Cheapest GPS computer

[PpPete]

I was dedicated map & compass man for years, thought GPS was for the mentally disabled. Then I entered a UTLD event for which GPS was "strongly recommended". Did a lot of research and bought a Etrex Legend HCX - mostly on recommendation from yacf forum, there is an excellent thread over there.
Wouldn't be without it now. It does the breadcrumbs thing of course, there is free mapping available for most of the country now from OSM, battery life approaches 24hours if don't use backlight too much. My other half just bought a Etrex Vista HCx because it seems the latest Dakota & Oregon models don't have quite the same functionality as the Etrex series (although screen is larger).
Some people don't like the Garmin handlebar mounts - I've got a RAM mount which is very secure.

Edit:
But I still take either an OS Landranger map or at very least a laminated page torn from road atlas as a back-up.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

wise words porkypete wise words. all of them.

 

[PpPete]

Why thank you sir !

Anyone know if you can do "track-back" on these basic models. Obviously won't show the "breadcrumbs" but maybe enough to get the OP to somewhere recognisable?

Only flagging that one because being sold by another CC member

 

[ColinJ]

I've just answered a GPS question over on BikeRadar so I'll Copy & Paste my post here:

I have the entire UK on Memory Map at Landranger scale (1:50,000). I find 1:25,000 a bit detailed for road riding, though great for offroad.

I have the cheapest Garmin Etrex (the chunky yellow one) and use its breadcrumb trail mode for navigation with routes uploaded from MM. As long as you like doing the map reading at home it is perfect. If you like to see the maps on the GPS it obviously isn't because it doesn't allow you to do that! You can pick them up for under £60 now.

It has been reliable and accurate.

The battery life is great - 2 high capacity NiMH AA cells give well over 24 hours life between charges (as long as you don't use the backlight).

Annoyances:

• The bar mounts are a rip-off - over £12 for a couple of bits of plastic! I've bought 3 of them now for various bikes.
• If you use small AA batteries they can bounce about on rough roads and cut the GPS off. Solution - some cells are slightly physically larger than others. I've found some chunky cells which are a good tight fit. If not, line the battery compartment with paper to give a tight fit.
• They use an old-style RS232 serial connection and you need a cable with a proprietary connector at the GPS end. I bought one with a USB-RS232 converter built-in off eBay for about £10.
• No audible warning when approaching waypoints. If you are talking to someone and not looking at the screen, you could miss a turn. That's the only problem I've had and it is rare - you get into the habit of glancing down at the GPS to see how far it is to the next decision point.

And yes - you can do a trackback, no problem.

PS You need to make sure that you get one of the later models. I think there have been 3 now. I got the second type. That has much more memory than the Mk. I which is too limited for cycling. Make sure that the one you get has 20 routes and 500-odd waypoints, 128-odd waypoints max per route. I think the latest model has more sensitive GPS circuitry but I've never had a problem with mine.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

I've taken the plunge and ordered a Vista HCx and the OCM maps on SD card.

 

[ttcycle]

Yes you can set it up to avoid motorways and you can set it up for walking or cycling

Simon

Which TomTom Sat Nav do you have?

 

[shippers]

I have a nokia 5800, you can get a free googlemaps download and as long as your tariff allows you unlimited data it's not a bad answer.
I have no handlebar mount for it though.
I also run endomondo- it plots routes, speeds, inclines etc and seems to take into account hills when calculating speed and distance.

Phone was free (virgin mobile) £18 per month. I think.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

if using a mobile phone as a GPS what sort of battery life do you get?

 

[joshua.agger]

For me sportypal does everything I need, keeps track of my distance, speed and great thing, is the real time movement map.
Besides this motivational is the option that shows my average speed and pace, so i can know when I'm slacking behind

 

[RecordAceFromNew]

I would love to have my tomtom with me whilst out on the bike,just haven't figured out a way to mount it on the handlebars yet.

Depending on the model, many are available e.g. something like this? Or perhaps in the transparent map pocket of a handlebar bag?

You can also get battery packs that take AA/AAA to extend the battery life.

 

[MontyVeda]

Interseting thread... The screens on the Garmin gps' seem al ittle small to me... something the size of an iPhone would be preferable, but they're hounded by terrible battery life.

To date I tend to... (please don't snigger... ok, snigger...) have photos of sections of maps on my compact digital camera and with a bit of photoshop, highlighted routes. So when I need to remind myself where i should be going, i just zoom in to the relevant bit of the map to find that bridleway or whatever.

 

[ColinJ]

Interseting thread...  The screens on the Garmin gps' seem al ittle small to me... something the size of an iPhone would be preferable, but they're hounded by terrible battery life.  

My eyesight isn't great but I have no problem at all with my Garmin Etrex, but that is because I'm not map reading on the bike. I do all that back at home. When I'm riding, I'm just following a breadcrumb trail on the GPS screen. I can see (for example) that there is a left turn coming up in 200 metres, followed by a right 150 metres later. Perfect!

If you like to be more spontaneous, that system wouldn't work for you. I like to plan my rides before I do them so it suits me.

 

[MontyVeda]

Is this your Garmin Etrax? looks like it ticks two major boxes, price and performance (£128 at amazon)

 

[HLaB]

My first GPS until it bust :-( was a Garmin Geko 301 (I really should get it fixed) some of the Geko series are very cheap indeed, not great specs though but they do the bread crumb thing and can be bike mounted.

 

[Maz]

I was dedicated map & compass man for years, thought GPS was for the mentally disabled. Then I entered a UTLD event for which GPS was "strongly recommended". Did a lot of research and bought a Etrex Legend HCX - mostly on recommendation from yacf forum, there is an excellent thread over there.
Wouldn't be without it now. It does the breadcrumbs thing of course, there is free mapping available for most of the country now from OSM, battery life approaches 24hours if don't use backlight too much. My other half just bought a Etrex Vista HCx because it seems the latest Dakota & Oregon models don't have quite the same functionality as the Etrex series (although screen is larger).
Some people don't like the Garmin handlebar mounts - I've got a RAM mount which is very secure.

Edit:
But I still take either an OS Landranger map or at very least a laminated page torn from road atlas as a back-up.

That speaks volumes for the hi-tech option!
Maps are great and they don't run out of batteries. I did my Leicester-Cambridge ride using nothing more than a few print-out maps and some research before-hand.