Bike Navigation

speeder1987

Hi guys,

I have just been out for the first time on my new secteur triple. I had a nice sustrans route planned out before I left, but once I got on the bike as you can imagine I got well and truly lost, and lots of backtracking ensued before heading back (I still really enjoyed the ride, bike was very nice and comfy and very quick compared to my mtb).

My question, what are the best ways of navigating yourself while your on your bike. I've seen there are some Garmin bike computers with gps navigation but they do seem very expensive.

I have an Iphone and I use the cyclemeter app but I have to keep it in my pocket which isn't useful apart from looking at the stats after the ride. Has anyone had any experience with iphone 4 handlebar mounts, I can't seem to find any with really good reviews. I feel a bit reluctant to put my precious handlebars on the bars unless i'm 100% sure it won't fall off.

Anyway thanks for all the help in advance
Cheers
John

desweller

OS map + compass?

stimpy_76

DesWeller wrote:

OS map + compass?

+1 OS map FTW (Explorer range)

awallace

http://www.amazon.co.uk/product-reviews/B004BAX0M0

Ive had this on my mtb. Fell of first time but realised i hadnt sewcured it properly. Since then its been fine. Ive just got copilot live.. Going to test it tuesday so ill see how it goes!

speeder1987

I've just been doing some more research into iphone bike mounts but I can't find one which seems completely reliable. I did find this though

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Griffin-Survivor-Military-Tested-iPhone/dp/B004R97CXI/ref=sr_1_8?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1310330512&sr=1-8

which I think could be awesome if I could manage to get it mounted to the handlebars. I was thinking maybe cable ties through the belt strap and then round the stem, but that all depends on the mechanisms of the belt strap. Seems well priced though and just the words military grade makes me want it

Thanks for all the help
Cheers
John

cloggsy

I've got a Dahon Biologic iPhone mount & it's fantastic!

This is the one for the 3G/3GS.

I use mine every day & wouldn't swap it for anything else1

cougie

Photocopied map in your pocket with some pointers written on your hand, or on tape on the bars ? Iphone in reserve to work out where you are.

Mate has a garmin and the screen is too small to be much use.

And anyway - getting lost helps you find some great routes !

speeder1987

Hmmm i've heard alot of negatives for that Biologic Iphone mount, i.e falling off and not being waterproof. You would have thought that by now someone would have made a god quality mount for the iphone.

Cougie, I've only just really started cycling and I don't particularly want to keep stopping to look at a map, I had printed off a map but didn't use it. I would also have thought that getting lost would help but when I cycled round a blind corner only to find myself on a slip road for a major dual carriage way a-road I started to get second thoughts and at least for the moment decided it would be best to know where I was going

Thanks for all of the help

chappers74

The Biologic iPhone mount designed for the iPhone 4 is much better. They've improved the seal to improve it's water resistance and the hinge has also been redesigned making it much more secure.

http://www.thinkbiologic.com/products/b ... t-iphone-4

I'd definitely recommend it if you can find one, I tried to find another one for a friend but they seem to be as rare as rocking horse do-do.

awallace

Posted this earlier

http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtop ... t=12789322

andrewjoseph

I use a garmin edge 705 with hr and cadence for mtb and road.

Invaluable for our 10 day welsh tour, will be using it for our 10 day south west tour next month and for our end to end next year.

Yes it is expensive, you also need to factor in some mapping software, both on the computer and on the unit (you can use web based routing and free open street maps mapping on the unit).

However, I have gone through 3-4 £20-£30 bike computers that stopped working when it got damp, I wouldn't trust my android phone on the bars.

The garmins have not missed a beat due to riding through torrential rain both off road and on road. Have had occasional navigation or software problems but turning off and turning on sorted them.

But... I don't rely solely on the gps, we take a map and compass on all major rides in places we are unfamiliar with, and always take a map and compass when riding off road.

There are alternatives to the garmins, I had a magellan unit before the garmin, but it was not so good.

speeder1987

This is whayt I finally got setup, Its the griffin military case, which I zip tied to the stem with some foam in between, I know I need to change it to black foam but blue is all I had to hand. There are two additional zip ties I put on for added security round the whole thing. It has worked beautifully so far being very secure and I can even here the anouncements off of cycle meter every mile



Anyway thanks for all the help

Cheers
John


Edit: Forgot the pic

dag_on_a_bike

I love my Garmin 705, which I imagine can be found 2nd hand now at reasonable prices following the release of the 800.

