Garmin or fancy android phone

[beccaB]

I have a BIG:eek: birthday coming up and I'm trying to decide if I should ask for the Garmin that does the gps that you can see while you're riding(I'm a geotard, I get lost a lot), or one of those fancy android phones that can work with Map My Ride. I don't know much about either. It all intrigues me and it seems like either would be a useful and fun device, but I'm due for a phone upgrade anyway. I'm looking for pros and cons on both.

[SadieKate]

I've never lost GPS signal except under heavy tree cover. I cannot say the same for cell phones (smart or dumb). Depends on your cell network, but here in the Wild Wild West I wouldn't substitute a phone for GPS. FYI, they do NOT work off the same satellites.

[zoom-zoom]

I'd go Garmin. Something else I've heard is that the phone GPS systems eat the battery very fast. So unless you're just using it for short rides you could end up far from home with a dead phone and no way to find your way back or call for help.

[Eden]

I don't know either of these for sure - but there are two things I can think of that would give a dedicated GPS an advantage over a phone.

- better battery life. I think using some of the more intense features on my ipod I get 7 or 8 hours of battery. My Garmin (though I don't have the fancy one with maps) gives me more time between charges than that.

- no use of phone min/data plan. I would think to use something like "map my ride" you'd be using something that you have to pay for?

[beccaB]

Those are all good thoughts I hadn't considered. My husband has the lesser Garmin that doesn't give a gps to you at the moment, I think it's the 500. this is a really big birthday for me, and a milestone, considering my mom was in the end stage when she was the age I am now. I am so thankful to be healthy and alive and able to take good care of my health. in other words a celebratory purchase of the higher end Garmin wouldn't be totally frivolous.:D

[OakLeaf]

Supposedly the newest 4G phones get mondo battery life. If I were due for a new phone I'd be looking very, very hard at a LG Revolution or Samsung Charge. Even so, they claim some 6-7 hours usage time, which even if you finished a ride by then, it would stink to be scrambling to plug in your phone. And it's possible that they only get that kind of life when they're actually receiving 4G signal, which in most places people ride bicycles, you wouldn't be.

My HTC Incredible (first generation) gets just about exactly five hours running iMapMyRide with NO accessories - that's with keeping it on the car charger on the way to the ride, no HRM, no cadence, no power meter, and with the display OFF, just recording the ride to download later (and for the live tracking which I haven't yet been able to get to work). I can easily get 13-14 hours out of either my Garmin 705 or 310XT.

[Velocivixen]

@beccaB, okay, you said it is a "milestone" birthday, so now I want to know how old you'll be? ;)

I have no insight into your original question though. Keep us posted.

[Veronica]

Thom's been using his new Samsung Infuse to record our hikes. I've been using my Garmin - guess whose battery runs out first? :D

Veronica

[blue_angel]

I have both a fancy Android phone and a Garmin Forerunner 305. The Garmin has the added benefit of being easily mounted onto your bike and working with a cadence sensor. No Android app lets you do that. To be honest, I never use the GPS function on the Garmin, except for when I download my workouts into the software, so I can't speak to that particular aspect, which might be what you care about more than mounting and cadence.

Either way, you'll get something great. And congrats on your milestone birthday!

[TrekTheKaty]

I recommend a garmin. I use the heart rate, cadence, speed and mileage features, along with downloading info to mapmyride (iphone, if we think we're lost). I have a garmin 305 (left over from running days) that DH just confiscated for Strava. Lately, I've been using mapmyride on my iphone. The ant+ handlebar mount is another $100, so i can't see my info while riding (jersey pocket). I also worry about battery life on long rides, so I'll be buying a Garmin 500(?) soon.

[tprevost]

definitely the Garmin! We splurged on new Garmins a few months ago (had the 305's before that) and the new ones are fabulous!!! Wish we had made that purchase a while ago!!!

[Owlie]

I have neither, and I know someone mentioned this up-thread, but I'd be concerned about those apps eating your phone's battery life and not having the phone in an emergency.

