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Biking and ANT compatible cadence/speed sensors?

As a "bike computer" my old Sony Experia (ANT compatible) retired finally this last week, over the winter it was serving well mounted to the handlebar, with the cadence/speed sensors on my bike trainer in the basement. I used the iPbike app to have live view from the sensors. Fitness only twice a week about 30+ KM a trip, not some hard training...
I was planning that my recent LG G3 phone will replace the Sony, but turns out it is not ANT compatible.
Now I got a confusion...
1.) me to order a USB ANT stick from amazon, and connect the stick with OTG cable (USB on the go cable)?
or
2.) me to get a new ANT compatible watch, currently my vivosmart HR+ is counting my steps/sleep/HR only, but kind of enough just to stay fit.
I can justify a maximum expense maybe to a level of Vivoactive 3 but over that price range is very competitive in a hybrid watch market, scared of I may be drifted away from biking computers.
Once we get to a nicer weather I would really like to ride a bike with an activity tracker and a bike computer (in my case cellphone)...
I have no deeper experience combining these garmin toys, what is your opinion?
Not sure can the cadense/speed sensor be paired with two devices? With a phone/computer and a watch? The iPbike app is really nice for live view ...
Or, the watch will take over the ANT data, chew it up, and send it to the phone/computer?

0 Former Member over 7 years ago

Hi,

With Option 1) I seem to recall there is a ANT+ test APP to make sure the OTG cable and USB ANT plus module will work with your new phone (it may be it test the OTG aspect...I forget exactly).
Option 2) sounds great and if I could have got it to reliably stay connected to ANT+ signals I would not have sent my VA3 back to Amazon. I can't really tell from this forum if this is a universal problem or not but some other forum users report the same issue which may or may not be to do with the built in oHRM. I used the original Vivoactive with external ANT+ HRM and Speed/Cadence for many road and MTB rides with no issue as well as my trusty Edge 510.

So, VA3 sounds great and hopefully Garmin will iron out the problems one day. If you don't want the oHRM then the original VA would work well for you and is much cheaper. If you want a oHRM but won't need the latest type 1min 24/7 sensor then you may find the VA HR will work for you as well and is priced in between the VA and the VA3 (note I'm in the UK so I guess this may vary depending on your location)

Hope that helps, just my personal opinion.

0 bigHUN over 7 years ago

Thanks muddydave
Since I already have the garmin two sensors mounted on the bike, also have one old phone (the LG G3), also have a Vivosmart HR+ (indeed I never tuned on the GPS function in it to preserv the battery life),
I was eyeing a new watch that looks more as a watch...
I see I need to sleep over this couple times