GPS useful or not???

freddered

Geko is a serial cable.

Yes, Fugawi has a simple 'Upload' icon.

PS. Geko also logs its own track which you can download to Fugawi.

this will show you exactly where you went.

piedwagtail91

think you're getting trackpoints and waypoints confused.it you're following a track you can follow the "breadcrumb" trail and not need to use the direction arrow. even on a basic gps the trail will show you well in advance every twist and turn in the road,providing thats the way you palnned it on the pc mapping software.
i found confusion only arises where there are two junctions close together or you leave one road to another at a very slight angle.
a gps with built in mapping ,although expensive to set up sorts this out as your tracklog is overlaid on the roads you need to take.

freddered

I'm not getting confused.

A Direction Arrow is <b>much </b>better on Geko (2" screen) than a breadcrumb trail.

Also...what breadcrumb trail ? There isn't a breadcrumb trail until you have travelled the track (ie. dropped breadcrumbs behind you).

Also breadcrumb trail is extremely inefficient use of way/route/track points.

You have to remember that the Geko is tiny, smaller than my Nokia phone. The screen is fairly limited (no Maps and too small to use if it did). The breadcrumb approach is OK for walking when you have time to look closely and adjust the scale but the big Arrow makes it a no-brainer.

I could plot the Track/Route for LEJoG using about 1500 points depending on the route chosen. I average about 1 per Km for my Audax rides.

If you want Maps or a SatNav then the Geko is not for you. If you don't mind plotting a fixed route on a PC and following the Arrow thenit may possibly be for you.

Remember it also tells you precisely where you are on an OS map if you do manage to get off-route. It also keeps pointing at the next 'waypoint' even if you go off-route so you can always be sure you are heading in the (approx) right direction to get back on route.

piedwagtail91

if you plot your route on a pc and send it to the gps as a saved tracklog, you can then select that saved tracklog and follow it as a "breadcrumb trail", you dont have to walk /ride it first. page 24 on this link expalins it in detail http://www8.garmin.com/manuals/Geko201_OwnersManual.pdf . i've always used it but it's really each to their own preferred method.i jsut find it far easier than watching the direction arrow ven on the samll screen of my first gps..

Unknown

It had never occurred to me to try to follow a PC-created track as a breadcrumb trail on my yellow eTrex; I've always followed the direction arrow. With a breadcrumb trail, do you really see enough detail at junctions to be sure of taking the right road?

peterbr

I agree, the direction arrow is much, much easier. The breadcrumb "trail" view is only useful for an overview. The big downside is the "bleep" alert is pitfully weedy.

Unfortunately, the gekos and foretrex units don't support HRMs or cadence sensors. Garmin made you choose between a navigation tool and a training tool. They could so easily have made the edge series a killer cycling tool by incorporating all the features of earlier units (these have been on the market 5 years or so) but for a little bit of firmware they really cocked-up. It's nice to see a faster USB interface and better GPS receiver but that's no bloody use if you can't do the most basic thing in the world and see where you are on a map!

<IMHO>Basically for audax or touring (or walking driving, skiing or whatever) you are better off with a geko, foretrex or more expensive mapping GPS, for training where lap-times, heartheart and cadence is important then an edge is your best bet.</IMHO>

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