Author Topic: Garmin 810 tips  (Read 17561 times)

Garmin 810 tips
« on: 08 January, 2015, 08:25:39 pm »
Just been given an 810.

Any body got any tips?

Eg. Which mount is best? Garmin out front or K-Edge?

What gpx format does one use and can you get them on bikehike?

What maps to use etc

wilkyboy

  • "nick" by any other name
    • 16-inch wheels
Re: Garmin 810 tips
« Reply #1 on: 08 January, 2015, 08:30:10 pm »
Just been given an 810.

Any body got any tips?

Eg. Which mount is best? Garmin out front or K-Edge?

What gpx format does one use and can you get them on bikehike?

What maps to use etc

TCX files from RideWithGPS work well for me on my 800 -- I delete all the auto-generated cue points and add my own so I don't accidentally ride past controls. 

I have the Garmin Outfront, which works really well.  The only issue I have, which I think they resolved with the new 1000, is that you can't easily fit a standard USB cable for charging while it's mounted -- I had to get a StarTech left-angle mini USB cable from Amazon (the socket's upside down, so a right-angle would go the wrong way).

I got the 800 with the OS maps, so I have no experience of getting other maps on there, but it can be done.
Lockdown lethargy. RRTY: wot's that? Can't remember if I'm on #8 or #9 ...

thing1

  • aka Joth
    • TandemThings
Re: Garmin 810 tips
« Reply #2 on: 08 January, 2015, 09:27:20 pm »
Navigation tips: http://www.forgot.co.uk/garmin-edge-navigation/garmin-edge-1000/
Only had our 810 a week (after the 705 finally gave up and leaped to its death on the last half hour of a 200km) so not found our ideal navigation setup yet, but verified the default of auto-rerouting does not work well if you really want to follow all of the planned route


If you're into Strava, setup the Bluetooth sync to Garmin connect via their Smartphone app, and then setup auto GC->Strava upload. And enjoy never having to futz with PC cables and upload plugins again.

Re: Garmin 810 tips
« Reply #3 on: 08 January, 2015, 09:48:28 pm »
Garmin iPhone app is a great idea in theory but it is rather flakey and doesn't always sync with the 810. There have been a few revisions and it's getting better but not quite there yet.

Mine came with UK OS maps and Garmin City Navigator Europe. However, the Openstreetmaps also work (and are free).
I am often asked, what does YOAV stand for? It stands for Yoav On A Velo

bikey-mikey

  • AUK 6372
  • Yes, I am completely mad ! a.k.a. 333
Re: Garmin 810 tips
« Reply #4 on: 17 February, 2015, 04:55:48 pm »
I don't use the O/S maps, despite buying them!!

Far too much detail - would be OK walking, but NOT on a bike !!

Save the money
I’ve decided I’m not old. I’m 25 .....plus shipping and handling.

Cycling heatmap
https://www.strava.com/athletes/4628735/heatmaps/6ed5ab12#10/51.12782/-3.16388

Re: Garmin 810 tips
« Reply #5 on: 17 February, 2015, 05:14:42 pm »
Well, for the first week of ownership I was ready to send it back. It couldn't do TBT navigation reliably, and despite various people attempting to tell me that I didn't need TBT, TBT is what I want.

Curiously, Garmin issued two firmware updates over two weeks, and this on a device that is well into its second year. A quick perusal of garmin forum revealed a gathering shitstorm of pissed off users all with the same issues as me.

The second of the two firmware updates (beta) has the thing working as I'd like it. So hooray. It has frozen once (boo) and also seems to reset the trip distance to zero if I turn it off and on again. (The 705 didn't). It might be a setting buried somewhere deep, or it might not, but it is bloody annoying in a long audax where I may want to conserve battery life at control stops.

Other that that, its OK. The display is fine, the touch screen works and the Bluetooth stuff is handy.

caerau

  • SR x 3 - PBP fail but 1090 km - hey - not too bad
Re: Garmin 810 tips
« Reply #6 on: 17 February, 2015, 05:56:59 pm »
I don't use the O/S maps, despite buying them!!

Far too much detail - would be OK walking, but NOT on a bike !!

