Author Topic: WOOT a GPS  (Read 27329 times)

Martin

WOOT a GPS
« on: 22 December, 2008, 05:26:56 pm »
OK I'm convinced; the thought of another tortuous overnight route with a paper route sheet has decided that I want one for my birthday. I have only experience (indirectly) of 2;

1. FY's Garmin (vague arrow points in the direction of where you need to be but they might be a lot better now)

2. A proper Tom Tom (I'd need the Ride version ££££££££££££££  :-\) Google maps on a proper colour screen with the facility to wipe our silly bridleways.

Are there any others I should consider? my budget is low as usual.

Regulator

  • That's Councillor Regulator to you...
Re: WOOT a GPS
« Reply #1 on: 22 December, 2008, 05:48:32 pm »
TomToms are satnavs - not GPSs.  They belong in motor vehicles, not on bikes.

Get yourself a decent mapping GPS.  Any of the Garmin mapping range are suitable and you will be limited only by your budget.
Quote from: clarion
I completely agree with Reg.

Green Party Councillor

rogerzilla

  • When n+1 gets out of hand
Re: WOOT a GPS
« Reply #2 on: 22 December, 2008, 06:24:59 pm »
See my post just below.  Does pretty much everything you need if you get the package with the City Navigator maps.
Hard work sometimes pays off in the end, but laziness ALWAYS pays off NOW.

pdm

  • Sheffield hills? Nah... Just potholes.
Re: WOOT a GPS
« Reply #3 on: 22 December, 2008, 06:42:03 pm »
Suggest:

Garmin eTrex Vista Hcx (£150) or Legend Hcx (£120) or a GPSmap 60csx (£220)

Get a couple of 2G uSD cards from 7-Day Shop to store maps - I can fit about 70% of the whole of europe onto one of those although they take a while to download onto....

Metroguide Europe (£88) with Metrogold to add routing or City Navigator NT Europe (£120).

Metroguide unlocked with Metrogold provides quite satisfactory routing. City Navigator is marginally better, even telling you how to negotiate roundabouts and which exit to take.

With my Etrex units, I have added a bomb proof handlebar mount, far better then the stock mickey mouse mount that they come with...

Re: WOOT a GPS
« Reply #4 on: 22 December, 2008, 10:15:57 pm »
With my Etrex units, I have added a bomb proof handlebar mount, far better then the stock mickey mouse mount that they come with...
pdm, That's a rather nice etrex bar mount. What base mount do you use with that?

Martin

Re: WOOT a GPS
« Reply #5 on: 22 December, 2008, 11:03:24 pm »
See my post just below.  Does pretty much everything you need if you get the package with the City Navigator maps.

I like it  :thumbsup: within my price range too

simonp

Re: WOOT a GPS
« Reply #6 on: 22 December, 2008, 11:44:28 pm »
I've been using the Etrex Vista HCx since about a month before PBP 07.

I'd highly recommend it or one of the similar Etrex HCx models.  The maps as pdm says will fit onto a memory card; the whole of the UK fits onto my 1GB card so there's never any need to download more maps within the UK - it's a one-time thing.  Although with the USB connection nowadays it never takes very long.  With the old serial version which I still have lying around, you'd wait 30 minutes for it to download the maps for a ride.

There are various schools of thought on how to route using them - probably a separate debate.  With the correct maps the Vista HCx can do auto-routing on the device which is useful if you don't want to hand-tune the route 100%, but it can make unhelpful choices.

Battery life from two AA NiMH (2700s) is almost enough for a 400, despite using the backlight a lot at night.

pdm

  • Sheffield hills? Nah... Just potholes.
Re: WOOT a GPS
« Reply #7 on: 22 December, 2008, 11:46:14 pm »
With my Etrex units, I have added a bomb proof handlebar mount, far better then the stock mickey mouse mount that they come with...
pdm, That's a rather nice etrex bar mount. What base mount do you use with that?

