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Questions about using phone as GPS on bike

3K views 18 replies 14 participants last post by  RobbieAG 
#1 · (Edited)
I've used two different GSP models over the years on my bike.They both have had the same issue. A loose micro USB port causes them to erratically loose power and sometimes reboot. The vibration on the bike causes the USB cable to sometime loose contact which in turn causes them to either turn off or reboot.

As a work around I was wondering about using my Android cell phone with an inductive charging mount. Has anyone done this? What mount do you use??? What GPS software do you use??? I have an LG G3.
 
#7 ·
I use a cheapo Chinese GPS with Be-on-road software and an Android phone with Google Maps and "NavFree" as a backup.

Issues with the Android phone:

- Not water proof.
- GPS nav sucks battery. I don't know if you'll be able to keep it charged with the wireless charger.
- Unable to load GPX routes.

Advantages of the phone:
- Consant updates of the maps, it can alert of roadworks and select better options.
- When going trough a city it is traffic aware.
 
#8 ·
My issue with using my phone as a gps is that even plugged in, it discharges the battery faster than it can charge. I use my phone for local trips around town, but otherwise I use a Garmin Nuvi and have only had problems when I used a cheap, poorly made power outlet.
 
#10 ·
My issue with using my phone as a gps is that even plugged in, it discharges the battery faster than it can charge.
Maybe you're not using a sufficient USB adapter. What's the current rating of the one you're using? For me anyway running Waze meant greater charging needs than running google maps.

Advantage of a standalone GPS unit: maps are built in. You can turn it on and go, and if you're in the region it covers , you get a map. Do that with a phone running google maps or Waze and when you're out of cell range (data connection range), sooner or later you'll end up with a blank map. It might work if you've loaded a route in advance, but I often don't.

The advantage of Waze on the phone is you get real-time traffic and road hazard information, traffic-based route time estimates, etc. Maybe there are standalone units with this stuff too, but mine don't have it.
 
#9 ·
Of the nearly 100,000 miles I've ridden my three Vs over the years, ALMOST all were w/ a GPS, and I NEVER had a problem w/ the power wire coming loose (all Garmins - two 26xx, and two Nuvi 550s). I leave a small curve in it, and anchor the part BELOW the curve w/ a zip-tie.
 
#13 ·
hey man.
i have the iphone 6 plus and I use it all the time as a gps unit.
My phone lives in an otterbox defender case and i attach it to the bike with the ram mounts x grip. seated properly and after gluing the rubber tips to the mount, it is safe a secure at over 110mph.
I always run waze , as it tells me when cops are ahead and live real time traffic updates.
as far as power, i have a switched cable attached to the sae port i installed. more than enough power to completely charge my cewll while running gps, and music, and full brightness screen.
with your issue of cable vibrating, id suggest looping it in a circle right before the attachment to phone and ziptie it, to reduce stress at the connection point
 
#14 ·
oh ya for plug isue if its coming out on the divice end try getting a cable with a 90* or 180* end and tape the wire off to the device so it cant move (like a strain releaf you see on almost everything with a cord these days, if its on the usb plug side maybe try bending the metal frame of the USB cord end just a bit so it wedges on to the plug better
 
#16 · (Edited)
The issue is with the micro USB plug in the back of the GPS. As a short term fix I've taped the end of the micro USB plug in the GPS and it seems to work better that way although it is inconvenient to do this.

If I had my large screen phone back when I bought my GPS I think I would have just bought a good mount for my phone instead and used it as a GPS. Still the software on the Garmin is superior to what is available for the Android. Hopefully they will port some of the great proprietary GPS software out there to the Android OS and Apple OS in the future.
 
#17 ·
#18 ·
On long highway rides I may add a rubber band, for extra peace of mind. Works well and never had an issue though without it.
Make sure to take the rubber tips off when you first get it, fill with gorilla or super glue, and put back on the metal frame. Let it dry and you're good to go
 

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