Save the money


Yeah I use them but they are pigging nightmare in a city.  Looks like I'll be sticking with my 800 for the foreseeable reading the backlog  :-\
It's a reverse Elvis thing.

frankly frankie

  • I kid you not
    • Fuchsiaphile
Re: Garmin 810 tips
« Reply #7 on: 17 February, 2015, 06:38:46 pm »
I don't use the O/S maps, despite buying them!!
Far too much detail - would be OK walking, but NOT on a bike !!

It's not really detail - more like clutter.
Vector maps designed for GPS use are actually far more detailed than OS 1:50,000, or even 1:25,000.  What OS map can give you the phone number of the restaurant/hotel/pub you're heading towards?
when you're dead you're done, so let the good times roll

Re: Garmin 810 tips
« Reply #8 on: 24 February, 2015, 01:08:05 pm »
I have an Edge 800 and use tcx I've created on Bikehike. I don't want TBT just a pink line to follow, and I only mark controls as course points (not turns). This enables me to always have distance to the next control on one of my screens. In fact on the map screen I've chosen speed and distance to next course point as the 2 displayed fields.
I did like being able to have 4 fields and the map displayed on my old 705- the 800 can't do this, the max is 2. Having multiple screens of data to swipe through is nice though. Something to keep me entertained in the night  ;D

I understand what I am doing isn't what some people are wanting. I became many people's dependable navigation aid on LEL though  ;D

frankly frankie

  • I kid you not
    • Fuchsiaphile
Re: Garmin 810 tips
« Reply #9 on: 25 February, 2015, 10:19:05 am »
The 800 had its share of known problems though, many of which were reportedly fixed in the 810.

The Etrex 10, 20 & 30 are basically navigation devices and looking at the forum posts for them about TBT problems (or lack of them) they would seem to be pretty stable.

I think that's probably just a case of lower expectations.
Happiness is a negatively-skewed distribution was the title of an article in Scientific American way back around 1970, explaining how the owner of a Morris Minor was always likely to be happier with his lot than the owner of an E-type Jag.

In terms of facilities, the Etrexes are quite limited compared with the 800/810/1000 - smaller screen, no multiple data screens, can't handle TCX or FIT formats - obviously if none of these things matter to you then the E20/30 is a good fit.  I'm rather surprised there isn't an E40 by the way, all the other ranges have seen minor updates in the last 6 months or so.
when you're dead you're done, so let the good times roll

Re: Garmin 810 tips
« Reply #10 on: 25 February, 2015, 11:56:23 am »
And the crazy thing about what Frank has just said,

In 2014, the Jaguar F-Type has a Customer Satisfaction Index of 77%; and the Nissan Micra has a CSI of 57%.


PS

In Great Britain only.

Jaguar F-Type 83.4%
Nissan Micra 66.5%

The buying public's expectations have changed.

caerau

  • SR x 3 - PBP fail but 1090 km - hey - not too bad
Re: Garmin 810 tips
« Reply #11 on: 25 February, 2015, 12:16:17 pm »
And the crazy thing about what Frank has just said,

In 2014, the Jaguar F-Type has a Customer self-Satisfaction Index of 77%; and the Nissan Micra has a CSI of 57%.


PS

In Great Britain only.

Jaguar F-Type 83.4%
Nissan Micra 66.5%

The buying public's expectations have changed.


FTFY ;)
It's a reverse Elvis thing.

Re: Garmin 810 tips
« Reply #12 on: 01 March, 2015, 08:58:47 pm »
Having recently swapped from marathon running into long distance cycling, I am planning to abandon my Garmin Forerunner (wrist watch GPS) and buy a Garmin for my bike.
Having ruled out the Garmin 1000 based on its price, would you recommend that I buy the Garmin 800 or 810?
Frankly i am not great at IT, I generally use about 30% of features of any device, and I am really just looking for a straight forward device for audax events, to avoid me getting lost!
Thank you

caerau

  • SR x 3 - PBP fail but 1090 km - hey - not too bad
Re: Garmin 810 tips
« Reply #13 on: 01 March, 2015, 10:52:39 pm »
Sounds like an Etrex is up your street-  I have an 800, I'm semi-OK at IT and it's not easy to work without consulting websites that tell you what to do (easy enough then tbf).


I'd be surprised if I use 10% of what it can do. It was a present (gratefully accepted!) and not really necessary for my purposes.

It's a reverse Elvis thing.

