I don't speak geek

[us56456712]

I have burned out 3 handlebar mounted cyclometers with the magnetic sensor. They don't last long and tell you a lot of data I don't want so I finally bought my first cell phone. I don't know the number, who cares, if I want to know it I can call someone and they can tell me. My voice mail message is "don't leave a message caus I don't answer them". I bought it so I could tell how far I rode my bicycle. I got tired of driving my car on my routs to get the miles or asking someone in our riding group how far their app said we rode (every phone has a different answer). So after 3 frustrating hours where I tried and failed to get my new cell phone to load a riding app I turned it over to my son in law and he got Map My Ride installed in 20 minutes. Oh boy I thought. Ha! I took it to the Wednesday night ride and after four failed attempts to get Map My Ride to open I quit and rode without the dang phone. Of course when I returned from the ride it opened right away. Tonight on the Thursday night ride I got it to work but it said that my average speed was 1342.7 miles an hour. How can you believe any of the info these things are giving you? Calories burned is a joke, scientific tests prove they are way wrong. Why can't they make a simple electronic cyclometer app that just tells you how far you rode, not a bunch of flashing screens that tell you a bunch of stuff that is wrong and that I don't want to know? The best cyclometer I ever owned was a 1960s Lucas Cyclometer. Why can't they make an app that is as simple to use, load and as reliable as the Lucas? They throw in a bunch of junk screens because they can and to get more info than the competition. Way too complex. The only people who need to know their cadence, heart rate, climb, calories, split time, distance and a bunch of other data are pros and they have a team that tells them their status. The average Joe is enamored by all this junk info, I just want to know how far I rode. Too bad the Lucas Cyclometer is extinct. Ebay has them but they are no good for single track. It seems my new cell phone is a piece of high tech unreliable junk. From now on I will just make up in my head my riding distances, probably more accurate than my phone.

 

[Wildcat]

I think they still make a mechanical odometer like you are showing.

If not here's an old one:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Dor...a83545c&pid=100011&rk=1&rkt=1&sd=311722132958

 

[horsefarmer]

My wife uses a free app called "runmeter" on her I phone. It makes a gps map of where you go and logs speed distance time and elevation.
We use it on both bikes and horses.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/runmeter-gps-running-cycling/id326498704?mt=8

 

[Bicycle808]

....it said that my average speed was 1342.7 miles an hour.

You are the MAN!!

 

[horsefarmer]

 

[us56456712]

My wife uses a free app called "runmeter" on her I phone. It makes a gps map of where you go and logs speed distance time and elevation.
We use it on both bikes and horses.
View attachment 38005
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/runmeter-gps-running-cycling/id326498704?mt=8

tooo complex

 

[us56456712]

I think they still make a mechanical odometer like you are showing.

If not here's an old one:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Dorcy-Bicycle-Mileage-Meter-Odometer-1-630-S36-New/222308157048?_trksid=p2047675.c100011.m1850&_trkparms=aid=222007&algo=SIC.MBE&ao=1&asc=39107&meid=25663e95304743c5ae8be032fa83545c&pid=100011&rk=1&rkt=1&sd=311722132958

It won't fit on my suspension fork. I clip stuff too so that would break off.

 

[Duchess]

You might want to try some other apps. I tried a couple and found several with the problems you mentioned. I'm not a training triathlete nor do I care to see how fast I am compared to the local Freds on $10k plastic bikes, I just wanted real time speed, average speed, distance, and elevation. I did find one, but the problem is that I used it a couple of times and forgot about it, then I had to delete it to save space (I have to take a lot of pictures at work), and now I don't remember what it was called!

 

[horsefarmer]

I don't understand what the problem is guys. My wife uses the Runmeter app on her I-Phone. She is NOT a techno-geek. She gets real time speed, average speed, distance, and elevation plus a map of the path ridden. It works awesome and is free.

 

[RustySprockets]

I prefer maps to apps, so I use this site to overlay my rides on Google Maps. I do not trust smartphones to do the job.

https://www.gmap-pedometer.com

 

[us56456712]

It worked on Friday. So one out of 3. Hopefully it was just a glitch with a new app starting up and the phone had to get used to it. My friend just put a new computer into his Porsche and he was told that the program and stuff had to talk to the other mechanical sensors for it to run right. It keeps running better and better but the new computer might still be learning as it misses at high RPM. What a world!

 

[LukeTheJoker]

It worked on Friday. So one out of 3. Hopefully it was just a glitch with a new app starting up and the phone had to get used to it. My friend just put a new computer into his Porsche and he was told that the program and stuff had to talk to the other mechanical sensors for it to run right. It keeps running better and better but the new computer might still be learning as it misses at high RPM. What a world!

