I'm just about to spring for one of these, but I'm having a hard time getting a definitive answer regarding mapping. Hoping that someone with one of these can clear it up for me.

I'm not interested in turn-by-turn directions or having a map view. What I want to do is be able to download a route into the unit and have it give me some sort of bread crumb trail / line-and-arrow type thing to let me know when I get too far off the route. Mostly I know where I'm going, but on new training routes it'd be nice to have some sort of help the first time or two.

A related question - this is my first GPS of any kind. Can I download routes from mapmyride type sites, or do they have to come from a proprietary Garmin software? What .suffix do I look for?

Thanks everyone!

The 500 doesn't have a GPS map view or route instructions at all. It strictly measures your numbers (altitude, speed, watts, etc.)

Do you have one?

I ask because on the Garmin website the screen view of the 500 clearly shows a line-and-arrows kind of mapping feature, and I've heard elsewhere that you can download courses. Perhaps I am misunderstanding what "course" means.

i think you can upload a breadcrumb trail.

As a Garmin Edge 500 owner, I can say that it does have routes. I have downloaded a few routes off of mapmyride and have been able to follow the route via "the line on the screen". MapMyRide also lets you set a speed for your virtual partner. I used to always use ridewithGPS because I loved their interface, but they do not have this functionality of setting the virtual partner's speed, and thus the virtual partner will go at some insane speed (100+ mph) and be done with your course in a matter of minutes, hehe.

The courses feature is definitely handy, although it has its drawbacks. While it can do a breadcrumb like trail (it will draw a thinner line showing where you have gone if you go off the course), you cannot simply tell it to tell you how to get back. You can follow the course/trail simply by turning around, though. In addition, there are times where it will be redrawing, or recalculating, and it may not do it fast enough such that you probably will need to stop and wait for it to show your location again, otherwise you will miss a turn (I have had the courses go blank for a few seconds...). On my first ride with a course, I had notifications set on, and it would tell me that I would need to turn soon and in which particular direction, although it was a bit wonky (it would tell me to turn right, when there is no right turn for miles...). Also, another drawback is (aside from the notifications) there are no direction arrows, i.e., if your ride is, say, a "P" or popsicle loop, you may end up doing the loop in the wrong direction.

So to answer your question, yes it will do courses, but do not expect anything fancy. Also, for reference I have the latest firmware of 2.30

Looks like you can do breadcrumb, a la the Edge 305:

Ok, sweet! Thanks. That's more or less all I need. 90% of the time I know where I'm going, but it'll be nice to have something to double check on new / unfamiliar routes.

Is there any particular file type that I need to look for when uploading a route?

I believe it's TCX... and when you upload it to your Garmin and select "Do Course", it will convert it to the .fit file format so that it can read it.

Also, it appears that bikeroutetoaster.com is the most full-featured in terms of course creating, so you can set not just the moving speed for the virtual partner, but also the climbing speed. In addition you can set the turn warnings (the notifications I was talking about when it said to turn left/right), as well as how "early" ahead of the turn that you want to be notified. I haven't tried it myself, but will try it soon enough

here's how do to it.....

Maybe I should have been more clear. I plan my courses on map my ride . com and when you download the course from map my ride . com you set the desired speed/pace.... i always use speed.. then you import the ride/course into garmin training center and upload to your 500

1 plan your ride on map my ride . com
2 go to the route tab on map my ride . com
3 save to garmin/crs
4 set speed or pace
5 download crs file to wherever you want on your computer (upload to computer as crs NOT tcx)
6 upload the file into Garmin Training Center.... File... import
7 in GTC find the courses folder on the left look inside folder and find downloaded ride
8 plug garmin 500 into computer (mine takes a few seconds to find the 500)
9 select course to be uploaded to garmin 500
10 select device on GTC software and then select send to device
11 eject garmin 500 from computer
12 power up garmin 500
13 hold page/menu button to select training
14 select courses and find the course you just uploaded....
15 select do course
16 go ride....

it seems like a lot of steps.. but once you get the hang of it its easy..

p.s. i did this on a mac.. but i doubt the software is much different... if at all..

Huh... learn something new every day. Sorry for the misinformation!
I've been living & riding in the same place for 12+ years, so I got rid of my 305, which had the GPS map/route-guide, but didn't have the Ant-Power.

Can I use the mapping feature without the little virtual partner thing? I don't want to use the map as a training aid per se, more of a not getting lost aid.

I do not believe that you can. The Edge 500 does not make it blatantly obvious in comparing your current performance to the virtual partner. It can say you are __ miles behind/ahead, and when you/the partner finishes the course, but other than that it is not like it is yelling at you for going too slow or too fast.

Ah, ok. That should work then. Thanks all for the help!

With the 705 one can disable the virtual partner. Not sure about the 500.

It's actually a little easier than that.
1st 5 steps are the same, but instead of uploading to GTC, you can upload directly to the garmin. Just copy the .crs file to the new files folder on the garmin. Next time you turn on the garmin it will convert the .crs file and you will have a new course saved.

^^Can you do this same thing with the 305?