Whether you're a mountain biker, a road cyclist, or a commuter, you might consider using a GPS device to track your location and plan your cycling routes. But since smartphones seem to rule the world, how would you feel about replacing your GPS with a smartphone and saving some money?
In a world where mini gadgets are all the rage, carrying just a smartphone while cycling has become a reality. Of course, you can also surf the internet, take photos, record videos, and audio.
In terms of location tracking, smartphones are only capable of basic positioning and cannot compare to professional GPS navigation devices. But the capabilities of smartphones and related software have advanced rapidly in recent years, and they can now fully meet our basic needs.
The downside is that smartphones are expensive, and most are neither rugged nor shockproof. Their battery life also generally can't match that of GPS devices.
How do cyclists use smartphones?
While the most important functions for cycling are maps and activity tracking, you might also want to stay connected with the outside world during your ride. If you encounter trouble and need to get in touch with someone, or want to share cycling moments and videos before heading home, a smartphone becomes an incredibly useful tool.
With the greatly improved data transfer speeds of 3G mobile wireless technology, staying connected to the internet and accessing email is now possible outdoors, although it’s not always cheap. Adding specialized mapping apps like Viewranger makes your phone even more closely integrated with your bike.
A smartphone's GPS function allows you to go without paper maps
Apps like Viewranger let you store detailed maps of various countries in multiple sizes, freeing up a lot of space in your backpack. Additionally, the advanced Buddy Beacon feature means your friends and family (or anyone with internet access) can track your location — your phone can be set to send out a location signal at regular intervals that appears online.
These apps are free, but there are also options to purchase additional maps.
These are especially useful for displaying terrain features during travel, such as altitude information and other helpful landmarks.
You can find a wide range of cycling apps on your smartphone. BioLogic Bike Brain is one of the best, offering many cycling-specific auto-location and GPS tracking features on top of basic maps, similar to Google.
GPX files (the universal file format for transferring location data) can also be downloaded and used with smartphone map apps, including route-sharing websites like Bikely.
Battery life, commuting, and travel solutions
During use, the battery life of a smartphone is often not very durable, which is its biggest drawback for cycling. When you stop making calls, sending texts, using the internet, or GPS functions while riding, you can significantly reduce power consumption. But beyond that, there are now some solutions...
BioLogic offers a range of charging accessories. For example, their stylish Joule II dynamo hub (US$100) can be installed on 20-inch small-wheel bikes with a 74mm skewer — in other words, this compact component for folding-bike-sized bikes may become a favorite among urban cyclists for short rides.
This company’s accessories can also be useful for short trips, but weekend bike camping requires more backup power. Such demanding tasks call for the Busch & Müller E-Werk, or you might consider the XPAL kit.