Navigating your rides

[Peter B]

Originally Posted by Tandem Rider

Whatever happened to living with a little adventure? Just go. Get on some new roads, get lost, find your way back, get caught out by weather. It's not necessary to know every bump in the road in advance to have a great ride. Trust yourself.

This. I prefer dead reckoning, trial and error and the serendipity that accompanies a sense of adventure.

[weisan]

The last time I had to navigate on a ride was like maybe 10 years ago....I always ride with a pal who does the navigating while I just concentrate on riding.

I understand this may not work for everyone but that's how I roll.

[unterhausen]

I like to use the CSPS -- cue sheet positioning system. But I have a Garmin 800 gps that works really well most of the time. Tempted to get the new smaller Wahoo Elemnt Bolt. If I knew I could recharge it while navigating, it would be even more tempting.

I used to go out and just explore. Didn't always work out too well. You can easily end up in a place that requires long backtracking or unsafe roads. So if I don't know the roads, I like to map out a route and keep on it, and a GPS makes a lot of sense for that.

[Peter B]

Originally Posted by unterhausen

<snip>

Tempted to get the new smaller Wahoo Elemnt Bolt. If I knew I could recharge it while navigating, it would be even more tempting.

Dynohub + e-Werk. Effective, but not cheap.

[Pastashop]

Originally Posted by Peter B

This. I prefer dead reckoning, trial and error and the serendipity that accompanies a sense of adventure.

I was just discussing this with someone...

my issue now is a host of work and family obligations that limit my riding time. If I budget 2 or 3 hours for a ride on a weekend, but get lost and come home an hour late, family life is impacted in a bad way. So, the dilemma is finding new and interesting roads to ride, but also being able to figure out how much time the route will take.

Right now my choices would be:
1. A printed map in a map case on the bars
2. A bar mount for the iPhone + Strava or similar
3. Wahoo Elemnt or similar

Thoughts?..

[trener1]

Yeah indeed, I am with you.
With 2 little kids at home, I want to make every minute of my ride time count.

I'd say go with that Garmin Touring for $187 posted earlier in the thread and you will be happy.
To me the risk of the phone falling off the bar or the battery being dead when I need it in an emergency is well worth the few dollars for dedicated GPS, and at the price it's a no brainer.