GPS for car and bike use

[Tim Hall]

I'm more than likely to get a Satnav for my company car.  Are there any on the market that will serve as on bike devices as well?

I'm not familiar at all with the market, but from what I've seen car mounted-stuck-to-windscreen jobs have a kind of tilted local map, IYSWIM, whilst the bar mounted GPS units seem to have OS (or other) maps with a moving dot.

Any ideas?

[Sergeant Pluck]

Hi Tim

The typical cycling Garmin Etrex has a very basic display that would probably not be a lot of use when driving except in emergencies if totally lost. Battery life requirements dictate a small display.

The SatMap uses OS mapping, but again, not a lot of good for driving (or for cycling but that's just MHO  ).

OS mapping (I use it inMemory Map) is great for route planning though on the computer.

Get a dedicated in-car sat nav. And a new company car  with it already in.

[nuttycyclist]

Our GPS history.

Garmin etrex Legend, 2002 purchase.  Black and white screen.  vague black lines.  Constant aggro with mapsource and uploading maps.  Dumped in cupboards.

2007/8 bought Garmin Nuvi as Mrs Nutty kept getting lost and I had to talk her in via google maps over her hands free car phone.   It's not a "tilted map" but a colour road map in basic colours.  I am impressed (in the main) with how it navigates.

I have just bought a Garmin edge 605.  This has the routing functionality of the Nuvi, so will get us around in the car.  It also has the bike stuff and I think is a much better unit.  The only drawback is that it only beeps at junctions so you have to glance at it.  The Nuvi is much better as the voice tells you the road names and when to turn.



For car use I'd stick to the Nuvi as you never really have to look at it.

For bike use I'd go with the edge every time.


If there is an equivalent to the edge 605 that verbally gives instructions and roadnames then that is the utopia.

[Tim Hall]

Thanks for the answers guys

Get a dedicated in-car sat nav. And a new company car  with it already in.

The current company car (Citroen C5) has a built in SatNav, but had a low list price. It goes back in July.

All the new ones seem to add upto two grand to the bottom line price, which in turn clobbers me tax-wise, so buying a stick to the windscreen one seems a better plan.

[JohnP]

Buy the Garmin motorcycle unit and use the incar mount when needed.  Several hours of battery life when mobile.  No need to leave a satnav permanently switched on when cycling.

[FatBloke]

I tried using my Garmin 605 in traffic, in London last Friday. Unfortunately it didn't react quickly enough to be of any use. 

[MattH]

I tried using my Garmin 605 in traffic, in London last Friday. Unfortunately it didn't react quickly enough to be of any use. 

I find with my 705 that in "twiddly" bits where there are lots of successive turns quite quickly it is better to cancel the page that is telling me to turn next left (or whatever) and look at the map view instead.

[Jaded]

Yes, a quick blip on the 'mode' button of the 705 works well when the thing is still telling you to turn left.

I'd only use a cycle GPS in a car as a 'I really am not sure which way to go here'. The beeping is annoying and the idiosyncratic route change announcing is best suited to the speed of a bike.

[Manotea]

I use my etrex in the car on a window mount. Not ideal but OK. You can disable bleeps (Setup/tones/mute), and 'turn pop-up' (setup/routing) if you like. Just remember to change the routing preference to Car and Fastest (not that they will make much difference in town)!

[Tewdric]

Buy the Garmin motorcycle unit and use the incar mount when needed.  Several hours of battery life when mobile.  No need to leave a satnav permanently switched on when cycling.

I've got one of those- the battery only lasts 4 hours tops, and it's quite a heavy beast.  I've never been tempted to use it on a pedal bike.  Absolutely excellent on the motorbike though.

[nuttycyclist]

Yes, a quick blip on the 'mode' button of the 705 works well when the thing is still telling you to turn left.

I'd only use a cycle GPS in a car as a 'I really am not sure which way to go here'. The beeping is annoying and the idiosyncratic route change announcing is best suited to the speed of a bike.

ok so my 605 is new to me, but I found the timings best suited to a car.  When audaxing it was telling me a turning was coming up, but the time was counting down very slowly - i.e. it took around 4 to 5 seconds for each second to drop off the screen.

I think I need to re-visit the settings screen?

[bikenerd]

My edge 205 gives me a distance to next turn (actually a course point in Garmin-parlance) when on the compass screen.  Do the mapping ones not do this?  Is there a setting to change so that they do?

