Phone VS Cycling Computer: Does A Smart Phone Do The Job?
Phone VS Cycling Computer: Does A Smart Phone Do The Job?
Cycling computers have come on leaps and bounds in the last few years. Gone are the days of a rats nest of wires twisted down your fork blade to a magnet on your spoke. Now we have Gorilla glass, GPS mapping, and enormous battery lives! But, Smartphones have improved a lot as well. For many people, they represent a great alternative to a specific bike computer and most of us own one already. There are pros and cons to each set up and, in this video, Conor finds out what works best, and whether you really need a bike specific computer.
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The phone works great as long as you don’t expect it to work.
I’m using quad lock to mount my iPhone! It’s nice to use
Which do you prefer to use when cycling?
A bike computer doesn’t play music while you ride, advantage phone. I have had so many people join me while I ride because they like listening to music while riding. Not only that, it serves as a waring when I come up on pedestrians and the get out of the way if I am on a trail. If you use an iWatch for a heart rate monitor that will not pair with a bike computer, advantage iPhone. If you have your phone in a lifeproof case you don’t need to worry about things like rain, snow or dropping it.
The app Jepster has replaced my bike computer. It uses ant+ sensors and Bluetooth. I also use my garmin fenix 5 to record the ride.
What kind of phones are mentioned here? GPS and IP grading is better on most phones made in past 5years. Last 2 phones I owned (4years) were graded ip68. Wahoo comp is only ipx7 which, x means that isn’t tested for solids-dust. Also the brightness of the phones isn’t correctly stated here. Phones I was able to use in the past few years have over 600 nit brightness. I use them for outdoor work/ drone work. I believe that computers are using very different technology. In my opinion it isn’t about brightness, but glare. Use anti glare shield for £5. And the battery life is also underestimated. But if you are going for over 12 hour ride hou can get smal extra battery to recharge your phone when taking a brake. GPS might be more accurate by a meter or 2, but won’t be as upto date as the one on the phone. Great video but poor choice of facts. In my opinion if you want computer and have £ to waste than take it. But if you have phone not older than 3 years than you don’t really need it unless you want to be like P Sagan😉
Welcome to the Topeak show!!!
If I turn off the Wi-Fi and the cellular service on my phone then use an app like ride with gps with the maps downloaded for offline use I can get at least 8 hours of battery life on an iPhone 12. The gps continues to work just fine without cell service on. I much prefer this to spending another $500 on a bike computer that will be outdated in several years (just like my phone or any other modern day electronic item). For longer rides I will carry a battery pack. True that phones don’t do well in bright sun and it is almost impossible to get touchscreen to work properly when it has water on it. But for general touring a quick stop to wipe off screen and find some shade is no big deal. I always carry my phone anyhow for emergencies, why have more gizmos to deal with ?
There is a crude but highly accurate phone "power meter" app from Intuitive App Design called Cycle Power Meter. Not pretty but great results without paying $1K+ for new pedals or cranks.
Why the hell phones have ip68 rating and 5000 mamp battery then..use it wisely 😜
Good stuff useful video. But the price of those bike computers are ridiculous. I might aswell buy a new phone. What is the cheapest one with gps map?
Had my phone on cycle mode in my back pocket measuring my ride etc… Came out at about 55km/h down a mountain. Amazingly the phone was ok… Had an epic case on that exploded but weirdly saved the phone…
What kind of surprised, but I had to give this a thumbs down because the sales pitch for the bike computer was so hardcore, i e the comment about a smartphone being $1,000 when we’re looking at an argument between using your smartphone – existing – versus the bike computer. GNC videos are my go-to first and searches, lots of great info free, as a former realtor this video really turned me off. Otherwise thanks for the other great videos.
Cycling computers have really progressed in the last 5-10 years. If I just want to ride and know simple info from my rides a wireless analog computer ranging from $25 – $75 will work great. But if I train using a power meter, heart rate monitor, speed and cadence sensors then a dedicated GPS bike computer ranging from $150-$600 would be the best bet. It all depends how much money you’ve got and how geeky and tech-ee you are.
