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    Bicycle Touring

    With Regards to Bike Computers

    I'm starting a 3600 mile bike trip next spring but I do not yet own a bike computer. I'm told it's essential to invest in one for navigation mostly for battery life concerns. As far as I can tell the Coros Dura would be the best tool for the job but I figured I'd ask the fine people in this subreddit if they have thoughts on the matter. Anyone here used the Dura? The Garmin Edge? Just their phone? Let me know your experience. Thanks all

    by Alert_Cry_5361

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    6 Comments

    1. TheJuicyGinger on

      I have a Dura. Works great. Battery never dies. App is very easy to load gpx files onto the computer. Really don’t have any complaints. Happy to answer any questions!

    2. Glum_Loss9107 on

      I have an Edge Explore 2 and done several long tours with it. Won’t be buying another Garmin ever again. Super user unfriendly and the navigation function is a practical joke as far as I can tell. Battery also sucks.

    3. rwdFwd on

      If you don’t know bike computers, the Dura will not disappoint. If you were coming from Wahoo or Garmin, the differences might annoy you some. The Dura’s battery life is truly exceptional, and the solar can push it further, depending on the conditions. I charge mine usually once a month, and I ride a lot. It’s also relatively affordable.

    4. Namur007 on

      The turn by turn (for me) has been average. If you just look at the map and have a rough idea of when a turn is, it’s totally fine. 

      Otherwise it’s a great device. Happy place of bike packing devices without all the overload of other ones. Battery is phenomenal. 

      Maps on the garmin though are better, but if you have a phone and reception it’s sort of negated between the two. 

    5. dhiltonp on

      I’ve done a lot of touring with a phone+battery bank, and it’s fine. I would charge up at parks, libraries, and restaurants. I did want to record my track, and I used a GPS watch (a Garmin 235). Recording on the phone would have eaten up a lot of battery; that would be problematic.

      I now own a bike computer (I’ve used both Wahoo and Garmin), and I like them but don’t think it’s necessary for tours.

      Garmins are the best at generating routes to new destinations without cell service, on Wahoo V3 you can share from your android or iphone phone map to your Wahoo to generate a route (on Garmin that only works on iPhone).

      I’m not sure why you think the Dura would be “the best tool for the job”; I haven’t looked at them recently. What features do you care about?

    6. vProTi on

      I just purchased one today and though it’s still very early to give any solid advice, the first impressions have been very fine!

      I like the scroll wheel a lot, the screen is legible and bright, the navigation works fine and it displays all the information I could ever need from a bike computer – and it supports radar, which was the main reason I upgraded from my BSC100S.

      I am excited to try the solar charging and bought the device for the long battery life and solar charging. Though my distances don’t come close to yours, the sheer fact that it has self-recharging capabilities is special – and yeah, it does look special with that massive forehead!

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