thdave

I searched the forum and didn't really find what I wanted.

I need a car GPS, as my son's starts umpiring soon and gets lost all the time. But, while shopping I see these bike GPS's, which I've never owned, and wonder what can I buy to do both tasks?

Is the Garmin Edge 305 good for cars, too? Is there a decent compromise that does ok for both?

Thanks.

John Lesar

I have a Garmin Edge 605 for my bike.
I used it in my car once, seemed to work OK. I wasn't following directions with it, I just wanted to see if it would work. The screen might be a little small to try to read while driving.

Metaluna

You probably want to look at something like the Garmin Oregon or Colorado series. These are general purpose handheld GPSes, but have handlebar and car mounts available, and can be loaded with City Navigator maps for full road navigation.

I believe they will even integrate with the Garmin heart rate and cadence sensors so other than size and weight (and power meter integration), I'm not sure what the Edge 605/705 offers over them. Maybe some of the more bike-specific functions like the aforementioned power, as well as some of the features related to courses and auto-laps, etc?

I used to use a GPSMAP 76csx in my car/bike before I got a nuvi for the car and and Edge for the bike. The nuvi has a bigger, brighter display but the 76CSx has more features (the ones I miss the most are saved tracks, and the heading arrow on the map screen).

TVS_SS

iPhone

Seagull01

Keep in mind a good car GPS makes a crappy bike GPS. A compromise unit will likely suck for both.

A car gps is going to feature a larger screen, and not worry about battery life as cars have an alternator and a large battery. A bike gps is going to be a battery miser and have a small display.

As far as I know, there is only one GPS that is fine in the car, and ok (but big) on a bike - and that is the Nuvi 550. It is waterproof. I use my 550 in the truck and on my Waverunner.

But I really think you are better off getting a real car gps for the car, and either a bike specific gps or a mapping handheld - if you even decide you need a gps for your bike.

A car specific gps will be far better for auto use than any hand held / bike unit. Larger screen, touch screen, simple to use interface to enter addresses, voice prompts, built in directory of gas stations and stuff - and so on.

Seagull01

By the way - I have an edge 305. It is an excellent bike computer, and I am very happy with it.

But for a car it would suck. No map at all, no address lookup, no voice prompt, small screen (even if it had maps) and do on. USELESS in a car except to tell you speed, direction of travel, and location using coordinates (as opposed to an intersection, address, roadway, etc)

Senexs

What about using two nuvi units? (one after another after first battery drains)
What's a best suggested unit, (to map? or use wayward points?) in looking to street navigate, have turn by turn directions.
In addition as hiking unit, or on foot is also good.

socalrider

I currently use the Oregon 550t, great gps for car and bike.. If I had it to do again, I would get a Dakota 20.. It has all the same features of the Oregon, just a little smaller which is better for the bike.. Still a lot bigger than the 605 or 705.. Detailed review here..

https://gpstracklog.com/2009/10/garmi...20-review.html

dougmc

Disagree. It's big and the battery life is very poor when it's actually on all the time. With an app actively running, it would last two or three hours or so? And then if you needed to make a call, your battery is dead.

I guess you could set up some sort of charging apparatus, but that makes it even bigger.

My Garmin 705's battery lasts about 10-12 hours, and it's years old, so a new battery would likely make that even longer.

It would be OK for the car with a proper mount and charger, however I've found that the Google Maps interface sucks for getting somewhere -- it doesn't give you turn by turn directions with prompting like navigational GPSs do. Also, consider that the texting bans that many areas have put into place will make it illegal to use an iPhone (or any other similar device) to do anything other than make a phone call while driving. For example, in Austin, the law will let you make a phone call -- but to do anything else with the phone is illegal, including using it as a GPS or a music player. But playing music with your iPod is OK.

Personally, I'd say get two GPSs -- they're not expensive. You can get car GPSs for as little as $50 if you shop around. Bike ones are a bit harder ... if you're on a budget, get a handheld one and a mount.

socalrider

the new garmin 800 looks like an interesting option, will be out in a couple of months..

https://www.bikeradar.com/news/articl...e-review-27494

alienbogey

I recently got a Garmin nuvi 3790T - it's top of the line right now and not cheap, but it's thinner and lighter than older generation car nav units, and as such would likely adapt better to bike use than most. It's a little larger than an iPhone, has a touch screen, has free traffic for life. I've been very happy with it.

dougmc

What is the battery life like when not in a car?

The ones I've used last only 1-2 hours on the internal battery. Have not used that particular model, however.

vjain

Now when it come for multi usage devices, it is best to go with a device that has immobilizer as a feature. This allows easy recognition of threat.

Leisesturm

Seriously. I own the top of the line Nuvi 3497(?) and its a great car GPS and I bought a bike mount for it that I never got around to ever using because I got an iPhone. Game changer. Seriously. Stand alone GPS's are done! Over. Finito. Obsolete! If you already have one I'm not saying you should put it in the landfill but... seriously... the answer to the o.p. is indeed: iphone. Period. Dim the display if you need more battery life. You don't need to see it. It talks!

Leisesturm

Speaking only for myself... your post is a tad unclear. Is it possible to be more... forthcoming? Immobilizer? WTF?

Steve B.

Anybody’s guess what that post meant and it was a reply to a 7 year old thread.

angerdan

The iPhone 3Gs i'd get from my employer to use for work in 2016 didn't have speech synthesis on the navigation app.
So not useful.
And if the battery goes under a certain level, it will power off automatically. Even with plugged in power it wont start for half an hour, until it reaches some programmed battery level.
Even sending pictures via MMS or E-Mail wasn't possible.

So an iPhone would have been a very bad choice for the TO even in 2010, when the crippled functionality 3Gs was available.

Iride01 

Look at the date of the initial post and the post before the one you are responding too. Then looking at the user profile for the one you are responding to as being a Newbie, I typically assume nonsensical posts to be some form of bot or even spam that got through but the links were not allowed to be presents because of the forums' anti-spam software.

If we see more of vjain, then maybe I'm mistaken. But I just chose to try an leave a dead thread dead and not respond. Til now.