Biking Apps

[CPalmatier]

Diggin' the new biking forum, the timing is excellent! I just picked up a mountain bike and I've been enjoying exploring the Schroon Lake area.

A buddy of mine who is WAY more into biking than I am turned me on to this app for tracking routes and training and the like. It's called Strava. There are iPhone and android apps, but I'm finding that the iPhone GPS data isn't particularly accurate, so I've been using my GPSmap 60CSx and uploading the data. The web site makes this pretty easy. The cool thing is that it will take your hiking data, too, although it reports as running (something I try hard not to ever do ). Here's a link to my most recent ride

http://app.strava.com/runs/schroon-l...0zOTk5MzQ%253D

[snav3]

That's a nice ride, don't have an iphone, or GPS though.

I've ridden through there on the east side of Schroon a couple times and did the loop once. A couple of real short, but very steep sections along there, if I remember correctly.

[CPalmatier]

Originally Posted by snav3

That's a nice ride, don't have an iphone, or GPS though.

I've ridden through there on the east side of Schroon a couple times and did the loop once. A couple of real short, but very steep sections along there, if I remember correctly.

Yes, a lot of up and down north of Adirondack with a couple of tough ones. Crane Pond Road into Crane Pond was a nice ride, too. The unmaintained dirt road has a challenging ford, but the water was low .

[Alpine1]

Garmin makes a pretty cool handle bar mount for the 60csx

[CPalmatier]

Originally Posted by Alpine1

Garmin makes a pretty cool handle bar mount for the 60csx

I've seen it, amazon has been suggesting it to me since I bought the car mount kit several years ago. It might finally be time to order it

[rdl]

I've been using MapMyRide on my iPhone. All road routes and the app has been very accurate so far. I hope to get out on the mountain bike soon so I'll have some feedback on how accurate the app is in the woods.

[CPalmatier]

Originally Posted by rdl

I've been using MapMyRide on my iPhone. All road routes and the app has been very accurate so far. I hope to get out on the mountain bike soon so I'll have some feedback on how accurate the app is in the woods.

I think it's the sampling rate that makes Strava inaccurate on my iPhone. On the ride around the lake I recorded the trip with both to compare the data. The difference was significant. The app also sucks the battery (probably the GPS use).

Strava has some automatic data upload features with the newer wristwatch sized running GPS units. The manual upload isn't that big of a deal, and I really like the data it provides.

[snickers]

Hey Chris,

I have a very similar ride around the lake that Brian and I want to try out soon.

Was your ride road and trail or all trail??

The ride description is 26.2 miles and all on paved roads.

I use my gps to track my rides, works for me, gives me the info I want, miles and elevation. I then keep a map of all my rides.

Here is the ride, Start in downtown Schroon, head North on Rt 9, turn R on alder Meadow Rd, turn R on East Shore Drive, turn R to continue on East Shore Drive, turn R on River Rd, turn R on Route 9, turn R on South Ave/Rt 9 back to start.

I am sure we will be starting/ending at Mr. P's for dinner.

Cindy

[Alpine1]

Originally Posted by snickers

I am sure we will be starting/ending at Mr. P's for dinner.
Cindy

24 hrs seems like a long time for that ride

[CPalmatier]

Originally Posted by snickers

Hey Chris,

I have a very similar ride around the lake that Brian and I want to try out soon.

Was your ride road and trail or all trail??

The ride description is 26.2 miles and all on paved roads.

I use my gps to track my rides, works for me, gives me the info I want, miles and elevation. I then keep a map of all my rides.

Here is the ride, Start in downtown Schroon, head North on Rt 9, turn R on alder Meadow Rd, turn R on East Shore Drive, turn R to continue on East Shore Drive, turn R on River Rd, turn R on Route 9, turn R on South Ave/Rt 9 back to start.

I am sure we will be starting/ending at Mr. P's for dinner.

Cindy

Hi Cindy, that's the same route I did, and it's all paved. Adirondack Road on the east side of the lake still has a bit of sand on the road that makes some of the curvy downhills a little tricky (they call me Cap'n Gravity ).

At the end of Alder Meadow Road where you stay right on Adirondack Road, you can go left on to Crane Pond Road and ride the unmaintained dirt road all the way into Crane Pond. That's a nice ride, too. Both rides should show up here: http://app.strava.com/athletes/399934. You can see the profile, too

BTW, the parking lot across the street from me (by Grand Union) is a great start/stop point

[WinterWarlock]

I use my same Garmin 60CSx when riding, but it goes in my saddle bag....then I download the track to MapMyRide. Was thinking about trying Strava, but just haven't yet.

[CPalmatier]

Originally Posted by WinterWarlock

I use my same Garmin 60CSx when riding, but it goes in my saddle bag....then I download the track to MapMyRide. Was thinking about trying Strava, but just haven't yet.

I only take mine out of my pocked to check the stats, but I did order the bike handlebar mount. I'm going to have to look at MapMyRide, I hadn't heard of it before this thread.

[WinterWarlock]

Originally Posted by CPalmatier

I only take mine out of my pocked to check the stats, but I did order the bike handlebar mount. I'm going to have to look at MapMyRide, I hadn't heard of it before this thread.

I tried the handlebar mount, and it wanted to mount it sideways, which didn't make sense...I guess if I put it on the stem it would work.

[Alpine1]

Originally Posted by WinterWarlock

I tried the handlebar mount, and it wanted to mount it sideways, which didn't make sense...I guess if I put it on the stem it would work.

Interesting, the one I use mounts to the handlebar and puts the GPS in a user friendly position. I think the one I linked above would do the same. Maybe they have changed design since I bought mine about 10 yrs ago.

[CPalmatier]

Originally Posted by Alpine1

Interesting, the one I use mounts to the handlebar and puts the GPS in a user friendly position. I think the one I linked above would do the same. Maybe they have changed design since I bought mine about 10 yrs ago.

I ended up getting this one directly from garmin, and picked up a carabiner clip and belt clip while I was there . Looks like it should mount on the bar like yours. I'll let you know, it should be here in a week.

[Alpine1]

Originally Posted by CPalmatier

I ended up getting this one directly from garmin, and picked up a carabiner clip and belt clip while I was there . Looks like it should mount on the bar like yours. I'll let you know, it should be here in a week.

Looks like the animal
As with hiking the data a GPS keeps while riding is kinda nice.
When I use to ride a lot harder we'd plan trips some distance from home. I would load a route into the GPS for back up as some of the remote dirt roads in the Tug Hill Plateau did not have road signs (The locals take them down, or turn them) so knowing which direction to head was at a premium, or you might spend an hour backtracking. Carrying a paper map also proved valuable on several occasions