Powering phone while cycling

gzoladz

Hi

I use my phone as gps/fitness while cycling device and I am looking at options to power it.

I have narrowed it down to the following:

1. Invest on a dynamo hub + usb adaptor (costly)
2. Buy an external battery pack
3. Solar charger (too slow/inefficient in winter? )

Based on your experience, what's the best option? I don't want to buy another specific device like a garmin and ideally I would like to get 6/8 hours of screen/gps/data, all on.

Thanks

godtabh

gzoladz wrote: »

Hi

I use my phone as gps/fitness while cycling device and I am looking at options to power it.

I have narrowed it down to the following:

1. Invest on a dynamo hub + usb adaptor (costly)
2. Buy an external battery pack
3. Solar charger (too slow/inefficient in winter? )

Based on your experience, what's the best option? I don't want to buy another specific device like a garmin and ideally I would like to get 6/8 hours of screen/gps/data, all on.

Thanks

Buy a dedicated gps unit. One recently posted here for €65 that is compatible with strava.

mrbike

You're better off getting a cheap dedicated unit.

1. For a dynamo hub and wheel build, you're looking at least EUR150. As the current varies with a dynamo (you can't directly charge a phone from a dynamo), on top of that you'll need a voltage regulated USB charging circuit (around another EUR100)
2. The external battery option will typically charge your phone once. If it's on all the time for 6/8 hours, you'll need more than one charge. You'll also need a way of keeping the phone safe from rain when it's charging.
3. A solar power charger does not provide enough current to charge a smart phone. In perfect conditions, after 8 hours, you may be able to fully charge an old Nokia phone.

ford2600

What length spins are you going for?

I've done 250km with strava app on Samsung phone with ease.

Alek

I've done 250km with strava app on Samsung phone with ease.

On a single charge? What model exactly is it?

Redrocket

Last week I bought a 7800mah external usb battery pack for 40 euros, worked great over a 14 hour day (7 hour cycle) to re-charge my phone. The pack still had 75% battery remaining after recharging my phone twice, so I think they are becoming good value now.

Maybe a thread derail, but what are the cheaper dedicated gps devices you guys can recommend? Sometimes the gps on my iphone is pretty dodgy, and power hungry, and i'd like access to the gpx files before uploading them to strava.

If I could switch to dedicated gps, maybe I could airplane mode my phone while cycling and just use it for music, and then switch back on gsm when I stop for a break. The battery lasts a lonnggg time with airplane mode activated, but no gps.

bambergbike

mrbike wrote: »

1. For a dynamo hub and wheel build, you're looking at least EUR150. As the current varies with a dynamo (you can't directly charge a phone from a dynamo), on top of that you'll need a voltage regulated USB charging circuit (around another EUR100)

I was puzzled by the first figure - I have a hub dynamo on my winter bike and knew it hadn't set me back anything like that much. So I went onto the Rose website to investigate and found that hub dynamos on hybrids are inexpensive run-of-the mill products but that wheels for road bikes with hub dynamos are indeed more expensive:

Wheel with hub dynamo and 700 x 35 c tyre: €81
Wheel with hub dynamo and 700 x 23 c tyre: €171

Rose are currently selling the USB-thingy for €65 (while claiming, rightly or wrongly, that it normally costs €75). I'm not recommending them or anything, just checked their site for a quick ballpark figure as this is one of those upgrades that I'll get to eventually.

mrbike

Redrocket wrote: »

Maybe a thread derail, but what are the cheaper dedicated gps devices you guys can recommend?

