GPS

[Wycombewheeler]

My GPS (garmin 510) has been playing up a lot lately, even after a factory reset. (reset to as left factory not reset at factory)

I'm thinking it might be worth replacing, but what to do.
Buy a new 520
keep using the 510, and back with a fenix
buy alternative brand gps unit

any recommendations on GPS. I'm doing the BCM next weekend, and it was really annoy me if my ride track was lost. It would be even worse if the unit failed to meet my navigational requirements.

[LMT]

The 520 is a good head unit, although I don't use it for GPS - it's purely to show power and HR. Good battery life getting about 13 and a bit hours on a full charge.

For my GPS needs I use a Etrex 20, easy to upload tracks to, good memory, runs on AA batteries and is pretty much bomb proof. The only quirk I found with it is if you upload a turn by turn route it can format this to take you across some shitty lane in a field because you are on a bike. That's why I only upload tracks - no issues with these.

EDIT: If you are going to get a Etrex be sure to buy the mount for the Etrex/Oregon as this is the one you need to mount it to the bike.

[Bianchi Boy]

Another vote for ETrex. You can still get the one with buttons. Touch screens are not my bag they always get messed up. The AA batteries are a god send for Audax. You never need to worry about charging. It keeps it simple. Does tracks and routes and you can buy either the City Navigator maps or get the free ones off the web.

BB

[freeflow]

I've been navigating Audax using a  smartphone since  late 2013. I use a battery pack that can take 4x 16850 batteries and which also runs one of my lights. A 200km Audax uses 1 set of batteries and leaves my phone 100%charged. A 300km Audax uses 2 sets of batteries due to the additional drain of the front light. I have the screen display on continuously. I no longer see the point of Garmin's unless you need navigation in uninhabited lands.

[De Sisti]

I no longer see the point of Garmin's for me, unless you need navigation in uninhabited lands.

ftfy

[Carlosfandango]

Since most varieties of Garmin seem to be a complete pain in the ass to use, I'm gonna try a Wahoo Element Bolt, seems to do everything I want reliably and simply at a reasonable price.

[freeflow]

I no longer see the point of Garmin's for me, unless you need navigation in uninhabited lands.

ftfy

Reported to moderator.  I'd greatly appreciate that you don't misquote me.

[BlackSheep]

Really strange how Garmin devices seem to suffer from 'Marmite syndrome', there's seldom any middle ground when it comes to anything - be it hardware or software.

The hardware issues are largely way outside Garmin's control. And I suspect more to do with other proprietory items.

Similarly, the software seems very simple to follow, and interfacing with PCs, units appear as simply another drive.

At the end of the day, I expect it's their marketing department that have promised more than was ever deliverable.

[Wobbly]

I'm doing the BCM next weekend, and it was really annoy me if my ride track was lost.

If anyone purely wants to record a track log then I'd trawl e-bay for a Garmin Geko 201. Very cheap indeed. When not navigating (it uses more power for this) I'd expect to get 300km from a pair of AAAs.

A Geko is more of a challenge if you want it to do any navigating. It is a brilliant little device but programming it can prove, er.... taxing.

[Kim]

Really strange how Garmin devices seem to suffer from 'Marmite syndrome', there's seldom any middle ground when it comes to anything - be it hardware or software.

[...]

At the end of the day, I expect it's their marketing department that have promised more than was ever deliverable.

Actual faults aside, I think there's an element of people expecting a *computer* that can do a load of different things pertaining *navigation* to be simple to use, and then being disappointed by the reality.

Plus the usual problems where the design decisions don't quite fit with what you actually want to use it for and you have to make a bit of extra effort (be it with route creation, battery arrangements or how to attach the thing to your bike) to bridge the gap.

[Bianchi Boy]

Do smart phone navigation have some dependency on a phone signal?
Really using 8*18650 to navigate a 300, that and the fact that it is connected with a wire and a connector that is probably not waterproof or intended to be connected when moving.
I have not used any other device except a Garmin etrex and it is simple, batteries are available at most shops, no wiring fuss to worry about and not dependent on anything else. Why make matters more complex?

Sent from my E6653 using Tapatalk

[Ham]

Dependent on the app and your preparation.

Most (?) navigation apps will allow download of the relevant area map beforehand (eg Google Maps, Ridewithgps), making it independent of the phone signal.

[BlackSheep]

Really strange how Garmin devices seem to suffer from 'Marmite syndrome', there's seldom any middle ground when it comes to anything - be it hardware or software.

[...]

At the end of the day, I expect it's their marketing department that have promised more than was ever deliverable.

Actual faults aside, I think there's an element of people expecting a *computer* that can do a load of different things pertaining *navigation* to be simple to use, and then being disappointed by the reality.

Plus the usual problems where the design decisions don't quite fit with what you actually want to use it for and you have to make a bit of extra effort (be it with route creation, battery arrangements or how to attach the thing to your bike) to bridge the gap.

Agreed.

[inappropriate_bike]

If using a smartphone, Osmand is a great app and requires no data connection because it downloads all the maps in advance.

I have a garmin 520 and 820 but still rely on osmand for tricky navigation through towns or on-the-fly rerouting.

WW - if you can get an 820 for a good price  I'd go with that. Mine was £230 or £240.

