Garmin Edge 605 Route Planning

[charlie999]

Hi,

I have been looking at the Garmin 605 Bike GPS and quite like the sound of it. My question is as follows:

Is it possible to sit at your PC with the software that came with it (or any other come to think of it) and plan a route to then upload to the device and then follow it? I know it says you can store routes you have done before but can you plan them in the first instance.

I presume you could navigate from where you are now to a destination and it would pick the best route like a TOMTOM device but I would like to sit at home plan a route in a big circle finishing where I left off knowing the distance before hand. I could then take the bikes out into the country have a good ride ending up back at the car relaxing in the thought that I would not get lost and had not had to go further than planned.

Hope someone can help.

Charlie

 

[Will1985]

Hi,Is it possible to sit at your PC with the software that came with it (or any other come to think of it) and plan a route to then upload to the device and then follow it? I know it says you can store routes you have done before but can you plan them in the first instance.

Yes - make them on mapmyride.com and then upload them.

 

[RedBike]

I presume you could navigate from where you are now to a destination and it would pick the best route like a TOMTOM device

I don't think it will.

I have the Legend (a lower end model). You can type in the name of a major town/city (villages aren't always listed) and it will show you which direction to travel in. But unlike tomtom It doesn't actually tell you which roads to take. You can't enter a postcode or a streetname etc.

As for getting lost. It plots your route on a map. So it's easy to see where you've been and where you currently are in relation to where you started.

 

[Bollo]

Ooooooh. Now this is a question.

First of all, DON'T rely on the built in route-planning. Its seems to be based on their standard road nav algorithms and will quite happily direct you along the nearest motorway if that's what it thinks is quickest. To be honest, autorouting for bikes is not a goer for anything other than emergencies.

Now to route mapping on PCs. You can use a third party program or web site and download the gpx files to the Garmin BUT these will not align exactly with the Garmin's internal representation of roads and other features. So, when you are following your route while riding, the indicated route may not overlay properly on your position. Worse, at junctions the instructions can be confused, resulting in U-turns aplenty.

To make sure your PC planned route matches the route you'll follow on the Garmin, you need to use the supplied Mapsource program. This uses the same map representation as the 605/705 unit so everything stays aligned and you'll get reliable directions. The bad news is that Mapsource appears to have been written for Windows 3.1 (ask your dad), and the vector-based maps are almost impossible to follow at any level of detail. By that I mean its very difficult to work out what part of any map you're looking at, as they don't contain the same detail that you take for granted on an OS map.

The good news is that the autorouting between selected points in Mapsource is very good, so you don't need to select many points on a route to get what you want. I work by drawing up a route in Tracklogs (memorymap or an online tool will do the same), loading it into mapsource and then 'tracing' it in mapsource to download to my 705. Now that's another story.............(search on 705, Garmin or similar to find a thread about this)

This all sounds horrendous, but the value I get from the nav capability (I usually ride alone on unfamiliar routes) make the effort worthwhile.
Hope this helps.

 

[andrew_s]

First of all, DON'T rely on the built in route-planning. Its seems to be based on their standard road nav algorithms and will quite happily direct you along the nearest motorway if that's what it thinks is quickest. To be honest, autorouting for bikes is not a goer for anything other than emergencies.

If it directs you along a motorway, it's probably because you haven't told it you are on a bike.
I've found my 60CSx can be quite reasonable for bike autorouting. Earlier in the year it picked quite decent bike routes into and out of Rouen, and into Le Havre ferryport from the north.
You can't expect it to know much about cycle tracks, but it did a good job of avoiding main roads.

 

[Bollo]

If it directs you along a motorway, it's probably because you haven't told it you are on a bike.
I've found my 60CSx can be quite reasonable for bike autorouting. Earlier in the year it picked quite decent bike routes into and out of Rouen, and into Le Havre ferryport from the north.
You can't expect it to know much about cycle tracks, but it did a good job of avoiding main roads.

Nope, set for the most minor of minor roads and its quite happy to send me on the M3 if there's no alternative. The 605/705 does not have a bike-specific nav option. All you can do is set a preference for minor roads, which doesn't seem to make much difference, in the UK at least. Even so, there are A roads that I'll happily cycle along and race-track B roads that I wouldn't touch with yours. There's no way a basic route finder can know which roads are cycle-friendly and which will have you listening for the engine tone of every passing car.

 

[charlie999]

Thanks for the replies they have been very helpfull. I have just ordered my Edge 605 and should have it on Tuesday all being well. In the mean time I have been playing about at mapmyride.com a brilliant site if it all works. Internet Explorer keeps locking up when using it though anyone else having that trouble?

Is there another site that does the same to upload to an egde does anyone know?

Regards Charlie

 

[charlie999]

I have just taken delivery of my new Garman edge 605 and am a bit dissapointed with the maps. They are very very basic. I live in the midlands (UK) on a housing estate but the maps only show the main road and a motorway near me.

I am guessing and hoping that I am wrong that this is a basic map that comes with the device and if you want more detailed then you must buy it!!

Does anyone have an idea what could be wrong?

Charlie

 

[Bollo]

I have just taken delivery of my new Garman edge 605 and am a bit dissapointed with the maps. They are very very basic. I live in the midlands (UK) on a housing estate but the maps only show the main road and a motorway near me.

I am guessing and hoping that I am wrong that this is a basic map that comes with the device and if you want more detailed then you must buy it!!

Does anyone have an idea what could be wrong?

