Bicyclist Bill Dumas has been using GPS devices for years. Now the old one would not hold charge for two hours.
Bill has set a number of the settings to a personal preference. "And then it tells me that the DEVICE has a better idea and dims my screen. I also think it automatically goes blank on the screen when the battery goes to 49%. If you touch it the numbers come back for a second. Now when I am out there to ride 50 miles, I like to see my miles like ALL THE TIME!"
Bill does like one feature, the "lock screen" button. It locks the screen and what you see for the duration of the ride. Accidentally touching the screen does nothing to interfere with his ride.
Bill Dumas has a back up counter on his phone if the meter battery runs out. He does not let them talk to each other. "Bluetooth takes battery power." The App he uses is free, Goals-Fitness. It makes both a map of the ride and tracks miles. "I love it cause it does not need to share anything or keep anything in some on line log. I just record the miles on paper in my garage when I finish and later put it into my Excel file, where all my rides go. Without maps. I just type in where I went."
Bill is involved in the National Bike Challenge for a team from Madison, Wisconsin.