Please provide more information: What model #s do not need a cellular service/sim card...
How to manage an install of software without cellular download?

The phone has a computer, including a GPS Chip, to let it access the GPS satellites and create a map of my bicycle ride without a cellular phone service? Some how this sound to good to be true...

JR

It's been a while now, but I had a Nokia e71 where the gps radio worked without the SIM. Do you realize they are two different radios? There's a third radio in there, 802.11 for using in wireless ethernet networks.

My blackberry Curve runs gpslogger without the sim card in it. Again, just turn off the SIM radio.

Buy a phone second-hand and try it out. Not much to lose. There will be some time figuring out how to get it all set up because the UI's are fiddly. Once it's set up, you will be good to go.

Update: could not find a blackberry with GPS, or anyone that knew anything about GPS without sim card. I was told I need to activate the phone top install the application. Guess I am not much of a cell phone user, and do not have access to any decent cell phone knowledge locally.

I stepped up and purchased a Garmin Edge 200, it attaches via USB 2.0 like a external hard drive, USB 2.0 can be used for charging also, as it only has a 14 hour battery.

I have come down with a horrid cold, and done only one ride with the the new unit.

I uploaded the .fit file to mapmyride.com was quite an easy task. Disappointing there is no method to use an Android 2.2 WiFi tablet with the Garmin Edge 200 either Garmin appears to have only Mac & Microsoft compatibility.

I was quite surprised that there was no Android Garmin Connect sync application. I wonder outloud if the Android tablet can do GPS without a WiFi connection, like a phone with no sim card, but it would not fit on my bars without a fancy unaffordable mount gizmo, as I do not take a back pack on ride less than 6 hours, or when I am shopping.

I have read someplace that the Edge 200 will keep records of 4 different bicycles and that is something I want to investigate and test. For the moment I will use mapmyride.com but looking to learn more about map it once with all the details, images from camera and have it record my workouts. I am in learning mode and a nasty cold has slowed my investigation/riding.

JR

Update after 8 weeks of GPS abilities: I ended up purchasing a Garmin Edge 200, and I find it very easy to move the files from the Edge 200 to a folder I keep on the desktop of my 64-bit Mepis 11 system. I then can move these files to MapMYRide.com and create a map for my workouts (repeat rides). I have not needed another application and I can access the information on any computer at hand.

There are no methods to change the face or lines displayed on the Edge 200, and I can not update the firm ware via Linux/Android. Yet for the moment this unit is all I need, a great Bicycle computer, with the additional feature of being able to use the GPS features. I am not ever going to become a racer, or a competitive rider in a performance riding group. I like the ability to move the unite to another bicycle as they sent me two mounting setups. I have 4 bicycles I ride each week, and two more mounts will make that an easy task to mount the Edge 200 into the bicycle I will ride today...

Thank you everybody for offering suggestions, solutions I would have never thought about. I have yet to try the Bicycle software, other than the on-line mapping site I was already using. When I download and install software I will again update this thread...

Again many thanks to everyone that participated in this question I posted in August 2011...

Garmin Edge 200 Review
http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2011/08/g...th-review.html

JR