Very useful for pre-planned rides in the UK and even more useful when I was in France. Maps are fine but just don't compare, IMO.

desweller

DAG on a bike wrote:

Very useful for pre-planned rides in the UK and even more useful when I was in France. Maps are fine but just don't compare, IMO.

Yeah, the batteries don't run out and they don't get fcuked up when the weather's bad.

Thebigbee

speeder1987 wrote:

This is whayt I finally got setup, Its the griffin military case, which I zip tied to the stem with some foam in between, I know I need to change it to black foam but blue is all I had to hand. There are two additional zip ties I put on for added security round the whole thing. It has worked beautifully so far being very secure and I can even here the anouncements off of cycle meter every mile



Anyway thanks for all the help

Cheers
John


Edit: Forgot the pic

Hi - how exactly have you attached the mount to the stem? I know u used zip ties but what through? Is there a belt clip or something on the mount?

Is the phone easy to release?

I would like to do something similar but when I searched for an equivalent Griffin case for iPhone 3G I couldn't find one.

Seriously, a DECENT iPhone mount for a bike - that is primarily VERY secure - so you wouldn't worry about your iPhone going for an "iFLY" if you hit an unexpected bump - that would fit on the stem or the bars and is slim and discreet could probably be knocked up for £2 in China and flogged at £20.

The Ram I am seriously considering gets good reviews - http://www.amazon.co.uk/BICYCLE-HANDLEB ... 58&sr=8-14

It is actually £20 delivered from here http://www.buybits.com/product/4779.aspx

I am actually surprised that Apple themselves haven't exploited this marked more.

Maybe it is because they know the battery life is shite to make it a serious viable alternative...

fazersmart

ok, this may seem silly. but i plan route on google maps (on pc) then I take photos of whole route and close up of each bit using iphone. Then on ride; i generally use iphone maps but photo reminds me of route if I loose internet or gps on iphone, I can rely on the photo/s.

The iphone is kept on little carrier pouch strapped to head tube. I dont use mount incase i crash & break the iphone! Getting good at scrolling at map whilst cycling!

RowCycle

Tomtom? Although you will be restricted to motorways

Secteur

OS Map + compass indeed!

Given that it's 2011, just buy a Garmin 800.

Seriously - just do it.

speeder1987

Well after doing some more serious riding since the first post I have now taken the mount off the bike. I never used it while moving as I still had to stop to look where I was going on it.

I leave it running on cycle meter pro in my cycle bag so I just stop and look at the maps when lost. Though I love looking at the stats after my ride and I am seriously thinking about getting a garmin edge 500 with cadence and heart sensors as I think this will do a much superior job of tracking stats especially altitude. Cycle meter thinks that i descend of 150 ft when ever I leave my flat within the first 200m and I can assure you it is completely flat.

anyone else have any experience with the edge 500? is it worth the money?

Cheers

elmsallmissile

You can't go wrong with a compass, they always know which way is up!

geoff_ss

DesWeller wrote:

OS map + compass?

+1000

It's OK using a GPS system but that tiny screen is like riding with blinkers on. If I'm going to do a longish ride I haven't done before I study the map and write down a list of places/road numbers. By using the map you can often spot interesting roads that offer a bit of variety.

I have a huge collection of 1" and 1:50,000 OS maps and I can sit studying one at home for hours. They are things of great beauty.

Of course the best accessory is my wife, Avice's unerring route finding on the back seat of the tandem. I call her my Avnav but she's not for sale

alwaystoohot

We shouldnt be afraid of route planning, its all part of the cycling experience. Anyone who sails along the coast will be familiar with looking over charts midweek and taking waypoints, bearings, distances etc.. same thing - a bit of preparation makes for a smooth, enjoyable ride. Stepping out of the door with little idea of where you're going is going to lead to frustration and kinda defeats the objective of a relaxing, fun ride.

Secteur

OS + compass is ok for some, but 90% of people who think they can navigate using a compass, cant (or at least not accurately and properly, though I accept on roads it's less of an issue).

If you an afford it, Garmin 800 is the way to go.

If you're buying a Garmin 500, just pay the extra and get a device that does it all.

I have the 800 + cadence + HRM and I use it for EVERY ride, even if around the block. I upload all the data and I can analyze it in loads of different ways including daily / weekly / monthly / other averages which is useful in tracking trends & progress. .