Author Topic: Devices for mileage /speed recording  (Read 3558 times)

ourclarioncall

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Devices for mileage /speed recording
« on: May 22, 2022, 01:04:11 PM »
What technology does everyone use to monitor or record how fast they are going or how much miles they have done ?

I’ve only used the Strava app in my phone which is okay , but doesn’t tell me the speed I’m going . And also I would have to record my rides and stop recording

Is there anything out there that does it all automatically for you ?

steve216c

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Re: Devices for mileage /speed recording
« Reply #1 on: May 22, 2022, 06:08:39 PM »
Using apps and wearables is great except for the battery drain or life over a longer tour.

Here WeGo app is GPS and can be used offline if you download free maps. You can view live speed while riding if you want.

Personally I prefer old fashioned bike computer for speed and distance tracking. I have several in use at home, but my favourite is Sigma 16.16 wired version whose single battery has managed almost 2 years and 14,200km, although last 3 months it tells me battery is low.

The 16.16 does have an interface to connect to Android phones wirelessly by NFC if you want to transfer ride data to the Sigma app. Unfortunately I have an overpriced and overrated Apple device, so I cannot use that function.

I'd recommend against wireless computers. Battery life is generally as shorter and you also have batteries in any extra sensors you have. I have gone back to wired as in my opinion they are less maintenance and less bother than the wireless equivalent.

Saying that, I do track my daily commute using phone GPS and ZeppLife (formerly MiFit) app which figures out calories burned based on my smart scales at home, and calls out how long I took for each km travelled. But the Sigma simple bike computer is the one gadget I use all the time to track speed and distance over weeks and months, and is a great bit of kit.
If only my bike shed were bigger on the inside...

JohnR

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Re: Devices for mileage /speed recording
« Reply #2 on: May 22, 2022, 07:05:40 PM »
I use a Garmin Edge which can display a load of data as well as record it. I also use it for navigation when going somewhere new. I also use a speed sensor on the front hub (which will struggle to fit if there's a dynamo hub) as it provides more accurate speed data than relying on the difference between GPS positions.

PH

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Re: Devices for mileage /speed recording
« Reply #3 on: May 22, 2022, 07:10:23 PM »
There's loads of choice...
I've tried a few but by no means anything like all, for use on an android phone, I've settled on GPS Logger if I just need something to record and later maybe send to Strava.  Or if I need mapping I like OsmAnd, the free version does everything I need, though there's a limit to the maps that can be downloaded so I may upgrade to the paid version before my next tour.
I mostly use a Garmin Edge Touring Plus, it's served me well but is probably coming to the end of it's usable life, I'm in two minds about replacing it, I like having a dedicated device, but the phone apps have become so good it's hard to see it having any other advantage.