seajaye

Hoping to complete my first 200k this coming weekend. I have been poking around (extensively) on the use of .tcx files for getting turn-by-turn directions on the Garmin Edge 500, but specifically for longer distances, as a first line of defense/to supplement the cue sheet. I remember reading somewhere that once your self-created route gets to century-length or longer, the Garmin can't hack all of the waypoints for each individual turn and can become prone to crashing or freezing. In all of the threads and forums I have searched, I think I found 2-3 posts that vaguely give an upper-limit course length based on personal experience. Some people say 100k+ gets iffy, other people have said 200ish-k worked for them, so I don't know what to think. It also seems to differ whether you use a .gpx to get the course map, or use a .tcx to get the map + turn by turn cue sheet. I really want to be able to use a .tcx for the turn-by-turn.

In my searching, others have said that splitting up the route into segments between each controle, and then switching to a new course, is one way to get around it, but it just seems like an additional thing to remember to do (that I might forget to do).

Could anyone either point me in the right direction (literally and figuratively) of this information in other forums, or offer their own experience/insight?

znomit

I found around 115km to be the upload limit on courses I made in bikeroutetoaster. Only time I've really needed it I split the ride (280km, three years ago on older firmware) into three.

unterhausen

I'm still new with a GPS, so I don't have a lot of experience with it. I have an 800, not a 500, but I haven't seen this limitation. I have used someone else's route that was split by controle, and it wasn't too hard to remember. When I rearranged my cue sheet, I changed courses. I suspect that a 200 will be fine, I might try it as one course.

Given your location, I assume you will be riding the Silver Springs ride, if so, see you there.

jlafitte 

The limitations do not relate to distance, but rather to the number of points in the route and the amount of calculation the unit must perform to route between points. Splitting your route by controle as Unterhausen mentioned helps a lot, as well as having very accurate maps.

There is a learning curve with using prepared routes on these devices. If you're going on a brevet with an untested route, you may find the unit behaving unpredictably.

You might also find https://forums.garmin.com helpful.

unterhausen

I did have my garmin turn off at midnight. I wasn't pleased.

jlafitte 

https://www.ianker.com/product/79UN5V2-B84A

This external battery keeps my Garmin running a long time, at least 24 hours. I use an eTrex with a much smaller feature set, so your mileage will vary. There are two outputs so you can also plug in a phone or a light that accepts USB power (Ixon Pure).

seajaye

cool! please introduce yourself! i'll be in an F&M kit on a #usa trek 1000.

thanks! i kind of had a feeling it had to do with how 'complex' the route was. i think i will split up by controles as you and unterhausen had suggested. will probably try to re-format my cue so that one page = one controle, as a kind of forced reminder to change courses on the garmin. this is only my 3rd or 4th try with plugging in a new route and getting the turn-by-turn, and i have had only one complete success (as in, i didn't mess up manually routing on ridewithgps.com, and didn't get lost by missing a turn or anything). so, here goes nothing....