Shanners

I have searched and couldn't find any threads, maybe I was just typing in the wrong search criterias.

Are there sat nav systems that would be usable for cyclists or is the battery life too short? The sat nav would be used for extended rides.

I know theres a mapping system you can use for GPS systems like Garmin Edge 305 but understand it to be either not as good as sat nav or too much hassle/unusable. I really don't know much about this so if anyone could enlighten me as to what's what, would be a great help!

Again if this is a repeat thread sorry - feel free to tell me what to search for, heh.

Cheers,
Ryan

greenstork

It's probably a repeat but I don't mind since I just climbed this learning curve. First, the Garmin Edge 305 doesn't have mapping capabilities. So, you can't turn it on and get a live map with the closest hotels, roads, etc. For that type of navigation, you need a more full-featured GPS unit. Garmin makes a couple of nice units like the Venture, Vista Cx, and the more expensive GPSMAP 60 CSx, all of which have mapping capabilities yet are compact enough to bring along on a bike.

GPS technology is not quite "there" yet for bike touring navigation. There are so many websites springing up with GPS route and track maps that you can download and then upload to your GPSr unit but you're basically at the whim of whoever made that route and the directions they chose. You can make your own routes and upload them to your GPS, but the maps that you use to draw the routes may not have all of the bike trails that you need to see to draw your route. With a great deal of tinkering, you can scan your own maps into GPS route mapping software, but you have to perfectly calibrate the maps so the coordinates on the electronic map on your computer match up perfectly with the real world coordinates.

Alternatively, if you're just using roadways, then Garmin sells road maps of the entire U.S. and Europe for $199 and $299 respectively. With these maps in hand, it's quite straightforward to draw up a route and upload it to your GPS, which then in turn provides you with turn-by-turn navigation.

I asked this same questions a couple of weeks back and there's more information in this informative thread:

https://www.bikeforums.net/touring/302283-using-gpsr-making-custom-maps-some-advice.html

To summarize, if you're not afraid to geek out, then you can use a GPS to create maps & routes and then navigate by GPS. If you're intimidated by this at all, then I'd stick to maps. Another popular usage is to use the GPS to find hotels, sights, restaurants, or to navigate around a large city. Even without planned routes, a GPSr is a good supplement to maps and helpful when you're lost. But again, to load all of those markers (called waypoints) for hotels, restaurants, etc. onto your GPS is going to cost an additional $200-300 for Garmin's proprietary maps.

Shanners

Wow, thanks for that, nicely answered. Yeh, I just read a couple articles on waypointing and various programs that work with the Edge 305, it is very limited compared to proper sat nav. Unfortunate to hear about there not being a practical way to use sat nav with a bicycle.... someone needs to tap that market and fast (for my benefit!).

Think I will end up getting a Garmin 305 in that case, looks like a great system suppose being able to plot anything at all is a plus.

Thanks again for your help, answered my question in one!

Ryan

GreenAnvil

I have the Garmin eTrex Vista Cx, and true, you have to spring about $300 for the unit alone, and about another $200 for the software (I have USA cities and Topo). And yes, you have to sit down and create your routes...

BUT, once you get over the hangup of learning how to use it (and it ain't that bad, really) it is a GREAT convenience; definitely way better than stopping in some obscure part of town or trail to fiddle with a paper map. Last time I had to do this it was very windy and the map took off and I had to run it down for about 100 meters.

Now, I plan my routes and load them to the GPS. Even if I'm off route, the GPS still tells me my location with great accuracy and I can find my way around. I can also look up places, intersections, addresses, etc and the GPS will map a somewhat reasonable route for me to follow. At the least, it gives me a comforting feeling to know just where the heck I am in the world, city or trail and a rough idea how long I have yet to go to reach my destination. All this without having to stop.

I used to have a handlebar bag with cutout maps, but once you run out of range you have to switch maps. It's doable but I've been there and don't want to go back there.

The eTrex Vista Cx mounts conveniently on your handlebar (sorry, but that's another $18...

I bought it from REI in one of their recent promotions.

I don't have any interests with Garmin, but honestly, I feel that the thing has been (literally) a life saver for me.

Having said all this, I STILL carry maps (streets and trails) in a small section of my trunk, just in case my GPS ever runs out of batteries (which it has, so be sure to carry spares).

