i need help finding a gadget....

[dj tippee]

hi guys and girls.. im new here so hello in the past i done a 101 mile ride from swindon to cannock to visit some mates. i loved it, apart from a sore bum, sore knees and a fun time riding up and down the fosse way i loved it im now thinking of doing swindon to Gloucester which is not as far but i would like to use the satnav on my phone so the gadget im looking for is some sort of way to charge my phone while on the move as google maps eats up my battery like these no tomorrow thanks in advance

Tom

 

[dabac]

That kind of wish can easily turn expensive.
I can't give you specifics, but assuming that you have, or are willing to get, a wheel with a hub dynamo, you can then get accessories/power conditioners that allows you to charge stuff from that dyno. Slick but expensive.
Me, I'd get a 12 V lead-acid battery(+charger) and a car adapter for the phone instead. Crude, heavier, but a lot cheaper and simpler.

 

[jpr95]

You have a few options.

One, put your phone into sleep mode. I just did my first century a few weeks ago, and I used my iPhone to track my route. Normally, I ride with the screen on (at full brightness) which burns through the battery in about 3-4 hours. On the century ride (7 hours ride time), I only used about 40% of the battery by leaving it in sleep mode.

Two, as dabac suggested, you can carry a battery. I have also done this. I had a car cigarette lighter socket laying around, so I added some alligator clips to its leads, then clipped those onto a cordless drill battery (14.4V). Then I plugged in a car charger for my phone. This was my cheapest route for extra battery capacity as all I needed to buy were the alligator clips for a couple dollars. I already had everything else.

Three, there are small lithium-ion booster packs for virtually every phone out there, but they are spendy--generally I've seen them anywhere from $30 up to $100 or more. I've used a cheap one in the past (not for biking), and it only lasted a few months. The reviews I've seen online are generally not good for the all the cheap ones, and some of the more expensive ones.

Four, a dynamo--either a hub or mounted to the fork, running off the tire. These tend to be heavy and not very efficient, so they slow you down a bit.