Do I really need Ride with GPS?

[CAESAR AVGVSTVS]

I purchased my first Garmin 1040 bike sat nav last year. Because it works in partnership with Ride with gps I also purchased the app as well at a cost of £70.99. I’ve downloaded a few courses that others posted up. It seems very expensive for what I’m getting out of it. Maybe I didn’t need to purchase it in the beginning 🤷‍♂️
All I’m after is some local rides that others recommend and try them out myself at the weekends. I know I can download directions with the Garmin app but not recommended rides as such. At least I can’t find them🤷‍♂️
What’s your thoughts please ?

 

[T4tomo]

I purchased my first Garmin 1040 bike sat nav last year. Because it works in partnership with Ride with gps I also purchased the app as well at a cost of £70.99. I’ve downloaded a few courses that others posted up. It seems very expensive for what I’m getting out of it. Maybe I didn’t need to purchase it in the beginning 🤷‍♂️
All I’m after is some local rides that others recommend and try them out myself at the weekends. I know I can download directions with the Garmin app but not recommended rides as such. At least I can’t find them🤷‍♂️
What’s your thoughts please ?

I use Ride with GPS at bit (combined with Cycle.travel) I dont pay a penny for Ride with GPS, you must have signed up to some sort of premium account

 

[CAESAR AVGVSTVS]

That’s exactly what I did because I had no clue what I needed 🤪

 

[CAESAR AVGVSTVS]

I use Ride with GPS at bit (combined with Cycle.travel) I dont pay a penny for Ride with GPS, you must have signed up to some sort of premium account

Yes I did, I emailed ride with gps and they said…. Well it was sold to me 😥

 

[Alex321]

You don't need RidewithGPS, and you certainly don't need the premium (paid for) version.

I have a Wahoo rather than Garmin, but I believe they are similar in the way they integrate with a number of the popular cycling apps such as Strava, RideWithGPS, Komoot, etc.

I do plot routes using RideWithGPS, but with the free version, and have occasionally used existing routes from the app, but not often, since none of them start where I do. They are simple to upload to my Wahoo, presumably similarly easy for the Garmin.

But you can equally plot routes in other apps such as Strava, Komoot, cycle.travel, and uplpoad those.

 

[CAESAR AVGVSTVS]

You don't need RidewithGPS, and you certainly don't need the premium (paid for) version.

I have a Wahoo rather than Garmin, but I believe they are similar in the way they integrate with a number of the popular cycling apps such as Strava, RideWithGPS, Komoot, etc.

I do plot routes using RideWithGPS, but with the free version, and have occasionally used existing routes from the app, but not often, since none of them start where I do. They are simple to upload to my Wahoo, presumably similarly easy for the Garmin.

But you can equally plot routes in other apps such as Strava, Komoot, cycle.travel, and uplpoad those.

Thank you,
There is a club that post their rides on RWGPS, and as you say they are miles away from my house. Each ride I have to add 5 miles each way, just to get to the start position. My local area only has a few suitable rides for me.

 

[vickster]

Thank you,
There is a club that post their rides on RWGPS, and as you say they are miles away from my house. Each ride I have to add 5 miles each way, just to get to the start position. My local area only has a few suitable rides for me.

You could look at Komoot for rides people have uploaded and then download to your Garmin. Their mappacks are also very reasonable
https://www.komoot.com/

 

[T4tomo]

I purchased my first Garmin 1040 bike sat nav last year. Because it works in partnership with Ride with gps

This assumption is your first error. It principally works in conjunction with the free Garmin Connect app, which in turn will sync with any other number of free Apps (e.g. strava) most of which have paid for upgrades that you don't need.

I can search for other peoples rides / routes on Ride with GPS free version (and Kamoot free, and cycle.travel free), save them to my routes, edit them and download as a file to upload to my ancient Garmin 800. (at this point with a newer garmin you should be able to just send them wirelessly I believe if connected up via Garmin connected app.

 

[Emanresu]

I'm an avid RWGPS fan which has improved over time. It's main uses are to keep a record of my past tours so I can work out how far / how long a new route will take me based on past distances / elevation. Nothing worse on tour than stopping earlier than you need or conversely knackering yourself with extra miles / hills.

Others though prefer to work without any GPS and see where the roads take you. Each to their own.

 

[HLaB]

I purchased my first Garmin 1040 bike sat nav last year. Because it works in partnership with Ride with gps I also purchased the app as well at a cost of £70.99. I’ve downloaded a few courses that others posted up. It seems very expensive for what I’m getting out of it. Maybe I didn’t need to purchase it in the beginning 🤷‍♂️
All I’m after is some local rides that others recommend and try them out myself at the weekends. I know I can download directions with the Garmin app but not recommended rides as such. At least I can’t find them🤷‍♂️
What’s your thoughts please ?

You can use the Garmin Connect app to reccomend rides. It's in the create course and automatic option. Strava has got similar but the GC one IMO is better as it lets you specify a direction, which is handy when its windy.

 

[chriswoody]

There is a club that post their rides on RWGPS, and as you say they are miles away from my house. Each ride I have to add 5 miles each way, just to get to the start position. My local area only has a few suitable rides for me.

This is one of the reasons why I took the plunge a few years ago and paid for a premium subscription. Basically using a ride sourced from elsewhere, with premium, I have access to their advanced editing tools and can splice the routes, add in new way points, or reverse it if I want. With premium I also have the facility to download the maps for off line use, something that I really value. I can then have a back up of my routes on my phone in case of any issues with my head unit and I don't need to have internet access. I find syncing with my Garmin is also completely painless, I just needed to link my RWGPS account to Garmin Connect and now whenever I pin a route in RWGPS, it pops up moments later on my head unit, provided I've connected it via bluetooth with my phone.

Overall, there are many different mapping sites out there, Komoot, Strava Cycle Travel, all have their merits and downsides. For me RWGPS worked the best and I use it to the exclusion of all else and I'm happy to pay yearly for the privilege of doing so, but there are free ones out there as well.

 

[Mburton1993]

I use Ride With GPS to map out routes on the computer which are then downloaded as tcx files and put on my Garmin 820 which is free.

There was a tour last year where my previous satnav had charging issues and I had to use Ride With GPS's free trial for live navigation.

 

[johnblack]

Garmin Connect does it for free, but I also use the free version of RWGPS

 

[Jameshow]

What's with this new GPS thingy....

I use those signposty / mike stone markers...

much more hi-tec!

Coats, gloves leaves....! 🤣🤣🤣

 

[cyberknight]

garmin connect has the popularity heatmap so you can see what routes cyclists prefer near you