I currently have a Samsung Xcover (v1) that is coming to the end of its useful life (or at least the battery is) and therefore I’m considering the alternatives.

Does anyone have any view on the best phone for mountain biking? I don’t use my phone much for texts or phone calls, mainly for recording routes in My Tracks.

I have no preference over Android, iOS, or Windows, but would like the ability to upload and create maps that I can follow, record routes as I go along, and have the phone mounted to the handlebars securely and waterproofed. Ideally any software/apps needed to upload/download/follow routes would be free of charge.

Most of my rides are between 2 and 3 hours, but I’d like to do more ‘all day’ riding eg at Welsh trail centres.

The guy in Vodaphone today suggested a Nokia, running Win8, which could use maps without needing a phone signal, just GPS. However I wanted to find out if any of you had some good recommendation?

Thanks in advance.

The guy in Vodaphone today suggested a Nokia, running Win8, which could use maps without needing a phone signal, just GPS. However I wanted to find out if any of you had some good recommendation?

You want the App Viewranger which runs on iOS and Android. I’d avoid vodafone like the plague if you want smartphone as their data network is shite.

Following routes, looking at the screen constantly, basically not a smartphone. Far better off with a dedicated GPS device.

That said Nokia will be the most efficient for battery life. Sadly more so with the old Symbian models which despite the out of date OS, were very power efficient. They also ran ViewRanger. Sadly ViewRanger is still not available for Windows Phone and they still express no interest in doing a version for it.

Android and iOS, ViewRanger is what you want. Battery just won’t last though. 2 to 3 hours you might just get away with though. If you were just tracking your ride, fpr Strava etc, it will cope, but start looking at the map on the screen or have it active all the time on a bar mount and it won’t last an hour. A good dedicated GPS though will last the day (likewise an old Nokia).

Look at an Android with a huge battery life

I use Back Country navigator which cost $10. But then you can cache the whole country at 1:25,000 and 1:50,000 for no extra cost (assuming the phone has space.)

I log the ride on Sports tracker at the same time

My note 1 I think lasted a 4 hour walk (maybe be 5 hours with food stops) with both Apps running and lots of navigating. It wasn’t on its last legs either. I like the big screen for navigating as well. It is a bit big

I got an Alcatel topup phone for £2.99 from Carphone Warehouse. I could have got it for £0.99 but that was in pink and even I have my standards. It lives in my jersey pocket and never gets used; Mrs Gti once rang me on it but I didn’t stop to answer because I didn’t recognise the weird racket coming from behind me. I’ve changed the ringtone now to the William Patel Overture in case she ever rings me again.

There’s a few decent Android phones now with waterproofing which removes one big worry.

Frankly though, a Moto G or something will happily do all the “smartphone” stuff nicely leaving plenty of change for an Edge Touring to go on your bars.

Now it has finally got the Kitkat update I’m happy to recommend these again.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B00D7ZMT0E?cache=c7339f82595df2d0962e965d9a7f6f7a&pi=SY200_QL40&qid=1410039374&sr=8-1#ref=mp_s_a_1_1

Backcountry navigator recommended as well. Big capacity micro sd for £15-20 and away you go.

Moto g for decent battery and a good case. I would probably get a dedicated GPS though if you want to log. I’ve got a nexus 4 and an etrex 20. Or get a Sony action can with GPS and you can control it from the moto g and use it to log.

I would avoid windows phone to be honest – it just doesn’t have the volume of apps offered by apple/android yet.

Pretty much any smartphone can be secured to bars and made waterproof pretty cheap with the topeak drybag mount – this is the iphone 4 one I use but they do lots of different versions for different sized phones:

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/topeak-drybag/rp-prod57985

I use a galaxy s3 (cheap as chips, big screen) with alpine quest – go to add maps, UK top maps – voila, all UK os maps for free! You can store the map area for offline use.

