First time use

[Dominic]

Taken the plunge and bought a Garmin Edge Touring.  Got it yesterday and am now at work until next Saturday's London Wales London.  This will be the first time I have used it obviously, following the gpx provided by the organiser, which I have still to upload!!

Any tips for best use or perhaps more importantly any pitfalls to avoid.  I will be using it in conjunction with a route sheet.

Thanks

[vorsprung]

Make sure that the gpx route doesn't have too many points in it.  I don't use your type of gps but most of that generation garmin are limited to 10,000 track points

I've found that gpxeditor.co.uk is a good way to find out how many points there are.  You can also use this to split the track into 2 or 3 parts

One thing I found counter intuitive is to put the Garmin map orientation to "direction of travel" instead of "north".  On a paper map, north is at the top so I thought it would be easier to follow the Garmin in "north at the top" mode.  This is not the case.  If the map spins round to which way you are currently facing then the right/left turns are on the right/left and the road ahead looks more like the road on the screen.  It is a lot easier for following.  It is not easier for "I wonder which way I am going?  Am I north of Frome?" but this is a minor problem

[frankly frankie]

I've never used an Edge so I'll leave any device-related advice to someone else, but -
when using a GPX file which is basically of unknown origin (whether provided by an organiser, or a friend, or just 'found' by searching the internet - you shouldn't assume that it is going to just work and do what you want.  The file may have been designed to work in one particular model of GPS and not be optimal for your model - or worse, for example the org may have been given that file by someone else who rode the event the year before, and who is a total dingbat - you just don't know.  So you need to check it somehow, maybe by uploading it to a planner site such as BikeHike, checking the points count and checking it goes where you expect, and doesn't cut off half way round, then re-downloading it in a format you know works (planners often give a good choice of export formats).

x-post with vorsprung

[Dominic]

Thanks for that so far.  Bit mind boggling to a tech simpleton like myself.

The organiser has put the route on ride with GPS I assume I can check it on there (have been assured it has already been done) and then just export it to me device?

Thanks again!

[PaulF]

Now would also be a good time to get your head around the difference between routes and tracks .

One way to look at is a track is a log of where you've been, a route is a set of directions to get you where you want to go.

So you can display a track as a line on the screen and ride along that line or use a route that will be essentially a set of points and the device will alert you to turn left or right to get to the next point. My Garmin shows an arrow pointing in the direction to the next route point.

My preference is to use a route and the best advice I was given is to put the point not at the junction but about 50 yards beyond it on the route. That way the arrow will start to point left or right towards the next point as you approach the junction alerting you to both the fact that there is a turn ahead but also the direction

[Kim]

One thing I found counter intuitive is to put the Garmin map orientation to "direction of travel" instead of "north".  On a paper map, north is at the top so I thought it would be easier to follow the Garmin in "north at the top" mode.  This is not the case.  If the map spins round to which way you are currently facing then the right/left turns are on the right/left and the road ahead looks more like the road on the screen.

I can do that translation easily enough in my head, but a fair chunk of the population can't.  Nevertheless, the key advantage of 'track up' orientation is that it allows the best use to be made of the available screen area - showing you more of where you're going than where you've been.

The exception to this rule is when using bitmap maps with text on them.  They only work properly in north-up orientation.

[Paul H]

I've been using a Touring Plus for around 18 months and mostly I get on with it, I set it up as per the recommendations on ride with GPS and haven't found a need to change anything since.  I download as TCX course which works well for me on this unit.
https://ridewithgps.com/help/garmin-edge-touring

I've had a couple of small issues which you might want to look out for - don't assume because it's navigation it's recording, I've been caught out by this a couple of time, if in doubt, check.  The screens zooms in when you approach a junction which is good and clear, it also counts down the distance, don't ignore this, the R turn on the screen isn't necessarily the next one! It took me a few rides to remember this.   The map screen consumes the most battery, unless you're running from an external power source it's not a good idea to leave it on, BUT although it should change back to the map when you approach a turn, it doesn't always (Though if you have the re-calculate set to prompt, you won't go far before it tells you you're off course) Work out what you're going to do with it when off the bike, if you're not careful and leave it switched on in a pocket you can change settings without realising.
Mine also went through a phase of turning itself off at random times, a couple of resets and it stopped doing that, apparently it isn't uncommon. 

[Kim]

I've had a couple of small issues which you might want to look out for - don't assume because it's navigation it's recording

This seems to be a standard gotcha for the entire Edge series.  Particularly dangerous if you're coming from an eTrex, which is always recording.

[cameronp]

The map screen consumes the most battery, unless you're running from an external power source it's not a good idea to leave it on, BUT although it should change back to the map when you approach a turn, it doesn't always (Though if you have the re-calculate set to prompt, you won't go far before it tells you you're off course) Work out what you're going to do with it when off the bike, if you're not careful and leave it switched on in a pocket you can change settings without realising.
Mine also went through a phase of turning itself off at random times, a couple of resets and it stopped doing that, apparently it isn't uncommon.

Agreed on using TCX courses rather than GPX tracks if you have the option. These can include a cue sheet as well as a track, which makes them more useful. My Edge 510 had an option to show a "distance to next cue" field on the non-map screen, and one of the screen showed the upcoming cues and their distances, which allowed useful navigation without using the battery-sucking map screen.

[Hot Flatus]

Settings: track up,  and route recalculation to 'off".
Turn off all sensors (Bluetooth,hrm etc) as they'll drain your battery. Set back light to 15 seconds.

If you are riding more than 12 hours you may need an external power source

[Dominic]

Thanks for all the tips, just have to follow them, upload the route and follow it. Roll on Saturday!!

[Oxford_Guy]

Thanks for all the tips, just have to follow them, upload the route and follow it. Roll on Saturday!!

How did it work out for you?

[Dominic]

Having used this advice and some more from Bus Shelter Berty of this parish, I am a true convert, it worked brilliantly.  The only difficulty I had was night riding and the change in the colour of the route but I am sure that will be fine with a bit of practice.

[Kim]

On the eTrex the colour change is optional.  I have mine set to day colours all the time because I find the dark ones harder to discriminate.  Probably the same on the Edge.

[Dominic]

Thanks, I will have a look at that. I did find the colour change very off putting.

[tonyh]

Thanks Kim, didn't realise that, very helpful. And thanks to many others too, for all the useful stuff.

[Phil W]

You can also choose what Colour profile is used for night if you want something different to the day colours but not the defaults.

[tonyh]

  I do like the way it indicates sunset/rise time by changing, adds to a feeling of progress.