[andrew_s]

One of these enhanced car satnavs?
Road Angel Adventurer 7000 combines full UK street mapping with ROAD ANGEL and the No.1 safety camera and accident blackspot alert system.

Hmmm...
Just seen this bit

Adventurer 7000 is pre-loaded with Ordnance Survey® Landranger® 1:50,000 scale maps for all Britain’s National Parks and is fully Memory-Map V5 compatible so you can add any other maps from the range

I've got national MM V5 1:50,000 already. I'm starting to feel tempted.

[Hot Flatus]

In car sat navs won't be weather proof.  I got a Navigo unit from ebuyer for £45 and hacked it to turn it into a TomTom.  Doesn't seem worth trying to compromise.

[Sergeant Pluck]

One of these enhanced car satnavs?
Road Angel Adventurer 7000 combines full UK street mapping with ROAD ANGEL and the No.1 safety camera and accident blackspot alert system.

Very handy looking device.

[Tim Hall]

Ooh! Road Angel Adeventurer 7000 has been superseded by the Road Angel Navigator9000.

Features include:

Waterproof – ideal for outdoor use
Cycle mount and cradle

150 notes.  Hmmm.  Subscription for Speed Cameras, traffic updates and weather is another 5.99 per month.

I feel a plan coming together. 

[Martin]

Tim; I'd go for an Etrex it serves as a perfectly servicable car SatNav at little extra cost; and it's by far the best unit to fit on a bike. Manotea clamps his to the steering wheel (it has a recess) which is probably the best place given the screen size

[andrew_s]

The 7000 is waterproof with bike mount too, but I'd probably keep on with the GPS I'm used to.
The attraction for me was using it as a container for OS mapping that could use the OS maps I've already got rather than making me buy another set. MemoryMap format has the advantage that it also allows  access to IGN mapping of France

[Tim Hall]

Next daft question: Will I be able to import gpx files into the Road Angel?  Their website is not very forthcoming. 

[Andrew Br]

I think that there is a review on Pocketgpsworld.com of the Road Angel device- it might be worth tracking that down.
IIRC they weren't overly impressed with the devices routing capabilities when used as a satnav.

[Andrew Br]

Manotea clamps his to the steering wheel (it has a recess) which is probably the best place given the screen size

Just a thought- is it in the airbag zone ? 
If so, you might want to consider moving it in case it gets launched at your head.

[Wendy]

Tim; I'd go for an Etrex it serves as a perfectly servicable car SatNav at little extra cost; and it's by far the best unit to fit on a bike. Manotea clamps his to the steering wheel (it has a recess) which is probably the best place given the screen size

That's my opinion too.  I have an eTrex Vista Cx and often use it on the car, walking and on the bike.  It's not as good as a pure car device given the smaller screen size and no voice navigation, but it's perfectly adequate.

If I had more money and drove a lot more, I'd get a car only GPS, and keep the eTrex for cycling, but that's not necessary for my level of use.

[Martin]

Manotea clamps his to the steering wheel (it has a recess) which is probably the best place given the screen size

Just a thought- is it in the airbag zone ? 
If so, you might want to consider moving it in case it gets launched at your head.

no it clamped to the top rim of the actual wheel (so no use in police car chases)

[JohnP]

Buy the Garmin motorcycle unit and use the incar mount when needed.  Several hours of battery life when mobile.  No need to leave a satnav permanently switched on when cycling.

I've got one of those- the battery only lasts 4 hours tops, and it's quite a heavy beast.  I've never been tempted to use it on a pedal bike.  Absolutely excellent on the motorbike though.

Check out the new version which should be available retail within a few days.  Slim, wide and those left side buttons have been replaced by touch screen.  Outrageously expensive but I may replace my old(ish) Street Pilot 2610.

https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?cID=135&pID=15000     forecast to retail about £100 less than Garmin rrp.

[JohnP]

Manotea clamps his to the steering wheel (it has a recess) which is probably the best place given the screen size

Just a thought- is it in the airbag zone ? 
If so, you might want to consider moving it in case it gets launched at your head.

no it clamped to the top rim of the actual wheel (so no use in police car chases)

Clamped where ?  It must have been April 1st.  Set into a 'spoke' possibly but not on the rim.