Building up to long distance

[vickster]

My battery on a 5s probably lasts around 4 hours running strava (and not fiddling with the Internet at coffee stops). £20 buys a back up battery though

Garmin 800/touring, costs about £200-250 with mapping, lasts 8 hours...if you are getting grief for already spending £500 on bike stuff, another £250 may be hard to sneak past SWMBO

 

[mythste]

About 50 mins give or take 5 min

Seems like a gps is a good way to go in the future! Will definitely invest in one.

Do you have a semi decent mobile phone? something like a quadlock mount will set you back £40 and might be a good alternative until you work out if a GPS unit is a necessary expense.

 

[ColinJ]

Or buy a simple Garmin Etrex on eBay. Battery life (2 * AA) about 24 hours. Often available for £40-80. Add £10 for a handlebar mount. (Do your route planning at home and just follow the line on the GPS screen without bothering about maps. If you are desperate for maps, have them on your phone for backup.)

 

[jefmcg]

You'll get plenty of battery life for a 40 mile ride, though an external battery is a good investment generally for a smart phone owner.

If you want to put it on your handlebar, one of these should work fine. http://www.evanscycles.com/products/topeak/iphone-5-drybag-ec049294

All cycle route websites allow you to download the route as a GPX. Here's a video on getting those files onto your phone (I'm an android user, so can't give personal recommendations)


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIgFeJcwTvY

 

[snorri]

Why bother, (with maps)in this day and age unless you're bear grylls there's usually a signal of some sort when you're Road riding.

Quoted from a post in another thread a couple of days ago......
As I travelled up this road, and up, and up further, I began to realise my situation had deteriorated rapidly. The light was still ok but not great, I had no food (although the roast beef dinner I ate tonight could probably fuel me to Manchester) and I began to realise I had absolutely no clue where I was! My phone inexplicably reduced to 14% power and had no signal for Google Maps to work.
I was 12 miles in, and didn't have another 12 miles in me to go back the way. So on I ploughed.
As I realised I was in the middle of a wilderness at roughly 9.45 at night with no lights and the temperature dropping, I suddenly began to picture the headlines: 'Naive, overweight and sweaty dies from exposure 10 miles from home' I began to panic. I couldn't phone my wife as I had no signal and even if I did had no clue where I was and she'd have to get the 3 kids out of bed and come looking for me.

 

[w00hoo_kent]

Does this have a happy ending, or did you die?

 

[snorri]

Does this have a happy ending, or did you die?

If you were responding to my post, I've now edited it, anyway isn't it more intriguing not to know?

 

[vickster]

If you were responding to my post, I've now edited it, anyway isn't it more intriguing not to know?

Eeek now I believe in ghosties and ghoulies posting on haunted CC from beyond the grave (that's ghoulies btw)..

It does sound like you may have been lost in central Croydon too

 

[Simontm]

Eeek now I believe in ghosties and ghoulies posting on haunted CC from beyond the grave (that's ghoulies btw)..

It does sound like you may have been lost in central Croydon too

I'll keep an eye out when I leave work...

 

[vickster]

@gazza81 This route might be of interest once you've upped the mileage a bit, out of Sutton...

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/640464988

They had some more, ahem challenging options too http://www.pearsoncycles.co.uk/pearson150sportive

 

[Cuchilo]

Does mapmyride give you a map to follow on the iphone 5 ? Or is it better to use ride with gps ?

 

[gazza81]

@gazza81 This route might be of interest once you've upped the mileage a bit, out of Sutton...

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/640464988

They had some more, ahem challenging options too http://www.pearsoncycles.co.uk/pearson150sportive

Cheers, ive mapped out a 15 mile route im gonna do tomo with hills etc im not going to do the usual break in the middle and see how i get on!
Will be my first ride on a road bike!

 

[gazza81]

Must admit i feel like a right wally in a helmet tho!

 

[vickster]

Must admit i feel like a right wally in a helmet tho!

No one says you have to wear one, it's your choice (unless doing an organised sportive or race where it is one of the conditions of participation)

 

[gazza81]

No one says you have to wear one, it's your choice (unless doing an organised sportive or race where it is one of the conditions of participation)

Some of the speed you can get up to on them bikes i think id rather feel like a wally but have some head left if i do come off!