Garmins

deero83 · Post by **deero83** » 03 May 2013 09:26

Hello

I have just invested in a new bike (Cannondale CAAD10 105) and am very tempted to spend a little extra on a Garmin.

I have been looking at the Edge 500 and Edge 800 on Wiggle.

I would like one so that I can go tootling off on some of the Beacon routes on my own or whatever but not get lost in the middle of the countryside.

I'm not convinced I need (or could justify) the 800, as I'm not sure I need the full sat-nav capability. I usually carry my iPhone which can do all that if I get completely lost.

I have heard you can download the GPX and TCX files to the 500 but am interested to know whether it beeps or anything when you come to a turn when following a route.

If anyone could offer any pearls of wisdom that would be marvellous.

PS I am not interested in the new 510 or 810 as I don't see the point of linking it to my phone while out riding!

Cheers

Andy

Philip Whiteman · Post by **Philip Whiteman** » 03 May 2013 10:19

Save yourself the money and use something where the batteries don't run out. I seriously went through the same anxieties as yourself but settled upon the following:

Map Holder + AA Road Map from Tesco

£19.99 + £1.99 = £21

http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/mini-map-1-m ... t-prod652/

laurence_cooley · Post by **laurence_cooley** » 03 May 2013 11:15

I've got an Edge 500, Andy, and find it reasonably good for navigating by. You don't get a map, but you do get a line to follow and it's also possible to set warnings when turns are coming up (I've never created these myself, but found out about them when downloading the route for the Snowdrop Audax, which had them included). The full mapping of the 800 probably comes into its own if you're riding somewhere completely unfamiliar or want to make decisions on your route as you ride, but if you just want to follow a route that you've planned out at home, then the 500 should meet all your needs.

By the way, last time I checked, Handtec was the cheapest place to get them.

Alistair Hey · Post by **Alistair Hey** » 03 May 2013 11:21

I have the 800. and i dont know what i would do without the mapping (now i have it!) it means i can set off, make decisions about where i want to go on the fly- if i see a road that i have never cycled before I like to ride it.

I have ended up in the middle of nowhere - but just a glance down at the map and i can find where i want to be. but there is always the old fashioned solution- keep randomly going until you see a sign for somewhere you recognise!

deero83 · Post by **deero83** » 03 May 2013 12:13

Thanks for the tip Laurence, Handtec certainly do look to be the cheapest! (although I have just noticed that they show the ex-VAT prices on the main screen, the cheeky buggers!)

Will have to leave it for a while though otherwise my fiancee will get properly annoyed about me buying more bike stuff!!!

keith · Post by **keith** » 03 May 2013 12:14

I’d be lost without my Garmin 8oo(literally ) as I can’t see text without my glasses .and I can't see the road with them on. So maps are out, …………plus they sell them at Halfords

Post by **CakeStop** » 03 May 2013 20:07

I have a fairly old model (Etrex Vista HCx bought from Handtec years ago) which I take out when I need it for navigation in unfamiliar territory, I don't use it as a bike computer. I'm a complete map addict but I value the convenience of having the map on a compact device that is waterproof, scrolls as I move, shows where I am, displays my route without defacing the map, tells me how far to the next turn, warns me when I'm approaching a turn etc etc.

Loading a track and following the line is quick and easy. Adding turn alerts for a planned route takes a bit more time, maybe 15 mins for a 50 mile ride. I never use mine to devise the route, I want to use a route of my choice not that of a device. On the few occasions when I've needed to use it on the hoof it to find my way somewhere that I hadn't planned on going, I managed but it was more fiddly than a paper map because of the small screen size.

In summary, on audaxes I prefer to use it in place of a routesheet (which I still carry in my pocket as a back-up) and it's encouraged me to do rides in unfamiliar areas that I probably wouldn't have done otherwise. Well worth the investment.

David Cole · Post by **David Cole** » 03 May 2013 20:49

I've Only recently bought a Garmin a 750 and now I'm a real convert. I can fit it on all of my bikes and even took it to Majorca and put it on the hire bike and the hire tandem.
I wouldn't be without it
Dave

Andy Terry · Post by **Andy Terry** » 04 May 2013 20:34

Philip Whiteman wrote:Save yourself the money and use something where the batteries don't run out. I seriously went through the same anxieties as yourself but settled upon the following:

Map Holder + AA Road Map from Tesco

£19.99 + £1.99 = £21

http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/mini-map-1-m ... t-prod652/

I've got one of those perspex map holder things if anyone wants it. I've been using GPS for over 10 years now so I don't think I'll be needing it again.

Tim · Post by **Tim** » 05 May 2013 06:57

I bought an edge 500 off eBay nearly new and the hr &cadence sensors new about a year after getting my first road bike four years ago. Only really though been using it lots in last 6months since joining strava and getting SRAM easyview mount (£14.99) which means I can actually now see the info whilst riding.

It's a great bit of kit so would def recommend, never used for any sort of navigation though. If I had money and was buying now I would go for 510 or 810 as hitting a button at end of ride to send to facebook/Twitter/Garmin or strava does appeal as always is a touch of hassle linking to laptop.

Getting a wheel upgrade is probably better way to spend £300 first though but probably even harder to explain that one to your wife

deero83 · Post by **deero83** » 10 May 2013 09:12

The new bike came with decent wheels so this is the next thing!

I have read on the net that Garmin have withdrawn the decent software for the Edge 500 to be able to follow a breadcrumb route/course. Does anyone with a 500 find this to be a problem?

There seem to be various versions of the 800 knocking about, my main query is whether the CityNavigator maps are any good or whether you need the one with the OS Discoverer 1:50k maps?

laurence_cooley · Post by **laurence_cooley** » 10 May 2013 09:36

deero83 wrote:I have read on the net that Garmin have withdrawn the decent software for the Edge 500 to be able to follow a breadcrumb route/course. Does anyone with a 500 find this to be a problem?

I presume that's Garmin Training Centre? I've never used that and mainly use the Garmin Connect website to create routes. It doesn't seem to allow the creation of course points, but there are plenty of other route planning sites that can do that.

slogfester · Post by **slogfester** » 11 May 2013 12:46

Or...
Why not buy a bike mount (c. £10-15) for your iThing and use it as your primary recorder/navigator? It will do EVERYTHING the garmin does AND make a phone call. Lots and lots of software to choose.

http://theiphonecyclist.com/

My smartphone self loads in to 'car mode' when mounted and will answer the phone hands free, and speak directions. Much safer than looking down at a screen/map. I even turn the screen off to discourage looking down at screen. Learnt this from motorcycling- where take your eyes off the road for 5 secs and you could be dead.
Converge people