Garmin et al - an ignorant question

[mcshroom]

The difference is that you can buy AAs at just about any shop/petrol station, so it's difficult to end up in the situation where you have a flat battery and a flat charger. That's more of a bonus when you are camping and can't necessarily charge things overnight, but it's still a nice feature of the general purpose GPSs over the Edge series IMHO.

 

[StuAff]

Given that you can get AA-powered USB packs (e.g. I have an earlier version of one of these), I think that purely on power pack pros and cons, it's a wash between Edges and Etrex/other Garmins. An Edge can recharge from USB and simultaneously run, with an AA-powered Garmin you can run it from USB, but not charge batteries, unless you go for certain models and an add-on rechargeable pack at extra cost. Other models may have other advantages, of course...

+1 for @redfalo's map source suggestion. Been running OSM map download from there on my Edge 705 for nearly a year, wish I'd started using them sooner. Much, much better than the Garmin City Navigator NT set it came with. Clearer display, more up-to-date, no silly directions as I used to get with the Garmin maps. I agree with Ian, Edge Touring would be a good buy.

And another +1 for @AKA Bob on tracks versus routes. Works for me, very well more often than not (routing issues tend to be human error- more often than not mine, but the OSM compilers certainly aren't perfect- I got sent down a private road on Saturday, and I've been instructed to go through a hedge more than once- rather than equipment....). Routes had an unfortunate habit of crashing my Edge, not had the same issue with tracks. Zero problems giving turn-by-turn regardless of length, unlike the data point limits imposed by routes. I would strongly recommend using OSM routing, which will work just fine with Google Maps data, though you might want to double-check the results with OSM maps- Google Maps' own cycle routing is very, very much a work in progress and completely inoperable for large parts of Europe (including Italy, I've just checked.....).

You would not need a laptop or tablet to do any route planning on the go. A smartphone can run something like OSMand and with the right cable download the resulting file to your GPS. Did this myself in Belgium last year.

 

[StuAff]

I've recently discovered Plotaroute, and been very happy using it. In terms of routing effectively, as good as RWGPS and often better. Would still rather use bikehike, but unfortunately the OSM routing has been broken on there for months.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Oh, and loop the lanyard over your handlebars. Apart from the GPSmap (ans maybe etrex) series, Garmins aren't all that rugged and if a pothole dislodges it from the mount it's bye bye GPS. I think the Edge series mounts are possibly more secure than others, but I still wouldn't take the risk.

Another nice aspect of the GPSmap/Oregon/Etrex units is that they are designed for handheld use so are much better for use off the bike - if you want to go walking, say. The downside is that they don't have all the cadence/power connectivity whangdangs and are big lumps, and you may be sneered at by other cyclists, and end up sobbing into your pillow in utter humiliation. Or perhaps not.

 

[AKA Bob]

@dellzeqq before you decide see if you can borrow one for a few weeks. I imagine there are a few 800s in the back of draws which have been neglected following upgrades.

 

[Banjo]

I know its already been said but one that runs on disposable or rechargeable AA batteries saves your plans being influenced by availability of electricity.
I use rechargeable Duracell AAs in my Garmin Dakota. a pair fully charged give me about 7 hours . The charger is reasonably small and lightweight .

 

[mcshroom]

Oh, and loop the lanyard over your handlebars. Apart from the GPSmap (ans maybe etrex) series, Garmins aren't all that rugged and if a pothole dislodges it from the mount it's bye bye GPS. I think the Edge series mounts are possibly more secure than others, but I still wouldn't take the risk.

Another nice aspect of the GPSmap/Oregon/Etrex units is that they are designed for handheld use so are much better for use off the bike - if you want to go walking, say. The downside is that they don't have all the cadence/power connectivity whangdangs and are big lumps, and you may be sneered at by other cyclists, and end up sobbing into your pillow in utter humiliation. Or perhaps not.

I have experience of dropping an Etrex 20 off the bars at 30 mph. It gained a few scratches but worked fine until I lost it 4 months later

The Etrex 30/30x has options for a speed/cadence sensor, and maybe some other ANT+ based ones, but it's rather limited as I understand it.

 

[StuAff]

On my third Edge 705 (USB ports borked on the first two). All three have bounced off the road at least once without coming to harm.

 

[martint235]

I've got an Etrex Legend (predecessor to the 20) with a cage you can mount on the stem with cable ties. You're welcome to it if you think it will do the job for you. You'll need to provide a SD card for the maps to work though.

Also @arallsopp did a very good youtube tutorial on how to have routing working over a large number of points. It involves using routeconverter but is very good and I use it all the time.

 

[Blue Hills]

I use an Etrex20 which has the advantage of replaceable batteries. Best use is following 'dumb' tracks rather than letting it route you. Good setup procedures here.

agree totally.

Built in batteries are a thoroughly bad idea. The Garmin Touring is no more a touring unit than Chris-falling-off his bike Hoy is a pannier laden tourist. No idea why Garmin called it the Touring - marketing I suppose. So I agree with you, has to be the 20, now the 20x. The 30/30x model has a compass which works when you are still and a barometric altimeter which I think you can do without. Luckily the 20x is one of the cheaper models, which is why of course, it is quite a rare sight in bike shops. They would rather sell you up.

 

[Blue Hills]

Oh, and you don't need to carry a laptop for re-plotting routes on the way. what i often do when camping touring in France is working out the route on a paper map in the evening and then just manually enter waypoints at strategically important junctions on the Garmin. Works a treat.

As of free OSM-based maps, my recommendation is this website: http://garmin.openstreetmap.nl you can download maps in format which you can just drag and drop on to the device

Good sensible advice as in your other post.
Though personally I prefer openfiesmap:

http://www.openfietsmap.nl/

 

[Dogtrousers]

I have experience of dropping an Etrex 20 off the bars at 30 mph. It gained a few scratches but worked fine until I lost it 4 months later

The Etrex 30/30x has options for a speed/cadence sensor, and maybe some other ANT+ based ones, but it's rather limited as I understand it.

I've bounced my 60csx several times, and attempted to drown and freeze it to death, it has laughed it all off, and survived a major assault from a border terrier. When my Oregon hit the deck, it died instantly.

 

[Blue Hills]

Use a lanyard folks. I never did as the mount seemed fine. Which it is in 99.99 per cent of cases. But my Etrex 20 bounced off a few weeks ago and although it seemed fine externally it no longer worked properly. Fixed by Garmin but now I always use a lanyard. Takes only a few seconds longer to put on/take off.

 

[redfalo]

Modern non-cycling specific Garmins can be connected to ANT+ heart rate monitors, cadence and conventional speed sensors. As far as I know, they don't do power meters and the modern speed sensors that are attached around the hub.

I'm with @Dogtrousers on benefits of handheld devices off the bike.

 

[redfalo]

As for mounts, RAM Mounts are the way forward. This quick relase thingy works a treat. http://www.rammount.com/part/RAP-274-1U