I simply did a little bit of surgey to shape the back and added 2 more holes so that I can attach it with two zip ties to the stem or a spacer bar mount (the bit between the handlebar and the accessory bar) depending on which bike it goes on. I also added a little high density sponge behind to add a bit of shock absorbtion. Very secure and safe. At the price, I can custom fit one for each bike. I prefer the stem position - out of the way, convenient to use and see and it leaves the bars free for lights and other stuff.

Chris N

Re: WOOT a GPS
« Reply #8 on: 23 December, 2008, 08:41:06 am »
OK I'm convinced; the thought of another tortuous overnight route with a paper route sheet has decided that I want one for my birthday. I have only experience (indirectly) of 2;

1. FY's Garmin (vague arrow points in the direction of where you need to be but they might be a lot better now)

2. A proper Tom Tom (I'd need the Ride version ££££££££££££££  :-\) Google maps on a proper colour screen with the facility to wipe our silly bridleways.

Are there any others I should consider? my budget is low as usual.

Do you only want it for audaxing (i.e. turn-by-turn instructions)?  If you can get by without onboard mapping you can use a cheapo Etrex H just fine.  Total outlay (with cable and bracket) about £100.

Re: WOOT a GPS
« Reply #9 on: 23 December, 2008, 10:19:43 am »
+another for Garmin etrex Legend HCx + City Navigator. 

Been using this combo with Google Maps + GmaptoGPX, Marengo for route planning/route sheet translation, for all audaxes and lots of other rides this year - very pleased.

Also recommend a read of Francis Cookes articles at AUK GPS page - very helpful.

Martin

Re: WOOT a GPS
« Reply #10 on: 23 December, 2008, 10:27:11 am »
OK I'm convinced; the thought of another tortuous overnight route with a paper route sheet has decided that I want one for my birthday. I have only experience (indirectly) of 2;

1. FY's Garmin (vague arrow points in the direction of where you need to be but they might be a lot better now)

2. A proper Tom Tom (I'd need the Ride version ££££££££££££££  :-\) Google maps on a proper colour screen with the facility to wipe our silly bridleways.

Are there any others I should consider? my budget is low as usual.

Do you only want it for audaxing (i.e. turn-by-turn instructions)? 

no probably not if it will go in the car; might as well have the most all singing all dancing thing going; Being able to download the whole UK onto an SD card sounds cool. Can you make up routes on it? (something to while away the long train commutes)

simonp

Re: WOOT a GPS
« Reply #11 on: 23 December, 2008, 11:54:02 am »
OK I'm convinced; the thought of another tortuous overnight route with a paper route sheet has decided that I want one for my birthday. I have only experience (indirectly) of 2;

1. FY's Garmin (vague arrow points in the direction of where you need to be but they might be a lot better now)

2. A proper Tom Tom (I'd need the Ride version ££££££££££££££  :-\) Google maps on a proper colour screen with the facility to wipe our silly bridleways.

Are there any others I should consider? my budget is low as usual.

Do you only want it for audaxing (i.e. turn-by-turn instructions)? 

no probably not if it will go in the car; might as well have the most all singing all dancing thing going; Being able to download the whole UK onto an SD card sounds cool. Can you make up routes on it? (something to while away the long train commutes)

You can though you will find it slower than doing the same on a PC.  On a CTC tour in france in 2006 I did this in the evenings as I hadn't time to plot all the routes out beforehand.


Re: WOOT a GPS
« Reply #12 on: 23 December, 2008, 02:24:51 pm »
Suggest:
Metroguide Europe (£88) with Metrogold to add routing or City Navigator NT Europe (£120).
Garmin have discontinued Metroguide, and it's getting difficult to find.
Presumably this is because of all the people using Metrogold to convert it instead of buying City Navigator.

Martin

Re: WOOT a GPS
« Reply #13 on: 26 December, 2008, 11:52:05 am »
what about this? does it have the facility to download say a map of East Anglia?

Cheap Garmin ETrex Venture HC deal

simonp

Re: WOOT a GPS
« Reply #14 on: 26 December, 2008, 12:27:47 pm »
what about this? does it have the facility to download say a map of East Anglia?

