Garmin Edge 705 maps - help needed for newbie!

[domcross]

Hi All,

First post, so hello to all of you and a happy New Year

I've recently bought my first road bike and a Garmin Edge 705 with a view to doing some miles and losing the weight I've been trying to lose for a long time!

I know very little about the 705, but what I have learnt in a couple of days is that the map that's pre-installed is pretty awful It came with a MapSource TOPO Great Britain CD, but the activation code doesn't seem to work. That said, I'm not sure it's even what I need.

I live in rural Wiltshire and would like to get a map onto the device that provides really good quality road detail in the countryside; something like an OS map would be great

So, can anyone recommend one and where I can get it from. Any pointers on how to get it onto the 705 would also be most welcome

Thanks in advance for your help.

Dom.

 

[Mista Preston]

Hi Dom

First of all and happy new year to you

Take a read of this website which covers lots on the 705 and is my learning base at the moment.

http://frank.kinlan.co.uk/?page_id=1212

this may also help ?

http://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=12998.0

In terms of maps there are a number of ways to extend what you have depending on what you want from it. Being new to the 705 myself I got the micros SD with mine that covers most of Europe which costs about 80 quid I think. You can also buy Mapsource that does the same from Garmin. I am sure that a number of the other regulars on here will have plenty of advice. I am sure if you contact Garmin direct regarding the activation code they will be able to help.

Good luck

 

[nosherduke996]

Hi, i also got the 705 for christmas. I have used it twice and have been impressed with it.
Have you unlocked your topo map, you have to go on to the Garmin website and unlock it and install with the usb cable.
It took me most of christmas day to play around with it but just stick with it as its great

 

[jeltz]

Also have a look at these free Open Source Routable Maps if they are not detailed enough in your area you may want the Garmin City Navigator, either the UK & Ireland version or Europe.

 

[Dave5N]

I use bikely. Works for me.

 

[Auntie Helen]

I've just taken delivery of a lovely new Garmin Oregon 300 and didn't buy maps with it. Initially I thought I could use some Garmin maps but that didn't work out so I investigated OpenSource Mapping. I've been amazed how good it is! With the Oregon I can have two maps on at once so I've been experimenting with different OSM options and have found three very good UK ones, all of which work fine for me up in the Essex/Suffolk borders. You can read my thoughts on the mapping etc here: http://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=26691.0

Dave 5N, Bikely won't work for installing maps on the 705 although it is v useful for creating routes/tracks/courses.

 

[domcross]

Thanks to all of you for the quick and really useful replies I need to get this sorted today as my hangover demands a bike ride

Anyway, I've looked at the Open Source Routable Maps the jeltz kindly linked to, but there's not enough detail in my neck of the woods unfortunately.

Thanks for the links Mista Preston I'll read through the info today. In terms of what I want from the maps; I live in darkest Wiltshire and want to be able to go for 10-30 mile rides around the country lanes from village to village. Being a former soldier, I'm quite used to OS maps, so something with that level of detail and presentation would suit me down to the ground.

I tried to unlock the GB TOPO map again today and got stuck at the point where the unlock application tries to find the device. Although it was connected to my PC and I'd just done a successful software upgrade, it couldn't find the device and suggested I need to make some changes to the way the device communicates with the PC This can't be the case as the software update had worked just fine.

Anyway, it seems that the TOPO map won't give me what I'm looking for, so there's little point in pushing on with that option.

I know there are some good OS based maps out there, but don't know who makes them. Can anyone point me to them in the knowledge that I'll be able to get them running on the 705 without a computing degree?

Thanks again all... great forum

Dom.

 

[fossyant]

Leave the Garmin switched off - doesn't need to be on, and ensure you can recognise it on the My Garmin website - you'll also need the TOPO DVD in the PC too.

I've got City Nav Europe on DVD, and was all up and running very quickly.

The opensource maps are installed on another memory card, and TBH aren't too good in my part of the world loads of missing roads - although I will be using this for canals/bike routes.

 

[amaferanga]

Thanks to all of you for the quick and really useful replies I need to get this sorted today as my hangover demands a bike ride

Anyway, I've looked at the Open Source Routable Maps the jeltz kindly linked to, but there's not enough detail in my neck of the woods unfortunately.

Thanks for the links Mista Preston I'll read through the info today. In terms of what I want from the maps; I live in darkest Wiltshire and want to be able to go for 10-30 mile rides around the country lanes from village to village. Being a former soldier, I'm quite used to OS maps, so something with that level of detail and presentation would suit me down to the ground.

I tried to unlock the GB TOPO map again today and got stuck at the point where the unlock application tries to find the device. Although it was connected to my PC and I'd just done a successful software upgrade, it couldn't find the device and suggested I need to make some changes to the way the device communicates with the PC This can't be the case as the software update had worked just fine.

Anyway, it seems that the TOPO map won't give me what I'm looking for, so there's little point in pushing on with that option.

I know there are some good OS based maps out there, but don't know who makes them. Can anyone point me to them in the knowledge that I'll be able to get them running on the 705 without a computing degree?

Thanks again all... great forum

Dom.

Your only options for the 705 are the garmin maps (city navigator or topo) or OSM maps. If you bought it thinking you'd get OS quality mapping then I'm afraid you've made a mistake.

But if you are cycling on roads then provided you have maps with all roads marked then what else do you need? OS mapping on such a tiny screen would be next to useless to look at while you're cycling anyway.

 

[HaloJ]

Crickey! What an absolutely awful set of instructions that came with the Edge 705.

You'd think for that money they'd be able to produce a manual and maybe at least supply you with an installation CD that pointed you at the relevant downloads. Still all nice and easy to setup on the bike itself it just took me a little longer to get my head around the "software".

Anyway, bed time.