which gps for touring?

[andym]

[*]A very useful 'bike' function on both the mapping software and the unit which meant the route could be planned avoiding major roads (generally 'D roads the whole way)

What software are you using? MapSource? I've got Garmin RoadTrip (the Mac version of MapSource) which only has a 'scenic' option (which works pretty well but not necessarily ideal for a bike).

And when they say bike do they mean bicycle rather than motorbike?

 

[andrew_s]

[*]A very useful 'bike' function on both the mapping software and the unit which meant the route could be planned avoiding major roads (generally 'D roads the whole way)

What software are you using? MapSource? I've got Garmin RoadTrip (the Mac version of MapSource) which only has a 'scenic' option (which works pretty well but not necessarily ideal for a bike).

And when they say bike do they mean bicycle rather than motorbike?[/QUOTE]

What you have to watch for is that when you create a route using automatic routing on the mapping software and download it onto a GPS, it does not download the actual route. It only downloads the points you've actually selected - start, end and any intermediate points. The GPS then uses these points to recalculate the route, and it doesn't always come up with the same answer as the mapping software on the PC even if it's set up with as near the same options as you can manage.

The Etrex has both bicycle and motorcycle options. The bicycle option can throw in quite big detours to avoid very short stretches of main road, and is thus not very useful for long distance rides. It's quite good for quiet routes in a town where there are lots of roads to choose from.

 

[CopperBrompton]

If you ever need the quickest way through a town, select Emergency as the vehicle. That generally takes the shortest possible route, and for that reason tends to be mostly on quiet roads. It will take you down roads with barriers across (which bicycles can of course bypass) and will throw in a few illegal right turns, but it's easy enough to dismount for those.

 

[Timmyflash]

I'm wading in here with no experience whatsoever, BUT - i was all for a GPS on an upcoming cycle from London to Paris, but was put off by people on this forum in favour of a map. I ave to say, it was great just looking over a map this weekend to pick a route and have a real sense of where i'd be going and to know that i could just change the route whenever i feel like. AND, it was cheap. That said, i need to buy a barbag with a map holder on top which i think will cost approx £50...

 

[andym]

What you have to watch for is that when you create a route using automatic routing on the mapping software and download it onto a GPS, it does not download the actual route. It only downloads the points you've actually selected - start, end and any intermediate points. The GPS then uses these points to recalculate the route, and it doesn't always come up with the same answer as the mapping software on the PC even if it's set up with as near the same options as you can manage.

Yep the trick seems to be to find the optimum number of route points.

The Etrex has both bicycle and motorcycle options. The bicycle option can throw in quite big detours to avoid very short stretches of main road, and is thus not very useful for long distance rides. It's quite good for quiet routes in a town where there are lots of roads to choose from.

What am I missing here? I've looked again at the eTrex manual and the routing offers me an Off-Road or Follow Road option. I can't find anything about options for bikes or motorbikes (which doesn't mean that they don't exist of course Garmin documentation being what it is).

I'm wading in here with no experience whatsoever, BUT - i was all for a GPS on an upcoming cycle from London to Paris, but was put off by people on this forum in favour of a map. I ave to say, it was great just looking over a map this weekend to pick a route and have a real sense of where i'd be going and to know that i could just change the route

Erm who said you can't change the route if you have a GPS?

And as for the fogies: I'm sure that when compasses were first produced there were people who said ' what do you need one of those for when you've got moss on the trees and the sun in the skies?' and when the astrolabe was invented people said 'but why would you want to go out of sight of the shore?' and when maps were produced they said' why would you want to go somewhere where you didn't know the way?'

GPS is just another tool to get where you want to go.

 

[Robert]

I'm a fogie! A middle aged one! I don't trust the routing capabilities of my Etrex. Don't get me wrong, it's great in the car if you want a mystery trip and you've got plenty of time, ideally about two and a half times the amount you need for the journey, and you want to go by a route you'd never have thought of, and, importantly, you've got someone to read the instructions.

For the bike I'd rather be in charge of where I go and use the Etrex as an electronic list of what I've decided. When I'm on the ride I know that in 1.7km I've got a left turn and that left turn is part of the plan. I've looked at all the options on the map and that's the way we're going.

The other problem with automatic routing is if you've got age related long sight, it's not that easy to read the instructions as they flash up.

It's a shame that in answer to a question asking for advice about which gps to buy there have been so many answers saying "I wouldn't use one". That's no help as it doesn't answer the question. It is very easy to take an anti-gps position in a forum such as this because there's a certain and strong appeal of tradition amongst touring cyclists, Brooks saddles and cotton duck.

I would suggest reading Francis Cook's pages which are a wealth of information about gps, and which I found extremely helpful when I was deciding what to buy and getting to grips with what I bought. http://www.aukadia.net/gps/index.htm

 

[oysterkite]

Yep the Bike option on the quest means bicycle, which is why it take you along smaller roads and yes I used mapsource - as I mentioned the quest served our purpose very well and I would definately use again....

 

[CopperBrompton]

What am I missing here? I've looked again at the eTrex manual and the routing offers me an Off-Road or Follow Road option. I can't find anything about options for bikes or motorbikes

From the main menu:
Setup -> Routing -> Follow road options -> Calculate route for

 

[andym]

Thanks very much Ben - bl**dy crappy Garmin manual!

 

[GrumpyGregry]

I'm a fogie! A middle aged one!

Are you a grumpy middle age one, like me? If so I'm not sure our town of Horsham is big enough for the both of us...

 

[Robert]

I have been known to have some very grumpy moments!

 

[GrumpyGregry]

I have been known to have some very grumpy moments!

Best we either form a critical mass and detonate or keep well out of each others way. Most likely I'll be the bloke on the metallic british racing green Revolution Tourer with the honey leather bar tape (to match the saddle), or the White Boardman MTB

 

[Bad Company]

Mrs BC and I have been considering buying a GPS for our bikes. We like to ride the country roads but where we live we right accross 4 os maps.

I tried the os mapping on my iphone but it's a bit slow and does not work at all if the phone has no signal.

 

[rich p]

Mrs BC and I have been considering buying a GPS for our bikes. We like to ride the country roads but where we live we right accross 4 os maps.

I tried the os mapping on my iphone but it's a bit slow and does not work at all if the phone has no signal.

You can order OS maps with your home town centred, I think.

 

[Pottsy]

You can order OS maps with your home town centred, I think.

That's right. Have a look here:

http://leisure.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/osselect