In order to save buying a dedicated unit I'm using my iPhone as the core GPS and mapping gizmo. It also records my heart rate and pedalling cadence. However, the screen is hard to see and operate on the move, so it's paired up with a Wahoo RFLKT that shows useful info and pops up navigational prompts from the app on the phone. There's also a Bluetooth heart rate chest strap and a speed/cadence sensor linked to the phone.
Because no single app does everything, I'm using RideWithGPS for route planning and navigation and Pocket Earth for high quality pre-loaded maps. RWG is ok, a bit slow and seems to lose contact with the sensors but maybe I'll crack that in time.
PE is great for working out what to do when we get lost, and has handy points of interest for many places. The best data logging app is Wahoo's own, but that doesn't show real time maps or do navigation, and switching between apps seems to mess up the GPS usage so I have stopped using it for now.
Making sure I don't lose power to all this is the 10AHr battery, which can be plugged into the iPhone in its waterproof case when the battery gets flat. It's enough to run things for 4 days!
Update: I'm using RWG with the iPhone screen on all the time, since the battery pack allows this. This really helps navigating through towns!!
I've yet to bring the GoPro into play will try it out on its headstrap soon. That will use the GoPro iPhone app to permit pic down load and function selection. I'm thinking of single shots at 30 sec intervals rather than video! Too boring otherwise.
Update: I tried using the GoPro on a couple of days, in Scotland. The first day I took some video with it, which worked ok, but I didn't tilt it back enough to see ahead well enough, so lots of low-level shots :-s. The next day I tried taking pictures, but I don't think I'd charged it properly, because I managed to take one and then the battery went flat! The video is cool though, it captures the atmosphere of the ride well.
Update: I tried using the GoPro on a couple of days, in Scotland. The first day I took some video with it, which worked ok, but I didn't tilt it back enough to see ahead well enough, so lots of low-level shots :-s. The next day I tried taking pictures, but I don't think I'd charged it properly, because I managed to take one and then the battery went flat! The video is cool though, it captures the atmosphere of the ride well.
We are also using two different dedicated Garmin devices, with Bill and Ish - it's great to have multiple views of a route as they all have different interpretations and cross-checking on tricky lanes helps a lot. Plus we all get involved which is good - responsibility shared when we get lost!
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