My old man taught me how to tune carbs, I appreciate the efficiency and reliability of computers and injection for a daily driver, but if I ever really go crazy and build a dream car, it will run carburetors, preferably multiple Webers with trumpets for that awesome induction sound...

Luke.

 

[honestherman]

When I plan a route. I drive it first. I look at the odometer in the car. This tells me how far from point a to point b . It I make a round trip. I double it Etc Etc. Very simple for basic info. But when I ride. Most if the time I just take a break when I get tired. Also very basic info for my body . New York to Chicago--- Too far for a afternoon ride !

 

[us56456712]

Love Webers, old Stromberg 97s and 4 barrels. Strombergs are getting hard to find.

 

[LukeTheJoker]

They are remaking them:

http://www.stromberg-97.com/

Luke.

 

[Bigcam59]

I had Cycle computers on my mountain bikes way back when, they always seem to finicky and when they worked I ended up paying more attention to them then the actual ride. I don't bother with them anymore I just enjoy the ride and a matter how long or short it is.

 

[us56456712]

It works well enough for me now. I still have a few minor problems but I think it is me not knowing how to use this. My wife and I have the same app and on our last ride hers said we went 3.5 miles and mine said we went 3.66. Take it with a grain of salt but ball park is good enough for me.

 

[1oldbikelover]

I have burned out 3 handlebar mounted cyclometers with the magnetic sensor. They don't last long and tell you a lot of data I don't want so I finally bought my first cell phone. I don't know the number, who cares, if I want to know it I can call someone and they can tell me. My voice mail message is "don't leave a message caus I don't answer them". I bought it so I could tell how far I rode my bicycle. I got tired of driving my car on my routs to get the miles or asking someone in our riding group how far their app said we rode (every phone has a different answer). So after 3 frustrating hours where I tried and failed to get my new cell phone to load a riding app I turned it over to my son in law and he got Map My Ride installed in 20 minutes. Oh boy I thought. Ha! I took it to the Wednesday night ride and after four failed attempts to get Map My Ride to open I quit and rode without the dang phone. Of course when I returned from the ride it opened right away. Tonight on the Thursday night ride I got it to work but it said that my average speed was 1342.7 miles an hour. How can you believe any of the info these things are giving you? Calories burned is a joke, scientific tests prove they are way wrong. Why can't they make a simple electronic cyclometer app that just tells you how far you rode, not a bunch of flashing screens that tell you a bunch of stuff that is wrong and that I don't want to know? The best cyclometer I ever owned was a 1960s Lucas Cyclometer. Why can't they make an app that is as simple to use, load and as reliable as the Lucas? They throw in a bunch of junk screens because they can and to get more info than the competition. Way too complex. The only people who need to know their cadence, heart rate, climb, calories, split time, distance and a bunch of other data are pros and they have a team that tells them their status. The average Joe is enamored by all this junk info, I just want to know how far I rode. Too bad the Lucas Cyclometer is extinct. Ebay has them but they are no good for single track. It seems my new cell phone is a piece of high tech unreliable junk. From now on I will just make up in my head my riding distances, probably more accurate than my phone.
View attachment 37981

I've glad good luck with the map my fitness app while riding single track...I've also used Strava too

 

[us56456712]

So, I got the cell phone bike ride app working smoothly. Start it up, put it in the cell phone holder and at the end of the ride it gives you a pretty map with the time, distance and other screens you can swipe up. Today I though I would test it for accuracy. I rode it about 10 miles on the bike path, turned around and traced my ride back. I did this for 3 different segments for a total ride of over 57 miles. I never got the same result out and back and there was no traffic or lights. All riding was on a bike path or a rails to trails route and the phone is mounted on my handle bars with a store bought mount. On a 13 mile out, the return was .4 of a mile less. Should be within a few hundredths, after all it is GPS and we use this for surveying so it should give a better result. I still think the geeks are making a bunch of junk, give us lots of pretty screens with a lot of data. I guess they figure it's all about the display and the human interface and sending it to Facebook, accuracy is no a concern. Anyone else tried to measure an out and back to see if the phone app gives the same result? I might have gone 62 miles, assuming the longer distances were the accurate ones? My wife has the same app and her cell phone is always less then mine but I wanted to see if one phone would give consistent information and I could not get it to do that. Junk technology I say!

 

[us56456712]

I think I have the answer to the difference. Any time you go away from L. Superior it is a climb. I remember seeing my tracks in one gravel section as I returned and they were wobbling all over. Riding back I just flew in high gear. The 13 miles is all up hill with a climb of over 800 feet on the old RR grade. Other sections of my 57 mile ride had climbs, but not as much. It is amazing that wobbling over 13 miles could make a .4 mile difference but I think it did.