[Dogmama]

I LOVE my Garmin. I'd be concerned that a smart, high powered phone couldn't take the jostling on a bike (in addition to everything else about battery life, etc.) If I'm doing a new ride with tricky turns, I just print it out on my computer & carry the map with me in case I get lost. Believe me - I get lost coming out of public restrooms because I have no sense of direction. My legally blind friend guides me around downtown - no kidding.

My phone has a mapping function that will show me where I'm at & how to get out. The problem is, it doesn't show the road conditions. So that "shortcut" could be dirt road.

Are you telling what your milestone is? ;)

[KnottedYet]

to heck with Garmin...

Nothing says "milestone" like a new bike! :D

[rubysoho]

I was all excited to use mapmyride on my droid2. I haven't been able to get "accurate gps" signal in any of my rides and so it cannot track my mileage. :mad: I am just outside D.C. So it isn't like there is an excuse for no signal. Go with the garmin! I wish I had one.

[Dogmama]

I was all excited to use mapmyride on my droid2. I haven't been able to get "accurate gps" signal in any of my rides and so it cannot track my mileage. :mad: I am just outside D.C. So it isn't like there is an excuse for no signal. Go with the garmin! I wish I had one.

The Verizon guy ("can you hear me now?"-no not that one) said telephone GPS isn't as good as a regular, dedicated instrument. That was about 1.5 years ago, so maybe some are better.

He's also the one who talked me out of the Droid because he said the jostling on the bike would be detrimental. Turns out my step-daughter has dropped hers many times & it keeps works. Who knows?

[rubysoho]

Well, I have dropped my droid a couple times. I never had a problem after dropping it. But maybe that is why it can't do GPS?? :rolleyes:

[OakLeaf]

The Verizon guy ("can you hear me now?"-no not that one) said telephone GPS isn't as good as a regular, dedicated instrument. That was about 1.5 years ago, so maybe some are better.

My 1-year-old phone is actually slightly MORE accurate (and has a faster processor) than my 3-year-old Garmin.

I'm not sure what the options are for phone apps that will navigate a pre-determined route. iMapMy apparently can only access the last 10 routes you've manipulated on iMapMy's website, and I'm honestly not sure whether it will navigate them or not. That is most of what I use my 705 for. It's VERY easy on the 705 - a bit more of a pain, but workable, on the 310.

[beccaB]

@beccaB, okay, you said it is a "milestone" birthday, so now I want to know how old you'll be? ;)

I have no insight into your original question though. Keep us posted.

The big 50. And I'm not one of those people who gets depressed on birthdays. It's the greatest blessing around!

[TrekTheKaty]

Another advantage or garmin--if you lose gps, then the cadence sensor will "fill in" mileage. I'm probably not explaining it correctly. When i download, mileage is correctly, even if i lost a signal.

[Bethany1]

rubysoho,

Do you have the "stand alone GPS" set on your phone? Go into settings, press location and check the box. I couldn't get my apps to work until that box was checked. LBS guy showed me that feature. You should get a green sattelite icon on the top of your screen.

I don't ride for hours so I don't know about the battery life of my Incredible. I don't think the GPS is the most accurate but if you just want to keep track of some info it works great.

I also have a Bontrager Node 1 sensor on my bike which I like, but it doesn't have GPS.

If you need a heart rate monitor, I did see apps for one in the Market. Just press your finger on the screen and it tells you what it is. How accurate it is, I don't know as I didn't download it.

If you don't want to deal with a phone I'd go for the Garmin.

[zoom-zoom]

Another advantage or garmin--if you lose gps, then the cadence sensor will "fill in" mileage. I'm probably not explaining it correctly. When i download, mileage is correctly, even if i lost a signal.

Yep, I can ride my bike on the trainer all Winter and still track my miles, since the sensor records wheel revolutions.

[Bike Writer]

BeccaB congrats on your approaching milestone birthday! That is a big one. I don't have a Garmin but do have a BB. Since I can't compare I would suggest a GPS unit for navigational purposes if you get lost a lot.

