strava vs new computer?
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strava vs new computer?
Postby Waldo » Mon Jan 09, 2023 9:04 am
After a year or 5 (or more?) of spending my cycling on the trainer in the shed for various reasons (some beyond my control) I have ventured out into the wide world once again.
Have been running a Bryton Rider 30 which has done the basics just fine with HRM and cadence but the HRM has been a bit iffy for a while and now the strap is buggered so have been pondering either:
a) grabbing a new HRM to pair with the old Bryton.
b) grabbing a complete new computer with HRM and cadence.
c) grabbing a new HRM and paring with Strava on the phone.
Only downside with the strava option is from my googling while strava pairs with HRM it doesn't currently pair with cadence but I could run my old Bryton just for the cadence?
Am I missing anything by running the strava and not going with a dedicated cycling computer upsec'd from my old Bryton which is probably due given its age to die anyway?
Cheers.
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Re: strava vs new computer?
Postby Andy01 » Mon Jan 09, 2023 9:51 am
The Rider 30 is a pretty old computer, so it has done well. If it is still working fine and reliable enough, and has enough display fields / larger enough screen etc, keep using it.Waldo wrote: ↑Mon Jan 09, 2023 9:04 amHi All,
After a year or 5 (or more?) of spending my cycling on the trainer in the shed for various reasons (some beyond my control) I have ventured out into the wide world once again.
Have been running a Bryton Rider 30 which has done the basics just fine with HRM and cadence but the HRM has been a bit iffy for a while and now the strap is buggered so have been pondering either:
a) grabbing a new HRM to pair with the old Bryton.
b) grabbing a complete new computer with HRM and cadence.
c) grabbing a new HRM and paring with Strava on the phone.
Only downside with the strava option is from my googling while strava pairs with HRM it doesn't currently pair with cadence but I could run my old Bryton just for the cadence?
Am I missing anything by running the strava and not going with a dedicated cycling computer upsec'd from my old Bryton which is probably due given its age to die anyway?
Cheers.
Have you considered a armband style optical HRM ? I have been using Polar OH1+ and Polar Sense HRMs (wife & myself) for nearly 3 years now, and while there has been a couple of issues with them (randomly staying at a low rate for the first 90 seconds or so of the ride and then increasing to what it should read - no idea why, doesn't always do it), nothing major. For cycling they are plenty responsive/accurate enough, and more comfortable to wear than a chest strap. I think they cost around $130 now (less on sale or eBay deal).
I have used Brytons for a few years now (Rider 10, then 410, and for the wife, second hand 330, and new 420) - I find that they are reliable, pair with anything easily, and just work. The app has just been updated significantly and seems better than before. Skip the basic ones (15 I think) - the lowest I would go for now is the 320, or probably 420 because it has a bigger screen with more fields (up to per page (I usually run 7 on my 410, and my wife runs 5 on her 420 - speed at the top by itself so it is easy to read).
Sometimes you can get a good deal on a complete kit (computer + cadence + HRM), but often the sales are just on the basic computer only kits. As above, it depends on whether you want the chest type HRM or armband style.
I have bought a couple of Magene cadence/speed sensors and they work well. Cost about $30 on eBay.
I have not used Strava but I do use the Wahoo app on my iPhone X with a Magene cadence sensor on my old exercise bike and it works OK. It was the only app I found that could pair with a cadence & HRM sensor - the Polar Flow app reads HRM, but not cadence. There was someone on here who was going to try the Wahoo app on a road bike instead of a bike computer, but I don't remember seeing any feedback as to whether it worked or not ?
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Re: strava vs new computer?
Postby Waldo » Mon Jan 09, 2023 10:29 am
No I hadn't considered the armband style HRM but after having a quick google will certainly consider them, pricewise they are quite reasonable too.
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Re: strava vs new computer?
Postby warthog1 » Mon Jan 09, 2023 10:41 am
It will also chew the phone battery at a rapid rate if you plan on using it as a display.
Nobody I know who cycles regularly uses a phone as a bike computer. Not that I've seen anyway.
Garmin, wahoo, bryton and others make various computers that are designed with cycling as the purpose use.
