log in
register

Do I need a Garmin?

  • Creator
    Topic
  • April 4, 2014 at 1:38 pm #21100
    jasecd

    Hi,

    I’m just recovering from knee surgery following an injury that has kept me off the bike for six months. I should be out riding in early May and I’m keen to get some kind of navigational assistance.

    Up until recently I have always ridden “blind” or printed out a little cheat sheet to keep in a jersey pocket, but I’m a bit sick of getting lost. Question is do I need a Garmin? They look great but are relatively pricey. I have an iPhone and I hear good things about open source mapping apps.

    Does anyone have experiences or recommendations either way? Also, what is the best smartphone mount you have found?

    Thanks in advance..

    Jase

  • Creator
    Topic
Viewing 15 replies - 1 through 15 (of 31 total)
1 2 3
  • Author
    Replies
  • April 14, 2014 at 12:40 am #784801
    0
    mpt68

    slightly off topic but how do
    slightly off topic but how do you delete old rides from your garmin.
    when ever i try to upload a ride to strava it takes for ever??

    someone said delete your old rides and it will do it quicker.
    currently have a garmin 500 and have loaded all rides up to garmin connect.
    is it something in the settings

    April 12, 2014 at 11:21 am #784799
    0
    Marauder

    If a newbie in cycling asked
    If a newbie in cycling asked me to give some advise in one word then I would say “Garmin”.

    April 12, 2014 at 4:35 am #784797
    0
    movingtarget

    I get lost like crazy and
    I get lost like crazy and find a combination of ridewithgps, either exporting interesting routes as a tcx file or creating my own route with it and then exporting it as a tcx file, to a free smartphone app called Co-Rider that will act as a cue sheet & expandable map as well as a speaking turn-by-turn gps (complete with Arnold Schwartzeneger accent!) very useful. The voice prompts are available in Danish, Dutch, English & German. I think it was made by a Dutch guy but his accent English is better than my Dutch so there you go. However, I have no interest in KOMs or most cycling stats as it’s all about enjoying the ride for me so I don’t need the non-mapping functions of a Garmin.

    April 11, 2014 at 4:04 pm #784795
    0
    southseabythesea

    Depends what you want out of
    Depends what you want out of cycling, you could go out and just ride or stick with your cheat sheets. Moreover, it depends what your disposable income is.

    April 11, 2014 at 3:59 pm #784793
    0
    longtimejones

    If you don’t mind spending a
    If you don’t mind spending a few minutes “caching” the route with Google Maps Street View, go for the Garmin 200 or 500. Otherwise I’d agree with the advise for Garmin 800, although I don’t have one myself.

    Garmin 200, 500 and similar GPS units feature a breadcrumb trail navigation. Some better, some less perfect. I have a Bryton Rider 35, and while not perfect, it does give you a good indication where to turn and visa versa.

    The main problem with breadcrumb trail is if you get off route. Then it can be quite tricky to find your way back on the route again due to the nature of breadcrumb trail navigation.

    Before I brought my Bryton, I’d also rode “blind” as you, though didn’t have any problems getting lost. Now I get lost quite often by (not) following the GPS breadcrumb trail 🙂

    April 6, 2014 at 3:25 pm #784791
    0
    KiwiMike

    levermonkey wrote:Just make

    levermonkey wrote:
    Just make sure it knows your on a bike!

    Totally agree. The Viewranger app lets you plan for ‘car’ ie on-road which means including A-roads and motorways or ‘bike’ which includes bridleways. It requires a little bit of nouse but not much 🙂

    April 6, 2014 at 3:24 pm #784789
    0
    KiwiMike

    levermonkey wrote:KiwiMike

    levermonkey wrote:
    [quote=KiwiMike][quote=levermonkey]Just make sure it knows your on a bike!

    Totally agree. The Viewranger app lets you plan for ‘car’ ie on-road which means including A-roads and motorways or ‘bike’ which includes bridleways. It requires a little bit of nouse but not much 🙂

    April 6, 2014 at 3:03 pm #784787
    0
    Anonymous

    KiwiMike wrote:levermonkey

    KiwiMike wrote:
    levermonkey wrote:
    Do you need Garmin – No.
    Do you want Garmin at this stage – No.
    Do you want or need any cycling computer at this time – No.

    What you need is to not be seduced by numbers and the need to achieve goals or levels. What you need is to go out for a ride. Spin your legs and listen to what your body is telling you.

    Later when you start to get your fitness back then think about cycle computers.

    Best of luck! :D

    Ummmmm…..the OP’s point was he was sick of getting lost/printing out long route sheets – nothing to do with hitting targets. Just sayin’.