My BB has the app MapMyRide on it and it also has a GPS navigational system that is a paid by the month feature so if I got lost I could use it to find my way through the GPS, mapmyride does not give live mapping data visible on the phone, it just saves the route and you can view it on your computer. This might work different on a Droid or iPhone. MapMyRide offers a live feature but I think it works on a computer, as in you let people know you'll be riding and they can "follow" you live on their computer. Handy if you are alone and something dreadful happens, at least people would be able to find you. If you have smart friends or family that know you use this application and you ever got abducted you could turn it on and you could be found. I know, my mind works pretty out there sometimes.

No matter what navigational feature I use on my phone it sucks the life out of the battery so for long rides that could work against you.

For the purposes you are wanting to use it for, I'd go with a GPS only unit. Plus if you don't want the absolute latest and greatest phone most phone service providers offer an upgrade pretty cheap as long as it's not the newest phone out there. When I first got my BB three years ago my provider was going to charge me $100 for it, I squealed that I've been with them for over 15 years and I could get one for $50 from another provider. I ended up with a free Blackberry. It pays to speak up if you have been a loyal customer.

[chicago]

The Verizon guy ("can you hear me now?"-no not that one) said telephone GPS isn't as good as a regular, dedicated instrument. That was about 1.5 years ago, so maybe some are better.

He's also the one who talked me out of the Droid because he said the jostling on the bike would be detrimental. Turns out my step-daughter has dropped hers many times & it keeps works. Who knows?

I carry my iPhone in my bento box all the time, never had a problem. Plus, I dropped that thing 100x as well... but I have a good cover... no problems.

To the OP... it's a toss up. I have a super sweet Garmin that I don't use:rolleyes: Why?, because the battery life sucks on it. If I don't charge it the night or day before, it's not good. Plus I can't use it on out of town trips where we need to camp, etc... cause I can't count on having a charge near by. I don't have a droid, but I have an iPhone and I think I would go for the phone.

I never thought I would say this since I paid like $300.00 for my Garmin... but you know, my $50.00 cateye does the job as well... and is the computer that is currently on my bike... never needs a charge and is always ready when I am:p

[OakLeaf]

If you need navigation, a non-GPS bike computer is no help.

I'd contact Garmin about that battery.

Phones need a charge every day even if you're not using them. On a multi day trip away from outlets, your options are solar or external battery pack.

[bluebug32]

I bought my husband a Garmin 705 when he got his doctorate three years ago and he still uses it on every ride. In that period of time, he's been through three smart phones. I'd say a Garmin is a better investment!

[zoom-zoom]

I have a super sweet Garmin that I don't use:rolleyes: Why?, because the battery life sucks on it. If I don't charge it the night or day before, it's not good.

Do you keep it fully charged when not in use? Reason I ask is that EVERY person I know who has had issues with Garmin batteries has let them run down frequently. The type of battery Garmins (and cell phones) use start to lose capacity if they are allowed to run down too often.

I recently replaced my original Forerunner 305 when it started getting flaky and the top half had started to separate from the bottom half. But I'd had it 3.5 years and had really put it through it's paces between my runs and rides. Almost daily usage for probably an average of 60-90 minutes/day. Rain, snow, sleet, hail...

When not actually on my wrist or on my bike that thing lives on the charger, not in a drawer.

[NadiaMac]

hi there,
I'm late to this thread, so apologies for any repetition. My BF has been using both android (with strava for mapping/stats) and garmin edge 500 and there are pros and cons. Battery life of the edge exceeds the android, but he's getting 3-4 hour rides in with the android so that's not bad. Edge by contrast gets you about 16 hours (or multiple rides between downloads). Android gets the satellite signal a lot faster than the edge in our area-- it can take a few mins with the edge while android is almost instantaneous (we attribute this to the larger antenna in the cell phone). Also, Android works fine from within a bag (like a running "fanny" pack) while the edge doesn't work well unless it is mounted on the bike or on a wrist strap. Uploads with the android (using strava) are a lot easier-- push upload and it goes with no hassle. I imagine mapmyride is similar. Edge requires a cable for the download. He's compared the precision of the mapping and the android is winning there, at least in our area. Mind you, he's being very particular and fussy and looking at things like which side of the street or trail was he on, and the devices are quite comparable if you aren't looking at this level of detail. FInally, the garmin edge mounts better on the bike, replacing ones regular bike computer. The android I guess can be mounted, but is kind of large for this application.

