I am looking for a decent, but basic cycling GPS. I don't need the thing to cook me breakfast or have ten thousand functions that I would never use. I just want to know where I am, where I am going, and how far that I went to get there. Anybody have any experience with a basic, but accurate and reliable unit that they can recommend? Thanks.

I just bought the cateye stealth 50. The manual is crummy; the computer is very good. It is easy to operate and the readout is easy to understand. You can upload ride data. It can do heart rate and cadence but you have to buy the strap and sensor separately. You can get it for under $100 at Amazon which isn't bad.

I really like the Garmin eTrex 20 and 30. The 30 allows the use of HRM and cadence sensors. Both can be found at discounts on eBay and elsewhere. Both can use either OSM (free/modifiable) or Garmin ($ for City Navigator) maps. There are more expensive/newer GPSs out there but the Etrex does most basic cycling stuff pretty well, uses replaceable +/or rechargeable AA batteries (~18-21 hour life), and can use memory expansion cards for route storage. I have yet to regret buying my eTrex.

Can you download routes to that eTrex and then follow it and get turn instructions? If so, does it work with gpx track files, tcx/fit course files, both...?

Garmin edge 200

Do you want on-screen maps or not?
Do you want a big hiker-style GPS or a small GPS that fits easily on a bicycle handlebar?

How about a smart phone? The only thing lacking is durability.

I want one that has a audible "Nagging" option: "Turn around, wrong way. Just stop now and turn around," "You're doing it wrong. Again," "Keep this up and I'm finishing this ride without you."

Garmin 500 is the simplest and least expensive GPS. No maps but you can download courses and it will give you directions (i.e. when to turn).

Garmin 800 if you want maps. Larger display allows you to display more data. I have one but seldom if ever have an actual map displayed as it's too hard to read. I usually know where I'm going. If I need directions it's simpler to download a pre-defined course and just follow directions.

Garmin 510, 810 and 1000 support connections to phones but that wouldn't qualify as a 'basic' GPS.

Thanks for the suggestions folks. The lower-end Garmins without maps would probably suit my needs. I don't care a lot about the form factor. It can ride in my pocket if I can't figure out how to hang it off the bike somehow. I never thought of a smartphone. I just don't use a phone enough to justify the expense. My old "flip top" does me well with the four or five times a year that I turn it on and use it. I don't really need maps. Twenty years ago a buddy of mine had a hand held Garmin (I think) that we used hunting. Nothing fancy. No map if I remember correctly. No color on the screen. It just told you where you were, how far you have been, basic stuff like that. I might be wrong, but I think all it gave you was coordinates so that you could look up where you were on a map that you were (hopefully) carrying. That would be a bit crude for my needs. I don't need too many steps up from that, though. Just losing the separate map would be fine with me.

Not a big discount but the Garmin 500 is available for $190 this weekend.

The eTrexes allow you to use downloadable routes (where you go) in various formats (including gpx, tcx and other) and maps (where the roads/trails are). Tracks are made by the unit as you ride.

The eTrexes will let you know you are off-route while the Edge will not as far as I know (but I could definitely be wrong there). Unfortunately, it's not a very audible alert - at least not to me. One beep and that's it, I think. I rely on watching my superimposed track (in blue) covering my intended route (in red) (or maybe it's vice-versa - it IS selectable).

Personally, I prefer the eTrexes over the Edge 500 I have because of the maps. The Edges are more oriented toward actual training/statistics accumulation in my opinion. I've used the eTrexes on mini-/overnight tours where I would never consider using the Edge for that. I could use the eTrex 30 and sensors to act as the equivalent of an Edge 500 WITH maps.

But, as I said, I prefer the eTrexes, specifically the 30. The batteries last longer, are replaceable, and I like the screen display (color and more readable for me),

I have a Garmin 800. Like it but it may be overkill. 99% of the time I just use one display with current speed, lap time, and cadence (I have a Garmin speed/cadence ANT+ sensor). I have a single "alert" set to 30 min. The other 1 % I use the map view. I do have some courses saved, done on RideWithGPS and dl'ed as tcx files. I tried workout, but for me it didn't provide any value added (maybe if you are geared to HRM management it would be different). Same with "virtual partner". I have looked at some of the elevation data enroute, but more as a curiosity than anything useful (I know I am going uphill -- seeing the % slope just confirms I am suffering). I do upload all my data (activities) to Garmin connect and Strava, also I have Garmin Training Center on Windows (don't trust the "cloud" for everything). I use the OSM map data from openfietsmap lite site for my maps.

Turn-by-turn works OK (sometimes it thinks I am off-course but then figures out I'm OK). On the 800 you get audio plus the map zooms in to show you the turn (settings have to be set up). You can have a couple of bikes. I haven't done that yet but when I get my rebuild done on bike #2 will give it a shot.

scott s.
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+1 on the eTrex.

I have an eTrex 20 as I don't need hart rate, cadence etc. Using a route it will give you turn by turn directions. It will have an arrow at the top of the map showing right turn, left turn etc and sound a tone before the turn and a different tone at the turn. The tone is easy to miss in traffic but the arrow is displayed far enough ahead of time that I usley see it before the tone. The only Problem is if you go off route by missing a turn, going to a store etc. it will try to reroute you and you can't disable off route recalculation on an eTrex. I always display a track so I can see if it's trying to reroute me. You can make track in BaseCamp and it will also make a track from a route or a route from a track.

Basically this is how I use it. Otoh, you can minimize the reroute/recalculation distractions by using more waypoints. Even on long, multi-day routes, what I've done is break the trips into shorter but "denser" routes with numerous waypoints - one just before and just after each major turn (don't you DARE miss this turn) and numerous minor ones if they are "somewhat important" for whatever reason (like if I want to see a certain landmark or schedule a particular rest stop/convenience store but it's not REALLY important to do so). That method has allowed me to construct and successfully use long brevet/randonneuring routes and multi-day tours alike.

Any GPS is just a tool, like any other. You need to invest more than just money in getting it to work FOR you. That takes reading the manual, practice and testing things out different ways. Otherwise you just live with what the manufacturer's default settings are. I'm still trying different features and ways to use the eTrex 30 a year after I bought mine

That is the way I use my eTrex. I make a track for the entire ride. I make the routes shorter so I can have a denser concentration of points plus this solves the problem of a circular route. I will brake the route at controls as I need to stop anyway so it's a good chance to switch routes. I program a waypoint with alarm for all controls using a different tone then for the turns. Some of the other Gamins allow you to disable the off route recalculation however they are bigger and the battery life is not as good. Also units with touch screen don't work very will in the rain or with gloves on. I think the eTrex 20 or 30 is the best bet unless someone already has an eTrex Legend HCx or Vista HCx.