Old android as bike computer.

kernel_gadaffi

My close up eye sight has changed fairly recently and after a visit to the optician, I'm told I've had a small optical stroke or something like it, I have a lazy eye on the right side and wear glasses for reading and driving. I can no longer focus on my small screen computer and was wondering if I could use my old S6 android phone to record my rides? If so, will the phone need a sim card in it?

Cheers.

Alan.

wongataa

You do not need a SIM for recording rides on a phone. You don't need a mobile network connection to use the GPS.

The main problems with using a phone for this are mounting the device to your handlebars, battery life, and weatherproofing.

If you want to see live data, like on your bike computer, you will need the screen on all the time and the brightness will need to cranked right up to see it in bright conditions. This will drain the battery fast. You would have to see if it would last long enough for your rides or whether you can use an external powerbank for more running time (again more mounting issues).

If you use extra sensors (cadence, power, HR, etc) you will need to find out if they can connect to the phone. Some Android phones have ANT+ built in. You would also need a compatible app.

If the phone is not weather proof you will need some sort of case to keep it dry.

cougie

To just record set your phone off on Strava and put in a back pocket.

If you need to see distances then you'll need something else.

thistle_

I use an old Xperia Ray with IPBike (free demo, £5 otherwise) as a bike computer. Once you get your head round it and get it set up it's ideal and you can even load maps and routes onto it.

Mount is a £3 X shaped rubber thing from Halfords which goes around the stem and works surprisingly well, but the phone isn't waterproof so this only works in the dry. Some phones are waterproof so would be OK in the wet, but modern phones are big and I guess more awkward to mount? (plus more expensive if you break them).

No SIM card is needed, unless you also want to use it to make calls. Download the map/GPX on WiFi before you set off.

kernel_gadaffi

Thanks peeps, it is an old phone and the bottom left of the screen is cracked, but still useable. It's not used as a phone anymore, so it's no big deal if it gets damaged. I will only use it for tracking rides, average speed etc and I cannot focus on the small computer I have. I have a good phone that I use every day, so don't want to risk damaging it.

Ta.

Alan.

keef66

My son's been using his S6 phone in a weather proof case mounted on the bars for the past 3 years. OK, it looks like a teatray on the front of his bike, but it seems to work. He gets decent battery life by using power saving mode; couple of weeks ago we did 60 miles together and his phone still had 50% battery left despite using mapping throughout. His main motivation is not navigation but Strava, and now live segments are available on cheaper cycling specific GPS units he's considering a Garmin or similar. Should be worth an extra 2 mph losing the teatray.

Alfa a

Check out the quad lock products. They are perfect for this, i used to run my s6 in a quad lock case as a cycle computer before i was brought a garmin.