Best site to plot gpx for garmin

[torqueofthedevil]

I should be receiving a garmin 810 this week. Never used one before. Where is the best site for plotting routes and uploading them?

Is there something like bikehike course creator where I can mess about with the route and view elevation etc and then when I'm happy, save it and upload it.

Any good sites to explain how to get the best out of the garmin?

Cheers

[essayer]

Can't you use bikehike?

[wobert]

I use ridewithgps.com.

Works well with my Garmin Touring Plus.

[daddy cool]

torqueofthedevil said:

Where is the best site for plotting routes and uploading them?
Any good sites to explain how to get the best out of the garmin?

DCRainmaker always does good review of Garmins and their various features:
http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2013/01/garmin-edge-810...

I have an 800, and have only ever used Garmins own software to plot routes ("Garmin Connect"). Its fairly easy to use - put a start point, an end point, and then click and drag the route to "stretch" it to the various waypoints you would want - then upload it to your Garmin as a course. It tells you the distance, and when you put in the average speed you would aim for, it tells you the estimated duration.

If the 810 is like the 800, the first time you use that course on the device you will need to go into the course and tick the options for turn-by-turn directions, and an "off-course" buzzer (assuming you want that), before pressing "Go".

[GarryDK]

I always use mapmyride, can easily export gpx files.

[Herman Toothrot]

wobert said:

I use ridewithgps.com.

Works well with my Garmin Touring Plus.

Gets my vote as well.

[Rob_T]

i use map my ride for road rides and bike hike for offroad

[torqueofthedevil]

Am I going to need to download a better background map??

I've scanned over webpages in the past that say the base maps aren't great but that there are free maps to down load. I need full maps of Great Britain for some touring I'm doing. Would be useful to have footpaths on too.

[kaese]

Herman Toothrot said:

Gets my vote as well.

Another vote for ridewithgps. The "OSM cycle map" type for plotting routes are especially useful for picking out NCN routes.

[daddy cool]

torqueofthedevil said:

Am I going to need to download a better background map??

I've scanned over webpages in the past that say the base maps aren't great but that there are free maps to down load. I need full maps of Great Britain for some touring I'm doing. Would be useful to have footpaths on too.

Do you ever visit the Bay popular with Pirates?

[Magic919]

OpenStreetMap is free and works with Garmin ok.

[Steve vRS]

When following a route, my 510 won't do the Strava segment thing. Is this the same for everyone else?

[torqueofthedevil]

Downloaded open street map last night, so will buy an SD card today and upload to the garmin.

Presume these maps are considered good?!?

[richardxjr]

Get the Talky Toaster one. Based on OSM but with contours. Still free to download.

I use Bikehike for creating routes.

[Amateurish]

Why not just use bikehike? Create your route then download gpx file. Then transfer it to your Garmin using USB.

[JustinF]

bikehike is the answer, also handles gpx files that others send you.

[Some Gump]

I like mapometer.com