It's basically the same as a 520 but has enough storage space for detailed maps of the whole county. My 520 can only store detailed maps for a couple of counties at a time so it's a pain to swap them aground for every audax.

[Feanor]

You need to accept that the cycling devices are consumer-grade, and in general, the software is what it is when they are released.
They are tested to the expectations of their target market only, I think.
And that is certainly not Audax or similar.

Don't expect bug fixes in updates.
Once the device has shipped, they are working on the next model, not fixing issues with the last one.

Firmware updates in general are only to support revenue, ie by adding support for accessories etc.
If an update happens to fix a bug, then that's just a passing bonus.

I do really wish they would get the core functionality solid and stable before adding fluff, but that's not what their focus seems to be.
Their philosophy seems to be "Get the software Good Enough for Most People, then ship it, and that's the end of it, move on to new model."

[Adam]

I've always been really pleased with my SatMap, which I bought umpteen years ago, mainly on the basis of having a large, viewable colour screen with OS maps. I think I'll get one of their new Active 20 models later on this year.

[Bobby]

Another satmap user, bought in 2008 - still going strong.  Large OS map screen, £40 referb/service if needed, takes aa's but I can do a 400k on a single charge of the lithium cell.

Just wish the bike mount was less chunky, and I didn't have to keep it in a rugged waterproof case on longer/wetter rides

[frankly frankie]

If anyone purely wants to record a track log then I'd trawl e-bay for a Garmin Geko 201. Very cheap indeed. When not navigating (it uses more power for this) I'd expect to get 300km from a pair of AAAs.
A Geko is more of a challenge if you want it to do any navigating. It is a brilliant little device but programming it can prove, er.... taxing.

I agree it's a brilliant little device but ... Serial interface - how many people can hack that these days?  Also changing the batteries is a pain (compared with an Etrex).

Actual faults aside, I think there's an element of people expecting a *computer* that can do a load of different things pertaining *navigation* to be simple to use, and then being disappointed by the reality.

Plus the usual problems where the design decisions don't quite fit with what you actually want to use it for and you have to make a bit of extra effort (be it with route creation, battery arrangements or how to attach the thing to your bike) to bridge the gap.

Plus a 'cyclist' algorithm must be really difficult to do and the majority will never be satisfied with it.  Just look at the mess Google Maps makes of it.

There's a GPS sub board in The Knowledge.
Just saying like...

[freeflow]

Do smart phone navigation have some dependency on a phone signal?
Really using 8*18650 to navigate a 300, that and the fact that it is connected with a wire and a connector that is probably not waterproof or intended to be connected when moving.
I have not used any other device except a Garmin etrex and it is simple, batteries are available at most shops, no wiring fuss to worry about and not dependent on anything else. Why make matters more complex?

Sent from my E6653 using Tapatalk

Most smartphone apps use offline maps.  Certainly the apps I use do.


8 batteries for an 800 is down to three things.  My choice of technology (single waterproof battery pack to power phone and, if needed, a front light) and my aging eyesight.  My phone has a 6 inch display and that takes a lot of battery power.  I'm quite shortsighted so even with appropriate varifocal lenses it helps a lot to have a big display.  The expensive bit of the set up is the varifocal lenses.


I've found usb cables to be perfectly adequate but they do need replacing on a regular basis as the cable end wears due to multiple connection/reconnection.  USB C (on my current phone) appears to be better that micro or mini connectors in this respect.  In comparison the Garmin 305 I one owned died from the failure of the internal contacts after only two years of light preaudax use (That's the problem where the unit switches itself off when you go over a bump).  Also the Bryton 50 that replaced it failed after about 18 months of light preaudax use when one of the buttons (blue rubber ones) disappeared leaving a large hole in the waterproof seal.  My current phone isn't waterproof but it, and the charger, fit nicely inside a ziplock plastic bag whilst in the phone holder, should be need arise.  Standard Audax bags for brevet cards are the ideal size.


Carrying spare battteries for the phone is to me no different from carrying water on the bike for the body.  I also use a B&M Ixon Premium front light so that I have lighting redundancy.

[inappropriate_bike]

Plus a 'cyclist' algorithm must be really difficult to do and the majority will never be satisfied with it.  Just look at the mess Google Maps makes of it.

Quite. Google's cycle routing system that directs you up stairs, along muddy footpaths, and down major A roads on-the-same-ride is pretty dumb.

They really to let you set your type of bike or road preferences.

The best I've found is Strava's route finding which is based on popularity. However it has limitations in London because so many commuters use Strava that it likes to select major roads (like the A3) which are fine in rush hour but not that great at other times when traffic is free-flowing.

[Wobbly]

If anyone purely wants to record a track log then I'd trawl e-bay for a Garmin Geko 201. Very cheap indeed. When not navigating (it uses more power for this) I'd expect to get 300km from a pair of AAAs.
A Geko is more of a challenge if you want it to do any navigating. It is a brilliant little device but programming it can prove, er.... taxing.

I agree it's a brilliant little device but ... Serial interface - how many people can hack that these days?  Also changing the batteries is a pain (compared with an Etrex).

You can get USB cables for Gekos you know, Francis. And as for cheap, there's a brand new 201 on e-bay at the moment; current bidding £8. And a Geko 301 for 99p