Phone for bike and Powertap

goldsmith_robert
goldsmith_robert Posts: 144
edited August 2014 in Training, fitness and health
I am after an android phone to take on cycling training rides and on indoor trainer.

I have been using S3 (i9305 LTE version). But this needs a On-The-Go USB dongle to connect to my bike sensors, runs out of battery quickly when using GPS and occasionally shakes out its SIM due to vibration.

I use this app:

http://www.iforpowell.com/cms/index.php?page=ipbike

Things im looking for are:

1. Battery life (I do 6hr+ rides with gps on).
2. ANT+ connectivity
3. Vibration resistant (my S3 keeps disconnecting the SIM due to vibration when I mount it to the bars)
4. Water resistant / proof (not essential)
5. Decent screen

I looked at S5 but im not convinced...

Any suggestions?
Ca roule ma poule?

Comments

  • jgsi
    jgsi Posts: 5,062
    I use an old Xperia with ant+ but it's in the back pocket... a smartphone on the bars just looks plain stupid I'm afraid on a road bike.
    I have a Cateye ant+ Stealth on the stem - unobtrusive... whether a phone or the Cateye would last 6 hours plus is debateable... my races are a max 3 hours and longest road ride captured has been about 90 miles or so.
  • goldsmith_robert
    goldsmith_robert Posts: 144
    'a smartphone on the bars just looks plain stupid I'm afraid on a road bike.'

    True.

    But it works better than my crappy garmin 500.


    Any issues with the cateye? Whats downloading to trainingpeaks / strava like? Would you recommend?
    Ca roule ma poule?
  • wongataa
    wongataa Posts: 1,001
    What's wrong with your Garmin?
  • goldsmith_robert
    goldsmith_robert Posts: 144
    It is now broken, but im not buying another one. The 500 gave me nothing but trouble, missing data, not locating satelites, resetting settings and generally being unreliable. The garmin product support sucks. Email, phone etc no replies, tried self-fixes from interent forums. It would fix problems for a while but then the various gremlins would return. My impression is that the hardwear is good, but the software is unreliable.

    Thought about the 510 but forums are reporting similar problems with software glitches and i cant be arsed to go back to that.

    A simple, cheaper system that i can get the raw data off is attractive and the £90 price tag of the cateye stealth 50 is better than the garmin options.



    Anyhoo....im switching from garmin...might give the cateye a go.
    Ca roule ma poule?
  • jgsi
    jgsi Posts: 5,062
    The Cateye Stealth suits me... pick a headunit up for 80 -90 quid.. just records ant+ gps data of course.. not for routes tho.
    Uploading to Strava and Tp works for me.
    The instructions in Japan logic not too clear but manageable.. at the moment I say recommended 8 months in use.

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