Hunt around online and uou should be able to get one for a very reasonable price.
With respect to HR, I just use a giant brand chest monitor and an ebay strap (thanks Tim ). Very reliable over thousands of hours. I just lick the plastic contacts before I put it on. Has worked faultlessly
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Re: strava vs new computer?
Postby g-boaf » Mon Jan 09, 2023 11:10 am
It isn’t cheap but it does what is claimed.
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Re: strava vs new computer?
Postby trailgumby » Mon Jan 09, 2023 1:20 pm
It is fully sealed with no external openings, and has an internal rechargeable battery. It charges by sitting on a magnetic cradle, and does not require the user to open a rubber seal and insert a charge lead, so that's a significant source of damp ingress eliminated.
Due to being less sweaty and having better evaporation, I expect it will last a decent amount of time before the battery reaches end of life. It only needs charging once every few weeks based on my 10-12 hours a week riding and training. So if the battery is good for 300 cycles, that's 5 to 10 years.
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Re: strava vs new computer?
Postby warthog1 » Mon Jan 09, 2023 2:20 pm
Ditto.
I recently got a 1030+ off ebay which is a refurbished unit with warranty.
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/16530912383 ... media=COPY
Excellent battery life, 10 parameters displayed on the screen, great mapping for gravel. Very happy.
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Re: strava vs new computer?
Postby Waldo » Mon Jan 09, 2023 4:34 pm
At this stage leaning towards getting one of the above then replacing the old Bryton when it dies.
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Re: strava vs new computer?
Postby Mr Purple » Mon Jan 09, 2023 4:52 pm
No, it's optical so uses a light to measure the pulse. I've had fewer issues with the optical HRM than I did with the chest one.
The strap does get mighty stinky, but you can just stick it in the wash. The only issue I found was in winter they're not exactly compatible with arm sleeves (which only applies for about three days a year in Brisbane).
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Re: strava vs new computer?
Postby trailgumby » Mon Jan 09, 2023 6:50 pm
No issues for me at all with the Tickr Fit, except for forgetting to turn it on sometimes at the start of the ride.
Then I turn it on and thumb through the menu on the first climb to pick it up. It helps that my Garmin 830 has the capacity to assign names to devices rather than having to remember ID numbers.
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Re: strava vs new computer?
Postby Andy01 » Mon Jan 09, 2023 6:55 pm
The only thing I would be concerned about with sunscreen is that it is awful stuff when you get it on plastic. Many years ago I lost the plastic coating on my (then) Rav4 manual's gearknob - the silver coating just peeled off. Toyota replaced the knob under warranty, and some time later I put a bit of effort in trying to find out what caused it - narrowed it down to a "beachy" weekend in Byron Bay where I was using sunscreen a lot. Several people on the camera forum I visit have complained about a similar thing on camera gear after using sunscreen. I have no idea if sunscreen would damage the printing etc on the HRM, but it might - probably wouldn't stop it working, but it could affect it cosmetically.
The other thing that is really bad for plastics is the DEET in insect repellents.
The Polar Sense (and older OH1+) are both 100% submersible as they are designed for clipping to swimming google straps - completely sealed.
I have forgotten to turn on my Polar but that probably applies with any HRM, chest or arm. My Brytons automatically pick it up as soon as it is turned on (no need for menus), so if I notice it is not reading heart rate, a quick button press on the Polar and it connects and records (on the Bryton) the rest of the ride.
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Re: strava vs new computer?
Postby Waldo » Tue Jan 10, 2023 9:22 am
I'll play around with it later on but looks like it may be terminal.
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Re: strava vs new computer?
Postby Andy01 » Tue Jan 10, 2023 9:49 am
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Re: strava vs new computer?
Postby Waldo » Tue Jan 10, 2023 10:42 am
This morning when I jumped on the unit was recognizing the sensor when I rescanned it but gave no readings, just checked it again and the unit would not find the sensor. Pulled the battery out, cleaned it a bit and it is now recognizing and reading it so all good there
Strangely enough pulled the battery out of the HRM and man it was a bit yucky in there, I'll check the shops downtown today and see if anyone has either the Polar Verity or Wahoo TickrFit in stock to grab
Oh yeah, I'll grab some spare batteries for the cadence sensor too
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Re: strava vs new computer?
