which garmin for my wish list

[mrsbaggins]

I am ever hopeful of getting things on my wish list so want to make sure I put the right model on! (ever ther optimist)

I am not bothered about recording my heart rate but would like one which would navigate me when I go off road- not single track kind of thing but just to follow routes which are shown in magazines and maybe download from others?

Was just looking at the edge 605 on amazon which is about £216 but no real idea on what it does differently /better than other models .

thanks

 

[gmcn1965]

hey mrs,
i bought a garmin satnav for a car some years ago - the thing was rubbish and the software was good for very old chiinese computers - be careful, huh??!!
george

 

[mrsbaggins]

ooh! that good eh? I always thought they were the dogs doohdahs for cyclists but maybe they are not

 

[ianrauk]

ooh! that good eh? I always thought they were the dogs doohdahs for cyclists but maybe they are not

They are, don't listen to the other poster.
You can quite easily compare Garmin models on the Garmin website.

The new 800 series is either out/coming out soon. And looks the dogs dooda's. But it is expensive.

 

[numbnuts]

no advice on model, but go for a Garmin their after sales service is second to none

 

[mrsbaggins]

from what bit of research I have done it seems that a lot of people have routes available on memory map? are these compatible with garmins?

If I do get one it will be not the latest model I do know that! lack of money etc

 

[ianrauk]

from what bit of research I have done it seems that a lot of people have routes available on memory map? are these compatible with garmins?

If I do get one it will be not the latest model I do know that! lack of money etc

Yes Memory Map is compatible with the Garmins. Plot a route, save as GPX and bob's your Uncle as they say

 

[Scoosh]

My understanding of the Garmin range is that there are those which are excellent training tools (Edge 705 etc) and those which 'just' do mapping.

I have an Etrex Vista HCx, purchased 7 months ago. I wanted to be able to do a long ride (200km Audax) over unfamiliar roads, with clear navigational instructions, without needing to use the paper Route Sheet.

There are 2 ways to do this on the Vista:

- draw a route on a mapping website (Google Maps, BikeHike etc); transfer this to the GPS unit and follow the 'breadcrumb' trail. This does not give you any turn-by-turn directions - you just go left/right/straight on to follow the trail. Did it his way yesterday and it was fine.

- draw a route on a mapping website, inserting 'Waypoints' (Course Points in BikeHike-speak); download to your pc, using something like MapSource (which comes with the Vista); add more details to your waypoints; choose 'Make a route from Waypoints'; download the Route (in Garmin-speak

) and the Waypoints to the GPS - and it finally does what I want it to

.

I find it a bit laborious but have much to learn yet - and, when it's working, it is great ! I did a 160km ride last Sunday, with a fair bit of 'navigating' and the GPS was great - "75.3 L at T"; "120.7 R A904". It also beeps to let me know when a waypoint is coming.

Available here


This all sounds rather complicated

. I found it so to start but that was because I hadn't grasped the Garmin/GPS speak. My advice would be to find someone who has one and ask them how to do stuff .

 

[rh100]

Garmin Dakota and Oregon's have Ordnance Survey type mapping (free ones available too, the default maps with the device are worse than useless so needs a bit of work to get it working well) and a touch screen and have a very rugged build. It's not without it's problems but overall is a good bit of kit.

My understanding is that the 705 is more about the sporty side of it, I use my Dakota 20 for logging rides and following an on screen moving map which zooms in and out in full colour etc. The Dakota 10 is the same model but more limited - it won't take a memory card expansion and doesn't have wireless for sharing/hrm/cadence etc should you want it later.