Cycling UK Forum

Just bought a Nokia 5230 from a carboot and wanted to use it for a satnav for cycling with the OVI maps. I have seen a few snippits here and just wondered if anyone has had really good results or used some other downloaded software with it. I do realise it has limitations and is not a Garmin though.

Regards barbelfisher

In general the batteries drain a whole lot faster on mobile phones when they are used as SATNAVs not to mention the sometimes iffy satellite connections. For short journeys they are fine but they are of dubious merit when you are out all day.

I’ve got a Nokia 5800, which I believe is very similar. It does the job fine but with limitations:
If you want to use it for more than an hour or so at a time, you need an external battery pack – I use a Tecknet 12000mAh, which lasts for days.
The built-in software with OVImaps is fine just for navigation; if you want to plan or record trips, try ViewRanger, which is a free download. You have to download the maps screen by screen, either as you ride, with data charges, or on your home wifi beforehand, which can be a bit of a PITA.
The touch screen is not nearly as intuitive or easy to use as the buttons on a dedicated GPS; I usually have to stop to use it.
I’ve usually found the screen to be OK, but in bright sunshine you can’t see a thing!