Beginners guide to cycling computers/technology

The text below started out as a mail to a friend - a sort of high level overview of cycling computers. I have edited it a bit so it might be useful for those new to leisure cycling.

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New to leisure cycling, and you have made a New Years Resolution to do some Sportives in the Summer. (though you are not quite sure what this entails).

On Sunday spins you have seen other people with a range of "devices" on their handlebars, and listened to the chatter about Strava this, Map my that, GPS the other.

Where do you start?

Here is a quick overview with some pointers for you to follow up on:

If you want to know how fast you are going and how far you've been, you need a cycle computer (a sm​all electronic widget that sits on your handlebars which measures your progress by means of a magnet fixed to a wheelspoke and a sensor attached to a fork).

Entry level versions can cost less than a tenner - but require wiring from the sensor to the unit on the handlebars. Wireless versions start at about €25

These units will give you basic information such as - distance travelled, current speed, average speed, duration of ride etc.

More reading to be found here:
road.cc/content/buyers-guide/170018-best-cheap-cycle-computers

If you want detailed information which can show you where you have been on a map, and show your speed or elevation along your route, then you will need a way to track your rides.

There are 2 parts to this
1) How you reccord the data
The options here are

• a smartphone app
• a GPS watch
• a cycle specific GPS 'computer'

2) What you do with it afterwards
You will likely want to view/analyse/obsess over your data in a web application such as
Strava, MapMyRide, Bike Tracks, Cyclemeter, Viewranger, Garmin Connect, Runkeeper (there are lots more)


RECORDING

a) a smartphone app
The entry level option is probably to use the smartphone app provided by one of the sites mentioned above (Strava .... Runkeeper)
You start the app when you start your ride. It records where you go, and may record other data such as heart rate (if you have a compatible cheststrap). While riding it will display information such as current speed, distance travelled etc.

Generally phone apps will allow you to upload your ride afterwards so you can analyse it in more detail from a web application. Typical sports tracking apps include
Strava, MapMyRide, Bike Tracks, Cyclemeter, Viewranger, Garmin Connect, Runkeeper

Pros: Simplicity (if you have a smartphone)
Cons: Can drain the phone battery quite quickly.
Price: Generally the phone app is free, though most have a paid premium option. (The free version will meet the needs of most leisure cyclists).

b) a GPS watch
Runners or Triathletes may already have a gps enabled watch. When cycling, you can wear it on your wrist as a watch, or mount it on your handlebars. Most of these watches will pair with a heart rate monitor and possibly other sensors (speed, cadence etc.).
The more 'fully featured' (i.e. expensive) watches will automatically synch your ride data with web applications such as Strava or MapMyRide etc. Entry level models require you to manually extract the data from the watch and then you can upload it to your preferred application.

Pros: Good for multisport enthusiasts
Cons: While cycling can be difficult to read from your wrist
Price: €80 for the Aldi version up to €500 for a high end Triathlon watch

c) a cycle specific GPS 'computer'
There is a wide array of devices available with prices ranging from €100 to €600.
Some are loaded with features for perfomance athletes, others have more navigation functionality and target the touring cyclist.


Lot more information here
sportivecyclist.com/which-bike-gps-devic...ltimate-buyers-guide
www.outdoorgearlab.com/Bike-Computer-Reviews
guides.wiggle.co.uk/christmas-gift-list-...-gps-cycle-computers
www.dcrainmaker.com/product-comparison-calculator


My recording story
I started using a Smartphone app but as rides got longer I started to worry about running out of phone battery (and after taking a tumble I realised that my phone cost almost as much as my bike). I got a present of a Cateye Velo Wireless which gave me details of distance, duration and speed - and kept using it as a backup even after I had graduated to more sophisticated technology.

I moved on to an entry level GPS watch. After each ride I would extract the data from the watch and manually upload it to a webapp (a rather tedious process).

Eventually, I decided that I wanted something to record my progress, but also help me navigate on longer rides (audaxes). I opted for a mid range Garmin Edge 520 with Heart Rate and Cadence sensors (a reasonable compromise between functionality, price and battery life).




APPLICATIONS

The range and choice here is also vast.

When I started tracking my activity I used the Runkeeper app on my phone to record running and cycling. This would then sync with the Runkeeper website. Runkeeper has a nice, clean simple user interface. Its good for recording what you have done, but it doesnt offer much in terms of analysis afterwards. Also it had a limited number of sports categories so I eventually switched to MapMyRide

MapMyRide was the other extreme, it had lots different activities, each of which had mulitple subtypes. (It even includes Intimacy as an activity - which brings a whole new meaning to MapMyRide). For cycling it does break a ride into segments, and assigns categories to the climbs. But I found using it was a pain. The webapp and the phoneapp behave differently. Worse still, it drove me demented with pop-up adverts suggesting I sign up for the premium version ($6 per month).

Viewranger is great for offroad use.

Eventually I settled on Strava. Its simple and easy to use. The free version provides lots of data you can analyse. My Garmin Edge 520 will upload data automatically to Strava (works well once you install and setup Garmin Connect to do this). For my purposes, I have no need for the functionality provided by Strava premium (which costs €60 a year).

I would recommend spending £10 for a yearlong subscription to addon called Veloviewer. (This sucks your data out of Strava and gives you lots of nice dashboards and analytics of your activity).

I sometimes use RideWithGPS to create a route.

On holidays (when I dont have my Garmin with me) I have used the Bike Tracks app on my phone. This is quite frugal on battery use, and has a feature to turn itself off when the battery level drops below a preset value. (Cycling and Sking versions available for iPhone. For Android only the Ski Tracks version is currently available)


This just scratches the surface of what is out there - follow the links for more information.
Comments, corrections welcome.
Prices approx as of January 2016