Importing Routes into a Garmin Edge 205 - problems

steerpike

Hi,

I have a Garmin Edge 205 and have some issues in importing routes. I use Bikely, MapMyRide and also Marengo. To export a .gpx into my Garmin I tend to use GPSBabel. What I have found is that where xml tags use <trkpt> then it will not import into my Garmin. Those files that contain <rtept>, however, work fine.

Problem I have is most of the routes I'd like to download from MayMyRide seem to have the <trkpt> tags and I'm not sure if I can simply globally change these tags to <rtept>??

Any advice would be appreciated!

fnegroni

I used to use GPSbabel but found it buggy.
I now use the online service GPSies.com (http://www.gpsies.com/convert.do)
More reliable and I donwload courses from bikely in KML format and convert them into CRS format (native for Garmin).

steerpike

will try this - thanks

Burghley

Hi

Like you, I use Mapmyride with my Garmin 305. I have never used any third party software.

It works fine for me to save the route as a course file on the computer, and then use Garmin Training Center to import it to the 305.

Rgds

Pete

steerpike

ok - made some progress! sorry to be a bit thick but.... I've been expecting to see the rides I downloaded in my Routes folder...but there they were all along - in Courses! What is the difference? I've downloaded a few courses and want to do a 60 miler tomorrow but am nervous about using the Garmin 205 alone. Do I Start the course and then go to Map Mode and follow arrows from there? I live some 3 miles from the start point so is it best to wait until I get to the start and then switch it on??? Sorry to ask such simple questions!

Burghley

Hi

I would wait until you are close to the start of the route before selecting the "Do course" option (Training - Courses - select course and press Enter).

Press mode button to return to map view and follow the line on screen!

Don't forget to press Start/ stop to record your ride details.

Rgds

Pete

Burghley

Hi

I would wait until you are close to the start of the route before selecting the "Do course" option (Training - Courses - select course and press Enter).

Press mode button to return to map view and follow the line on screen!

Don't forget to press Start/ stop to record your ride details.

Rgds

Pete

steerpike

cheers!

steerpike

okay - not a good experience with the Garmin 205. Strongly suspect this is user error so if anyone can help - much appreciated.

1. Downloaded a route as a .crs file from mapymyride
2. Imported into Garmin Training Center
3. Imported file into my Garmin
4. Checked file was in courses
5. Rode to approximate start point of ride
6. Switched on Garmin, navigated to Training>>Courses>>Start Course
7. Started Timer
8. Navigated to Map view

Almost the entire 70 mile ride was spent with the device stating "Off Course" and then "Course Found". Occasionally a black line would appear on the screen (presumably denoting a road) and then disappear. A small black arrow head at bottom of screen presumably showed my position in relation to the map. No instructions were given at any point in my 70 ride (often on unclassified roads) to turn left, right etc...

I'm sure there's something obvious I'm doing wrong - but the instructions seem woefully lacking in the navigation part - and this is the only reason I bought it!

Any help appreciated.

amaferanga

I think the black line was the course/track that you were trying to follow....

Did you actually follow the course you loaded onto the device? If you did then the line should have always been on screen. What zoom level were you at?

Burghley

Hi

First question - did you check the "follow roads" box when creating the course? (If not the route set can be some distance from the actual road)

Same second question as above - what zoom level? (when in map view pressing the plus or minus button changes the zoom).

No instructions are given when riding, you have to follow the line on screen. It is not a satnav, but a training device.

You do get the "Off course" and "Found course" message at times - I just ignore it!

When I used it first time, I chose a short ten mile route that I knew well to have a little play with it and get a feel for the display characteristics.

Rgds

Pete

rhext

The 205 has almost no navigational ability. To get a route into it you need to download the route file as a .crs, import into training centre and then sync the course onto the device (but it sounds like you got that far).

Once it's in there, the best way of using it is to start the course (training->courses->start course), and then go to the 'map' view. You need to use the up/down arrows to select an appropriate scale (maybe 500m), and you should see two arrows on the screen. One represents you and the other represents the 'pace' bike. You can set the speed of the 'pace' bike when you're setting up the route. The 'pace' bike will be at the start of the route (which will be represented as a line on the map screen), you will appear on the screen wherever you happen to be (and here's the first problem: if you're off the route and the scale is too small, you won't see your arrow; so play with the scale until you do). The name of the game as far as 'navigation' is concerned is to get you and your bike onto the course line and then ensure it stays there. You won't get any route instructions (turn left, straight on, etc), as the 205 is not a route-finder. But I find that following the line is a perfectly usable way of navigating somewhere I've never been before, as long as I've set the route up carefully in advance. I've done a coast-to-coast expedition using it, and the only time I got lost was when I ignored a turning thinking 'it can't possibly be up there' (it was).

HopOff\'\'n\'Walk

I tried setting up, importing and following a route for the first time this week and it worked a treat. I used the tutorial on Frank Kinlan's site - basically set up a route using Marengo, marked my waypoints, and imported it into the Garmin via GPSBabel. No problems in doing this, and every time I approached one of my preset Waypoints I got a warning bleep and my associated pre-set instructions (e.g LT01 for Left Turn 01). Just set up another route for tomorrow's ride!

As far as I understand it, a Course differs from the above Route in the sense that you don't have Waypoints with associated instructions, just the breadcrumb map that warns you when you're off course, rather than instructing you where to go at each junction.

Hope that makes sense!

My only gripe so far about the 305 is that the elevation tells me I'm 10529m above sea-level! So far as I know I'm not quite that high up. The actual elevation changes during a ride seems reasonably accurately, though it differs from Bikely by a few hundred feet. It's just the base level is obviously corrupt.

Cheers!

steerpike

Hi - coming back to Frank Kinlan's site, the only thing I cannot seem to see is what to put in the <<< Output field as this seems to be missing from Franks instructions???

I can succesfully import a Course now into my 205 but I wanted a Route because I wanted Waypoints. Using GPS Babel and Marengo instructions, I always get a success message but when checking Navigation>> Routes - nothing is there??

HopOff\'\'n\'Walk

Hi Steer,

Yes, you're right there is a line missing on Frank's instructions. By trail and error I found I needed to tick the checkbox with GPSBabel titled "Format [Device] Port" and then choose "Garmin Serial/USB Port" from the drop down menu. Provided you've got your 205 plugged in this should then work.

The last non-obvious issue is that when the process is complete and you go into the Garmin to look at Routes all you see is something saying NEW ROUTE which looks more like an menu item to load a new route rather than the route you've just loaded. Nevertheless, highlight this NEW ROUTE, press enter, the little menu offering NAVIGTE/DELETE/EDIT appears. Choose Navigate and you're away...

If you now go back to the Navigation page you'll see an option to Stop Route if you want to turn off the navigation to this particular route.

Hope that helps!