Nice setup there. Do you also mount it on your mountain bike? I also love Gaia and use it for everything I do - off pavement camping trips, mountain biking, hiking, planning backcountry ski trips, tracking my trips etc. It’s a great tool and I think the price is reasonable (I subscribe only to Gaia and not to Outside).

One question - why not just use your real phone? Are you worried about damaging a more expensive phone? I just use my iPhone. So far I have not mounted it on my handlebars but I’ve been thinking about it.

 

One question - why not just use your real phone? Are you worried about damaging a more expensive phone? I just use my iPhone. So far I have not mounted it on my handlebars but I’ve been thinking about it.

There's a real question regarding what happens to the device if you crash or if the mount fails (or both). If that's your primary phone, then you've lost your phone. Which means your ability to call. Which could be your primary means of calling for help depending on where you are. Not to mention the hassle of losing your phone (whether it's lost or broken, it doesn't really matter. It's a hassle, and could be a very expensive hassle). If you're using an inexpensive secondary phone, then your actual one can stay protected. You're not out as much money if you break/lose it. You don't have nearly as much hassle if you break/lose it. You can choose a phone specifically with outdoor-centric features in mind that you wouldn't otherwise choose for your primary phone (things like shock protection, dust/water protection, etc).

Mounting the device to the handlebars exposes it to a whole lot more than tucking it away in your pocket or pack, so these are important things to consider.

For me, even a cheap secondary "phone" is too big to mount to the handlebars of any of my bikes like this. But for a moto? Worth considering.

 

The Gaia version of base map + Trailforks layer is much better than TF by itself.

I've had a Gaia subscription for a long time but didn't use it much aside from mapping until this year. Been using it more and more lately for navigation during hikes and rides. The ability to download maps for offline use, including your choice of layers, is huge. It's easy to create routes and sync between devices, and the app has been reliable.

TF is still my preference for unfamiliar MTB trail networks though since the trail descriptions/elevation profiles/condition reports are very useful and you can't access these in Gaia (yet). But as soon as you leave the network of uploaded trails and don't have cell coverage, TF quickly becomes worthless for navigation since it doesn't have a useful offline basemap and you can't download/cache basemaps or layers for offline use. TF has also been very glitchy. Gaia wins there.

I still use a Garmin Oregon 600 for bikepacking and any backcountry/adventure ride when I'm following a gpx route. Being able to download and install detailed USGS topo basemaps for entire states means always having a good basemap when you need it. It's not very practical to download Gaia maps for long distance routes. The 600 has the same pan/pinch/zoom touchscreen UI as a cell phone so both are useful there. Being powered by AA's the 600 runs for a long time and doesn't burden you with another USB device to keep charged. That's not a factor on day rides but it is when you need to follow a route closely for multiple long days. Gaia doesn't work as well for following routes since you either have to pull the phone out constantly or mount it on the bars with the screen set to stay on. But that will quickly drain the battery, not to mention risk of damage in a crash. For day to day riding though the ability to access satellite and other layers offline has made Gaia the more useful tool overall.

The other device I often carry is an InReach. It's not useful for navigation, but is worth it for safety. Garmin has already integrated Inreach satellite communication technology into a few handheld devices. None of those are bike specific models, but I will still get one of them when my Inreach dies to replace two units with one. I expect Trailforks and Gaia will merge onto a single platform/app at one point as well. They're close, with the TF layer in Gaia, but as mentioned above you can't access all the trail data and ridelogs yet in Gaia.

So right now I'm still using all of these depending on situation and the device/apps limitations. On long/remote rides I will always carry two devices to have some redundancy for both communication and navigation. Eventually I should be down to just the phone with whatever app emerges from TF/Gaia, and a single Garmin/Inreach device.

 

I've had a Gaia subscription for a long time but didn't use it much aside from mapping until this year. Been using it more and more lately for navigation during hikes and rides. The ability to download maps for offline use, including your choice of layers, is huge. It's easy to create routes and sync between devices, and the app has been reliable.

TF is still my preference for unfamiliar MTB trail networks though since the trail descriptions/elevation profiles/condition reports are very useful and you can't access these in Gaia (yet). But as soon as you leave the network of uploaded trails and don't have cell coverage, TF quickly becomes worthless for navigation since it doesn't have a useful offline basemap and you can't download/cache basemaps or layers for offline use. TF has also been very glitchy. Gaia wins there.

I still use a Garmin Oregon 600 for bikepacking and any backcountry/adventure ride when I'm following a gpx route. Being able to download and install detailed USGS topo basemaps for entire states means always having a good basemap when you need it. It's not very practical to download Gaia maps for long distance routes. The 600 has the same pan/pinch/zoom touchscreen UI as a cell phone so both are useful there. Being powered by AA's the 600 runs for a long time and doesn't burden you with another USB device to keep charged. That's not a factor on day rides but it is when you need to follow a route closely for multiple long days. Gaia doesn't work as well for following routes since you either have to pull the phone out constantly or mount it on the bars with the screen set to stay on. But that will quickly drain the battery, not to mention risk of damage in a crash. For day to day riding though the ability to access satellite and other layers offline has made Gaia the more useful tool overall.