GreenAnvil

Sholto

+1 GreenAnvil's comments. I also have the eTex Vista CX and find it invaluable. I'll add that battery life is about 25 to 30 hours (most of a weeks riding for me) and runs on two AA batteries easily replaced.

You'll also find usefull GPS technical issues explained here.

https://www.ja-gps.com.au/maps.html

LWaB

Several people have homebrewed 'dynohub charging of GPS units' and there were rumours that Dahon have produced a commercial version, but I've not seen one in the flesh or heard any reports.

Shanners

Ah cool. So the eTex series of Garmin looks to be the cycle-friendly sat nav. Will definately look into Vista CX, battery life is longer than I thought and running on double As' is even better.

Dr_Robert

Funny - I was just looking at GPS units for hiking & cycling... after much consideration, the Vista CX was the one I decided on. Then I stumbled across this thread. Glad to have the second opinions - looks like I've found a winner!

-DR

dbg

I've been using bike GPS nav (especially on our annual Wisconsin summer trip) for years. I just switched from the trusty old Magellan Sportrak Pro to a new Garmin GPSmap 60cx (the cSx has stationary compass and barometric altimeter both of which I think are pointless drains on battery). I think the Garmin route generation capabilities (City Navigator North America) is better than Magellan, and I wanted color display, faster USB, and micro-SD card expansion.

It's not the same as auto units with realtime route calculation although it does have some support for that. BUT, my TomTom car unit (upgraded GO-300) is fantastic. I'm not proposing it for a bike tour since its battery only lasts 5 hours, but its realtime route claculation has options for "bike friendly" routes. If you want to go out without preclaculated and loaded routes, you might consider also carrying a pocket version of these auto units.

valygrl

The battery life on the 305 is very short - like 10 hours. It's a great training tool, but I won't bother taking mine on tour. It will only hold about a weeks' worth of ride history in memory, the battery life is too short, and you can't really load maps.

personally, even though i'm a complete and utter gear ho, i use paper maps on tour. so much easier to see the big picture, and you can write notes on them.

I also like the part of touring where you ask local folks for help figuring out where to go & how to get there. but if the gear fairy put a GPS under my pillow, i would use it.


anna

xilios

If you need a paper map as back up, why dish out the $'s for a GPS?
It's nice to get lost once in a while, my wife and I have been very suprised by some very beautifull scenery in France when we got lost there, that we would otherwise have missed.
And on our latest tour (through Italy and Greece) we had a couple 900m climb's (on different days) that we din't plan for, to get to our camping, and in the rain ;-) but it was a wonderfull experiance non the less.
A good Michelin 1:200,000 map and a compass is enough, have some adventure in life ;-)

dbg

Part of what I like about GPS is that you can purposely get lost (meander wherever you want) and it dutifully points back to your intended route whenever you're ready. It makes side trips so easy and can keep you from going down endless dead ends.

Dr_Robert

Yep. I like getting lost - the reason that I want GPS is so that when I decide that I don't want to be lost anymore, I can quickly and easily figure out where I am.

Regarding paper maps, it's always a good idea to have a backup plan if you're relying on a battery powered piece of technology for anything. Electronics fail, and when they do, it's usually at the worst possible time.

-DR

embowel

I use a TomTom One (300 retail, can get some great deals online.) It even has a nifty Bike Routes Only feature that doesn't take you on the highway when it is planning the route. The battery life is a few hours -- I keep it in "night" mode to not drain the batteries.. But I only turn it on for a couple minutes at a time, memorize the next few turns and that is enough... I still talk to people instead of getting it out when I've lost my way or to make sure that I am on track.
Haven't yet hooked it up to the computer, but it says that is feasible.

xilios

Well if it's easy to find your way back you're (technically) not really lost are you?

Shanners

Dictionary.com: Lost: "to let (oneself) go astray, miss the way, etc.: We lost ourselves in the woods."

So he could be lost until he slaps on his GPS and decides he doesn't want to be

GreenAnvil

Hey Captain, I'll agree with you it looks like nonsense, doesn't it? I've had the GPS for about a month and being old school I always try to back up new technology until I get comfortable with it. The maps might be gone from my bike's trunk soon... but then again not; under EXTREME circumstances paper softened with water from my Camelbak is much better than leaves...

GreenAnvil