Author Topic: 2 Routes in a garmin edge 305 ?  (Read 2615 times)

AndyH

2 Routes in a garmin edge 305 ?
« on: 13 July, 2010, 11:20:38 pm »
Does anyone know if it is possible to have 2 routes in an edge 305 ? Navigate 1, then stop navigation, choose the next route and navigate that ?

And would it completely confuse the dear little thing if the routes crossed ?

Both would be at or near to the 100 waypoint limit.

So far I have only ever had one route, but now have a ride that can't sensibly be done in 100 waypoints.

JT

  • Howay the lads!
    • CTC Peterborough
Re: 2 Routes in a garmin edge 305 ?
« Reply #1 on: 14 July, 2010, 09:20:57 am »
On every CTC ride I lead my Edge 205 has seperate out and back routes. Occasionally, I'll also have alternate routes too.

It's not a problem.
a great mind thinks alike

bikenerd

Re: 2 Routes in a garmin edge 305 ?
« Reply #2 on: 14 July, 2010, 09:27:31 am »
Could you not plot it as a course (.tcx file), upload it, then use Training->Courses to choose the course?
I use this mode the most often, with points of interest telling me where the towns etc. are.  Point limit for a course is 10,000 points IIRC.

bikehike.co.uk - Home is a free website that will let you plot a course and then download it as a .tcx file.  Then use Training Centre to import and upload it.

AndyH

Re: 2 Routes in a garmin edge 305 ?
« Reply #3 on: 14 July, 2010, 12:24:03 pm »
As I understand it a course only warns you if you go off it, whereas a route pops up an alert and beeps just before each waypoint.

I tend to make the waypoints correspond with the instructions on the routesheet, and if I have any spare throw in a few additional ones, which has worked well for me on previous Audax rides. That way its a backup to the routesheet.

However, please tell me if I'm wrong about courses.

bikenerd

Re: 2 Routes in a garmin edge 305 ?
« Reply #4 on: 14 July, 2010, 01:55:09 pm »
You can make a course give you instructions to turn left etc. but I've forgotten how exactly!  I have, in the past, used the warnings to tell me when the surface was changing to a footpath or bridleway from a road when on the MTB.

I can have a look tonight when I have the 205 in front of me.

Re: 2 Routes in a garmin edge 305 ?
« Reply #5 on: 14 July, 2010, 04:11:07 pm »
Does anyone know if it is possible to have 2 routes in an edge 305 ? Navigate 1, then stop navigation, choose the next route and navigate that ?

And would it completely confuse the dear little thing if the routes crossed ?

Both would be at or near to the 100 waypoint limit.

So far I have only ever had one route, but now have a ride that can't sensibly be done in 100 waypoints.

Yes, you can and I do. No probs at all, if you are running one route it knows nothing of the other. (I have about 10 in mine, mostly because I can't be bothered to delete)

Pippa

  • Busy being fabulous
Re: 2 Routes in a garmin edge 305 ?
« Reply #6 on: 14 July, 2010, 10:14:17 pm »
As I understand it a course only warns you if you go off it, whereas a route pops up an alert and beeps just before each waypoint.

I tend to make the waypoints correspond with the instructions on the routesheet, and if I have any spare throw in a few additional ones, which has worked well for me on previous Audax rides. That way its a backup to the routesheet.

However, please tell me if I'm wrong about courses.

I use my 205 with courses plotted in bikehike with coursepoints added that also pop up and beep an alert before each coursepoint. So you get the wiggly track line to follow AND something that bleeps at you to warn you should be e.g. turning right in 50m (or whatever distance you set). I tried just courses and just routes and found combining the 2 to be the best solution for me (especially when cycling at night).

JT

  • Howay the lads!
    • CTC Peterborough
Re: 2 Routes in a garmin edge 305 ?
« Reply #7 on: 15 July, 2010, 04:29:34 pm »
As I understand it a course only warns you if you go off it, whereas a route pops up an alert and beeps just before each waypoint.

