Geocaching On Bike

[goldfishy]

So, I went geocaching the other day on my bike, thinking it would go 'quicker', yeah right! I think I ended up spending more time disassembling and then reassembling, and then disassembling my bike, packing up stuff to take along, finding a safe place to keep it while I ducked in the woods, etc, than caching! What I struggled with the most though, was trying to figure out how to hold the GPS, my list of caches, and pen in my hand while steering and braking! There's gotta be an easier way?! Does anyone know of a way to mount a GPS on a bike that it can be viewed while biking? I thought of using a cell phone case with a clear top, but then wasn't sure how to get it to stay on my handlebars with all the bouncing around? Any ideas?

[Jalynne]

So, I went geocaching the other day on my bike, thinking it would go 'quicker', yeah right! I think I ended up spending more time disassembling and then reassembling, and then disassembling my bike, packing up stuff to take along, finding a safe place to keep it while I ducked in the woods, etc, than caching! What I struggled with the most though, was trying to figure out how to hold the GPS, my list of caches, and pen in my hand while steering and braking! There's gotta be an easier way?! Does anyone know of a way to mount a GPS on a bike that it can be viewed while biking? I thought of using a cell phone case with a clear top, but then wasn't sure how to get it to stay on my handlebars with all the bouncing around? Any ideas?

 

It really depends on the type of unit you have. I know that Garmin sells bike mount attachments for most of its units. Try www.REI.com or the website for your brand of GPS unit. My husband puts his GPS on his bike all the time with no probs.

 

Jalynne

[+Mystery Ink]

I went to REI and picked up a bike mount a fellow cacher in our area works there and recomended it for my garmin. It works great.

Edited May 2, 2006 by Mystery Ink

[+The Blind Acorn]

What kind of GPS do you have???? I have a Magellan Meridian mount around here somewhere but I would urge you strongly to use a big rubber band in addition to it. PM me if you're interested in the bike mount.

 

FYI - most GPS companies have bike/handlebar mounts, why not take you bike on a bushwhack and stash it nearby while you search. I bike to caches when possible (bad feet). It's alot more fun for me and quicker too.

[+bear&fox]

Two words: RAM mount!

[tttedzeins]

Two words: RAM mount!

 

I'll second that. They are amazing.

[+briansnat]

Not exactly a getting started issue. Moving to a more appropriate forum.

[goldfishy]

Thanks for everyone's input so far. I have a Garmin GPS. What is a RAM mount?!

[+Stunod]

Thanks for everyone's input so far. I have a Garmin GPS. What is a RAM mount?!

 

RAM mounts

[+DNova]

I recently got the Garmin bike mount which works with both my Yellow and my Blue eTrex, which is nice. It comes with a new battery cover which snaps into the handlebar mount and fits onto any (most?) of the eTrex line, so it's easy and fast to release it from the handlebars for trekking into the woods.

 

I use a backpack to keep my supplies -- bike lock, cache maps, cache pages, extra batteries, some first aid stuff, spare tube, pump, flashlight, pens, clothes, etc.

[+Team LaLonde]

I recently got the Garmin bike mount which works with both my Yellow and my Blue eTrex, which is nice. It comes with a new battery cover which snaps into the handlebar mount and fits onto any (most?) of the eTrex line, so it's easy and fast to release it from the handlebars for trekking into the woods.

 

I use a backpack to keep my supplies -- bike lock, cache maps, cache pages, extra batteries, some first aid stuff, spare tube, pump, flashlight, pens, clothes, etc.

 

I do the same thing. Works great!

 

 

Edited May 3, 2006 by Team LaLonde

[dunderhead]

I have Garmin 60CS and the bike mount. There's no room to fit the mount, and it must be horizontal for the compass to work. I've bought a Glisson case with velcro and trying to figure to stick on front bag. I'd rather use the mount so probably have to make an ugly extender.

[+Mary&Dave]

If your GPS is one of the eTrex models, get one of these:

http://www.rei.com/online/store/ProductDis...vcat=REI_SEARCH

 

I even use my GPS as a bike computer - works great. You can also unclip it easily if you want to lock up your bike.

[+Woodbutcher68]

I got a new Magellan bike mount for my Meridian Platinum on E-Bay for $7.00. The guy never used it.

[bandgeek]

Two words:

DUCT. TAPE.

[jamieb520]

So, I went geocaching the other day on my bike, thinking it would go 'quicker', yeah right! I think I ended up spending more time disassembling and then reassembling, and then disassembling my bike, packing up stuff to take along, finding a safe place to keep it while I ducked in the woods, etc, than caching! What I struggled with the most though, was trying to figure out how to hold the GPS, my list of caches, and pen in my hand while steering and braking! There's gotta be an easier way?! Does anyone know of a way to mount a GPS on a bike that it can be viewed while biking? I thought of using a cell phone case with a clear top, but then wasn't sure how to get it to stay on my handlebars with all the bouncing around? Any ideas?

 

I do all my geocaching on my bike, I could get a bike mount for my bike, but instead went to a army surplus store and got a little bag/carrier thingy that like a person would hang off their belt to like put things in. The come in all diff sizes depending on what you want to carry, the one I got fits my GPS (magellan explorist 400) with a little extra space. Theres a bracket on the back to hook in on pants or a belt, I bought a carabeener and used a wrench to put the carabeener under bracket, and I hook the carabeener on a loop on the sholder strap of my backpack, so my GPS is always handy.

Edited May 3, 2006 by jamieb520

[+Mopar]

Looks like you have an Etrex, so go with the Garmin bike mount. It's a whole lot cheaper ($15 vs $45) then the RAM mount and works just fine on most bicycles.

I can't make the Garmin mount work on my motorcycle though, so I'm going to have to spend the $40-$50 on a RAM mount for that.

[+DocDiTTo]

Looks like you have an Etrex, so go with the Garmin bike mount. It's a whole lot cheaper ($15 vs $45) then the RAM mount and works just fine on most bicycles.

I can't make the Garmin mount work on my motorcycle though, so I'm going to have to spend the $40-$50 on a RAM mount for that.

 

My Garmin mount works on both my bike and my motorcycle. I was a little concerned about how well it would "hold" the GPS on my mountain bike flying down a hill over rocks and bumps, so I gave it a road test... 2 miles of stone mountain road, 1000 feet vertical drop over that 2 miles, with some very rough rocky stretches. When I got the the bottom, the Garmin told my my fastest speed was 30 mph, but it was still attached. If anything would have bounced it off the mount, that stretch would have been it, but it held on tight. (I have the Etrex mount, BTW)

[dunderhead]

I've bounced my Garmin heavily 3 times, the belt clip is useless. But it survived without a scratch, dunno about the insides, compass always seems flaky.

[uber_bike_geek]

I've got a Camelbak "Comm Pocket" that mounts on the shoulder strap of my Camelbak (or any other pack, for that matter)- I keep my GPS (eTrex) in there, where it's nice and handy to grab with one hand while I'm riding, and everything else (pens/pencils, swag, first aid kit, spare batteries, etc.) goes into my pack- It's worked fine for me so far!

 

If you'd like more details, feel free to email/PM me!

 

Happy Caching

Jeff