He's largely gone to the android for short rides and runs (eg, his commute, up to 2-3 hour runs/rides) and the edge for longer rides.

Also want to point out that the android uses GPS for the tracking, not the cell signal. We were recently in a rural area with no cell or data signal and the android did fine mapping our hikes and rides. We had to wait for data signal to upload the data though (could have done the edge with data cable and laptop, if we had had a laptop with us).

Good luck with your decision and have fun with the new toy when you get it! I have a garmen edge 500 and enjoy it more than I thought I would...

[bluebug32]

The battery life on my Garmin 500 is outstanding, much better than it was on my 305.

[TrekTheKaty]

I got my new edge 500 yesterday. Almost ran off into a ditch while trying to relay heading, temperature and grade info (show off!)

[bluebug32]

I got my new edge 500 yesterday. Almost ran off into a ditch while trying to relay heading, temperature and grade info (show off!)

Isn't it great? I'm so happy with mine.

[chicago]

[QUOTE=zoom-zoom;586984]Do you keep it fully charged when not in use? /QUOTE]

I do not... seeing that our winter's are long and that would just be silly, LOL!!

... but honestly, I just don't use it. I worry about it getting stolen, being in the rain, battery life sucks... my cateye wireless does just as much, handles the rain, no worries of getting stolen, and never loses it's battery.

I know, it's sad even for me... I was so excited to get my 305... but honestly, it's not worth the hassle. I have it in my bike bag at the bottom never getting used.

I'm doing RAGBRAI this year (camping), but won't have access to outlets all the time, so there goes any chance of using the Garmin :rolleyes:

[Geonz]

I love my garmin 605 -- it doesn't have the heart rate & such features but that's not my thing (I know when I"m working hard ;)) . I did find that I use the training stuff (like "laps") more than I thought. It is also *quite* easy to stick the cable between it and the computer and load it with a ride, though it's not all that smart (if I get off route, it doesn't do a good job of getting me bac on).
HOWEVER... what I really want a smart phone for... and I had one 'til it got wet... I *do* ride long and wide. For that month, I could take out the phone and go to a weather app and see the radar.

[zoom-zoom]

I do not... seeing that our winter's are long and that would just be silly, LOL!!

... but honestly, I just don't use it. I worry about it getting stolen, being in the rain, battery life sucks... my cateye wireless does just as much, handles the rain, no worries of getting stolen, and never loses it's battery.

It's definitely a use it or lose it device in terms of battery life. I don't let Winter stop me from working out outdoors (even with our average 96" of snow over here on the other side of the lake, heh). Can't wait to get out on my cyclocross bike with studded tires this next Winter (ok, actually I can wait...I'd love for it to stay like this year-round) so that I can do more than just run outside once the snow falls. I use it on the indoor trainer, too, since the cadence/speed sensor also will track distance from the rear wheel.

I've not had rain issues with mine. I wouldn't swim with it, of course, but I've gotten it good and soaked on many occasion and had no issue. I definitely wouldn't want to use a smartphone under the same conditions that I use my Garmin.

[OakLeaf]

One (or more) of the non-fitness Garmins has an optional weather and traffic subscription. IIRC it's expensive, but a lot of the long distance moto types swear by it over fumbling with a weather-sensitive phone, for the same reasons you mention. It doesn't have the bike computer features, but if you don't use the training stuff anyway, you don't need to limit yourself to bike-specific GPS.

[beccaB]

I'm thinking I'll stick with my bike computer that I have and get the fancy phone but not do GPS on it for biking. Maybe I'll get a fancy Garmin down the road, but for now we use the information on my husband's to keep track of rides. I don't do the really long ones by myself anyway. I have a wrist watch that measures heart rate but I can't get it to give me results if I'm working hard and I have to press a button with one hand while the other hand is still on the bike and that's hard for me to do. I never use it anymore.