Coros Dura Initial Thoughts

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rivers

How far can I go?
Location
Bristol
After running the Dura for this week, I thought I would write up a little post on my initial thoughts. Overall, I like it, and it appears that Coros have addressed most of the initial shortcomings since it was introduced a couple of years ago.
I think the maps and navigation are really good. The most recent update has improved on most, if not all, of the complaints about the maps features. You can easily tell the difference between major roads (yellow), minor roads (white), shared paths (solid red), bridleways (thick dashed red), and footpaths (thin dashed red) on the maps. The maps are easily readable in bright sunlight. Turn by turn directions on a pre-planned route are fine, easy to follow, etc. I didn't use the re-routing feature, and to be honest, I never really used it on my bolt 2. More often than not, it got me turned around instead of getting me back on track. I always pulled over and took out my phone to look at off line maps to get back on route, and will continue to do the same.
There is only one bridleway locally that showed as a footpath, but my bolt also showed it as a footpath, so there is some incorrect data in the OSM base map they both use.
I found the maps on the screen a good size, better than my bolt 2, and the routing easier to follow on the dura. Though, if I was just recording a ride, and swapped over to the maps page, it did take about 10 seconds to load. Not a big deal for me.
The Dura seamlessly synced with my Komoot account, and all of my routes are available on the Coros app. If I want to use a particular route, you click "sync with device" and it adds it to the Dura in seconds. It can store up to 100 routes on the device itself.
It paired with my HRM and favero power pedals, and reads HR and power without issue.
The pages are highly customisable, and you can create a layout for each bike. My gravel bike displays HR, in addition to speed, distance and time on the main page, whereas my road bike displays power. There's about 5 or 6 pages you can customise and around 8 different layouts you can choose, with any number of customisable fields (HR, Power, speed, laps, training plan, gearing, music controls, etc).
Battery life is excellent. During my hour-ish commute, I used anything from 0.4-1.5% battery, depending on whether I was using navigation, switching through pages lots, changing music track, etc. Unfortunately for me, I didn't get to test the solar charging as I travel east in the morning and west in the evening on my commute, so the sun isn't in optimal position to hit the solar panel.
So far, I'm very happy with it, and will be testing the navigation and maps a bit more over the coming weeks.
 

blackrat

Senior Member
I bought one, didn't like it, returned it. One - and a major drawback for me - was the device had to be paired to a phone.
 
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rivers

rivers

How far can I go?
Location
Bristol
Is the Dura as easy to set up as the Wahoo? I use the Wahoo V1 and it is so user friendly.

Very similar. Scan the QR code, pair accessories, fiddle with screen layout, link with various other apps, etc. It took me a few minutes to work out where my Komoot routes were, but they're stored in a folder on the "Explore" page in the app.
 
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rivers

rivers

How far can I go?
Location
Bristol
I bought one, didn't like it, returned it. One - and a major drawback for me - was the device had to be paired to a phone.

No different than Wahoo in that respect to be honest. It only needs to be paired to your phone to sync a route and if you notifications from your phone or auto re-routing while you're riding. Neither of those I need, so I only need to connect to sync a route, and then I disconnect. And the device stores up to 100 routes on it, so if you don't want to use your phone on a trip, no need.
 

blackrat

Senior Member
No different than Wahoo in that respect to be honest. It only needs to be paired to your phone to sync a route and if you notifications from your phone or auto re-routing while you're riding. Neither of those I need, so I only need to connect to sync a route, and then I disconnect. And the device stores up to 100 routes on it, so if you don't want to use your phone on a trip, no need.

Am I correct in saying you have received benefits from the company?
 
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rivers

rivers

How far can I go?
Location
Bristol
Am I correct in saying you have received benefits from the company?

No you are not. I am not a sponsored rider by anyone (sadly) and I paid almost full price (less £10 from a special JE James was running). I am merely comparing it to my Bolt 2, which is also phone dependent for most things.
 

blackrat

Senior Member
No you are not. I am not a sponsored rider by anyone (sadly) and I paid almost full price (less £10 from a special JE James was running). I am merely comparing it to my Bolt 2, which is also phone dependent for most things.

Sorry, but I was wondering if you had used the device over some expedition as a test for Coros. I don't know anyone who has used it over a full tour, which would be helpful, since it's fairly new on the market. Experience with all the others are well reported. BTW, I used my Wahoo Element (before it failed) solely for miles ridden. Although I have now purchased a Garmin I still plan to use it for the same purpose.
I did like the screen on the Dura though.
 
I've had a Dura for about 1 year now and covered about 6000 miles incl a few weekend backpacking trips and a longer tour from Hook to Caen.

Cons:
- Using the map as a map (without a pre-planned route) isn't great, but I haven't tried with the latest update which sounds like it should improve things (like @rivers I usually use my phone)
- Using the map in a city is also not great because you can't see street names easily.
- Creating routes in the app: It comes up with very strange routes, so needs very close way points (I usually create routes on my laptop anyway but it is somewhat fiddly when out on the road)

Otherwise, setup, sync, daily usage and navigation are all fine as @rivers describes above.