Also got a toptube mounted waterproof case for about 8 quid. Brilliant combo. Also s3 batteries are less than a tenner so you can carry a spare just in case.

Dedicated GPS and whatever phone you want.

I’ve got a z2 which has a higher waterproof standard than most other phones, and a good battery life.

Best two mapping apps (for android) are oruxmaps and viewranger.

I’d still like a dedicated gps though, and don’t ever ride with it mounted on the bars. I’ve seen some cheap looking fuel type top tube bags that double as a phone mount /case over at dealextreme for about a tenner which I’ve been tempted by.

http://www.dx.com/c/sports-outdoors-1699/cycling-1607/bike-accessories-1642
^ check the roswheel bags on here, could be crap but for a tenner thought they were worth a punt.

Forgot to say with oruxmaps you can download/create maps so you don’t need a data signal, only gps. There’s a free computer app called Mobile Atlas Creator which lets you create mahoosive maps, although you can do it with the phone app itself. I’d imagine viewranger can do this too, but I have played with it less. Forgot to mention, both are free.

Johnnystorm
The phone in your link runs jellybean – much different?
Is the camera as good as the standard s4 do you know?

rudedog – Member
I would avoid windows phone to be honest – it just doesn’t have the volume of apps offered by apple/android yet.

90% of what Apple/Android offer in the stores is junk or games. Most people only need a fraction of what’s on offer.

That said Windows Phone is missing a few key ones. View Ranger as I mentioned earlier is a key one. However it does have many of the typical ones now. Almost has everything I want if I switched from Android (which I’m bored with and battery life is terrible).

I’d still suggest a dedicated GPS for map following though. You want to be sure you have battery life in the phone for emergencies, and don’t lose battery mid ride when trying to follow a route (I’ve done that with View Ranger).

The phone might ship with jelly bean but the update for kit kat just came through. The camera and screen are different to the normal s4 because its an active model. The screen can be operated in normal gloves and the camera has an underwater setting. The pics are as good as you can expect from a phone, I don’t bother with a separate camera now. It also has a removable battery & sd card slot which makes it more versatile.

The kitkat update hasnt changed much really but it means that bluetooth v4 devices, eg hrms can be added for strava, etc.

i stick with my sony experia

I should add that Backcountry navigator has a demo app that gives you a months access to the full app. You can cache sections too, so I have Wales as one set, The peaks as another and so on. Only need gps then, no 3g required. BCN is also working in smartwatch functions. 😉

What about one of these?

CAT S50

I have a Samsung S4 active with viewranger, I don’t need anything else.

Thanks for the advice/info’so far.

In summary, it sounds like:

* A dedicated GPS device would be best for route planning/following
* Avoid Windows: iOS and Android are best
* If route planning/following Viewranger is tops (although maps need to be bought). Back country is also good.
* Generic waterproofing covers/mounts are readily available
* Carry a spare battery

I have to say, two of the guys I rode with today had dedicated GPS devices and they both worked flawlessly, showing us the route in plenty of detail.

Thanks again for all of your input(s).
Tim

If you want a good camera phone, it’ll be Nokia by miles, which is Windows Phone now 😉

I’ve got a windows phone and love it. Yes it doesn’t have the same number of apps as ios or android but that’s not been a problem. Try and get a model that had Nokia Here+ rather than just Here as that lets you have maps offline which is much better. You can still get quite basic models with that though so it doesn’t mean expensive

On the bike I use a secondhand iPhone 4 with a lifeproof case and mount. Both have been top notch. I run memorymap for navigation. No need to leave it running all the time. The GPS chip will find you in a few seconds when you need it. I’ve had 24+ out of one charge before.

For actual phone contact in remote places I use a reconditioned Nokia brick and Manx telecom PAYG. Oldskool phones seem to find a signal where a modern smartphone won’t. Manx telecom on the mainland roam all of the main networks. So if there’s even a tiny signal you can get SMS or voice call.

Not what the op was asking I realise but maybe of use to some…