Ultracycling

Thank you :)

better GPS than Edge devices ... it responds quicker to direction changes

That's interesting - didn't know that. I find that's a real issue with my Garmin 1030 - especially on descents where there are junctions.

The 1030 is even worse due to its slow screen draw rate. My 1000 was much better at keeping up with movement compared to the 1030. It would be nice if you could make it faster at the expense of battery life.

The 1030 Plus might go some way to fix this:

"New Sony GPS Chipset (to match most other Garmin devices since 2019)"

"Now the calculation is something that Garmin says they’ve significantly improved here, via increasing the processor hardware. Specifically they said it should be in line with the Edge 830 now and significantly faster than the original Edge 1030."

then again:

"The main factor that’s probably worth complaining about is more the speed of the display. Compared to the Hammerhead Karoo or Sigma ROX12 units based on Android, it’s substantially slower and less responsive (those act like the phones they are)"

"Of course, the main reason Garmin uses the display technology they do is battery life. Specifically, conservation of it. Garmin claims upwards of 24hrs of runtime on the Edge 1030 Plus. Whereas the Karoo claims 12-15 hours depending on features."

Interesting. The shit refresh rate is the main reason I've kept on using a phone app and kept the Garmin in a drawer with the plastic screen protector still on it! Last time I used it was over a year ago and I missed a turn on a descent as the map hadn't updated until I passed it.

I thought the 1030 was the gold standard in Garmins but clearly it's not in this respect. I didn't do enough research. Phone app is great for anything other than really heavy rain but uses too much power for ultras (if I ever get to ride one again). So maybe I'll get rid of 1030 and get another Garmin. Or, TBH, what might be easier is to fire up one of my old 705s to use as backup for the phone app when it is wet or I'm low on battery power. Or maybe an eTrex would be better backup as the 705s were getting cranky when I stopped using them two years ago...

Does eTrex allow you to follow a route with North at the top - not direction of travel?
But the 705 does power so really it is still better. Why can't Garmin make anything better than the one I bought in 2009!

I still use my 103o. Like most Garmins I've had, I'm well aware of the issues each has and have various workarounds for them. I still carry Edge 1030 and use that the most, w/ phone as a backup and etrex as a 3rd backup most of the time.

For Badlands I fired up the etrex more often to double check the route when it was confusing. So for MTB stuff I'm likely to start using etrex as the main unit (especially since I have no powermeter).

As usual, I'm tempted to buy the 1030 Plus and the 1030 could go on another bike or be a spare. But for the money, they're not really worth it unless you're doing huge rides and might be rerouting. For normal people doing 4-6hr long rides I think I'd be using phone or a smaller Garmin.

Agree. If I never did multi-day rides I would just stick to phone. It's a bit shit in the rain but workable, and a plastic bag could make it better if I was going to do a long wet ride, which I hardly ever do nowadays anyway. And hard to adjust back to Garmin once you've got used to phone-quality mapping.

With 1030 what do you do about data fields? On 705 I can have map + 4 data fields and never have to scroll screens. But 1030 doesn't do that. I tried the app to get more data fields and it didn't have the right ones plus it kept having to be reloaded.

What do you do - just don't want / need the data fields, or is it ok to keep scrolling once you're used to it?

My Sony was put into use when the 1000 got wet in the storm in Montenegro. So, I think if you have a waterproof phone you're probably at least as good as Garmin.

I have a map screen w/ 2 fields, elevation screen w/ 2 fields and normally two data screens with maybe 7 fields each on them and just flick through them. If I'm racing a TT, I turn off elevation screen and turn on a screen with 3 fields on it (so the numbers are bigger and easier to read when I'm tucking).

So you find scrolling OK? Seemed like a faff to me, but never got used to it. I thought of getting the Garmin remote so I could do it from the hoods or wherever.

Your Sony sounds exceptional. I have two waterproof phones - Samsung and a Chinese rugged one - and both will start to play up when the screen gets really wet. Need to turn them off and just switch on for quick glimpses before junctions, etc.

