I've been using Garmin GPS since the beginning and they've been OK.

That is until I've taken to remotely powering them. I've had a dakota and 2 oregons fail at the port.

So, does anyone have any experience of Wahoo, Hammerhead etc.

Must have decent size screen and can be externally powered.

Thanks!

One pricy (garmin) way would be to use a 1030/830 with the external battery pack and charge a spare external pack with the dynamo in the relative safety of your frame bag

I had 6 Garmin on the trot, and between the issues with software glitches and battery life fading, i purchased a Wahoo Element before Torino-Nice and have since upgraded to the new Roam model.

You don't get fancy colour screen, or every training metric under the sun, nor do you get full OS mapping etc, but i found garmin really frustrating, great hardware and computer, but often terrible software.

The best thing about the Wahoo is that it simply works and will still be working in 14 hours time, you can link RWGPS, Strava, Komoot apps to the Wahoo one, plan a route in any of them and it will be there in the Wahoo app, and then on head unit, finish a ride and it will automatically upload the data to all the linked apps.

So i guess it is a case of what you want from it, if it is just to record data and to plan/ navigate routes reliably then i'd recommend Wahoo, if you need every training metric and need to the VO2 max of your left big toe, then top end Garmin..

The bouncing off road won't help with the port and plug. Were you using 90 degree plugs to help?

The Oregon is used on motorcycles (I have on mine, though powered only by AAs), not sure if they use a special mount for the cable as well. The Montana is particularly popular on off road long distance motorcycle trips but it's in a harness that will protect the whole set up from wear on that weak point

One pricy (garmin) way would be to use a 1030/830 with the external battery pack and charge a spare external pack with the dynamo in the relative safety of your frame bag

Out of my budget.

The best thing about the Wahoo is that it simply works and will still be working in 14 hours time, you can link RWGPS, Strava, Komoot apps to the Wahoo one, plan a route in any of them and it will be there in the Wahoo app, and then on head unit, finish a ride and it will automatically upload the data to all the linked apps.

So i guess it is a case of what you want from it, if it is just to record data and to plan/ navigate routes reliably then i'd recommend Wahoo, if you need every training metric and need to the VO2 max of your left big toe, then top end Garmin..

Sounds good!

The bouncing off road won't help with the port and plug. Were you using 90 degree plugs to help?

Yep a 90 degree plug, which in the latest failure was tacked in place with epoxy. Though tbf it could in this instance be water damage rather than the cable.

I'm still very happy with my wahoo element. Obviously the mapping is more sparse than a garmin with OS/OSM but it's only a problem in Forests where the ROW are marked but the non-ROW fireroads might not be.
The colour screened Roam might solve all those issues.

In any case, if you want a 'bigger picture' view no bar mounted GPS is as good as a big HD smartphone showing OS maps.

Rich, I would say Wahoo as I've been extremelt pleased with both of mine (Bolt then ROAM) for the past 4 or 5 years now (I think). One thing to note is the water ingress issue...

Do you mean your riding with the garmin being charged whilst it's raining. If that's the case then I doubt you'll like the Wahoo anymore than the Garmin. I usually put it on charge when it's dry and remove the cable before it starts raining and pop the water proof cover in place.

One way to manage the issue of continuous riding (in theory for me at least as I seldom need to ride for as long as many on here continuously) would be to buy a spare second unit and - weather remaining wet - charge one while the other with cover insitu is in use.

Charge remains with back light turned off and breadcrumb trail/mapping, on the Wahoo, for about 15 hours...

Be aware that Wahoo do not support OS maps which is a deal breaker for me.

I had a similar issue to you so have gone for an Edge 530 with the Garmin battery pack underneath.

Why not simply carry some spare AA batteries?

Bearbonesnorm wrote: ↑Wed May 05, 2021 3:12 pm Why not simply carry some spare AA batteries?

I can give several reasons

1) changing them in minging weather opens risk of water getting into GPS
2) I've mistakenly carried discharged batteries
3) expensive if using Lithiums
4) does not take advantage of a dynamo

Bearbonesnorm wrote: ↑Wed May 05, 2021 3:12 pm Why not simply carry some spare AA batteries?

Thats what I do, the longer the ride the more batteries.

Dave Barter wrote: ↑Wed May 05, 2021 3:27 pm

Bearbonesnorm wrote: ↑Wed May 05, 2021 3:12 pm Why not simply carry some spare AA batteries?

I can give several reasons

1) changing them in minging weather opens risk of water getting into GPS
2) I've mistakenly carried discharged batteries
3) expensive if using Lithiums
4) does not take advantage of a dynamo

1.) Possible I suppose but never happened to me.
2.) New batteries are taped in pairs.
3.) A dynamo isn't cheap.
4.) If your dynamo breaks you've lost everything !

You could use the dynamo to charge the AAs?

You could use the dynamo to charge the AAs?

Yes, probably a more efficient way of using the power but obviously it doesn't account for Dave's points of #1 (careless tw@t) and #2 (dozy b'stard)

| use the dynamo to charge AA's
I have yet to take a flat set with me nor have I had issues with inclement weather* and 4 enloops was about £12
* i charge a battery pack and that charges ths AA so i tend to do it in the tent

Bearbonesnorm wrote: ↑Wed May 05, 2021 3:12 pm Why not simply carry some spare AA batteries?

I used to happily do just that. Then I thought how wasteful it was ecologically never mind the cost of the lithiums.

Dave Barter wrote: ↑Wed May 05, 2021 3:09 pm I had a similar issue to you so have gone for an Edge 530 with the Garmin battery pack underneath.

Do you charge the battery pack from the dynamo?

I don’t Rich but you can

One more time with feeling:

I used to happily do just that. Then I thought how wasteful it was ecologically

Probably not quite as bad as scrapping three gps and looking for a fourth

Do you charge the battery pack from the dynamo?

Timely post, my pack has just died due to corrosion.
It was connected to my dynamo in horrible weather. I thought it was sealed well enough with sugru around the port but it’s dead.
My guess is that it wicked up the braided outer cover of the cable. Hopefully someone who can see will be able to replace it for me.

Bearbonesnorm wrote: ↑Wed May 05, 2021 5:33 pm

I used to happily do just that. Then I thought how wasteful it was ecologically

Probably not quite as bad as scrapping three gps and looking for a fourth

Nah, I've upcycled them into house decorations.

You can charge the batteries in an Oregon in situ but then you have to deal with the intermittent power cut offs at slow speeds.

A lightweight AA recharger linked to a dynamo would probably be more efficient than charging a power pack and then using that to recharge the AAs in the Oregon. I haven't looked to see what's available.

FWIW I'm currently using Eneloop Pros in my Oregon and get 15-16 hours usage per set. An advantage of the Eneloops is that I can stash a spare set in a bag or rucksack without having to worry about freshly recharging before each trip.

A Garmin 530 and a piggyback battery is looking good at the moment......

Richpips wrote: ↑Wed May 05, 2021 8:02 pm A Garmin 530 and a piggyback battery is looking good at the moment......

If you happen to know any students you might be able to access a discount through Totum.

https://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/garmin ... 2021-05-05

https://buy.garmin.com/en-GB/GB/c14101- ... ducts-desc