The other device I often carry is an InReach. It's not useful for navigation, but is worth it for safety. Garmin has already integrated Inreach satellite communication technology into a few handheld devices. None of those are bike specific models, but I will still get one of them when my Inreach dies to replace two units with one. I expect Trailforks and Gaia will merge onto a single platform/app at one point as well. They're close, with the TF layer in Gaia, but as mentioned above you can't access all the trail data and ridelogs yet in Gaia.

So right now I'm still using all of these depending on situation and the device/apps limitations. On long/remote rides I will always carry two devices to have some redundancy for both communication and navigation. Eventually I should be down to just the phone with whatever app emerges from TF/Gaia, and a single Garmin/Inreach device.

Good info, evdog -- thanks.
If you have an iPhone and would like USGS topographic maps in digital format, I recommend you check out an app called "Topo Maps."
App icon looks like this:

It's only available on iPhone (sorry, Android users) but the app is free and so is every USGS topo map in the United States.
I downloaded all of WA, OR & ID onto my phone; I believe the app uses the USGS's 1964 maps.
The app puts a blue dot where I am. No cell svc required.
I enjoy cross referencing different types of maps in the field, the Topo Maps app allows me to do so with TF, Gaia, etc.
I also have the Avenza Maps app but I find it a bit clunky to use -- especially finding the map I want in the Avenza Store.
But many types of maps are available; most are geospatial including Adventure Maps which are terrific for mountain biking & hiking.
=sParty

 

the other reason I could see a cheap phone, aside from crash/loss, is possible damage from vibration (maybe). I wonder how the phone holds up mounted to a moto. I know there are mounts for this very thing, but I did notice when I had a phone mounted to my road bike it would get vibrated a ton when I went over potholes. Maybe there are mounts with some rubber that dampen things a bit?

 

Quad Lock offers a vibration dampener.
My dirt bike offers over 12" of suspension travel and its weight plus all that travel actually makes it less jarring than my mountain bikes.
=sParty

 

Gaia for backcountry ski route planning. The slope tool is super helpful.

 

I use it on my motorcycle rides in the back country. You can plan a route easily and it won't redirect you. My only complaint is the phone can overheat on hot days, but I also have an old phone I can use for navigation and leave my new phone on my person in case I got separated from my motorcycle in a crash.
Works good for mountain bikes rides too. Absolutely perfect nav app.

 

I need an app that can make a gpx file for developing a map for a local park, would this work? If not, any suggestions? Motion X is no longer, have tried numerous others including the latest version of onX Trail. Common problems is that they are either inaccurate (draw straight lines) and do not allow editing an existing map.

 

Trail Forks. It's a user based app in that the shown trails are from uploaded GPS tracks mapped by others. It's maybe the most extensive database for single track. You can create a route, then save as gpx to port to a device like a Garmin or Hammerhead or Wahoo..

 

I guess I have Gaia as part of the Outside+ that I got for subscribing to Beta right before they closed. But, I live and ride in a pretty dense metro area and the trails are established, so I'm not sure what use it would be? I have a Garmin 530 and even that's overkill, I was fine with my phone in my pack. But this looks like it would be awesome for backcountry use.

 

... this looks like it would be awesome for backcountry use.

It is but based on the riding you do, you don't need it.
Now should you ever decide to go road tripping to explore new-to-you areas, you'll love it.
=sParty

 

Thanks for the post. While I don’t need this for MTB, definitely going to hook it up for my moto where the travel is faster/further and typically further in the backcountry.

 

It's likely the most common GPS app used by the Overlanding community. Works well in a Jeep or similar that has a good mount for a tablet, as well as power off the vehicle. Otherwise, you need to deal with extra battery pack to keep your device powered up. It is a terrific app.

 

Not shown in my photo at the top of this page but I have a Nitecore 10000 that I keep in the dashboard pouch on my dirt bike, then run a 9" C-to-C cable from pouch into nav screen / phone.
This way I have adequate battery power to last at least all day... maybe a couple or few days.
The Nitecore 10000 is the backpacker's choice for smallest & lightest powerful 'brick' battery available.
I use mine for backpacking, too -- to charge my nav device, phone, Garmin 530, whatnot.
=sParty

 

@Sparticus I really like this idea! Rather genius. I like to look at Trailforks at intersections to make sure I am going as planned, but hate pulling my iPhone out to look at it.

So you wifi download all the maps before you leave, and the GPS works without and cell services? Basically.

 

Yessiree. Downloading offline maps in Gaia is easy... just have to remember to do it when you have wifi.
Remember I'm a premium Gaia member. I don't know if one must be a premium Gaia member in order to download offline maps or not -- only know downloading them works for me.
But if I wasn't a premium Gaia member, knowing what I know now, I'd become one for the sake of this nav resource. IMO it’s that valuable.
=sParty

 

I download offline maps and route data for the entire area within 100 miles of me. I have the topo map for general use, and satellite maps if I want an immediate birds eye view of my location. Handy for figuring out what's what. The offline navigation feature is important, it allows you to use the phone to plot routes using only a GPS signal.
This can all be done with any wifi and GPS enabled device so you can save your phone for calls.