I have a separate app for intervals (or TT if I ever do one). It has a lap button and has data fields in different colours so easy to read. For TT just need a couple of numbers as don't want to have too much to think about.

I'm normally in the aerobars and the Garmin is near my thumbs so I don't even have to let go of the bars to flick the screen.

The Sony has been retired now. We still have a couple of them but now I've got a Samsung Xcover 4S and the grrl has the newer XCover 5. Yeah, she bought her own phone after my hand-me-down XCover 4 started being a dickhead.

My 4S is cracked in two places now so I might have to replace it sooner rather than later.

In rain, I normally just pick the map screen and then lock the screen.

Does eTrex allow you to follow a route with North at the top - not direction of travel?

My Dakota does and that is the ancient USA version of the eTrex. Lael winning the TABR with an eTrex convinced me to get it. Agree phones are far better UX though.

Have you got Di2? I swipe with the top hood buttons and it's nice to not have to let go of my handlebars.
I really like my Karoo. Fast, good screen, good maps, responsive. And when it rains I lock the screen. Haven't got the classic "what about a downpour" scenario yet. And I'm not sure about charging in the rain.

Yes, I've got di2. Hood top buttons = Garmin remotes?

I probably should try karoo. Just for completeness, I suppose. What puts me off is all the millions of features which I don't want. All I want is a Garmin 705 with a bit better screen and which is a bit more robust!
705 is robust on normal rides,just sometimes crashes after a few days.

Jesse still uses etrex as well. Maybe Kristof too (unless some sponsor has given him something recently)
They don't use power. #Oldskool.

Samsung Xcover 4S

Interesting, Samsung rugged phone, hadn't come across it. But doesn't seem to have ant+ and memory not great, so spec not as good as my galaxy s8 (and, tempting fate here, I don't tend to break stuff much so don't need ultra rugged kit). Xcover 5 is better but still no ant+

Yeah, I don't care about ANT+ on the phone as it's only a backup or to use for ad hoc routing to hotels or whatever. Memory hasn't been a limiter for me. I'm fairly militant about not installing apps and there's no way I'd pay whatever crazy prices they're asking for their flagship phones just to hang off my aerobars.

The 5 doesn't have physical buttons so it's not quite as good for a "bike phone".

Sorry, didn't know that's what you meant with Garmin remotes, as they are not Garmin specific.

So there are generic remotes? Interesting, not come across those.

Ah sorry, just googled them. I see they are a new di2 thing. My di2 is 6 years old so before they were a thing.

Sorry for misunderstanding.

You need to add this unit into your Di2 loop and that broadcasts ant+ and bluetooth signal: https://bike.shimano.com/en-EU/product/component/duraace-r9150-di2/EW-WU111.html
Then you can use the hood buttons with most gps-es. (garmin, wahoo, hammerhead,...)

edit Bit of overlap of the replies :)

Thanks, they sound useful. I'll go out and have a quick feel of my hoods shortly to check I've not been overlooking something for the last 6 years... !

I think the hood buttons were only introduced on the R8050 and dura are equivalent groupsets, so you may be out of luck there.

Yes, I was joking, I don't have them. Just I was surprised when I searched for them that something I had never heard of had been around for such a long time. I'm not usually so far off the pace, at least I hope not!

They used to have buttons in the old Ultegra cable shifters. Shimano-specific though.

Cc @yetidamo wants to know who you fellow idiots used for insurance for badlands in the end?

It's OK @skinny Really appreciate the help you're offering here, but I'm pleased to say I'm sorted. Spoke to a nice Canadian man who was able to provide me with appropriate cover for 2 days in whistler bike park. Gotta go to vancouver for work but the upside is I get a weekend to myself, so rude not to head up the mountain. I've assumed our company's travel insurance doesn't cover bike parks (I didn't bother to ask) :)