bokes

This summer i'm riding some of ACA's routes (Adventure Cycling Assoc), and I decided to get a mapping gps, primarily to use in case i get lost. But then i read that ACA has waypoints of their routes that you can upload to your gps. So basically your gps tells you when and where to turn.

Is this excessively convenient? I can't figure out if I'd miss the navigation aspect of touring. So i'm trying to decide if I should get a less expensive unit with simple location in mind, or spend more for a unit that can store lots of waypoints.

spinnaker

I would love to have organizations do this for some of the rides I do.

If you can afford the extra bucks, I would go with the mapping GPS. It's a lot of fun to use on non organized rides.


No matter what you pay, most units will be able to store plenty of waypoints.

dendawg

I love using my gps on my bike. I have a Garmin MAP60CS. I often preload waypoints from cueheets or ride books and it will beep when a turn is coming up. Sure beats wondering where you are. A few caveats. When mapping out a route, sometimes locals may call a road by a different name than that found on the gps map. Make sure you have the detailed maps loaded for the area you will be riding. Bring extra batteries. That being said with god local maps loaded you can even create your ride as you go along as it will provide you with roads to find your way back to your start point. One feature that I like on my GPS is that you can set it to tell you the names of approaching intersections. On a ride I dd last surmmer with a friend, she gave me the name of the next turn, and I let her know when we were coming up on it.

Dahon.Steve

It is no fun to get lost even for an hour on a bicycle.

I found that expensive or inexpensive units can store a day or two of way points. The way points allow you to focus more on the trip and less on getting lost.

jamawani 

God help us all if a person can't even follow a TransAm map.
At one time I could walk over to Aunt Flora's house to talk.
Then - we got a phone, but couldn't talk if the lines were down.
Soon - we won't be able to see each other if the GPS goes out.

I have serious concerns about overdependence upon technology for two reasons.
(It's fine in a pinch, but cell phones suggest that the "pinch" quickly becomes the norm.)
One - we lose our ability to navigate without the gizmo.
Two - we spend all our time playing with the gizmo instead of seeing what is around us.

Bekologist

Come on, now. sometimes it is quite thrilling, and sometimes a beautiful ride. it depends on what you define as 'lost'

on a road, i hardly see one as lost, but merely 'turned around'.

lost is in the woods, no idea where you've gotten yourself, down a dangerous box canyon in a blizzard. THAT'S no fun.

lost on a bike? sometimes its a hoot to roll with it.

Garandman

I think the best thing about having an autorouting GPS is that you can choose an attractive meander, and still not get lost.

skookum

I agree with jamawani and yet..
GPS with mapping capabilities are great in urban areas. I used one
in Oslo to find a youth hostel in the suburbs. I knew I was within a kilometre of it
and I could have telephoned, but I entered the address into the GPS and it led me right there.

jamawani 

And yet - -

I agree. There are instances - rare for most of us - where GPS might be lifesaving. Others like Skookum mentions that are helpful/convenient. But as with cell phones, those rare instances seem to always grow together until they become the norm and are noses are stuck to the little GPS screen rather than in a field of clover.

Dahon.Steve

You may have a point. I like sometimes getting lost and have said that before. During my train rides, I would ride for hours without turning on the GPS. However, I would only do this because the GPS assured me a safe return home.

There's nothing worse than being caught in the rain and lost or finding yourself blocked by a sprawling superhighway that you can't cross because you took the wrong route.

Garandman

Have you used one? It frees you to look around, since it warns you of impending turns and gives distance and travel time to turn. Beats shuffling a mapsheet. I'm for more inclined to take the path less traveled.

edtrek

I have a Garmin 76CSX. I really like the unit and I enjoy using it to navigate.
I also love downloading my tracks after the ride.

I'm not sure how well the auto-route option will work, it doesn't work at all on my handheld- only when the GPS is connected to a PC.

But it does let you always know where you are, and where your planned route is.
Overall, for me it's a plus. I own it, it doesn't own me.

atomship47

waypoints are the reason i got a gps. i love my gps for canadian fishing trips. i've gone back to a lodge after a 3-year break and still had my honey-holes marked.

if i just wanted a base map without waypoints, etc., i would just have purchased waterproof paper maps.

also, and i've been meaning to ask this question here, there is a "hobby" called geocaching. its sort of like a scavenger hunt or hide-and-seek game using your gps. i've thought that touring on a bike and geocaching would wed very nicely. are there cycling clubs/groups that list waypoints for geocaching?

spinnaker

You need City Select or City Navigator for it to autoroute on the GPS.

MetroGuide will only route on the PC. I used Metro Guide in Italy and really wished I had City Select or City Navigator.

lanty

i hacked into Europe metroguide and used it for auto routes.

great website on ways to switch metroguide on so it can use it.
https://forum.brighthand.com/showthread.php?t=220646

if you don't have the funds you can also download metroguide if you look for the right torrents(free)

edtrek

Thanks for the tip!