A quick Garmin question (with hopefully quick answer)

Eponymous

About to pull trigger on a Garmin Forerunner 230 as it doubles as a watch. Just wondering if I need to bring phone on spins too in order for it to track my progress?

I know it can log them to Strava already, but I presume that's through an app?

seamus

Eponymous wrote: »

About to pull trigger on a Garmin Forerunner 230 as it doubles as a watch. Just wondering if I need to bring phone on spins too in order for it to track my progress?

I know it can log them to Strava already, but I presume that's through an app?

The watch is fully functional without your phone, so it will still record the entire cycle/run with a GPS trace with or without your phone.

What the phone does is "livecast" your cycle to other people. Sounds a bit ridiculous, but there was a gang of us doing the ROK this year and the more worrisome family members enjoyed being able to log in and see a dot on a map telling them we were still moving and not lying in a ditch somewhere.

Eponymous

That's excellent on both counts. Thanks a million Seamus!

godtabh

I dont go out without living track enabled. Not that my wife cares

07Lapierre

Live tracking is handy if someone is waiting for you at your destination. I've used it a few times so my wife didn't have to wait around at the finish of a recent sportive. She just waited until live tracking told her i was about to cross the finish line.

ThisRegard

godtabh wrote: »

I dont go out without living track enabled. Not that my wife cares

It might have been the ART forum I posted this in. But over the winter I went out for a long run through the mountains at night so I told my wife I'd send her the link so she can keep an eye on me.

When I got home afterwards I asked her how well it worked. Oh, she said, I forgot all about it!

godtabh

ThisRegard wrote: »

It might have been the ART forum I posted this in. But over the winter I went out for a long run through the mountains at night so I told my wife I'd send her the link so she can keep an eye on me.

When I got home afterwards I asked her how well it worked. Oh, she said, I forgot all about it!

I think my wife ignores it. I ride early. Very early. I'd leave the house around 5 some times, set up Live Track and would hear the buzz upstairs very often followed by FFS! I'd wake her getting up and wake her leaving.

I now have a silent alarm and send live tracks to her work email that doesnt sync to her phone.

smacl

godtabh wrote: »

I dont go out without living track enabled. Not that my wife cares

How does that affect your phone and Garmin batteries? My fear is I'd turn it only to find the phone and GPS both flat in the middle of nowhere. One reason I bring the phone is in case of emergency and as a back-up navigation system if the Garmin dies.

Eamonnator

seamus wrote: »

The watch is fully functional without your phone, so it will still record the entire cycle/run with a GPS trace with or without your phone.

What the phone does is "livecast" your cycle to other people. Sounds a bit ridiculous, but there was a gang of us doing the ROK this year and the more worrisome family members enjoyed being able to log in and see a dot on a map telling them we were still moving and not lying in a ditch somewhere.

or stopping for a pint.

godtabh

smacl wrote: »

How does that affect your phone and Garmin batteries? My fear is I'd turn it only to find the phone and GPS both flat in the middle of nowhere. One reason I bring the phone is in case of emergency and as a back-up navigation system if the Garmin dies.

I have an iPhone 6 Plus which has a decent battery. Fully charged you'd get through a 4/5 hour ride and still have at least half a battery easy.

07Lapierre

smacl wrote: »

How does that affect your phone and Garmin batteries? My fear is I'd turn it only to find the phone and GPS both flat in the middle of nowhere. One reason I bring the phone is in case of emergency and as a back-up navigation system if the Garmin dies.

I wouldnt worry about it.. my phone contract is with THREE..In the event of an emergency, I've no doubt that there would be no phone signal anyway!

Macy0161

smacl wrote: »

How does that affect your phone and Garmin batteries? My fear is I'd turn it only to find the phone and GPS both flat in the middle of nowhere. One reason I bring the phone is in case of emergency and as a back-up navigation system if the Garmin dies.

Can't speak for the watch in the opening post, but I have the 920xt. On that Live Tracking uses the watch for the GPS, so it's only (pretty minimal) data and battery that is used on the phone.

I used it for the Ring Of Kerry, with a phone with a dodgy battery, and both made it around ok. Tracking seemed to work well for those I left on the campsite too!

First time I tried to use it on a regular spin, the missus assumed the email was just spam though! :rolleyes::D

Cee-Jay-Cee

If my wife gets worried I'm away too long she logs into 'find my iPhone' with my details and can see where I am and if I'm moving. It's quite handy, I'm sure there is a similar app for android.

Eponymous

Cee-Jay-Cee wrote: »

If my wife gets worried I'm away too long she logs into 'find my iPhone' with my details and can see where I am and if I'm moving. It's quite handy, I'm sure there is a similar app for android.

There is. Device Manager.