    Wasn’t Jase saying that he was recovering from knee surgery? Isn’t that a little more important than getting lost or the inconvenience of having his route on a sheet of paper? 😉 But I do take your point.

    If it’s just navigation then I would use the mapping and route finding aps you can get for smart phones. Just make sure it knows your on a bike!

    April 5, 2014 at 11:28 pm #784785
    0
    Bokonon

    I’ve got a Garmin Edge 200, I
    I’ve got a Garmin Edge 200, I love it. It’s stopped me getting lost – that’s the main advantage – it’s small compact and the battery life is better than my legs, so what more could I need. No it doesn’t have fancy maps, nor does it do cadence or power or whatever. The route finding is fine, and works really well for road riding.

    April 5, 2014 at 9:38 pm #784783
    0
    philtregear

    i find the garmin far better
    i find the garmin far better than maps. it takes me down routes and roads( occasionally off them!) that i would not easily follow by map ( i would have to keep stopping to check turns etc). it is kind of fun feeling lost but not, just following the little black line. i then check out the places ive been through on google maps. it failed once, it got confused and i stupidly followed it against my instincts.i have bought a bell with a compass in the top to get me home ( £1 off ebay).
    i will stick to my PAYG mobile ( less than a tenner last year) and garmin 200, cheaper than a year on a smartphone contract, more fun than a map!

    ” What you need is to go out for a ride. Spin your legs and listen to what your body is telling you.”

    thats precisely why i use this set up. it takes me to places i would otherwise never see. the 200 is not much more expensive than a computer, a computer is useless for mapping.

    April 5, 2014 at 9:00 pm #784781
    0
    KiwiMike

    levermonkey wrote:Do you need

    levermonkey wrote:
    Do you need Garmin – No.
    Do you want Garmin at this stage – No.
    Do you want or need any cycling computer at this time – No.

    What you need is to not be seduced by numbers and the need to achieve goals or levels. What you need is to go out for a ride. Spin your legs and listen to what your body is telling you.

    Later when you start to get your fitness back then think about cycle computers.

    Best of luck! :D

    Ummmmm…..the OP’s point was he was sick of getting lost/printing out long route sheets – nothing to do with hitting targets. Just sayin’.

    April 5, 2014 at 8:17 pm #784779
    0
    Anonymous

    Do you need Garmin – No.
    Do
    Do you need Garmin – No.
    Do you want Garmin at this stage – No.
    Do you want or need any cycling computer at this time – No.

    What you need is to not be seduced by numbers and the need to achieve goals or levels. What you need is to go out for a ride. Spin your legs and listen to what your body is telling you.

    Later when you start to get your fitness back then think about cycle computers.

    Best of luck! 😀

    April 5, 2014 at 3:54 pm #784777
    0
    jasecd

    Redvee wrote:
    Do you need a

    Redvee wrote:

    Do you need a Garmin? No
    Do you want a Garmin? Yes

    Yep, that pretty much sums it up then. Thanks all for your input.

    April 5, 2014 at 12:05 pm #784775
    0
    joemmo

    I do like my garmin and would
    I do like my garmin and would recommend it over a smartphone but one of the best things I ever bought for navigation was Tracklogs mapping software for the PC. You can plot routes on OS 1:50k and print them out so there’s no need to carry a full map with you, just the bit you need

    April 5, 2014 at 10:19 am #784773
    0
    KiwiMike

    philtregear wrote: Im

    philtregear wrote:
    Im guessing your smartphone, plus straps, apps and meters costs upwards of £200 per year and the battery lasts a few hours when out riding. plus you cant see the screen in full sunlight. correct??

    Let’s debunk some popular myths: Phone was/is free – you already own it. Most people have an Android or iPhone. No straps needed, but if you do, they are the same cost as for Garmins or other devices. Apps are free. Meter are in the apps. Maps are free, worldwide (OpenStreet/Cycle maps). Battery can last 12hrs+ in flight mode, or 8hrs+ in phone mode. Extra batteries are dirt cheap for Android and external batteries likewise for iPhones. Screen is perfectly visible. Waterproof mounts that fit any bike can be had for a tenner. A phone is perfectly capable of navigating a 230km 14hr route non-stop in all weathers.

    Nothing at all to do with being ‘data obsessive’ (although the apps log as much info as you could eat). Knowing where to go, without having to carry a load of maps in your pocket and stop at every turn is a big bonus.

    Hopefully that clarifies things. When will this zombie factoid about phone batteries not lasting die?

  • Author
    Replies
Viewing 15 replies - 1 through 15 (of 31 total)
1 2 3
  • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.