I tend to make the waypoints correspond with the instructions on the routesheet, and if I have any spare throw in a few additional ones, which has worked well for me on previous Audax rides. That way its a backup to the routesheet.

However, please tell me if I'm wrong about courses.

I use my 205 with courses plotted in bikehike with coursepoints added that also pop up and beep an alert before each coursepoint. So you get the wiggly track line to follow AND something that bleeps at you to warn you should be e.g. turning right in 50m (or whatever distance you set). I tried just courses and just routes and found combining the 2 to be the best solution for me (especially when cycling at night).

Whenever I try that it throws an epi.

What do you use to transfer the files downloaded from Bikehike to your Garmin?
a great mind thinks alike

AndyH

Re: 2 Routes in a garmin edge 305 ?
« Reply #8 on: 16 July, 2010, 01:03:38 pm »
I had a play with Bikehike last night and it looks very good. Downloaded the course to the PC (as a .tcx file) and then used Training centre to upload it to the 305, where it duly appeared.

All the course points I programmed in bikehike appeared in training centre. Havn't tried it yet with this route, but I have put course points on a local ride before using training centre (didn't realise it until I saw it in TC).

The whole process was made much easier by having the GPX trace from RossBD, so I just had to add my points.

Up to this point I had been following the navigation instructions from Frank Kinlan's web site, where I create a GPX route using the Marengo site and use GPS Babel to upload it to the 305. I know that works, so I think I'll have this weekends ride (Faffers 400) on the 305 as both a course (out & back seperately) and a route, just in case.

When it works (which it usually does without fault) I hardly have to look at the routesheet at all, however, I'll also have a laminated routesheet, a spare routesheet and colour photocopies of the relavent road atlas pages. I don't much care for getting lost!


Pippa

  • Busy being fabulous
Re: 2 Routes in a garmin edge 305 ?
« Reply #9 on: 16 July, 2010, 07:30:29 pm »
Whenever I try that it throws an epi.

What do you use to transfer the files downloaded from Bikehike to your Garmin?

I think I've done both options of transferring it directly to the 205 from bikehike (I had to install something to make it recognise the 205 was plugged in) and to a file, opened it in the training centre and send to device. *I think*. I've definitely done the former. I think I've done the latter but I could be wrong.

Pippa

  • Busy being fabulous
Re: 2 Routes in a garmin edge 305 ?
« Reply #10 on: 16 July, 2010, 07:40:33 pm »
Up to this point I had been following the navigation instructions from Frank Kinlan's web site, where I create a GPX route using the Marengo site and use GPS Babel to upload it to the 305. I know that works, so I think I'll have this weekends ride (Faffers 400) on the 305 as both a course (out & back seperately) and a route, just in case.

Yes I did this and through this got introduced to the concept of waypoints but found navigating zig/zag roads in London a nightmare. In this instance the wiggly course line is better IMHO otherwise the unit ends up bleeping the whole time.

The method I've now adopted in bikehike seems to combine both - I can rely on the wiggly line through towns (I don't bother with coursepoints in towns) and the coursepoints at junctions. I like being able to follow the compass needle and also have the reassurance of the wiggly line, just to be sure. I am now working on getting my etrex to do the same. I will be taking the etrex and the 205 in addition to maps, plus a list of village names on my LEJoG - overkill? Moi?  ;D

AndyH

Re: 2 Routes in a garmin edge 305 ?
« Reply #11 on: 16 July, 2010, 08:38:31 pm »
 :(

Everything was looking good, until I found that the 1st course takes 73% of the available memory. The 2nd takes 59%.

Back to the routes, they are tiny.

Pippa

  • Busy being fabulous
Re: 2 Routes in a garmin edge 305 ?
« Reply #12 on: 16 July, 2010, 09:47:15 pm »
:(

I'm surprised. I've put 2 weeks worth of courses, no coursepoints in the 205 and it coped fine. I know it has a limit of 100 way/course points in total (not per .TCX file). But I didn't realise that one .TCX file with course/way points (what are they from bikehike to a 205 - rtept or wpt? I'll check the file) would be so big.....