Charlie

Hole in one (or yellow jersey?). Sorry about not mentioning it but I agree that Garmin are a little coy about maps. The base maps are trousers, even for car use, so you're pretty much compelled to supplement them with another map product if you're serious about navigation. You've got a choice of the road maps or the 'topo' maps, which also show some OS-like features and contour lines. Have a look on Garmin's web site to decide which one is fit for your purpose, then shop around. Garmin 'protect their investment' in the maps, so there's plenty of codes and unlocking. It can be daunting, but Garmin's telephone support is very good in my experience. Also, don't buy from the Garmin shop for the maps, as there's plenty of deals on the interbob.

I have the topo, but the extra info over the full road maps is quite frankly a waste of time for road bikery.

I believe you can get third party maps from other sources, but this looked like more trouble than its worth.

I think the concept of use for the 605/705 is training aid first with the option of proper navigation second. I'm guessing the nav and training components of the software have been welded together from separate devices. Its annoying, as the 605 and 705 are good, but they could have been great with a little more development on the nav side.

Hope you get it set up ok.

 

[charlie999]

Bollo thanks for the reply. I have ordered the maps for the UK and Ireland. I have shopped arround and got a reasonable price I think.

Anyway in the mean time today I had it on in the car on the way to work just to try and find my way arround etc (You know what its like to ge a new toy!!!) The basic map that is on only has a few roads but I used the motorways today so they were visible. The GPS track was slightly out to the maps.

Is that right do you think?
Will it get better with the map pack?

God I hope so will be devastated if not as I dont think my OCD will cope!!!

Regards Charlie

 

[Bollo]

Bollo thanks for the reply. I have ordered the maps for the UK and Ireland. I have shopped arround and got a reasonable price I think.

Anyway in the mean time today I had it on in the car on the way to work just to try and find my way arround etc (You know what its like to ge a new toy!!!) The basic map that is on only has a few roads but I used the motorways today so they were visible. The GPS track was slightly out to the maps.

Is that right do you think?
Will it get better with the map pack?

God I hope so will be devastated if not as I dont think my OCD will cope!!!

Regards Charlie

I've found that the alignment between tracks and the map is very good with the decent maps, so don't worry too much about this. When you're navigating using a track it will count you down in seconds and distance to junctions (as long as the map recognises it as a road change) and this can get quite spooky when the junction is well hidden.

 

[charlie999]

OK the maps have come on a Micro Sd card slotted in and booted up a treat. I cant wait to go for a ride. They on line so Bollo I think you were again right.

Can anyone tell me how I can get the Garmin Training centre to show the same maps so when I look at how I have done it will be in better map detail rather than the base maps.

Regards Charlie

 

[dodgy]

There are some incorrect messages being posted in this thread. First of all, the 605 and 705 allow the user to configure the unit for car/motorcycle bicycle or pedestrian - you'll find that in Settings ---> Routing and you can also further configure to avoid either or both of unpaved roads and major streets.

I find the autorouting is very good (lots more info on my site below), and despite the fact that I live near a convenient motorway junction and many of my routes head along the direction it travels (I live on the Wirral, look on Google maps to see what I mean) I have never once had my 705 attempt to route me down it, no matter how hard I've tried, it simply would never do it.

You can design routes on your PC using web-based applications such as MapMyRide, bikeroutetoaster and others, but I prefer to use Garmin's Mapsource with appropriate mapping. If you want to use Mapsource, you'll need to buy a mapping product on DVD - do not buy the SD card version of any software, you will not be able to use it on your PC. You have to spend a little more to get the DVD version of the software for PC installation, you can then send various maps to your 605 or 705.

As I said, more info in the link below.

Dave.

 

[charlie999]

Dodgy,

Thanks for the input very helpfull. Unfortunatelly I have just recieved my maps on memory card not the DVD so I an stuffed. Never mind.

Your site looks good I will have a good look through at my leisure.

Charlie

 

[dodgy]

Ooooooh. Now this is a question.

First of all, DON'T rely on the built in route-planning. Its seems to be based on their standard road nav algorithms and will quite happily direct you along the nearest motorway if that's what it thinks is quickest. To be honest, autorouting for bikes is not a goer for anything other than emergencies.

Now to route mapping on PCs. You can use a third party program or web site and download the gpx files to the Garmin BUT these will not align exactly with the Garmin's internal representation of roads and other features. So, when you are following your route while riding, the indicated route may not overlay properly on your position. Worse, at junctions the instructions can be confused, resulting in U-turns aplenty.

To make sure your PC planned route matches the route you'll follow on the Garmin, you need to use the supplied Mapsource program. This uses the same map representation as the 605/705 unit so everything stays aligned and you'll get reliable directions. The bad news is that Mapsource appears to have been written for Windows 3.1 (ask your dad), and the vector-based maps are almost impossible to follow at any level of detail. By that I mean its very difficult to work out what part of any map you're looking at, as they don't contain the same detail that you take for granted on an OS map.

The good news is that the autorouting between selected points in Mapsource is very good, so you don't need to select many points on a route to get what you want. I work by drawing up a route in Tracklogs (memorymap or an online tool will do the same), loading it into mapsource and then 'tracing' it in mapsource to download to my 705. Now that's another story.............(search on 705, Garmin or similar to find a thread about this)

This all sounds horrendous, but the value I get from the nav capability (I usually ride alone on unfamiliar routes) make the effort worthwhile.
Hope this helps.

Hi bollo,

Reading your post above I would hazard a guess that you're using Garmin's Topo map? That might explain the poor experience you're having with autorouting. To fully exploit the autorouting capabilities of the Garmin Edge 605 and 705, you need Garmin City Navigator (Europe) 2008. Garmin's Topo map is neither one thing nor the other, it doesn't come anywhere close to matching an OS map (as you've already said) and it doesn't carry the detail required for address searching and autorouting that City Navigator 2008 has (be careful, older versions of City Navigator lack autorouting, too).

Dave.