People were recommending this one:

https://www.bike24.com/1.php?content=8;navigation=1;menu=1400,1420,1421;product=47704

It comes with a heart rate monitor and cadence sensor. I haven't used it myself, so I can't vouch for it.

ford2600

bambergbike wrote: »

I was puzzled by the first figure - I have a hub dynamo on my winter bike and knew it hadn't set me back anything like that much. So I went onto the Rose website to investigate and found that hub dynamos on hybrids are inexpensive run-of-the mill products but that wheels for road bikes with hub dynamos are indeed more expensive:

Wheel with hub dynamo and 700 x 35 c tyre: €81
Wheel with hub dynamo and 700 x 23 c tyre: €171

Rose are currently selling the USB-thingy for €65 (while claiming, rightly or wrongly, that it normally costs €75). I'm not recommending them or anything, just checked their site for a quick ballpark figure as this is one of those upgrades that I'll get to eventually.

http://www.rosebikes.com/article/atb-front-wheel-28700-c-dh-3n80---a-719/aid:484624

This will do road bike, strong and heavy with better dynamo


Phone is Samsung S3. Use app to kill unnecessary applications. Use a 705 now since I'm going longer occasionally

Lumen

My Galaxy S5 sips battery. Did 4 hours today and finished around 77% with everything running, and it's waterproof. Maybe consider spare battery. Expensive though.

gzoladz

Thanks all a lot for the answers, very informative.

I need to think a bit more about it.

Mechanic365

if its an iphone then get the external charger that wraps around your phone acting as a cover, mate gets three days out of his iphone using internet and wifi 2-3hours a day

Seweryn

My waterproof phone runs with Strava on for about 6 - 8h when tested last year. And it was only €99,- new in the shop without contract.

beauf

Nokia made one, but it was like something from the 80's. No good for modern smart phone either.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Nokia-DC-14-Charger-CR-124-Holder/dp/B00475BGHA

beauf

Seweryn wrote: »

My waterproof phone runs with Strava on for about 6 - 8h when tested last year. And it was only €99,- new in the shop without contract.

FYI Its water resistant not water proof. Its a low spec but that probably helps with battery life. Still its not a bad idea. if that has a fall its not that big a deal.

Seweryn

beauf wrote: »

FYI Its water resistant not water proof.

You can immerse it in water and it still works, it is IP67 rated, but yeah, water resistance in the rain is all that we really need when on the bike.

beauf wrote: »

Its a low spec but that probably helps with battery life. Still its not a bad idea. if that has a fall its not that big a deal.

Yeah. The lighter, simpler, sturdier, and cheaper the phone (with all the functions needed) IMO the better, if used for what we are discussing here .

beauf

The only problem with old and cheaper phones is they might have an old version of android which might not support the apps you want so you'd need to watch for that.

cdaly_

mrbike wrote: »

2. The external battery option will typically charge your phone once. If it's on all the time for 6/8 hours, you'll need more than one charge. You'll also need a way of keeping the phone safe from rain when it's charging.

I use a 4xAA cell USB charger. It keeps my Nokia alive for up to 24 hours on a set of rechargeables and I can extend that if needed just by buying another set of batteries.

Redrocket wrote: »

If I could switch to dedicated gps, maybe I could airplane mode my phone while cycling and just use it for music, and then switch back on gsm when I stop for a break. The battery lasts a lonnggg time with airplane mode activated, but no gps.

Is this an iphone thing? GPS does not need network since it's receive only. Check your gps menu and see can you turn off 'assisted gps'. That will put the gps in receive only mode and it should be happy. It'll take quite some time (up to 20min) to get its first fix but should be responsive after that.

mrbike wrote: »

People were recommending this one:

https://www.bike24.com/1.php?content=8;navigation=1;menu=1400,1420,1421;product=47704

It comes with a heart rate monitor and cadence sensor. I haven't used it myself, so I can't vouch for it.

I was investigating the Brytom Rider 50 but it turns out you cannot (as yet) load the free maps to it.

Micilin Muc

I use an old iPhone in Airplane Mode with the ViewRanger GPS app. The battery was down to 42% at the end of a 210km journey. The iPhone is mounted to the stem with this.

gzoladz

I eventually bought an external battery pack that Aldi happened to offer in their specials.

Eur 20 for 12000 mha, more than enough for a day out.