I actually use a $5 speedometer, $10 smart watch to track my heart rate, and my phone and i feel like im a pro
*I just bought a nice Shimano folding bike and started back bike riding 2 months ago. I use my phone, an old galaxy S9+ and it is excellent. Large easy to read screen with internet, free google maps, FREE speed and distance app, as well as I still receive all my calls, texts, etc and I can listen to music if desired. Since I’m using my phone for a bike computer all I have to pay is my phone bill every month which I have to do anyways bike or no bike. A good bike computer cost $300+ and has limited capabilities. No limits on phone except battery life, longest I’ve ridden so far was 4 hours with the phone going on the whole time and battery was still over 20% when I arrived back home.I just dim the screen as low as possible to save battery.*
A good battery and ultra saving mode can do the job, but the accuraciry may diverge more…
I’ve got the latest 1030 Plus iteration, and it no way competes with my phones google maps, the screen resolution is basic and the touch sensitivity is not very good as is the screen brightness (or lack of). If I had all these problems I have with my cycle computer on my actual phone I’d buy a new phone!
So I don’t agree bicycle computers outperform a modern phone.
That said I use my cycle computer because I want power meter, cadence and heart monitor and the fact it records every data to analyse proves useful but don’t kid yourself it is like a phone!
Love a separate bike computer but too expensive when my phone is top of range Cubot < €165 including delivery. Get a bike computer want it read power then have to lay another big amount so stuck with phone I like my phone and chances getting time more 100km (or fitness) not likely.
most phones don t agree with water
i have been my phone ever since, there are several models of android phone that have ant + connectivity. i have connected all my sensors in this app ie. HRM, speed/ cadence and even my power meter, it even displays torque efficiency and pedal smoothness. the only funny thing the application does is when i synched my ride data on strava, it emulated that i am using a garmin edge unit.
If I’m going to crash (and I am) I don’t want it to be with my phone.
My iPhones in direct sunlight get scorching hot very fast.
I cannot imagine for an instant mounting an iPhone on the handle bar. Bright sun and screen display and heat? Forget about it.
Nice video, but are you sponsored by Wahoo at all? 😂
One of the last times I used Strava, the app shut down due to the power-saving settings of my phone, disabled mid-ride then I re-activated it toward the end. This resulted zero time elapsed between two distand points, so and I finished the ride with average speed of 101 km/h.
That bike looks gorgeous
There is absolutely no need in buying a bike computer, unless you’re into serious road cycling and you need all that data that is useless for 95% of riders out there. If you like bike touring or just love to cycle in general without the need of a good wank afterwards, while looking at your strava segments make yourself a favour, use your smartphone, and for the money you save buy a few pieces of decent cycling gear you will actually use. Especially if you like long bike rides that can take a few days – bike computer is another piece of electronics you need to carry a charger or a cable for and charge it. Makes no sense.
XOSS G+ for me is a great entry in to bike computers, I am also able to connect to HRM, speed and cadence sensors. I memorize the route before I ride, dont really need the turn by turn navigation.
weight? have my phone on me anyways. features? usability? phones surely! sturdiness? weather proofing? a good IPX7 phone in a good case goes a long way. gorilla glass? check. protective screen over it? check. battery life? agh you’ve got me there but, for all before said, just add the extra weight of the bike computer as a small battery pack and you’ve got it. and if you want lots of power you get a bigger battery pack! on my phone I get navigation for 3 bikepacking days just with a 3 cell battery pack.
and bike computer navigation is not better in my opinion to a phone… I’ve run my phone with komoot side by side my garmin edge explore, same route, and while the phone talks to you, garmin beeps, phone turns on its big screen and shows you a full color map, garmin shows 4 lines and an arrow, and in my case rerouting was way way better on komoot than the garmin, and komoot warns you well when you’re out while garmin only beeps once. while on multiday tours, I bring my garmin… in a bag as a backup 🙂
can your computer make a call in case of emergency
I use Cyclope because I am connected directly with other cyclists. I know their position and I can discuss with them.
