Sat Navigation device question

[bluemirage]

Hello everyone,
I'm wondering what other cyclists think about sat navs. My existing setup works well enough, but perhaps could be better. I also motorcycle and use the same app on a basic smartphone. Let me explain. I use 'plotaroute.com' to create a scenic route, download the gpx file and put it in the 'tracks' folder of the OSMAND app, on my android phone. On my bike, it is positioned so that it speaks turn by turn direct from the mobile and app as I go. I can see it as well but eyesight not being as good as it was, I continue with audio mostly. On my motorcycle, mobile connects to my bluetooth headset and speaks directions just fine, with mobile in my pocket - no visuals necessary. Now, the OSMAND app has glitched in the past, so I'm looking to update the satnav device (mobile phone, plus app) to something more dedicated to cycling/motorcycling so thought perhaps Garmin Edge, or Wahoo, or Hammerhead, Bryton, have the bluetooth capability I'm seeking.
Anyone have any ideas, or can you tell me what your device has in the way of speaking directions over a bluetooth headset? I know some car units have hands free capacity, but I believe the units speak turn-by-turn, but can they convey over bluetooth? Never had a car unit.
To be honest, my personal thinking is that audio is the way to go, as having to glance at the small screen, can be distracting at a critical point, especially on a motorbike - I'm thinking speed and time reaction.
Thanks for any feedback....

 

[steveindenmark]

The problem with using a phone on a bike is threefold. The battery runs out much faster than a GPS unit, if you go offroad the phone does not like the battering, they tend to drown in the rain.

I have used my phone when its been in my pocket wih a RWGPS route. I have worn my aeropex headphones and got directions that way. But I prefer just to have my Wahoo Bolt on the handlebar and follow it. The Wahoos will not allow you to hear it through headphones. I do not know if the Garmin 1030 will. Someone on here will tell you.

I have ysed the Wahoo Bolt for about 3 years. I use it most days and it is excellent and hard to make go wrong. I have used a lot of Garmins before I got the Wahoo and they were better than nothing. But they were prone to just stopping and downloading routes onto them was frustrating. The Garmin 1030 is supposed to be a lot better and is bluetooth. I know nothing about them but have just bought one as a spare to the Wahoo BoltThe Wahoo bolt does everything I need. It records my rides. I can make routes on my phone at the side of the road and they download instantly to the Wahoo using many apps, RWGPS, Maplocs, Strava, Komoot. It is all very simple. Downloading 400km routes is simple and works perfectly. In the past, trying to do that with Garmin was almost impossible.

I understand why you would like directions through an earpiece, as I am also a motorcyclist. But on a bike I find it an irritation and prefer to follow a screen.

My number one choice for navigation between a Wahoo and a Garmin would always be a Wahoo. I have found it more reliable and simpler to use.

 

[PaulSB]

@steveindenmark nails it. Get a Wahoo as this is a simple and reliable device with an excellent app for setup and other uses though I rarely use these.

Garmins are overly complex, tricky to setup and prone to crashing. I know many people who are satisfied with Garmin and plenty who complain. I don't understand why but if you get a bad one it will never be right.

This was my experience and I'm happy to accept it could be user error at setup. In which case it's a very poor device if one struggles to setup correctly in the first place.

 

[fossyant]

The Garmin Explore is the one you want if you don't need training data. Large screen, £149 on sale (or cheaper), plot routes on your computer (I use the Garmin software) and it automatically syncs via bluetooth to your phone, and sends the map over to it.

Newer Garmins work better. I've an old 705 (navigation etc) and a 200. The 200 is for the commute bike as it only does basic nav, but it's fine for just stiiting there and recording a ride.

 

[fossyant]

Here:-
https://www.halfords.com/cycling/cy...6B7cDFvVe-qfGtMKAw4uRYeNzwGrj5SRoCB8gQAvD_BwE

 

[Dogtrousers]

First of all, I've never ridden a motorbike and given my age I'm unlikely ever to do so. So my comments won't apply to motorbikes. I imagine that the conditions on the two are so very different that two entirely different kinds of GPS device would be warranted. But I could be totally wrong, knowing nothing about motorbikes.

I don't use any kind of headphones when cycling so I've never given that possibility any thought. Although I can see how it might be different for a motorcyclist.

As to audible alerts when cycling, my Garmin sounds a tone to alert me to upcoming turns, and overlays the screen with an enlarged map, showing distance to turn and so on. I find that entirely adequate as I'm not going at motorbike speeds so "speed and time reaction" aren't an issue. I just wait until it's safe to glance down and see the turn required and how far it is. A few hundred metres warning is plenty of time. I don't feel the need for the audible "turn left" voice that my car satnav gives me. I do need glasses to see the GPS properly, but I either wear my normal glasses (usually) or prescription sunglasses (sometimes in the summer).

As I design my own routes I generally have a fairly good idea where I am and what turns are coming up anyway. This is totally different to how I use a car Satnav, where I'm happy to delegate the choice of route completely to the device. I'd never do that while cycling as I like to check out the route to make sure it's suitable first.

I design routes in the RideWithGPS route planner website and sync them wirelessly with the GPS. It's all seamless.

 

[cyberknight]

garmin connect app connected to your device will give you audio directions

 

[Dogtrousers]

Actually, come to think of it, the RideWithGPS app will give you voice directions too. So you would have a one-stop-shop for route planning and navigation. I've only used it once or twice, out of curiosity, but it seemed to work OK.

That is, if you don't mind using your phone as your primary navigation device - with the battery use and device vulnerability drawbacks that @steveindenmark referred to.