Pros:
- Of course the battery - it feels like some sort of magic compared to other devices. I charged at Xmas and last week - that's it! And I only charged last week because I had it on my desk for an update anyway - it was still >30% charged after a long grey UK winter. Even on todays lunch ride (on a sunny but overcast day) the battery actually charged 0.2% on a 2h ride.
- Price! The reason I switched from Garmin...
- The knob! Much easier to use in winter with full finger gloves than a touch screen or small buttons.
- The app is pretty good for training stuff (good enough that I let my Strava premium expire)
 
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rivers

rivers

How far can I go?
Location
Bristol
Sorry, but I was wondering if you had used the device over some expedition as a test for Coros. I don't know anyone who has used it over a full tour, which would be helpful, since it's fairly new on the market. Experience with all the others are well reported. BTW, I used my Wahoo Element (before it failed) solely for miles ridden. Although I have now purchased a Garmin I still plan to use it for the same purpose.
I did like the screen on the Dura though.

I've had it for 5 days, so it's been mostly used for commuting. Luckily, for me, my commute can take in various surface/way types (major and minor roads, shared paths, and bridleways), so I could make a comment on how they were shown/differentiated on the current firmware update. From what I understand from reviews, that hasn't been the case. Both turn by turn directions and just following the route worked fine for me, and I could easily differentiate where I needed to go when at a crossroads with several intersecting roads/paths, all different ways types.
I'll be using it on a bikepacking trip next month, but until then, it will just be commuting and day rides.
 

blackrat

Senior Member
Have you made any attempt to import a routing app such as CycleTravel and if so, what were the results? Also, do you use RWGPS and if so have you imported a route?
I am a premium member of RWGPS and design all my routes on that, so what I am really looking for is a device which can EASILY import a RWGPS route then show me the route to follow without having to have an advanced degree is astrophysics or be an expert in coding.
Currently, I design my route on RWGPS, download the cue sheets and attach that to my handlebars to follow. To use a device I want it to be that easy. I use the Wahoo (or did before it failed) merely for the miles travelled.
 
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PaulSB

Squire
Have you made any attempt to import a routing app such as CycleTravel and if so, what were the results? Also, do you use RWGPS and if so have you imported a route?
I am a premium member of RWGPS and design all my routes on that, so what I am really looking for is a device which can EASILY import a RWGPS route then show me the route to follow without having to have an advanced degree is astrophysics or be an expert in coding.
Currently, I design my route on RWGPS, download the cue sheets and attach that to my handlebars to follow. To use a device I want it to be that easy. I use the Wahoo (or did before it failed) merely for the miles travelled.

I struggle to understand aspects of this post. You've previously owned a Wahoo which failed. Have you contacted Wahoo about this? A complete failure is rare. The Wahoo does everything you want.

I use a Wahoo, RWGPS Premium and plan my routes in RWGPS and follow these on the Wahoo screen. It's very simple to do.

In the Wahoo app go to Settings >Authorised Apps >select RWGPS and follow the onscreen instructions. This is a one off operation.

Any route you create in RWGPS will be available in the Wahoo app. Select the route and it will instantly load on to the device.

Alternatively on the device go to Routes >Sync and all your routes will load to the device. This needs to be done whenever a new route is created. Selecting routes on the device is fiddly but if one pins a route in RWGPS it will be in the "Starred" folder and easy to find.

Why only use the Wahoo to record miles? It has all the features you need.
 
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rivers

rivers

How far can I go?
Location
Bristol
Have you made any attempt to import a routing app such as CycleTravel and if so, what were the results? Also, do you use RWGPS and if so have you imported a route?
I am a premium member of RWGPS and design all my routes on that, so what I am really looking for is a device which can EASILY import a RWGPS route then show me the route to follow without having to have an advanced degree is astrophysics or be an expert in coding.
Currently, I design my route on RWGPS, download the cue sheets and attach that to my handlebars to follow. To use a device I want it to be that easy. I use the Wahoo (or did before it failed) merely for the miles travelled.
I use Komoot for route planning, and all of my routes from Komoot synced with the app. All 350+ of them. I really need to whittle those down.
So for test purposes, I created a route on cycle.travel using the browser on my phone. I then selected download for GPS, and clicked open with Coros. I then selected that it was a gravel ride and pressed save. It is now in my route library on the Coros app. It took a total of maybe 10 seconds.
Edited to add, it's the same for RWGPS. But you can link your account to Coros, pin a route, and it will show in the route library in the Coros app
 
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blackrat

Senior Member
You would be better off with an old school bike computer for that purpose. Battery life measured at over a year etc.

Yup, Cateye as a choice.
The thing is that I know all the routes I ride with no need for a routing device (all Audax has been with paper cue sheets) and it is only when I decide to ride unfamiliar territory that I consider designer another route. My use of RWGPS is only to check if a variation of my routes adds or subtracts the mileage.
But, I am going to ride LEL later in the year, so I think a computer device might be worth while. As said up stream, I had a Coros and returned it and now have a Garmin, so I will probably reluctantly have to allow myself to be dragged screaming into the 21st century of bike navigation.
Still investigating.
 
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