In Brazil is quite the opposite… My phone (Moto G8 Power) was about R$1k. While a Wahoo Element Bolt costs R$3,8k.
I know there are lots of options form both phones and cycling computers, but so far I did not find one that suits both my needs (that are pretty basic to be honest) and my wallet
I use my phone everywhere.
I also use it to save my runs.
I ALSO use the Sigma BC5.16 bicycle computer. This computer is wired. I have problems with wireless bicycle-computers.
I use a holder on my bike. It’s a bag for my phone, that I can take of the handle bars. The mount for this bag stays on my bike.
My Garmin edge 1030 Plus :), AS I’m unable to find a phone mount for my phone
catseye speedometer. simple.
*Video summary:* If you ride an hour or less, a phone will work fine. Any more than that: *BUY A BIKE COMPUTER!*
god damn, that 700c tires looks small compared to the frame
it will drain your battery if you have iphone
I’ve never found a phone to be quite right on a bike. You can get metal mounts that interfere with the compass, rubber mounts where your phone doesn’t quite feel secure or they bob about, or they’re just not that nice a thing to have on your bike. I still don’t have a bike computer but I’m not that serious about cycling. I’ll commute and will use a bike as a mode of transport where I can so it’s most important for me just to get to where I need to go. I’ve found voice navigation with the phone in your pocket using using earphones mostly works but I never fully trust it. I have had a Beeline Velo which is a nice concept, essentially a GPS compass that points at your destination but the mount for that wasn’t good and it fell off. Beeline did sent me a replacement with a Garmin mount but the touch buttons were doing something in my pocket that would fully lock the software of the Beeline, I had to let the battery run out before I could use it again as it has no physical power button, nor can you even turn it off which would prevent the touch buttons being pressed. And also because you can’t turn it off, it will run out of battery unless you keep it on charge! It’s a shame because I would use it more if I knew it would have battery when I come to use it next. I have joined the Kickstarter project for Beeline Velo 2 and hopefully they’ve fixed these issues. Oh and before you say, yes there is a long press on one of the buttons to soft reset the beeline but even that didn’t work. Poor mount, no way to turn it off and a full lockup in my pocket meant the Beeline didn’t quite work for me. I will still use it on the odd outing but I’m constantly worried it will fall off.
How about mobile data usage of bike GPS? Is it normal to use 5-5Gb mobile data for a 100km ride?
I don’t need all this electronic felgercarb. My 1980 Gios Torino Super Record with the first generation Campagnolo Athena group has a 1990 CicloMaster CM 37 computer that is connected to nothing but the wire to the magnetic sensor on the fork. That thirty-one-year-old computer still works fine and has no bells or whistles. It tells me exactly what I need to know. No more, no less. The 2032 lithium battery lasts for a lot of years. I do carry a cell phone in a saddle pack.
I have to say…
This is one of the best honest reviews I have seen!
Very well done my friend!
New subscriber here!
Please help, which app should I use so I can measure the distances I’ve made?
Don’t ever use your phone. I did and I regret it. You will have a ghosting screen. Unless you have a spare phone to use but then you are always going to carry two phones then might as well just get a proper cycling computer.
At some point you can not get any wetter
Phone, because I ride to work while listening to podcasts or music in one ear and otherwise I have to take two devices with me. But I do see the advantages of a bike computer.
I use my phone as I have already purchased a fairly good phone not long ago and I cant really justify getting a designated bike computer at the moment. I will at some stage, just not now. There are so many different apps that you can download that give you the data that you need. Urban Biker is a pretty good one, and off course the Strava app. Not completely accurate but for beginners, its a good start.
Thank you for this video. I was considering on using my phone. I am now going to invest in a nice bike computer.
Thank you
Here in PH, it’s not advisable to put your phone on your bike as it may be snatched by a crook on a motorcycle or by someone waiting near a stoplight. Sad.
Bike computer over a phone 📲 any day.