Entry level GPS

[MrAdaam]

After getting lost far too many times, my phone running out of battery horrifically quickly and all around not being great with my sense of direction I'm looking to invest in a GPS to attach.

What would people recommend? I've been looking at the Garmin Edge 200 from Evans at £87.99, how does this stack up in comparison to it's competition? Is this able to upload into Strava? I'd like to be able to measure speed, distance, time and have some routes uploaded to this to follow - appears to offer all that?

[Disco You]

An edge 200 doesn't have maps, you need the 800/810 for this. Or the new "tourer" which is being released soon.

If you want maps on a budger, also look at the Mio range. But personally I'd wait for the Garmin tourer.

[MrAdaam]

Ah. That's a shame. Can you download a route to it and get directions from it? Pictures, and information on the website, suggest that there is a maps function in some capacity?

[GaryGlitter]

MrAdaam said:

Garmin Edge 200

Strava
speed, distance, time
routes uploaded to this to follow

Yes
Yes, yes, yes

Routes yes, but not maps. It does a breadcrumb trail, I've managed ok with this.

Edit - check the review on DC Rainmaker, it's got a screenshot showing the 'Courses' function.

http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2011/08/garmin-edge-200...

Edited by GaryGlitter on Tuesday 3rd September 12:12

[MrAdaam]

Cheers. How good is the breadcrumb routing? Fairly accurate/sensible enough that you could work it out on a busy road?

Might be worth seeing if I can play with one in a shop to find out if I like it or not.

[daddy cool]

I have a 200. The breadcrumb trail would be ok for roads i reckon, unless you had two roads forking off and then in might not be too clear - though within a few yards it would buzz that you are off course.
I didnt realise you could load routes onto it as explained in that link above, i'll have a go at that. Currently i create routes based on previous rides i have recorded on the 200, and then use that as "ghost" data to race myself against. Its nice when you beat yourself (off) and you get a crappy pixellated "You win!!!" message pop up!

To be honest, i still reckon if you want something to navigate with on the fly, rather than pre-plan a route before you go out, the 800 or that new Tourer looks a good bet. Not cheap, mind.

[daddy cool]

Oh, one other thing to mention, and this will probably only affect you if you are mountain biking, is that the 200 has a slower GPS interval than the 500 or 800. On the road that doesnt make much difference, but on singletrack that constantly switches back on itself, the 200 thinks you basically havent moved. Hilariously, the faster i ride over my set route in the forest, the less actual distance is recorded...
The 500/800 has GPS on a 1-second interval so is much more accurate.

Nevertheless, for the money the 200 is a great little thing - ive also taken it swimming in greece, hiking over mountains in wales, husky sledding in Norway...

[bakerstreet]

There are probably still some 800s about even though the 810 has been around a while. You should be able to get a good deal on one

I was bought one for Christmas last year and its a great bot of kit. I don't leave home with out.

Be warned that the navigation can be a bit of hit and miss. When I have relied on it for navigation, I always have my phone/headphones with me as a back up.

If I'm going somewhere unknown, then I will always plot every turn using google maps and also print out a streetview of each junction, so I recognize it when I arrive there. Its a slow process, but I always get scared of getting lost on a bicycle.

[itsnotarace]

bakerstreet said:

Be warned that the navigation can be a bit of hit and miss.

Never had any problems with mine, but you do need to do a few things for it to work perfectly. Firstly create the course on Bikeroutetoaster and select to add course point warnings when downloading the file.

Next, on the Garmin, click Menu>Settings>System>Routing

Choose Guidance Method > On Road if you are purely following a road route, if it involves cycle paths or any kind of bridleway away from main roads choose Off Road

Choose Lock on Road > No

Choose Avoidance Setup > and set all to Do Not Avoid

Choose Recalculate > Off

When you load the actual course you want to follow, before hitting GO, choose the spanner and select Turn Guidance = On, Virtual Partner = Off and Off Course Warnings = On. Choose Map display > Always display = On and Course Points = On

HTH

[S6PNJ]

If you are not too hung up on brand new kit or a bike specific GPS, look at a second hand Garmin eTrex unit on eBay or similar. The basic ones in the range don't do maps, but the more advanced onces are colour and have maps. I'm not sure if you can load open source maps (ie free one) but a quick Google on model name and OSM will tell you the answer. You should be able to pick up a mapping colour eTrex for under £80 without any issues. The gpx tracks it records can be uploaded to Strava and some of the units will also hook up to the Garmin Cadence sensor as well (GSC-10). I use a Garmin Oregon 300 which whilst bigger and slightly heavier (193g) than an Edge series (800 = 98g), does all I need. The Garmin Dakota range are also very suitable for use on bikes, though similar to the Oregon series, they are more of a hiking GPS unit.

[bingybongy]

I was also having this problem with my phone. Strava works on Android phones in Aeroplane mode, not sure about iPhones though.

Battery lasts ages.

[Gren]

One downside to the 200 is the frequency of data points. Fine for road riding but does a lot of straight lining in twisty off road trails.

Still works fine for Strava though!

[Silver940]

Last time I looked the Bryton Rider range had similar features to the Garmin stuff at a lower price.

[Silver940]

As if by magic a Bryton Rider 20 with HRM turned up in my birthday presents yesterday

Should get to try it at the weekend...

[Jonnny]

These new Garmin Edge Touring units look pretty decent..

[bakerstreet]

itsnotarace said:

Never had any problems with mine, but you do need to do a few things for it to work perfectly. Firstly create the course on Bikeroutetoaster and select to add course point warnings when downloading the file.

Next, on the Garmin, click Menu>Settings>System>Routing

Choose Guidance Method > On Road if you are purely following a road route, if it involves cycle paths or any kind of bridleway away from main roads choose Off Road

Choose Lock on Road > No

Choose Avoidance Setup > and set all to Do Not Avoid

Choose Recalculate > Off

When you load the actual course you want to follow, before hitting GO, choose the spanner and select Turn Guidance = On, Virtual Partner = Off and Off Course Warnings = On. Choose Map display > Always display = On and Course Points = On

HTH

I'll have another go with some of those settings, but mine all ready has some of those settings. I've found that my unit will often show off course when I know for a fact that I'm on course. I did the New Forest Sportive in April (Wet suit was required) and the only time it found its self was when I left the start and when I rolled back across the finish line. It didn't work for any of the main route.

I use the Garmin Connect site for route mapping.