Originally Posted by
DaveLeeNC
Thanks. The documentation that I have read indicates that such things are doable. But this usage seemed (from all that I read in various places) so 'out of the norm' that I wondered if it was really workable. Sounds like yes.
The Garmins with maps (800/810/Touring) can work like car navigation units (both will compute a route from your current location to a destination). It works pretty-well but you have to be smart about it. Most people don't use the bicycle navigation units that way (they usually upload a route to the device to follow).
Originally Posted by
DaveLeeNC
It has also occurred to me that a backup, given that this particular usage is strictly training rides, is to just stuff my TomTom into the back of my jersey. It weighs a tad less than a pound - cheap insurance.
One reason more people don't do that is because the car units typically have very, very limited battery life.
Originally Posted by
cafzali
Personally, I think it's way overkill to carry another device with you other than a Garmin, if you have one.
(I'm assuming that he was talking about doing that temporarily. If he tried the Garmin a couple of times and found that it worked for him, he probably would not carry another device. Anyway, if he has a smartphone (that he carries while riding), he already has a backup device.