 

I may have missed this post, but, your solution also has the options to download maps on the fly by enabling a wi-fi hotspot on your iPhone. Of course that does not work when you are way out there, like riding the mountains or jungles in Peru.

 

I would never put my primary phone on my bars, but more from concern about losing it than damaging it. The value in that phone goes beyond the device's dollar value, it's all the info and apps/accounts that are on it. I've lost a phone before, it was a pretty big headache to get a replacement all set up the same, not to mention not having access to a phone before getting a replacement.

But if I bought a cheaper phone solely for navigation like Sparticus has, I wouldn't hesitate to put it on the bars. I've ridden with a Garmin hiking unit on my bars for over a decade and can only think of one or two crashes where that unit was affected...it's larger than bike GPS units and the mount sticks up as well. In those crashes it just popped off its mount. 100% of the scratches on its screen are the result of me dropping it myself. That said, I would always put it in my pack for jump trails and long technical DHs where big crashes are more likely. Sounds like that's what Sparticus will be doing too.

Hopefully this works out well. Interested to know how long the battery lasts with the screen on all the time.

 

Do you find that the Gaia map stays in landscape orientation when it's mounted like that? On iPhone, I can't lock it in landscape orientation, and I've found that if it gets convinced that it should be portrait orientation then I have to unmount it to get it to go back to landscape. But my mounting place is flatter, more like a tabletop.

 

My system's too new for me to say for sure, but I did a 3 hour moto ride last week and it didn't rotate out of landscape mode so I think I'm good.
=sParty

 

Phones will be eclipsing dedicated GPS platforms like Garmin handhelds. Phones are just way way more flexible. Just like in-car nav, as good as that is, it's not as real-time and flexible as nav on a phone. The garmin units are marked for death IMO. Doesn't mean they are useless or you have to go turn them in tomorrow, but as phones get better, and they are quite good, the dedicated platform gets worse and worse comparatively. I've got Gaia on my phone, trailforks on my phone. About the only need I have for dedicated garmin units are my watch for ride tracking, etrex for expedition-battery-longevity and in-reach...but again, some of those devices are marked for death. Sat coms coming for phones, etc.

 

That'll be a sweet day IMO -- when phones are that good.
I kinda hate Garmin even tho I don't want to do without a Garmin unit of some kind as things stand now.
I just don't feel like Garmin -- as a company -- gives a fvk about UI or what its customers want out of its products.
Garmin's Connect platform could be sooo much better, so much easier to navigate, provide so much more functional info.
Seems like it's 1999 in Garmin's world.
=sParty

 

There’s no way to lock orientation in landscape. (Evidently older versions of iOS could, using one of the accessibility features, but it doesn’t work now)

TBH though, this thread has me thinking that maybe I’ll put an older phone back into service as a dedicated gps device.

 

...put an older phone back into service as a dedicated gps device.

That's what I wanted to do with my old iPhone 5 but every time I'd launch Trailforks, the phone would crash.
Guess some phones are just too old. Hope yours serves you well.
=sParty

 

Some times apps have a minimum level of android/IOS they require which might explain why your old phone did not work, Still worth a try,
I use OSMAND Plus on my phone which has 20 different map systems to choose from and all are free. Imports GPS tracks which I get from MTBproject also free.
I like the phone mounted portrait because with a "trail up" feature it gives more screen room in the direction you are moving.
Still phones are a good idea in my opinion for on-bike nav.
For "out there" riding I pair up the phone with a Garmin inreach via bluetooth and then I can send email messages as well as sos over satellite.

 

Paper maps are invaluable.
That said, whenever I go backpacking, I don’t keep bringing my paper map out to navigate.
Doing so is inconvenient plus every time I unfold/refold the paper map, its life is diminished by one more use (abuse) cycle.
Instead of continually pulling a paper map out, each morning I use my phone to take a picture of the area of the map I’ll be traversing that day.
While hiking, whenever I want to check my whereabouts or make junction decisions, etc., I whip my phone out and look at the photo.
I can pinch, pan, zoom as necessary.
If the photo proves inadequate, I can always reach for the actual paper map again.
=sParty

 

I do that too!

 

Here's my Smash's dash:

I didn't read back through this thread to see who suggested that portrait orientation is better than landscape, but yeah, it is.
At least on the bicycle. Not a big deal either way and for some reason I find that landscape mode doesn't bother me on my dirt bike, but I do prefer portrait mode on the mtn bike.
Maybe that's because I actually look at it while I'm riding the mtn bike. On the moto, I don't look at it unless/until I've stopped to try to figure out where I am.
Anyway, this new nav system -- in one orientation or the other -- is serving me well. Today my phone stayed on for 2.5 hrs straight and used 65% of its battery life.
=sParty