GPS verses Cyclometer-Pros and Cons

Although GPS is a smoking-hot buzzword right now, it would be a little unfair to tout the benefits of a cycling-oriented GPS without at least mentioning the pros and cons verses a more traditional electronic cyclometer.

Vendors such as Avocet and Cateye have been making cycling computers for decades. (Anyone else old enough to remember the original 1983 Avocet? A breakthrough for its time, and still smaller than many modern devices. Mind you, this writer is old enough to have had a mechanical trip computer (we called them mileometers) back in the day. But I digress...) A sensor on the front or back wheel measures the revs-per-minute (RPM) of the wheel, the size of the wheel is programmed into the cyclometer, and simple arithmetic does the rest. Modern computers may include some of the same features as a sports GPS, such as a heart rate monitor (HRM), PC/Internet interface, and a cadence (pedaling rate) sensor.

Pros of a GPS
- No sensors need to be attached to frame or wheels for basic operation
- Records your actual route for later review
- Detailed street maps on some models (and nearly all models will at least point you in the right direction)
- Multi-activity (running, hiking, driving, boating, skiing, etc, depending on the model)
- Numerous websites where routes and stats may be shared

Pros of a cyclometer
- Longer battery life
- Accurate speed and distance calculations, regardless of dense tree cover or tall urban buildings which can occasionally interfere with satellite reception
- No startup delay (GPS may take 15-30 seconds to get a satellite fix at the start of a ride)
- May be slightly cheaper

The balance is strongly in favor of the GPS, and the simplicity and power of the technology is stunning. Even though this writer has been using GPSes for years, I still get a thrill from uploading a ride's recorded track to my PC and viewing it in 3D in Google Earth!

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