TenOC
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My preteen son has a fat tire Ebike. He does not have a smart phone. I am looking for a low-cost GPS unit to attached to the Ebike so he can always find his way back to the RV while he is out exploring some trails. Any and all suggestions are welcome. Thank you
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DancinCampers
Louisiana
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My thoughts: An inexpensive smart phone could have an app for what you want, along with emergency 911 on any network if available.
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wa8yxm
Davison Michigan (East of Flint)
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DancinCampers wrote:My thoughts: An inexpensive smart phone could have an app for what you want, along with emergency 911 on any network if available.
Ditto or ..> Well I just got a Samsung tablet for under 100 bucks. Now it needs Wi-Fi to work as a GPS device (unless you can figure out how to install a local map or put in a SIM card and add it to your phone plan. Often for as little as 10/month)
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wildtoad
Blythewood, SC
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Some GPS units need 12v power which perhaps you can get from the eBike.
It it were me, and an apple fan, I’d get him an Apple Watch with a cell plan. It has Maps where he can find his way, call 911 automatically if he falls and gets hurt, and you can call him on the watch, or use Find My app on your phone (iPhone) or computer to find him if needed. Just something to consider. If you’re going to send a pre teen out on a eBike which can go for miles may be worth a look.
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Flapper
Minnesota
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Your desires are mutually exclusive. A phone (or watch) needs to be within cell service. So there is the device cost, and the monthly service cost.
"Trails" can mean poor or no cell service. So that means a full GPS that can see many satellites as well as have off-road maps loaded. Likely a Garmin self contained unit, that runs about $300. I can't speak to the ability to "route to home" using trails (vs streets and bike paths), that will require some more research. But my guess is that even the best only show long established well-known trails, and not recent smaller ones that spring up. Which at best may still have him in a situation of "go south" - but which way to avoid that big hill, canyon, or other...
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ktmrfs
Portland, Oregon
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Flapper wrote:Your desires are mutually exclusive. A phone (or watch) needs to be within cell service. So there is the device cost, and the monthly service cost.
"Trails" can mean poor or no cell service. So that means a full GPS that can see many satellites as well as have off-road maps loaded. Likely a Garmin self contained unit, that runs about $300. I can't speak to the ability to "route to home" using trails (vs streets and bike paths), that will require some more research. But my guess is that even the best only show long established well-known trails, and not recent smaller ones that spring up. Which at best may still have him in a situation of "go south" - but which way to avoid that big hill, canyon, or other...
cell phone does NOT repeat NOT need ANY cell service for the GPS to function. Before you leave, turn on the phone in cell range, turn on the gps to get a fix and the map of the area will download, then your good to go. Now for emergency, agree no cell service= no phone call. Even better use Avenza maps for the area.
And most of the time we use cell phone for Avenza maps we are in heavy tree cover and/or canyons and it's been very very very rare that the GPS on the cell phone doesn't give us a good location from the phone GPS.
If you are going to use a cell phone and GPS, I'd suggest also getting Avenza map application. Many Avenza maps have more detail on trails than a GPS does. And again, Avenza maps do NOT need any cell service to give your location, that comes from the GPS in the cell phone which does NOT even need cell service.
When we are out motorcycle riding on FS land in addition to a Garmin inreach for sat communicationa and SOS, and our garmin montana GPS units we also have Avenza maps douwnloaded on our cell phones. At BEST the gps map has the same level of detail for trails as the Avenza does. But in around 90% of the time the Avenza map has more trails and trail detail than the GPS.
One option is a garmin mini inreach sat communicator for text communication and SOS along with a phone with Avenza maps. In that case don't even need a phone plan for the phone, just use it for the Avenza maps. With the mini he can have 2 way communication with you at all times, for about $50/year have search and rescue covered if he gets injured and not need to worry about being out of cell range.
Or a Garmin GPS map 66 with inreach, gives you GPS, text communication and again SOS.
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ewarnerusa
Helena, Montana
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The big 2 in cycling GPS computers are Garmin and Wahoo, although there are certainly others. I have only used the Garmin Edge units, but Wahoo has a strong following. Probably not as inexpensive as you're hoping for, but the more you spend the better the navigation features.
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https://www.garmin.com/en-US/c/sports-fi........adlights/?series=BRAND482#shopallcycling
Wahoo
https://www.wahoofitness.com/devices/bike-computers/view-all
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MrWizard
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Google play store has maps that work offline with GPS satellites and do not need cell and Internet after being installed on a phone,
You could try using a phone that you put away after you replaced it, connect to wifi install one or more of the map apps that work offline, and try them out, many are for hiking and biking off-road, but some are also for local use
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joebedford
Home for the summer.
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JMHO: your PRETEEN son shouldn't be exploring trails by himself.
Get him a SPOT then he can call for help and I believe SPOT allows you to track him.
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ktmrfs
Portland, Oregon
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joebedford wrote:JMHO: your PRETEEN son shouldn't be exploring trails by himself.
Get him a SPOT then he can call for help and I believe SPOT allows you to track him.
I'd suggest also looking at the garmin inreach family and compare what they offter vs. spot.
I had spot's when the came out, switched to inreach due to communication issues with spot GEOS sat's vs. garmin LEO and communication (or lack therof) of spot vs. inreach.
Amongst my off road motorcycle riding buddies and others we've met, the garmin inreach is much more common than spot, many spot users have switched to inreach due to communication issues with spot's in the areas we ride.
* This post was
edited 06/14/23 11:18am by ktmrfs *
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