- Bike computers have become so much
slicker over the last few years
and they got loads of functionality now.
Things from, obviously, being able to track your ride
to finding new trails and loads of
other stuff that we'll go in to.
So this is how to get the best
from your GPS bike computer.
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Garmin are a partner here at GMBN
so I'll be using their devices
for this video but these tips
should work on any brand of device
or most of them at least.
So let's start off with usability.
Things have improved so much here.
Gone are the days of having to move your device
from your handlebars, and having to
physically plug it in with a USB to your computer.
Literally a few seconds after I press stop on this computer,
it syncs over to my app on my phone
and then it goes over to other apps I use as well
like, Commute, Strava, whatever.
Pretty much all these devices now will sync wirelessly.
The same goes for pre-ride stuff.
I can sit at home in front of my computer
with a nice cup of coffee in the warm
where there's no midgies, plan my route,
press save and as if by magic
it wirelessly syncs over and is
sat there on my computer ready to go.
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You want to find somewhere good
to mount your computer, especially if you're
using it for navigation so you can
just check the screen all the time.
You do see some people put it on the top tube,
using a bit of foam tape, 3M tape or something.
I'd rather keep it, sort of, bolted on somehow,
so I've got this Garmin mountain bike mount
which is nice because it makes your computer
sit right above the stem, super neat.
There are other options which I'll show you,
out my pocket.
So after market things like Nukeproof make this top cap.
So that actually just replaces your headset top cap.
That's pretty neat.
Computer goes on top of there.
Or Garmin have these other mounts,
most computers will have them as well,
that sits up on your bar and gets,
uses on of those sort of rubber O rings.
So that's really secure on the bar as well.
One thing to think about is if
your likely fall off the bike if
you're putting it on like a race bike,
an enduro bike, maybe tuck it somewhere
so it isn't going to get smashed.
I also like to use these sort of leashes.
So tie that, well you know, thread it round there,
through there, stick it on the mount,
so I know that if I smack that at all
I'm never going to lose it, it's just
going to be attached to my bike.
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Before you buy your device, it's worth thinking about
what size head unit you want from
different size screens to batteries, things like that.
So here's a range, I've got the Garmin,
the 130, that's tiny, super compact.
You see some of their enduro team using that.
So lightweight, really doesn't get
in the way of anything of course.
830 I've got on my bars and there's
the 1030, the really big one.
You've got a really good screen on that,
colorful, you can have loads of information
on there so great for doing epic rides.
That's one that I use for big days out,
off on road bikes, things like that.
Also you've got a bigger battery in there
so it just lasts longer.
Alternatively you can go super lightweight
and use a fitness tracking watch.
I've got the Garmin Fenix which
has got loads of advanced stuff as well.
So it'll do the normal fitness tracking stuff
like steps, calories, you know, gym work.
But it's got cycling and mountain biking
functions on there so I can even
load Komoot up, follow routes on this.
But the great thing about this
is using it for things like downhill
or enduro if I'm trying to record times or rides.
'Cause it's on my wrist it's there all the time.
It's also nice and safe up there,
it's not likely to get smashed if I have a massive crash.
It feels like it's tucked away a little bit
and definitely on a downhill bike I think I'd
way rather have this than have a computer on my bars.
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Some devices you'll be able to customize as well.
So, Garmin have the IQ feature so you
can download apps to your computer
just to have things on there.
So, I've got commute on there,
so it's a mapping and navigation app.
So I can set up my route on my computer if I want.
Send it over, sync straight to my computer.
Also Strava is on there, so if you
want to compare yourself to other riders.
Also Trailforks is preloaded on my Garmin 830.
So if you want to find some good trails
maybe somewhere you've never been before
you can, sort of, customize your device to help you out.
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You can also then start digging in
to the actual set up of your computer
and working out what data you want on the screen.
I like to keep it fairly minimum
and, sort of, group them together.
So I've actually got five screens I can swipe through.
The first one is my, sort of, data.
So I've got my distance, time of day,
the timer, so how long you've been
going on the ride, total ascent and max speed.
I don't normally have max speed actually
I normally have my elevation.
So you can then swipe through.
And then I've got my map screen.
So if I'm riding using navigation
that's probably the one I'll use most the time.
Then I've got my elevation grade.
You know you see you've got the graph
of how high you are and what you've been doing.
That also has a little compass and my elevation on there.
Swipe again I've got a compass.
Swipe again and I've got a heart rate and also a graph.