Postby Waldo » Tue Jan 10, 2023 3:42 pm
The old Bryton can serve the purpose till it eventually dies, then I may look at the various options available then.
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Re: strava vs new computer?
Postby Retrobyte » Wed Jan 11, 2023 10:22 am
I have a Tickr arm HRM as well - I am very happy with it for the same reasons you mention.trailgumby wrote: ↑Mon Jan 09, 2023 1:20 pmI have a Garmin 830 and I'm using the Wahoo Tickr optical HRM on my arm. After having too many chest-mounted units fail due to salty perspiration either finding its way in or corroding the press-stud contacts, I'm really liking the arm-mounted unit.
It is fully sealed with no external openings, and has an internal rechargeable battery. It charges by sitting on a magnetic cradle, and does not require the user to open a rubber seal and insert a charge lead, so that's a significant source of damp ingress eliminated.
Due to being less sweaty and having better evaporation, I expect it will last a decent amount of time before the battery reaches end of life. It only needs charging once every few weeks based on my 10-12 hours a week riding and training. So if the battery is good for 300 cycles, that's 5 to 10 years.
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Re: strava vs new computer?
Postby Retrobyte » Wed Jan 11, 2023 10:24 am
The Wahoo Bolt also picks up the HRM automatically once the HRM is turned onAndy01 wrote: ↑Mon Jan 09, 2023 6:55 pmI have forgotten to turn on my Polar but that probably applies with any HRM, chest or arm. My Brytons automatically pick it up as soon as it is turned on (no need for menus), so if I notice it is not reading heart rate, a quick button press on the Polar and it connects and records (on the Bryton) the rest of the ride.
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Re: strava vs new computer?
Postby blizzard » Wed Jan 11, 2023 2:13 pm
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Re: strava vs new computer?
Postby Mububban » Fri Jan 13, 2023 12:54 pm
I found connecting it to a powerbank stored in a top tube bag solved the battery drain problem, as it only drawing a trickle from the powerbank vs cooking the internal battery, it didn't overheat. However the glare from the screen made it hard to read.
I bought a Wahoo Elemnt Bolt and have been very happy with it. Never overheats, the matt screen doesn't suffer from glare and battery life is longer than my body could ride in one day Good for navigation when paired with the phone app too.
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Re: strava vs new computer?
Postby Waldo » Fri Jan 13, 2023 5:40 pm
Cadence sensor was playing up so changed the battery and it came back but then no cadence again last night on trainer, time for a new cadence sensor now.
This thing is gradually becoming like grandads old axe . When the Bryton fails which seems inevitable (given its age) I'll get a new computer that will link with a varia or similar, not sure what that will be but I'll keep an eye out for specials in the interim.
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Re: strava vs new computer?
Postby gregausit » Wed Jan 18, 2023 10:46 pm
I like phones, cause they can do many things, anyway, I have power banks too & now ebike, it has USB out, so can run 2 or 3 phones if I want, I use 2.
Have a few fitbits between us, have strava and other apps like map my ride etc, anyway with fitbit and strava etc, you can share the fitbit data, it suits people like me who will never compete or train & none of these things existed when I did race bikes
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Re: strava vs new computer?
Postby john_most03 » Sat Jan 28, 2023 9:45 am
I'm new here.
Just got back into cycling after a 15 year hiatus.
Just bought a Specialized Rockhopper Sport 29 mountain bike...
I also bought a XOSS Azur bike computer, which is the cheapest one they had at 99 Bikes, because I was looking for something really simple..
It's surprisingly good for the $75 I paid for it...
It can be linked to ANT+ sensors...
It has a number of different "GPS" systems built in...like the Russian GLONASS, the Chinese one, etc..
Here is the link: https://www.99bikes.com.au/azur-commute ... e-computer
It links to a mobile app via Bluetooth and can automatically push your rides onto Strava...
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Re: strava vs new computer?
Postby Andy01 » Mon Feb 12, 2024 10:19 am
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