Possibly. I'm pretty terrible with directions
Cycling GPS?
- Thread starter anonymous
- Start date
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HobbesOnTour
Guru
- Location
- España
As @I like Skol says you probably don't need a GPS unit... Yet.
What you need is a good route planner.
https://cycle.travel/map is, in my opinion the best for quietest options, not necessarily shortest.
From the route it generates you can create cue sheets or download a gpx to use in a free app like OSMand, Komoot or RWGPS. Unless your commute is massively long battery life won't be an issue.
Remember, bike gps units are inherently different to car units. Some bike gps units can generate routes, but they are generally poor. Bike gps units are at their best when paired with good planning software or apps.
What you need is a good route planner.
https://cycle.travel/map is, in my opinion the best for quietest options, not necessarily shortest.
From the route it generates you can create cue sheets or download a gpx to use in a free app like OSMand, Komoot or RWGPS. Unless your commute is massively long battery life won't be an issue.
Remember, bike gps units are inherently different to car units. Some bike gps units can generate routes, but they are generally poor. Bike gps units are at their best when paired with good planning software or apps.
steveindenmark
Legendary Member
You can just use your phone and a powerbank. Get a quadlock, its the best securing method I have found. But to get the optimal safe route, you need to do a bit of work on a routing app. Just opting from A to B on a routing app will not cut it. It will get you to your destination. But not necessarily on the safest roads.
mjr
Comfy armchair to one person & a plank to the next
- Location
- mostly Norfolk, sometimes Somerset
It varies by system. On my phone, I share the GPS file to it, tap it in the downloads list and it offers osmand as one of the apps to open it with. I think most sat nav apps will be offered as a choice.
If you have a GPS unit, I think uploading by USB (the device appearing like a data stick when plugged in) or wifi using an app on the PC are most common.
Heltor Chasca
Out-riding the Black Dog
There is also a device called a Beeline. You choose your destination on the app on your phone and you can either choose to follow a route mode or you pick roads of your choosing while it is in compass mode.
Wahoo ELEMNT is also cheaper than the Bolt at the moment. That is an amazing device.
Or you can run the RWGPS app on your phone (favours bike friendly roads) which was would be attached to your bike with a Quadlock which is utterly brilliant.
Wahoo ELEMNT is also cheaper than the Bolt at the moment. That is an amazing device.
Or you can run the RWGPS app on your phone (favours bike friendly roads) which was would be attached to your bike with a Quadlock which is utterly brilliant.
The TomTom app did?
Spartak
Powered by M&M's
- Location
- Bristolian
Wahoo elemnt bolt user here coupled with the Komoot app which in general will direct you onto more cycle friendly routes, especially if you select 'bike touring' whilst in the route selection mode, easy to transfer route to Wahoo unit... 👍
Spartak
Powered by M&M's
- Location
- Bristolian
Just read about the Beeline Velo looks a great idea... 😉
steveindenmark
Legendary Member
You will find better routes than the Tom Tom app provides if you do a bit of your own planning.
Better than komoot? Using road bike mode?
Heltor Chasca
Out-riding the Black Dog
Check your Komoot routes carefully. They have a terrible habit of sending you up silly off-road ridges even in ‘road mode’. It happened twice on events I was riding when I was up against the clock. Not happy.
RWGPS is the most reliable for road use. Cycle.travel for scenic touring.
figbat
Slippery scientist
- Location
- South Oxfordshire, UK
I use Strava for route planning and syncing with the Bolt - so long as you plot the route with some common sense it delivers what I need for both road and MTB routes.
confusedcyclist
Veteran
Save your money. Another vote for https://cycle.travel. IMO best web-based app, you can upload a downloaded GPS file to komoot app if turn by turn direction is required. Occasional cross referencing on google maps street view in advance of ride to scope out new routes helps do away with bar mounting phone. I have had success just using one earbud/headphone and put the smartphone in rear pocket, occasionally stopping to check I'm still on course if the spoken turn by turn gets confusing.
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