Garmin GPSMAP 60Cx

[terryb]

Pro`s and Con`s for this device please

thinking of bidding for one to replace my old faithful `brick` with a newer `faithful, or not, brick`
  old brick deceased, by the way

[harvey]

I used one for a couple of years and really liked it but the mount kept breaking.  Went thru three of them.  Finally, got rid of it and went to an etrex.  The etrex was a bit disappointing - smaller screen and the auto-routing wasn't as good - but no problems with the mount.  I was actually thinking of getting another 60csx, maybe they've made some improvements to the mount.

[arvid]

It has excellent battery life, which is the main reason I haven't yet replaced mine.
It's a bit dated and therefor slow with detailed maps. There are some problems with a contact rattling loose though which makes it turn off randomly, this is especially a problem on bikes. Mine has had that repaired under warranty.

[PloddinPedro]

I used a Map60 CSx for quite some time for audaxing.

Pros: -
- buttons on the top/front, operable by heavily winter gloved hands;
- solid lock on satellites; a superior chipset compared with the other models of the same vintage (although few people report any problems with those anyway, in this regard);
- good build quality (generally - see below);
- relatively easily customisable;
- pretty good battery life

Cons:-
- I had problems with the bike mount; not major, but part of the learning curve. This unit is a little heavier than some and it can rock ever so slightly over corrugated surfaces; this led to wear on the lugs on the standard bike mount I was using and they broke at an inconvenient time. Once bitten, I learnt to grease the mount with Vaseline and keep an eye on it.
- I had problems with the unit cutting out - i.e. powering down - over rough surfaces. this I found, was a common problem. Often thought to be caused by the batteries rattling in their compartment and losing connection, it is in fact, I believe, an internal problem. I complained to Garmin a couple of times and they eventually gave me a brand new unit - good service - which didn’t suffer the problem.
- it doesn’t do Ordnance Survey raster maps. Some people would say this is actually not a disadvantage because the Garmin City Navigator is easier to read - you pays your money and makes your choice.

I liked mine enough to replace it with a Map62st because I wanted the OS mapping, but that was the only reason.

[frankly frankie]

Can you still get a 60?  Current model is the 62 - all the usual pros and cons of the newer models, ie less tank-like, tellytubby interface, some old tricks lost some new tricks gained, easier PC connection.

The cutting out due to vibration thing is common to all Garmins that use 2xAAs, even the newest models.  They all feature the same spring-loaded internal contact (I guess to facilitate assembly of the unit in the 1st place).  Bigger and heavier models may obviously be more prone, but the trick is just to reduce the vibration, ie make the mount as solid as possible.  The new 'spine mount' (often sold as 'Oregon' mount) which is common to many new Garmins including the 62 I think, is very good in this regard.

[PloddinPedro]

Can you still get a 60?  Current model is the 62 - all the usual pros and cons of the newer models, ie less tank-like, tellytubby interface, some old tricks lost some new tricks gained, easier PC connection.

Original post talks of "bidding for [a Map60]" which I interpreted as "thinking of buying second-hand"

The cutting out due to vibration thing is common to all Garmins that use 2xAAs, even the newest models.  They all feature the same spring-loaded internal contact (I guess to facilitate assembly of the unit in the 1st place).  Bigger and heavier models may obviously be more prone, but the trick is just to reduce the vibration, ie make the mount as solid as possible.  The new 'spine mount' (often sold as 'Oregon' mount) which is common to many new Garmins including the 62 I think, is very good in this regard.

I agree with this - the current Map62 mount, a slide on type and as FF says, common to the Oregon and other models, is a big improvement. Contrary to intuition perhaps, a rock solid mount is the best way to go, rather than using padding in an attempt to absorb vibration - this just seems to increase the degree to which the unit will shake and will exacerbate any tendency for power supply to cut out internally.

Decision between a second-hand Map60 and a new Map62 will depend on how much one wishes to spend I guess.

[bikefish]

I have an old bashed about sirf 3 cx60 with the same intermittent failure problems people up thread mentioned. Its got worse recently (over the wet season) so ive got an army surplus foretrex 301 as back up (just straps around the handlebar). Foretrex (and late model CX 60) use Mediatek gps chip which locks faster, holds lock more reliably in rain forest and reads elevation changes more consistently. 
Current CX bar mount is a crappy looking Fly brand phone bracket which has outlasted the garmin bracket many times over.
BTW some newer garmins may not display your old maps well (assuming you can port them over) eg. you may lose dashed line dirt tracks...

[Toady]

I have a 60CSX, which is pretty much the same.  I've had it for a number of years.  The S stands for Sensors, so I think mine has a pressure sensor (altimeter) and a compass which maybe the 60CX lacks.  Not 100% sure on that.

It's a super GPS, in my experience

I'd echo what people have said above. 

Pros
* Bomb proof build quality NB - I've never had the "cutout" problem described above, perhaps I've just been lucky or others unlucky.  Mine has been subjected to much abuse, dropped, soaked, been left out overnight at below -30C and has never complained.
* Long battery life.  And it uses AAs so you can use rechargeables, and pick up replacements in an emergency pretty much anywhere.
* It's really good. Sorry if that's a bit wooly but it does everything I want very well.

Cons: 
* I have knocked it out of the handlebar mount a couple of times, once with my knee while climbing and once going down a steep bumpy track.  However I always loop the lanyard over the bars so no prob there.
* It's not terribly modern - I'm not up to speed with all the whizzy latest things but I bet there are ones out there snazzier connectivity and software, I don't know.  And to be honest, I don't care because I like my 60CSX so much.
* The Garmin map CDs/SD cards are expensive.  Check out the cost of maps (I haven't looked for a while so maybe the cost has come down).  HOWEVER you can get the OSM maps for free (from Talkytoaster).  These are what I use and they're fine for cycling.  However installing them is a bit of a techy headache, but there is plenty of help out there on the net.  If you want maps from abroad there may (or may not) be OSM maps available - for example I managed to find OSM maps for Finland, but the quality of OSM maps varies country-by-country.

NB: regarding the difference between this and the CSX, The lack of a barometric altimiter shouldn't be a big deal.  It'll still plot your ride profile and give you things like total metres ascended using GPS altitude.  The lack of a compass again isn't a big deal if you're cycling.  The GPS compass will work OK if you're in motion - it just won't work if you are stationary.

There may well be better units out there, I don't know the market at all so I have nothing to compare it with, but I am 100% happy with mine.

[frankly frankie]

There may well be better units out there,

I doubt it, if you're comfortable with the size and form factor, the 60 is generally considered to be the best 'leisure' model Garmin have produced.

[Toady]

By the way the best handlebar mount for this GPS I've used was my first one.  It was made entirely from garden wire.  A sheer work of art.  Why I traded it in for the rubbishy plastic tailor made one I don't know.