The new Wahoo Elemnt/Rllkt+ paired with BlueTooth cadence, HR, and power begs the question, if I’m carrying an iPhone, why even buy a cycling computer?
Is there anything an iPhone can’t do that a Wahoo and Garmin 520 can?
Which app?
battery life.
Just depends on how spent your iphone battery is. I used the wahoo elemnt all of last year with the ticker and cadence and long 5 hour rides were not a problem as I don’t burn up my phone battery like some users. I keep my phone in my jersey pocket. The only drawback are races. I believe the rules state you can’t have a phone on you during the race.
Battery life and you can’t see anything while riding. If you mount the phone to your bar you will sweat all over it and kill it. Even if you find a way to avoid killing it with sweat you cannot have the screen on during the ride of the battery will die very quickly. If you only want to see what you did once you are done with the ride it will work, but why have a power meter and all the data if you can’t see it?
The main issue with killing you battery looking at data is, if you break down out in the middle of nowhere you can’t call for a ride with a dead phone.
Iphone doesn’t receive ANT+
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I’ve used the Rflkt+ for the past two years and for several years prior I just used the phone in my back pocket with no head unit display. For me it works out just fine and I’ve done rides up to 7 hours in length without battery issues. I don’t pair up any sensors (cadence, power, etc) so that probably makes my experience a bit simpler. I use the Wahoo Fitness app because the screen options on the Rflkt+ are much better than what you get with the Strava app. It isn’t really a power user setup but it suits me pretty well.
Because in USAT sanctioned competition you cant use it anyways, so might as well get something that is race legal.
Iphone doesn’t receive ANT+
The Wahoo RFLKT+ serves as an ANT+ bridge so that you can use Garmin sensors.
To the OP: I tried literally all the apps and Wahoo’s is the best. I use Strava, but the app sucks (no realtime speed) and the Whaoo app will upload to all of the major platforms, so I just upload to Strava at the end of my ride.
I get >6hrs. with my iPhone6, so battery life hasn’t been an issue.
The only issue (as mentioned) is that you can’t race with the phone.
I’m cheap. An expensive piece of electronic equipment has no place out in the elements on a bike.
I would think a phone without service would be OK under USAT rules. Many people have an older phone around after they upgrade, possibly new life for it?
Is there anything an iPhone can’t do that a Wahoo and Garmin 520 can?
Ride for a couple hours in the rain springs to mind.
Not counting the odd crash, I have a couple rides a year on which I know the weather would destroy an iPhone out in the open and at least one a month where it is damp enough that I’d be worried to distraction.
And, it is painful to admit but it has to be said. There is an avoiding the dork factor motivation at work here that keeps many people from hanging an iPhone of their handlebars. Sporting the latest Garmin is cool. An iPhone mount is not 
Iphone goes in pocket in a baggy.
Cheap little mp3 player goes in other pocket.
Garmin edge 500 goes on handlebar.
Each device performs it´s intended purpose perfectly.
^^ This^^
except Android and Garmin 810
Jeff
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I would think a phone without service would be OK under USAT rules. Many people have an older phone around after they upgrade, possibly new life for it?
A phone without a connection to a network is no longer a phone. If you have a device in airplane mode, it is no longer a phone. It’s just a small tablet computer that does applications, BUT if a USAT official DQs someone who had a gorilla suited guy in the vicinity, I am almost certain that the same category of power tripping official will DQ someone who has a small tablet computer with no network connection (even though it cannot be a phone).
Just a question to iPhone users. If you have it on airplane mode, won’t your batter last all day? Also can you have GPS on (needed for distance, speed, location etc) with cellular off?
Just a question to iPhone users. If you have it on airplane mode, won’t your batter last all day? Also can you have GPS on (needed for distance, speed, location etc) with cellular off?
I always use my HTC for Strava when in China and Taiwan, where I don’t have cell service. After my workout I use the hotel wi-fi to upload…
Just a question to iPhone users. If you have it on airplane mode, won’t your batter last all day? Also can you have GPS on (needed for distance, speed, location etc) with cellular off?
I always use my HTC for Strava when in China and Taiwan, where I don’t have cell service. After my workout I use the hotel wi-fi to upload…
Curious about the battery life though. Cell phones use the towers to assist / speed up GPS lock. So it could very well chew up more battery when it can’t see the cell network.
Battery life is definitely better in apps that use GPS “breadcrumbs” (ex: Glympse or RoadID) as opposed to leaving it on continuously like you would for power analysis.
I would think a phone without service would be OK under USAT rules. Many people have an older phone around after they upgrade, possibly new life for it?
A phone without a connection to a network is no longer a phone. If you have a device in airplane mode, it is no longer a phone. It’s just a small tablet computer that does applications, BUT if a USAT official DQs someone who had a gorilla suited guy in the vicinity, I am almost certain that the same category of power tripping official will DQ someone who has a small tablet computer with no network connection (even though it cannot be a phone).
Just a question to iPhone users. If you have it on airplane mode, won’t your batter last all day? Also can you have GPS on (needed for distance, speed, location etc) with cellular off?
GPS does work in airplane mode or without service. There are plenty of waterproof cases available. I am not sure how battery life is with the screen/ GPS on all the time. I have an old iPhone I use as a music player and the battery lasts a long time. There is an Ant+ adapter for the older iPhones, not sure about the new ones.
I still prefer a dedicated cycling computer.
A phone in airplane mode is also one that’s about 1 second away from not being in airplane mode. I don’t entirely agree with the phone ban, I would have thought a ban on using it would suffice rather than banning even having one. I’ve carried a phone in events where they’re not banned and the “Find my phone” feature is very useful for spectators to track your progress and make sure they don’t miss you, and could see it being useful in the event of a major mechanical or crash. But I wouldn’t blame an official for taking the view that a phone in airplane mode is still a phone and issuing an infraction accordingly.
For me it’s simple. If I have an unrepairable mechanical breakdown, or heaven forbid, a crash of some sort, I want my phone to primarily be a phone and have the battery life to call for help. Most cycling apps . . especially anything related to GPS kill phone batteries.
I used to use my iPhone but like using my Garmin/s better… its designed to do it and they are weather proof. I had a mount that was water proof but a single crash on my mountain bike did that kit on on that bike… snapped the mount. It was okay on my road bike and tri bike but the mount was a bit odd, especially as I went between setups on my tri bike. BTA bottle setup, etc. I still take my phone with me but toss it in a sealed baggie in a jersey pocket and use either my 920xt or 520 Garmin… if you can only get one, the 920xt is awesome. Spendy but awesome.
My iPhone is a little funky from using it on a rainy run a few months ago… case leaked a tad, some screen damage and funky acting phone… I know you said bike computer but weather for me is a downside all around as compared to a Garmin/bike computer.