Mapping for GPS devices

bandeja

Im looking at buying an Garmin Edge 705 or a Satmap Active 10 - or i could be talked into buying something cheaper if it does what i want. My main use for the device would be offroad mountain biking - but i wouldnt mind be able to use it on roads too.

From my research, it appears the Satmap doesn't do turn by turn navigation on streets - which i would like. But it does have very detailed OS mapping at extortionate prices.

Im concerned about the price of the maps. With both devices, is my only option to buy detailed maps from Garmin or Satmap or can i buy maps from another source?

Are there any cheaper alternatives to relatively detailed mapping on either of these devices?

Speckled Pants

I have a satmap and as far as i know you can only use their maps which like you say are pretty extortionate. I dont know if it would be impossible to use other maps? I have a big collection of memory maps and i would have thought there was some way to put these on a sd card and make it compatible, but thats way over my head and not something i'd be able to do. It doesnt give turn by turn instructions but i understand the garmin does.

I was torn for a while on which to go for, but im pleased i went with the satmap in the end. The screen is much bigger and more detailed than the garmins, but sometimes even with this its tricky to see the map properly when your moving so the garmin would be much worse.

For off roading i really think the satmap is the best way to go, proper detailed os maps with lots of nice features on the unit and so far its not let me down. It takes a few mins to actually pick up the signal at first, but once its on it stays on and ive not lost a connection yet.

I would give this 10/10, but it gets a 9 as the whole unit is let down by the cheap crappy screen protectors you get. The slightest bit of dust on the thing and it scratches to hell and looks a mess in no time. Ive had to buy a pack of 3 extra covers (£10) and i could do with putting the 3rd one on already.

But apart from that its a cracking bit of kit and i'd be lost without it now, pretty expencive too once you've bought the maps, power pack and bike mount but it allows me to go riding alone which is something i wouldnt have done before

bandeja

Well i was all ready to buy a satmap until i saw the map prices. £90+ for ONE national park at 1:25,000 scale....wow.

If i just cycled in 1 area all the time, they maybe i could swallow that price... but i like to try out new areas, and i don't want to be spending £1000+ on a GPS and maps...

I'm now looking into OpenStreetMap and TalkyToaster (http://sites.google.com/site/talkytoasteruk/ukmaps) which have free maps to put on the Garmin Edge (and other devices).

This might work out for me. Has anyone else done this?

bandeja

Just seen an Edge 605..... this looks like a 705 without the heart rate and speed/cadence stuff..... can anyone confirm this..

I don't need heart rate, cadence....

bomberesque

Garmin does do turn by turn directions
Diff between 605 and 705 afaik is the barometric altimeter that the 705 has. Without this, the GPS tends to jump around in its height readings, which can result in more vertical gain being logged than actually occurs on the ride. The Barometric altimeter is more accurate. As for heart and cadence meters, this depends on the package you buy. Pretty sure the basic 705 pack comes with the HRM (this is the pack I have) not sure if the 605 is available without or not.

I have the 705 and for sure it's not perfect but the satmap unit doesn't have what I need (maps of belgium for starters) so I'm sticking with the Garmin for now.

tjwood

Also see my recent thread here: http://www.bikeradar.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12638953

Most of the cost of the mapping (and the reason you can't transfer from one device to another) is the Ordnance Survey licencing cost. They make damn good maps but as they have pretty much a monopoly on them they can charge almost what they want. Particularly it seems they think they can get a lot more money for the 1:25k scale than the 1:50k.
It's a shame there isn't a decent competitor that covers the whole of the UK...

bandeja

so, tjwood, what device did you end up buying.... and are you happy with it?

tjwood

I haven't got one yet - that thread was only posted at the weekend ;-)

Seriously considering the Nokia 5800 + Viewranger. (The 1:50k maps are a bit cheaper than they are for Satmap or the Garmin and it seems to be a decent phone too).

I think one of my mates has a 5800 so I might see if I can persuade him to get the free trial of Viewranger and see if it's any good.

bandeja

umm, not really an option for me. I've still got 6 months left on my iphone contract... also don't like it not being weatherproof....

yoohoo999

I use an old HTC Touch Dual with Memory Map for walking/climbing - absolutely destroys anything else on the market IMO. Proper navigation for climbing (particularly in winter) is absolutely essential, I just haven't been completely comfortable with anything else.

It saw me safely off of the Pap of Glencoe in pitch black at New Year after a friend was injured. Anyone who's ever been up the Pap in snow will appreciate that coming off in the dark with an injured man is a formidable task. It's nice to be able to trust a bit of technology that much.

On riskier routes, I still keep track of location on a paper map just in case the GPS fails. If you updated every 30 minutes then you are only ever a maximum of 30 minutes from your last known location.

If you're worried about getting your gadgets wet, try the Beach bhouy from Proporta. I've been using one for quite some time and its guaranteed waterproof down to about 5 metres. It's also inexpensive.