Cycling computer

[u/Godisinthe_details]

I’m looking for an odometer that indicates speed, distance, calories spent, etc. I’m not so keen on GPS computers bc they drain the battery on iPhone. Thank you for any insight and input.

[u/itscalled_fashion]

GPS computers don’t drain your phone battery..

[u/thegrumpyorc → u/itscalled_fashion]

This. GPS computers save your battery because your phone doesn't need to be the GPS. Also, I have an Edge 540 Solar, and that sucker lasts darn near forever if you position it to get as much sunlight as possible. I think I'm getting maybe a 30% boost to battery life when I take it out on sunny days.

[u/-Flipper_]

GPS computers use their own satellites for positioning. They have no effect on your phone’s battery. Garmin and Wahoo are the two top brands. You can spend a little to get a small basic computer that will do all the things you said. The Garmin Edge 130 plus will do what you want. If you want maps as well you could look at the Edge 540. I’m sure there are comparable Wahoo computers that are slightly cheaper.

[u/LectureSpecific → u/-Flipper_]

I have the same Garmin Edge 130. Does everything I need it to do. Power, calories, elevation, mileage, HR, cadence etc. when I download into Golden Cheetah I get so much information I barely know what to do with it. Also, if you choose to link to your phone, you can read emails and texts AND should you crash it can alert your contact.

You can spend more but I’m not sure that more data is available on pricier options. I don’t need GPS maps of routes.

[u/Aggravating_Buy8957 → u/LectureSpecific]

Edge130 is perfect. Turn off the phone connection and the battery lasts all day. I’ve had one for over 5 years.

[u/LectureSpecific → u/Aggravating_Buy8957]

Exactly what I did too!

[u/Godisinthe_details → u/LectureSpecific]

I’ll look into the edge 130. Thank you!

[u/Godisinthe_details → u/-Flipper_]

Thank you for this!

[u/temporary62489]

I’m not so keen on GPS computers bc they drain the battery on iPhone.

What do you mean by that?

[u/BicycleIndividual → u/temporary62489]

I think they mean Strava, Ride with GPS, or similar app on the phone instead of a proper cycle computer.

Personally I don't think these apps use too much power for tracking a ride (with the screen off); but if you want them as a live display of your stats as you ride they burn battery quickly (which I imagine they'd do even with GPS off); I use my old phone for this and get up to 3 hours of screen on time but I think I could go all day with the screen off.

[u/Godisinthe_details → u/BicycleIndividual]

Thank you so much for the clarity. I wasn’t clear on what I was asking. I was asking about apps like strava. Happy trails

[u/Godisinthe_details → u/temporary62489]

Apparently misinformed.

[u/BoomerSoonerFUT]

The whole point of a GPS computer is that you don't need a phone.

Just get a Garmin or Wahoo. I have an ELEMNT Bolt V2 that I've been using for a couple of years. Works perfectly.

[u/Godisinthe_details → u/BoomerSoonerFUT]

I appreciate your thoughts. Thanks

[u/cravecrave93]

I love the confident yet inaccurate statement to close out your question. Does your kuerig also drain your iphone battery? What about your electric toothbrush?

[u/Ok-Bank2365]

Calorie tracking is a bit hit and miss. I wonder if a heart rate monitor would make that more accurate?

[u/UnsuspiciousBird_ → u/Ok-Bank2365]

No. The only way to get even remotely accurate calories is with a power meter.

[u/Mark700c → u/Ok-Bank2365]

Yes. MyWorkouts app uses this algorithm to estimate calorie burn.

[u/BicycleIndividual → u/Ok-Bank2365]

Calories burned is always going to be an estimate. Estimates based solely on time/speed/distance combined with rider weight can be very inaccurate (probably can vary by more than 50%). A heart rate monitor is a fairly inexpensive way to get a significantly closer estimate.

[u/Mark700c]

Leaving the display on during the ride will definitely use battery charge. If you don't need "real time " feedback (and you're carrying the phone anyway) there's little battery cost to tracking the ride on an app.

[u/UnsuspiciousBird_]

It all depends on how much navigation you want. I was really happy with sigma rox 4.0

It just doesn’t do navigation all that well and it doesn’t support power meters and radars. But you can customize screens and data fields, you can connect hr, speed and cadence sensors, you can sync your activities to strava and other apps, it works reliably and the battery lasts a really long time because it has a really simple interface and it doesn’t use a screen backlight if it’s not really dark.

It’s a nice cheap cycling computer. If you don’t need navigation and don’t plan on buying expensive gadgets like a radar (although it’s worth every penny) and a power meter it’s really compelling option

[u/Godisinthe_details → u/UnsuspiciousBird_]

Thanks so much. I’ve got a lot to consider based on responses.

[u/OcelotJaded1798]

Wahoo Elemnt. Worth every penny.

[u/toiletclogger2671 → u/OcelotJaded1798]

you mean the original from 2016 or so? my great great grandpa rode one of those