Yet Another Cycling Forum
General Category => The Knowledge => GPS => Topic started by: bludger on 25 July, 2018, 09:47:03 am
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As a tracker my Garmin 810 (bought used of Facebook) is very good, but the route finding seems seriously whack at times, particularly in towns. So instead I've taken to using google maps, but the process for putting a google route on the 810 is a bit lengthy. Even longer if it's on a smartphone. There were particularly bad failures in the Netherlands, where Garmin apparently haven't mapped many of the segregated cycle routes onto its map.
1. Use the google maps app to make a route.
2. "Share this route" on the top right, and copy the URL into chrome.
3. View google maps in desktop mode.
4. Select the preferred route (google usually offers you a choice of 1-3).
5. Paste the URL into https://mapstogpx.com and hit download
6. Open the file in the Garmin connect app (for me this is the default app)
7. Create the route and transfer it to your 810 via bluetooth
8. Off you go
For me this process takes around 2-3 minutes with a slow phone.
Any bright ideas on how to do this more efficiently?
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Use an app other than Google Maps to make the route. Save as GPX. Transfer to Garmin.
So what apps can make routes?
I've used Viewranger to make off-road routes. I think OSMAnd can do something similar (though I've only used it for waypoints). Anyone got any better suggestions?
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What leads me to google is that in my experience they tend to produce very good routes in many circumstances - particularly in the netherlands where it directs you to the cycle paths. By contrast Garmin kept putting me on main roads!
I presume partly why google does such a good job is they use google maps users' location data to inform which routes are the most efficient for cyclists.
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Which maps do you have on the Garmin? If it's Garmin City Navigator, it doesn't have any data for cycle paths, so can only route on roads.
If you load something based on OpenStreetMap, it would probably give better routing for cycle paths.
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I presume partly why google does such a good job is they use google maps users' location data to inform which routes are the most efficient for cyclists.
I know Strava does that (consequently the Strava route planner is excellent at plotting routes that suit the sort of cyclists who tend to log rides on Strava), but I don't know about google. I know Google have borrowed data from OSM, and that OSM can generally be relied on to have the cyclepaths, but it isn't consistent about path quality (which is why planning a cycling route on something OSM-based in the UK will generally result in a game of Sustrans Cyclocross - but it might work better in .nl).
I think you'd need to experiment with different apps, as it's evidently Google Maps that's making the smartphone workflow longwinded. I don't have a Garmin that speaks bluetooth, but I can't imagine that loading a GPX in Garmin Connect and transferring by bluetooth is going to be slower than connecting by USB-OTG and copying the file.
https://mapstogpx.com is interesting though, I'll have to remember that one.
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Which maps do you have on the Garmin? If it's Garmin City Navigator, it doesn't have any data for cycle paths, so can only route on roads.
If you load something based on OpenStreetMap, it would probably give better routing for cycle paths.
Yes that's exactly it - perhaps that's my error. As to be fair to Garmin it has been OK for doing UK roads.
Kim I will give using Strava route planning a go. Yes mapstogpx.com was a bit of a life saver when in the netherlands, in the olden days I'd have to have done it the old fashioned way and bought a map because Garmin was leading me on all kinds of bonkers routes. :o
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Update: one promising solution is the komoot app and website.
https://www.komoot.com
Basically it's google maps that renders a GPX automatically, and integrates with Garmin Connect. Theoretically this would make route mapping the work of a moment.
However you need to pay a one off £30 fee to be able to export to GPX anywhere in the world - otherwise you have to buy "regions" which are £7 each. Thankfully this is a one-off as in "for ever and ever amen" (or until the company folds), which makes me reluctant. I'd pay up to £12, maybe 18 I think, but £30 isn't cheap especially since this isn't much more functionality than my mapstogpx.com solution.
On the other hand the app does seem to work very well. I think I'll wait until payday because to be fair it also lets you use the app offline by downloading maps onto your device.
Ho hum.
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RideWithGPS is the best online route planner I've found, I've even gone for one of the paid-for accounts, but it works just fine with a free account
https://ridewithgps.com/
There are instructions on the site for using it with Garmins (I have a Wahoo Elemnt bolt, so it just syncs automatically...), though I've not tried this:
https://ridewithgps.com/help/export-routes-to-garmin-device
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For better maps for your Garmin, checkout:
https://talkytoaster.me.uk/ (one of their UK maps is free and very good)
and
https://www.cyclingabout.com/free-maps-on-your-garmin-gps/
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Best thing I did was create my own maps for my Etrex using the OSM data downloads at Geofabrik. I have removed all off road and comedy sustrans paths out of the maps and optimised it to,route down the nice roads and lanes, staying off motorways, trunk roads, bridleways, paths and minimising anything A road. Google is notorious for sending you down farm tracks, bridleways, or A roads and its mapping often shows the former as minor roads.
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Update on komoot - they just sent me an 'exclusive offer' to unlock the whole world with full functionality for £20.
Tempting.....
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Update on komoot - they just sent me an 'exclusive offer' to unlock the whole world with full functionality for £20.
Tempting.....
I went for that a while back, I generally prefer to use RideWithGPS (which I have a paid subscription for) for routing, which I then dync to my Wahoo Elemnt Bolt, but you can't create new routes on their mobile app (or offline), so I use Komoot for creating new routes when out and about (especially where no 3G/4G signal), to send to my Elemnt Bolt. I don't use the app itself for navigation, just for creating routes. The auto-routing I feel is a bit better with RideWithGPS, though, and it's easier to modify routes to your taste.
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I use the routeCourse app. This is coupled with the Dynamic Watch site, which can get routes from a number of other GPS route sites, including ridebygps (if pinned) as well as more directly by uploading.