Re: Garmin 810 tips
« Reply #14 on: 01 March, 2015, 11:50:44 pm »
I like my 800 for audax. I create my routes on bikehike.co.uk and save them straight to the Garmin (plugged into USB) as .tcx courses. I then simply follow the pink line. This is very simple and you don't run into problems with the device trying to calculate routes for you and messing up. If you go off course it bleeps at you and you can see where the pink line is you need to head back to.

It also has 5 other user configurable screens for a massive range of data you select. I've got screens for heart rate, cadence and other speed and distance data and other screens for gradient % and climbing rate etc. You don't have to use any of these things if you don't want to.

However for audax use- if you opt for a 800 or 810 you will need to work out a way of charging it as you ride. The etrex takes standard AA batteries so some find is easier to manage on long rides. You can even stick lithium batteries in etrexes for longer life. The 800 and 810 have an internal rechargeable battery much like a mobile phone that can last up to 15 hours when it's new. If you keep the backlight on and display the map page constantly it will not last that long though. It tends to be ok for a 200k but not for a 300k or above. When the device ages the battery time starts to diminish. A lot of us have external battery packs we connect the device to for recharging. You would need to buy a mini USB cable with a 90 degree end so it can be plugged in whilst you ride too.

Re: Garmin 810 tips
« Reply #15 on: 02 March, 2015, 08:59:13 am »
There are some good deals on GPSmap 62 units at the mo.
With OSM mapping, that should be the jobbie.

PS, I have a couple of genuine Garmin mounts for it, which are unused and still in their packaging,,,  ;)

Re: Garmin 810 tips
« Reply #16 on: 03 March, 2015, 10:54:21 pm »
Thank you for your responses, so if i buy the basic Edge 810, it seems that I get the Garmin 810 plus Bike mount, USB cable, UK AC charger and Manual, is there anything else which I need to get started?
Thanks

Re: Garmin 810 tips
« Reply #17 on: 03 March, 2015, 11:04:58 pm »
Maps.

Go Garmin City navigator, or get an sd card and download Open Street Map

bikey-mikey

  • AUK 6372
  • Yes, I am completely mad ! a.k.a. 333
Re: Garmin 810 tips
« Reply #18 on: 03 March, 2015, 11:05:16 pm »
I've been having difficulty getting TBT (turn by turn) directions on my 810 recently.

I just discovered something 'new' (at least to me).

I was deleting a couple of courses from last weekend and after I had done so I noticed in the bottom right hand corner of the courses menu a few white lines a bit like a representation of a tiny page, so I clicktouched it and got another menu of options including

Course Guidance   with an 'ENABLE' button, which was not enabled, so I did so !!

I'll report back if that cures it !!!!!
I’ve decided I’m not old. I’m 25 .....plus shipping and handling.

Cycling heatmap
https://www.strava.com/athletes/4628735/heatmaps/6ed5ab12#10/51.12782/-3.16388

Re: Garmin 810 tips
« Reply #19 on: 03 March, 2015, 11:10:40 pm »
It will do.

I had to do the same after a firmware upgrade

frankly frankie

  • I kid you not
    • Fuchsiaphile
Re: Garmin 810 tips
« Reply #20 on: 04 March, 2015, 10:21:56 am »
... it seems that I get the Garmin 810 plus Bike mount, USB cable,...

I'm not an Edge user but I've often read that people prefer the 3rd-party Edge bike mounts to the one supplied in the box.
when you're dead you're done, so let the good times roll

Feanor

  • It's mostly downhill from here.
Re: Garmin 810 tips
« Reply #21 on: 04 March, 2015, 10:37:54 am »
Unless you want an 'out front' style of mount, I can't imagine any reason to use a 3-rd party mount.

2 came in the box with my 800, and they seem to be 100% secure, and the 1/4 turn mounting is very quick and easy to engage / disengage.

Re: Garmin 810 tips
« Reply #22 on: 04 March, 2015, 11:52:47 am »
The 'Pattern part' mounts are OK for nth bike.

Supplying only TWO is an insult to cyclists.   >:(

Re: Garmin 810 tips
« Reply #23 on: 04 March, 2015, 12:48:58 pm »
Don't get an all metal out front mount like the K Edge. They shave a but off the fixed fitting on the Garmin every time you use them.

fuaran

  • rothair gasta
Re: Garmin 810 tips
« Reply #24 on: 04 March, 2015, 01:10:28 pm »
The newer versions of the K-Edge mounts have a plastic insert, which should avoid wear on the Garmin.