 

[HobbesOnTour]

@Dogtrousers is right in my opinion.
The OP is looking for a device for a motorbike as well as a bike. A bike specific gps unit is not going to work properly on a motorbike.

What exactly are the glitches in Osmand?
Knowing more about those would help.
It may be the app, it may be a problem with plotting a route with one service and using Osmand to navigate it. It could also be a problem with the OP's location - some areas have better OSM data than others. Understand that and I think the OP will have a better idea of what they need.

I've used Osmand in the car and daily for route plotting on the bike.

 

[mustang1]

I get the feeling that Garmin's are made by committee and Wahoo's are made by enthusiasts. Maybe one day if wahoo becomes a really big company then it too will have design led by committee.

Products created by enthusiasts are buggy though and the wahoo was like that when it first came out but within a year it was super reliable.

Having said that, after using my wahoo for 3+ years, it finally decided not to power up and it was around this time the new element bolt came out. The reviewers said it had bugs though so I ordered a Garmin 520 and I was pleasantly surprised by it. However, my wahoo came back to life so now I will use the Garmin on road bike (with Garmin front and rear radar lights) and wahoo for MTB.

 

[figbat]

I drive cars, ride motorbikes and cycle. IMHO there is no one-size-fits-all solution to navigation for these, unless you stick with a smart phone, with the numerous compromises that brings.

In a car I want a good visual and audible input.
On the motorbike I generally need decent audible (via Bluetooth to a headset) backed up by visual that is easy to glance at. This needs also to be robust and weatherproof.
On the bicycle only visual is enough but it must be robust, weatherproof and relatively small/light, with a decent battery life.

I'm lucky now that my car has built-in, my motorbike has a fully-integrated bolt-on unit and my bicycle(s) have an excellent ELEMNT Bolt (which I would recommend to anyone... and have).

 

[Dogtrousers]

Sheesh. Every thread about satellite navigation has to devolve into a Garmin vs Wahoo diatribe. Regardless of whether it's relevant to the OP or not.

Every ... bloody ... time.

 

[bluemirage]

Well I've had some great response - thanks to all. Anyway, to answer some of the feedback.

'steveindenmark' I appreciate where you are coming from, but I don't go offroad too much. My main riding is 10mph scenic riding - not 20mph head down sprinting, trying to shave 1 second off the previous personal best, via Strava. The phone is held in my handlebar bag in a waterproof pocket along with a power pack backup battery...works well as mostly, it speaks turns from the phone (no earphones on my push bike - I like to listen to the environment generally, especially as there are more electric vehicles about), but occasionally, I will pop my glasses on to view the screen to confirm the next section.

'paulsb' - I will consider Wahoo only if they can bluetooth to my motorcycle headset. On my motorbike, audio is fine, don't need visuals, so device in pocket away from weather and also secure.

‘fossyant’ - would the Garmin bluetooth audio to my headset, as opposed to a mobile? What does the bluetooth do between the Garmin and a mobile anyway?

Thanks for the suggestion for the ‘RideWithGPS app’ ‘dogtrousers’ ,as it sounds like an alternative to my OSMAND app I use at the moment.

‘hobbesontour’- I was using OSMAND ver 3 up until earlier this year. Then I found that version 4 was out, so I reset my Motorola Moto G (no SIM) and installed version4. It seems to have cured the glitches, but it’s still early days as it was intermittent before.

‘mustang1’ - thanks for your take on Garmin verses Wahoo...most helpful.

‘figbat’, In my campervan, I use either my real mobile or the Motorola with OAMAND, depending on whether I just want to get to somewhere either via a scenic route or just get there quickly, so device is not that important as it’s powered, it’s secure and audio is fine, so if I was to use my Motorola and OSMAND, it could be a one size fits just about all…. :-) It’s just that I’m after a device that will bluetooth audio to my motorcycle headset...that’s the only criteria, the rest will just slot into place...
Happy journeys....

 

[Sterlo]

@Dogtrousers is right in my opinion.
The OP is looking for a device for a motorbike as well as a bike. A bike specific gps unit is not going to work properly on a motorbike.

What exactly are the glitches in Osmand?
Knowing more about those would help.
It may be the app, it may be a problem with plotting a route with one service and using Osmand to navigate it. It could also be a problem with the OP's location - some areas have better OSM data than others. Understand that and I think the OP will have a better idea of what they need.

I've used Osmand in the car and daily for route plotting on the bike.

Well Long Haired Lover from Liverpool and Puppy Love were dreadful

 

[bluemirage]

@Dogtrousers is right in my opinion.
The OP is looking for a device for a motorbike as well as a bike. A bike specific gps unit is not going to work properly on a motorbike.

What exactly are the glitches in Osmand?
Knowing more about those would help.
It may be the app, it may be a problem with plotting a route with one service and using Osmand to navigate it. It could also be a problem with the OP's location - some areas have better OSM data than others. Understand that and I think the OP will have a better idea of what they need.

I've used Osmand in the car and daily for route plotting on the bike.

Hi 'Hobbesontour', from what I can remember for the version 3, it sent both my Motorola and Huawei Honor 8 into spasms....opening other windows randomly, like it had a ghost operating the phone (Motorola) and on the Huawei...it froze the screen and spoke incorrect directions on occasions. I just hope the version 4 is more stable, because I don't think any of the Garmin cycle units bluetooth to a headset from what I've read...if version4 stays stable...I won't need a replacement unit...it works fine for all my transport needs.