Most people are going to roll their eyes because what I'm about to say is going to be pretty obvious to most people who've used a smart phone. But it might not be clear to our OP.
Originally Posted by
01 CAt Man Do
I use an android smart phone for bike navigation but I really haven't gotten into the free maps or off-line navigation ( so I'm not an authority on the process ). I just know it takes some patience and time to get it all set-up. The App I use is called Locus Pro. It has the option to use "off-line" maps but so far I've had a need to use off-line maps. BTW, my new phone doesn't have an SD slot but I should still have enough memory to download a good size map if I chose to do so.
You have a data plan, right? Meaning your phone is basically always connected and will download maps as needed, over the air, without you even having to know about it. But this won't work for the OP because he's going to buy the phone but not buy a plan, so can only download maps when there's a wifi connection available.
Google Maps is a good option. It's already installed on every smart phone out there. It has a very easy offline maps option built in. The maps download quickly over wifi. Then you have familiar road maps while you ride. I've used the navigation feature driving, it's worked well enough, should be available when you cycle too. Easy peasy. And free.