I don't probably use that one very often to be honest.
And you can get rid or add those as you wish.
So all devices you'll be able to set them up like this.
Nice thing about Garmins, if I want to change
one of the data fields, so if I want to
get rid of max speed, change it for something else,
I just hold my finger on there
then it pops up with all the options.
Got all sorts in there, navigation, graphs,
cadence, heart rate, power.
So I'll change it back to my elevation.
Also you can have different activities
that come with their own data screens and information.
So that was my mountain bike one.
Got the option for E mountain bike, indoor.
So if I'm using it on a turbo trainer,
obviously then it can turn off all the
GPS facilities so it just saves battery
and stuff I don't need.
You can also set up custom ones if you want.
And have different data screens on there.
So it makes it super simple,
you can choose what you're doing.
And it gives you all the information
you need and nothing you don't.
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I've already talked about using
Commute to plan rides, for navigation.
But all good GPS devices will probably have their
own software or third party software.
You can get on there, start experimenting,
planning your rides and then sending them over.
And obviously it's much easier
just to follow that route with prompts
on your computer than doing the old school way
with a map in your backpack and a compass
and stopping every 20 minutes to do it.
I've actually found Komoot really good for
finding new places to go and ride.
And also doing those big rides.
Or otherwise you'd be stopping all the time
and worrying about getting lost.
Plus I find actually the really fun part
is sitting on my computer and
just dreaming up a ride, sticking it on there
and then putting a date in the diary to go and do it.
Some computers, like this 830 here,
have the ability to make a course on them.
Not all devices will have that
sort of map data on there but this one does.
Plus you've also got Trailforks
which is great for getting in,
come somewhere new like this, in Fort William,
I don't know these woods that well,
get in to Trailforks and you'll be able
to check out the routes in these woods,
also check their condition.
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The GPS functions of your computer
are going to track you and show you where to go
but for fitness purposes it might be good to
hook up some sensors to work with your computer.
So a heart rate monitor is going to
connect wirelessly and give you that data on the screen.
Or actually your watch, some watches,
like the Garmin Fenix, have that inbuilt
on there as well so it's reading my heart rate right now.
What is it?
75, racing away.
Something like a speed sensor.
SO your GPS will give you a pretty accurate idea
but you can mount something on to your hub
that's going to spin round and whilst you're riding
along it'll give you a super accurate speed.
Cadence sensors that can go on your crank
are good for fitness purposes.
Or even a power meter will use amp plus technology
to hook up wirelessly to your device.
Some devices will have safety and
tracking software on there.
So this Garmin comes with that incident detection.
So it uses it's sensors inside,
so accelerometers, things like that.
And it will work out if you've
fallen off your bike, it will then send
a message to your emergency contact.
Or it will go to your phone, and
basically, set off a little alarm on there.
And it gives you a time limit to
just disable that so, you know, you're OK.
Otherwise it will get in touch with
your emergency contact, so it could save your life.
Also you've got group track on there
so you can see, basically, where
your connections are on the map.
So if you go for a ride with some other people
you can see, maybe, how far behind they are.
You can use most bike computers
to help evaluate your training
either by sending the data to software,
something like Training Peaks where
you can really dig in to the data.
Or even get a personal trainer to
send you your training plan to that computer to follow.
I actually quite like looking at my Garmin Connect
so I can see how many miles, how many hours I've
done that week, but also my training status,
to see if I've improving or maybe I even need some rest.
Also setting goals can be really good.
Use the software to keep yourself accountable.
Now you can set things like a certain amount of hours,
or a certain amount of miles per week.
Or you could join a challenge, so a
certain amount of steps, or something like that.
I know Strava do these quite often.
So it's really good to use a bit of fun to help get you fit.
Garmin's also got a bike alarm so you can set that.
Of course this isn't as safe as locking it up properly
but basically you set it with a pass code,
get a little bit of a count down to park your bike up,
and then if anyone starts moving your bike
or rides off on it, it's starts to set an alarm off
on the head unit, but also send an alert to your phone
so that you know your bike's moving.
So there's a few tips on how to get the most
from your GPS bike computer.
It's probably worth digging in to the manual as well
and looking at the support section online
on the website for the device you've got,
you might find something else out.
If you want to see a couple of videos where
we use our Garmin devices.
Over there for the flow, me versus Blake,
where we use that feature, see who's
got the most flow and how you can improve that.
Also up there how to plan a ride using Commute
and then you can send over to a device
and find some new trails hopefully.
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