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

My thoughts: An inexpensive smart phone could have an app for what you want, along with emergency 911 on any network if available.

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)

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.

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...

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.

GPS for eBike | Good Sam Community

21 Replies

fj12ryder
Explorer III
Jun 15, 2023
joebedford wrote:
fj12ryder wrote:
Maybe, maybe not. I have no desire to be tethered. Just me I guess.
That's not what I heard. :)
Sure, sure, those handcuffs are a different story. :)
MrWizard
Moderator
Jun 15, 2023
"
Really hard to imagine that we managed to make it through our childhood bike rides on our own w/out an inreach."

Simpler safer times,
Today you worry less about accidents and animals and more about human predators,
And kids will roam they will leave the neighborhood and explore and telling them not too will not change that, either teach them good safety habits and trust them, or put them under house arrest, have you forgotten your child hood
joebedford
Nomad II
Jun 15, 2023
fj12ryder wrote:
Maybe, maybe not. I have no desire to be tethered. Just me I guess.
That's not what I heard. :)
fj12ryder
Explorer III
Jun 15, 2023
Just have to agree to disagree. I guess it's just the idea of mommy always looking over my shoulder.
ktmrfs
Explorer III
Jun 15, 2023
cptqueeg wrote:
ktmrfs wrote:
fj12ryder wrote:
^^^^^^^^^Not necessarily a bad idea. I've read of people getting these "rescue" devices like Spot, for when they're road riding/touring. Geeze, sometimes it doesn't hurt to just get away.

well, they can be a real lifesaver or aid if something happens. Just last week we came upon a rider with dislocated shoulder and broken collarbone. No cell service. 15 miles of dirt road to get to a highway to call for help. luckily someone else that came upon him had a garmin inreach and was able to get medic on the way for help.

On another occasion son was on a ride and one of the riders suffered a broken arm, collarbone and back injury. single track trail for 5 miles to get out and no cell service. Again, inreach to the rescue and by the time a rider got to the start of the trail to guide the rescue crew, the medic and rescue was starting up the trail with rescue gear.

And even on a "road ride" or "touring" where we are you could easily be 50 miles from cell service in the case of an emergency. Meanwhile the inreach/spot can at least alert someone of a problem, be it a breakdown or medical emergency.

An inreach is in our backpack. Haven't yet had to use the SOS feature, but is valuable to have it.

Really hard to imagine that we managed to make it through our childhood bike rides on our own w/out an inreach.

yup when I look back over the years I was pretty lucky and managed to avoid some possible serious situations. And I still have managed, but have come across enough situations that some form of getting emergency help has avoided very serious repercusions.

I guess for me I don't consider an inreach or spot as making me "teathered". It's in the backpack if needed.
cptqueeg
Explorer II
Jun 15, 2023
ktmrfs wrote:
fj12ryder wrote:
^^^^^^^^^Not necessarily a bad idea. I've read of people getting these "rescue" devices like Spot, for when they're road riding/touring. Geeze, sometimes it doesn't hurt to just get away.

well, they can be a real lifesaver or aid if something happens. Just last week we came upon a rider with dislocated shoulder and broken collarbone. No cell service. 15 miles of dirt road to get to a highway to call for help. luckily someone else that came upon him had a garmin inreach and was able to get medic on the way for help.

On another occasion son was on a ride and one of the riders suffered a broken arm, collarbone and back injury. single track trail for 5 miles to get out and no cell service. Again, inreach to the rescue and by the time a rider got to the start of the trail to guide the rescue crew, the medic and rescue was starting up the trail with rescue gear.

And even on a "road ride" or "touring" where we are you could easily be 50 miles from cell service in the case of an emergency. Meanwhile the inreach/spot can at least alert someone of a problem, be it a breakdown or medical emergency.

An inreach is in our backpack. Haven't yet had to use the SOS feature, but is valuable to have it.

Really hard to imagine that we managed to make it through our childhood bike rides on our own w/out an inreach.
fj12ryder
Explorer III
Jun 15, 2023
Maybe, maybe not. I have no desire to be tethered. Just me I guess.
ktmrfs
Explorer III
Jun 15, 2023
fj12ryder wrote:
^^^^^^^^^Not necessarily a bad idea. I've read of people getting these "rescue" devices like Spot, for when they're road riding/touring. Geeze, sometimes it doesn't hurt to just get away.

well, they can be a real lifesaver or aid if something happens. Just last week we came upon a rider with dislocated shoulder and broken collarbone. No cell service. 15 miles of dirt road to get to a highway to call for help. luckily someone else that came upon him had a garmin inreach and was able to get medic on the way for help.

On another occasion son was on a ride and one of the riders suffered a broken arm, collarbone and back injury. single track trail for 5 miles to get out and no cell service. Again, inreach to the rescue and by the time a rider got to the start of the trail to guide the rescue crew, the medic and rescue was starting up the trail with rescue gear.

And even on a "road ride" or "touring" where we are you could easily be 50 miles from cell service in the case of an emergency. Meanwhile the inreach/spot can at least alert someone of a problem, be it a breakdown or medical emergency.

An inreach is in our backpack. Haven't yet had to use the SOS feature, but is valuable to have it.
fj12ryder
Explorer III
Jun 15, 2023
^^^^^^^^^Not necessarily a bad idea. I've read of people getting these "rescue" devices like Spot, for when they're road riding/touring. Geeze, sometimes it doesn't hurt to just get away.
Fizz
Explorer
Jun 15, 2023
We're not talking about "social media" and all the trappings of the internet.
This is todays version of map & compass. Never, ever go off road without it and knowing how to use it.

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GPS for eBike

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