GPS versus bike computer?

Hi-
I have a nice small, waterproof gps (a older etrex vista, mostly used for kayaking) and a bike mount for it. Is there any reason I should get a bike computer instead? I'm always finding a way to get lost, so the gps is nice for the maps, and it can store current speed, max speed, etc. And I'm familiar with using it, since I've used it kayaking for years. The gps doesn't record cadence, of course, but do most inexpensive bike computers? I'm sure the gps is heavier (5.2 oz with batteries).
thanks!
Tiva

Well, it's not cool and trendy! :cool:

That being said, I have an old eTrex Vista that I use on my bike at times. It's nice to get elevation numbers and map the tracks off it. I don't have a mount that will fit my mountain bike handlebars, so I just turn it on prior to rolling and drop it in my camelbak.

The cheaper computers don't have any more info than the GPS does. I do have a Cateye Strada on the roadbike w/cadence, I think it was around $40.

Depends on what you want it for.

If you want to record speed and distance, and avoid getting lost, then what you have is perfectly fine. If you want street mapping capability I'm not sure whether the eTrex series will accept street maps?

If you're more concerned with fitness, then you'll want something that gives you heart rate and cadence, and probably compatibility with a power meter whenever one fits your budget. Most inexpensive bike computers will display cadence and often record average cadence, but point-by-point recording only comes with the more expensive units.

If you want a little bit of both, you could add on a small bike computer for a whole lot less money than a 705 would cost you.

I'm thinking of switching from computer to GPS myself for my distance bike. I know when my lil' heart is beating fast... I have cadence on my light bike that I also use on the trainer in winter ... and it tells me I really oughta always pedal faster (when I think to check it tends to be running 61, almost always ;)). I like to go long and far and after a while all the cornfields look the same... do you like the etrek?

I use my gps on my bike - it was originally purchased for kayaking, but I just shove it into my pack while biking. I do have bike computers, I've just been too lazy to hook them up. I do have a heart rate monitor, which I ride with every so often to get an idea of how much effort corresponds to what heart rate - but doing that once a season is usually a good marker.

Thread hijack - since it looks like you live near lake superior and kayak - what do you recommend? I'm planning on heading up there for a week this summer with kayaks and want to kayak tour/camp. Is there much of a water temperature difference between June and August and what should i not miss? I'm just starting to research, so so far I've only really touched on pictured rocks and the apostle islands.

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Originally Posted by Geonz

I'm thinking of switching from computer to GPS myself for my distance bike. I know when my lil' heart is beating fast... I have cadence on my light bike that I also use on the trainer in winter ... and it tells me I really oughta always pedal faster (when I think to check it tends to be running 61, almost always ;)). I like to go long and far and after a while all the cornfields look the same... do you like the etrek?

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Take a look at something like the Garmin Forerunner or Edge. I've had a Forerunner 305 for going on 3 years and love it. It came with a HRM that I've never used, but that wireless capability allowed me to mount a wireless cadence/speed sensor on the bike. I originally bought it for running, but it works fabulously as a bike computer and is perfect for duathlons. And since the sensor measures the back wheel rotations I can use it indoors on the trainer, too. I love looking at the maps and elevations profiles from my rides, too.

The Forerunners have no street mapping capability, and of the Edge series, only the 705 does. For street navigation without the fitness features, your most economical choice is one of the eTrex series (I did look it up and some of them, but not all, have street mapping capability).

+1 to what zoom-zoom said. I have the Edge 305 and it's great. I upload to the Garmin Connect website to track stats, progress on goals, run reports, etc.

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Originally Posted by Catriona

Thread hijack - since it looks like you live near lake superior and kayak - what do you recommend? I'm planning on heading up there for a week this summer with kayaks and want to kayak tour/camp. Is there much of a water temperature difference between June and August and what should i not miss? I'm just starting to research, so so far I've only really touched on pictured rocks and the apostle islands.

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I always like to talk about kayaking, so threadjacking is fine with me. The Apostle Islands are some of the world's best kayaking--as lovely as Pictured Rocks, plus lots of islands. The water is always cold enough in Lake Superior to require immersion gear. I use a dry suit into June and hydroskin plus a splash jacket through September (and then I roll to cool off!). The main way people die kayaking on Lake SUperior (and a few do die every year) is through hypothermia. No matter how warm the air temperature is, you need to wear immersion gear. The surface temperatures can get into the 50s, but they can also dip down to the 30s well into August, except in the sheltered bays.

Living Adventures is the best company to go with in the Apostles, by far, if you're thinking of going with a company. But the Apostles are sheltered enough so that you can go without a guide, if you have (or don't mind renting) all the gear, plus enough experience to roll your loaded kayak, or do a fast re-entry in big waves. A marine radio is literally a life-saver, since then you can just get off the water when a small craft advisory is on its way, and you can call for help if you have trouble. July has much milder winds, so it's safer for kayaking. August has fewer bugs on the islands, however! The National Park Service has a good information page on kayaking in the islands: http://www.nps.gov/apis/planyourvisit/kayaking.htm The Park Service recently changed the reservation system for camp sites, so now you can only reserve one month in advance. Call first thing in the morning 30 days ahead--the sites are limited and go quickly. Some of them are spectacular sites (Oak Island #6 is the best). You can take your kayaks and camping gear on one of the pricey boats out to Stockton Island, which does give you a lot more flexibility in planning a tour of more islands.


This is really one of the most beautiful places on earth. Some friends and I run an informal paddling club in the summers, and you can see some images from a trip last summer at http://picasaweb.google.com/nelangst...NStockton2009#

thanks tiva - We have all our own gear and will be driving it up, so we will not do a guided trip.

If you don't mind, i'll PM you questions as planning progresses.

As others have said, it depends on what you want it for. I use my Garmin Edge 305 for many things and can't imagine not having the features it has (even though I want to get the new 500 now ;) ).

I use it for speed, average speed (a big deal me ... I like to know my average pace at the end of a routine route to see if I did it faster), cadence, total ascent (how many feet you have climbed ... another big one for me), grade percentage (I like to know how steep certain hills or descents are) ... and I used various "lap" fields. I hit lap at certain places and can compare how fast I did it, and at what average pace I did it to other times I did that lap, which might be a hill or one long stretch of flat before a hill or whatever. And another field tells me the distance of that lap. I LOVE the lap feature. Comes in handy for things like intervals, too, if you want to compare how fast you did today's 2 minute intervals to last week's two minute intervals on the same terrain.

Once I started using the lap feature, I sometimes cared less about over all time and pace, which can vary with traffic, signals, people you're riding with ... and focused on building speed on specific areas of a route, namely the hills. I can still feel good about my progress when I see that I climbed a hill faster than I ever have before, even though the group I rode with was slower than usual, causing my over all pace to be slower than usual.

So, again, depends on what information you want to know on your rides. And sometimes you don't know what information you want to know until you know what kind of information there IS to know! ;)

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Originally Posted by Jiffer

As others have said, it depends on what you want it for. I use my Garmin Edge 305 for many things and can't imagine not having the features it has (even though I want to get the new 500 now ;) ).

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Oh no! I looked this up at the Garmin website and now I want one. It looks great!

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Originally Posted by Jiffer

So, again, depends on what information you want to know on your rides. And sometimes you don't know what information you want to know until you know what kind of information there IS to know! ;)

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Yep. I ran for a year or two before I got my Forerunner, but now I nearly get the shakes thinking of running (or biking) without it--and the funny thing is that on a day-to-day basis I didn't pay all that much attention to the data. But I like that I have a very good idea of distance and pace on the fly. And I like referring back to maps of routes and elevation profiles from time-to-time.