confirm that the Nokia Sportstracker software is really good. So good in fact that I didn't bother fitting my computer to my new fixed gear, I just rely on the phone whenever the mood takes me. Being able to save your rides to Google Earth format is pretty cool as well. It will be even better once it comes out of beta and adds the real time map function.

I wondered why it didn't show a map while I was driving! (used it to record my drive to work)

Bengdogg

got an e61i which i run sports tracker on, also very happy with it