iphone app advice needed

pinarellokid

I am currently using Cycle meter to map my rides and am quite happy with the datat i get

i need to know if this app works when there is no phone signal??
does the iphone still pick up GPS signals when its not in a phone signal or 3g internet signal area

im doing the Manchester 100 next sunday and want to make sure i get a complete record of my ride..

i am on O2 tesco and know the reception is poor in the ride area for my network

does anyone know if it works as a GPS device when not in signal area still??

cheers

TheEnglishman

Yes, in short.

In longer, I load up the route as a gpx file ( I use our car garmins software to create the route and export it as a .gpx file)
Then , if cyclemeter can't load the relevant bit of the map via 2G/3G then at least you get where you are (purple pointy arrow) against the plotted route. Then you can see if you're on route, there is a bend ahead etc. It's fairly obvious - I'll see if I can get a pic of what I mean.

slowondefy2

In essence, yes. But the GPS system does need mobile data to get an initial fix, so switching off mobile data in an effort to save battery will affect GPS performance.

How long are you expecting to take to do the whole ride? Battery life is an issue worth thinking about in advance. GPS doesn't need 3G, so it's worth switching that off, as well as WiFi and Bluetooth (every little helps). If you're using Cyclemeter to download the maps as you go you'll quickly run out of battery - in my opinion relying on that is a no-go for a day's riding. You need an app which can download the required maps in advance to minimise any data usage whilst riding.

However, if you are using the mapping on-the-go this raises another major problem - the battery consumption of the screen - so the simplest solution is to switch off any unnecessary services (3G, WiFi, Bluetooth - but leave mobile data on), set the app to record your track as you set off, then switch off the screen and put the phone in your pocket during the whole ride.

Pet subject of mine; I've bought and tested every cycling app available! Although everyone's requirements are slightly different, so what works well for one doesn't necessarily work well for another.

It's definitely worth doing a few short test rides to make sure everything is working as expected. If the phone is in your pocket during the ride and the app unexpectedly quits, you won't know until you check. I have lost a ride or two from this problem before, and personally now I won't use any other app than MotionX GPS for track recording. IMO it blows all the other apps out of the water for features and stability, although I'll admit it's not as straight-forward as some of the other apps.

Bozman

I'm guessing that it uses GPS because I cycle around the peak and I've yet to have a problem in 18 mths. As for battery life, I did a ton the other week and I still had 67% left and it wasn't on a full charge.

pinarellokid

Im the same on battery life if im honest

i did 43 miles last week with bluetooth on by mistake

2:47 mins later and battery was over 60%

i reckon i can do the 100k in under 4:15 if the weather is with me.

just needed to know the phone used GPS seperately from network coverage..

guess my only worry is that the start has coverage, but i guess it should as its nearly in the city center

cheers..

pinarellokid

for 69p il give motionx GPS a go though..

cheers for that

chorlton chimp

Hi Pinarellokid, I did a recce on the 100k last week (with poor route planning detours) on a version I cribbed from Bikely. I used Strava and it recorded it all with no issues although I don't think that the pub stop at the Bells of Peover did that segment any good.

Good luck with the ride - hope the weather is better than it is today! If you see an overweight idiot in need of a haircut on a Secteur sporting a retro jersey, give me a wave.

Sentral

The iPhone uses assisted GPS (aGPs) which means it takes advantage of the data connection in order to get a better/faster signal. This means that iPhones can actually be superior in low level GPS signal areas such as densely built up cities. The GPS should still get a signal (albeit slower) without a data connection. Have you tried to cache the map data beforehand?

When I use mine with Strava, Bluetooth, WiFi and 3G get's switched off. Still rinses the battery though, you could always buy a Mophie juicepack/battery pack though.

pinarellokid

i dont know how todonload the map beforehand or where to get a copyof the route from

il keepo my eye out for you chorlton chimp !!! good luck also

mikeouk

up until last week i was using an iphone 4s with the strava app and never had an issue with dropped gps signal. Ive just bought a garmin 200, only because of the £30 cash back deal they have on at the moment.
However, some of the negatives i found with using the iphone were.
1. battery life, the gps drains it quick, so make sure the battery is 100%, shut down apps running, wifi, bluetooth etc.
2.fear of getting the phone wet, i used to tack a small zip lock bag incase so i could put the phone inside, this didnt seem to effect gps signal.
3. you can only manualy pause the ride if you stop, on one occasion i forgot to set it running again after a cafe stop and missed the last 30miles, gutted!!!

i used to carry a portable battery pack on longer rides to keep the phone topped up, but this is extra bulk to lug around. In the end i decided that the cost of the garmin was better than having to pay for a damaged iphone.

Sentral

^Ditto. I love my Garmin!

Plus, having a dedicated GPS means your phone can actually make calls when needed in an emergency.

pinarellokid

not too worried about battery life myself.!!!!!

43 mile ride didnt kill the battery and im sure 63 will be just the same

am i missing something here, ???

dw300

slowondefy2 wrote:

In essence, yes. But the GPS system does need mobile data to get an initial fix, so switching off mobile data in an effort to save battery will affect GPS performance.

It doesn't need mobile data to get an initial fix. It's simply an assist to speed up getting a location.