Cheap Garmin ETrex Venture HC deal

I've just tried in MapSource; I can select the whole of East Anglia (as far north as Boston; as far west as Milton Keynes) and the whole of the M25 zone (which takes up a lot of space - the maps are in rectangular sections and they are much smaller in London).  This is 23.3mb which should fit in that unit (24mb of internal memory).


DaveJ

  • Happy days
Re: WOOT a GPS
« Reply #15 on: 27 December, 2008, 12:31:19 am »
Another vote for Vista HCx and City Navigator.

I have used it in the car too.  Its not ideal, but its a lot better than being lost.

Dave

Re: WOOT a GPS
« Reply #16 on: 27 December, 2008, 09:42:55 am »
Oh you'll love having a GPS Martin!!!

I have a Vista Cx and City Navigator Europe maps.  Really excellent, and the only thing that I dislike about it is that it sometimes loses signal in urban canyons.  The HCx model won't have that problem as it has the high sensitivity receiver chipset.

I love the points of interest database, it saved my bacon a few times now.  Once at the Berlin marathon when the hostel stuffed up our reservation.  I used the POI database to look up all the nearest hotels, get their phone numbers and call for spaces.  You can imagine how few rooms were available before the marathon with something like 150,000 extra visitors to the city.
Your Royal Charles are belong to us.

zzpza

Re: WOOT a GPS
« Reply #17 on: 29 December, 2008, 04:25:39 pm »
assuming openstreetmap covers the area you want, you don't need to spend money on maps. you can then spend the money you were going to spend on maps on either beer or a better gps. or both! win-win!

EDIT: see other thread in GPS forum about free maps for Garmin GPS devices (if you haven't already seen it) :)

Martin

Re: WOOT a GPS
« Reply #18 on: 28 February, 2009, 09:42:04 pm »
OK Vista HcX and Ram mount ordered, hopefully will arrive in time for the big day; I've mapped out El Supremo's 200 next weekend would anybdoy like to try it on theirs to make sure I've got it right pretty please  :-*

please pm me your email and I'll send you the gdb  :)

rogerzilla

  • When n+1 gets out of hand
Re: WOOT a GPS
« Reply #19 on: 01 March, 2009, 08:26:32 am »
The standard bar mounts are neater-looking and secure (i.e. the unit doesn't fall off) but the unit rattles insufferably in the mount and you may occasionally suffer the unit turning itself off on rough roads.  There is a solution involving padding out the mount with black electrical tape, but for £12 Garmin should have done a much better job.
Hard work sometimes pays off in the end, but laziness ALWAYS pays off NOW.

Chris S

Re: WOOT a GPS
« Reply #20 on: 01 March, 2009, 09:51:30 am »
Good choice Martin. If you ride a lot of DIYs then having mapping is invaluable. Being lost is a two phase thing - (1) Finding where you are, and (2) getting back on route. Any GPS can do (1) but you need maps for (2).

Martin

Re: WOOT a GPS
« Reply #21 on: 01 March, 2009, 05:54:06 pm »
I assume 2380 or thereabouts waypoints on the gpx track (from Bikely) won't fit into the unit  ::-) (Mapsource allows me to cut it down to 100)

will something like this work with it? (it's the gpx opened with Mapsource) and how to I change Track 001 to a different name?


Re: WOOT a GPS
« Reply #22 on: 01 March, 2009, 06:15:43 pm »
right-click --> track properties, & edit the name

Manotea

  • Where there is doubt...
Re: WOOT a GPS
« Reply #23 on: 01 March, 2009, 06:25:29 pm »
Good choice Martin. If you ride a lot of DIYs then having mapping is invaluable. Being lost is a two phase thing - (1) Finding where you are, and (2) getting back on route. Any GPS can do (1) but you need maps for (2).

Assuming your GPS has autorouting, all one need do is I select the next appropriate waypoint and ask the gps to take you there.

Beware, having a GPS also makes it easier to find the nearest station...


Chris S

Re: WOOT a GPS
« Reply #24 on: 01 March, 2009, 06:45:38 pm »
Beware, having a GPS also makes it easier to find the nearest station...

Yes. Or Pubbe.