GPS needed for charity ride

[Modo]

Hi all,

It has been a long time since I have posted.......work and training. As many of you know I am doing a charity cycle ride from UK to Austria this year. My website: The date has finally been set for departure June 9th. However, I am not doing the ride solo anymore I am being joined by former Bradford Bulls player (89-93) Craig Adams. I now have a bike but due to limited finances I had to get a cheaper hybrid bike, it has done 200 miles so far and nothing has fallen off

I have many things I need to get yet and one of those is a GPS as I said earlier I have limited finances so can`t spend a fortune on one. Does anyone on here have one for sale or a possible loan of one just for the ride, I would be willing to leave a deposit if a loaned one can be found. Failing this can anbody recommend a good value for money one.

Any comments/help would be greatfully appreciated

Nigel

 

[jay clock]

use real maps (and I say that even though I love technology!). Charging up a GPS every day is a hassle, replanning routes etc if you have to change routes is a hassle too.

 

[ColinJ]

Nigel - your signature link isn't working. The www. version doesn't work but your other link without the www. does!

I'm actually a great fan of GPS and use one all the time. You can get yourself fixed up for well under £100 if you look around. I've posted on the subject on CC many times so search for posts by me including GPS and you will find what I have to say on the subject.

I'd always suggest carrying maps for backup, so it isn't a question of either GPS or maps. Use the GPS if you stick to your route, but fall back to maps if you have to!

As for batteries - with the cheapest (old model) Etrex H you'd get about 22 hours use out of a pair of Duracell AAs if you didn't want to bother with recharging NiMH cells on the go. If you averaged 14 miles per hour, that would be about 100 hours of cycling so you'd need about 8 or 10 Duracells. Alternatively, you could carry 4 pairs of pre-charged NiMH cells and carry 2 Duracells for backup in case last pair of rechargeables ran out of juice before you got to your destination.

 

[Modo]

Modo - your signature link isn't working. The www. version doesn't work but your other link without the www. does!

Thanks Colin sorted now

 

[Modo]

use real maps (and I say that even though I love technology!). Charging up a GPS every day is a hassle, replanning routes etc if you have to change routes is a hassle too.

I will be using cycle routes especially through Germany, the Ems and Wesser valley. Once we reach the south east corner of Bavaria near the Czech border it is a 200+ mile section that will need a few maps, this all costs, hence trying to get gps. There is another option....mapmyride.com allows you to print routes off but you have to be a member, this also means stuck to a specific route

Nigel

 

[Glow worm]

I would certainly not recommend Memory Map. The software is incredibly complicated, the user guides are at best unhelpful and the GPS units themselves really expensive. There are all sorts of licencing issues with various maps that they never tell you about until it's too late, and their customer service is non-existant leaving you stranded with a useless device that's really expensive and doesn't work.

 

[jay clock]

There is another option....mapmyride.com allows you to print routes off but you have to be a member, this also means stuck to a specific route

another similar site that is 100% free and no annoying pop ups is www.ridewithgps.com certainly good for overall planning and if you have a pc and wifi, can be used nightly. You can export the routes to devices (I have a Garmin Edge 800 which I find fiddly....)

 

[Modo]

another similar site that is 100% free and no annoying pop ups is www.ridewithgps.com certainly good for overall planning and if you have a pc and wifi, can be used nightly. You can export the routes to devices

To print the maps you have to be at least a basic member which has a monthly/annual fee

 

[doog]

I would recommend a Garmin etrex Vista hcx or similar as mentioned above. Try ebay for second hand . No worries about charging and if you used Lithiums you would get a lot longer than duracells or similar. Plan your route on bikeroutetoaster and use OSM for mapping. Once you finish your trip you could sell it on no problem.

ps

Michelin maps are printable

http://www.viamichelin.co.uk/web/Maps

 

[rollinstok]

Cant anyone go anywhere without the aid of gps, satnav, mobile phones, laptops ? When I was a boy scout we got along just fine with a map, a stick and a flint, I dont know.. the pampered youth of today... grumble... whinge...whine !! Seriously, its getting to the stage where people will get lost going to the local shop without the aid of a modern device.. they,ll need the mobile when they get there because they need to ring home to ask what they went for !!

 

[snorri]

Have you considered getting the 'Bikeline' guides to the Ems Radweg and Weser Radweg? These books contain maps and detail the facilities along the route. Although printed in German, the maps can be readily understood and the other information can usually be worked out with the help of an English/German pocket dictionary.
The Radweg routes are usually well signposted, making map reading almost unneccessary.
Good luck on your challenge!

 

[Modo]

Cant anyone go anywhere without the aid of gps, satnav, mobile phones, laptops ? When I was a boy scout we got along just fine with a map, a stick and a flint, I dont know.. the pampered youth of today... grumble... whinge...whine !! Seriously, its getting to the stage where people will get lost going to the local shop without the aid of a modern device.. they,ll need the mobile when they get there because they need to ring home to ask what they went for !!

I am a 20 yr truck veteran I dont NEED gps just looking at different options, printing off maps using various sites is prob going to be the best way to go.

Thanks for the help everyone

 

[Modo]

Have you considered getting the 'Bikeline' guides to the Ems Radweg and Weser Radweg? These books contain maps and detail the facilities along the route. Although printed in German, the maps can be readily understood and the other information can usually be worked out with the help of an English/German pocket dictionary.
The Radweg routes are usually well signposted, making map reading almost unneccessary.
Good luck on your challenge!

I have those map book already ....my German is a little suspect though lol but they will do just fine.

 

[rollinstok]

Hi all,

I have many things I need to get yet and one of those is a GPS

Nigel

 

[ColinJ]

Cant anyone go anywhere without the aid of gps, satnav, mobile phones, laptops ? When I was a boy scout we got along just fine with a map, a stick and a flint, I dont know.. the pampered youth of today... grumble... whinge...whine !! Seriously, its getting to the stage where people will get lost going to the local shop without the aid of a modern device.. they,ll need the mobile when they get there because they need to ring home to ask what they went for !!

Well, how come you communicated this knowledge to us via the internet rather than writing us all letters?