Cheap Navigation Systems - Wots Best ?

kingrollo

Not really that bothered about the other functions - just want navigation. For example I would like to be able to ride on the club run - and 'record' this ride - So I can ride again on my own.

I would also like to be able to plot a route, and maybe share routes from others. I would like to use it as I use my car sat nav - enter a destination and go - but understand that this would give me a route via the main roads - where as I want to plot routes down lanes....

Ideally I would like to see an on screen map.

Don't want to spend to much cash and was wondering if the garmin edge 205 would do the job ? - or similar ?

amaferanga

No maps or autorouting on the Edge 205 or 305. If you want routing on the cheap then have a look at the Garmin Etrex Legend (you can buy proper bike mounts for it and it has all the navigation functions of the Edge 605 and 705, but none of the training functions).

sicknote

What phone do you have as you can get Tom Tom for some phones or if you have a Nokia it might be able to use Sports Tracker which will do most of what you want.

kingrollo

amaferanga wrote:

No maps or autorouting on the Edge 205 or 305. If you want routing on the cheap then have a look at the Garmin Etrex Legend (you can buy proper bike mounts for it and it has all the navigation functions of the Edge 605 and 705, but none of the training functions).

That Etrex looks good for £130 - so if I need mapping routing on a garmin edge- I would need to buy at least the edge 605 at about £230

chipperleenie

If you want to record a route you have ridden, or download a route from the net, bikely or something like that, then you can do all of that on a 305, not sure if you can on a 205. Once you have recorded or downloaded you just set it as a course and it will direct you, no real map as such just a single line route, but works fine.
You should find 305's dropping in price now Garmin have released a much better looking but similar functionality Edge 500.

keef66

Not often you see cheap and navigation in the same sentence. I'd love one but I can't really justify the expense. Good luck in your quest!

kingrollo

chipperleenie wrote:

If you want to record a route you have ridden, or download a route from the net, bikely or something like that, then you can do all of that on a 305, not sure if you can on a 205. Once you have recorded or downloaded you just set it as a course and it will direct you, no real map as such just a single line route, but works fine.
You should find 305's dropping in price now Garmin have released a much better looking but similar functionality Edge 500.

Would I be able to record a route on the Eltrex ?

fungus_the_muffin_man

I use my G1 phone. It has an app called my tracks on it which logs my route via gps as I ride it and also gives avg speed, ascent % etc.. When I get home I upload it straight to google maps and I can then pass my routes on to others as well.
It saves having to buy an expensive garmin and bike mounts can also be found for it. But I just keep it in my back pocket and If i'm unsure I just get it out and have a quick look.

rhext

I have a Garmin 205 and find it excellent for navigation....but with a couple of big caveats.

- you have to programme it in advance from a PC with access to some sort of mapping software. There's no in-built mapping on the 205, so you can't do routes on the fly. There are plenty of free resources on the internet which make this easy, however. Eg mapmyride.com.

- you have to be prepared to follow a black-and-white breadcrumb trail when you're riding. The screen is small and graphics are limited. So all you get is a little triangle which shows where you are in relation to a wiggly line which shows your route. It's very basic, but having said that, I've found it very effective for long distance navigation both on and off-road. It's back to the OS map if your route is blocked for whatever reason, however.

You would be able to use it easily to repeat a ride which you'd recorded earlier. And on the plus side: it's relatively cheap, it's small and light, has good (rechargeable) battery life, and it seems fairly robust. If I were to break mine, I would buy another - despite being able to afford a much more sophisticated unit should I choose. I know someone with a Garmin Oregon (all-singing-all-dancing top-of-the range handheld with all the mapping and routing capability you could possibly require). It munches through batteries like they're going out of fashion, it's more than twice the size of the Edge units, and it's so unbelievably complicated that they've actually gone back to using paper maps!!!!

kingrollo

ok - if I want turn by turn directions - on a map - with the ability the autoroute - is the 605 the cheapest model that will do this ?

Solis

From my experience I would steer clear of any etrex based gps on the bike. They do exactly what they say on the tin (and do it well) up to the point where they shake themselves apart. My original etrex managed about 1000 miles, this was replaced by a etrex summit which lasted less than 500 both still work fine off the bike but suffer very regular power outage on the bike. Now using a 205 (opted for the cheapest version assuming same issues would occur) which has performed faultlessly so far (c2k miles).

rhext review is a good summary though would add you can input turn by turn navigation and also use a direction arrow as alternatives to the breadcrumb trail.

will3

kingrollo wrote:

ok - if I want turn by turn directions - on a map - with the ability the autoroute - is the 605 the cheapest model that will do this ?

Google maps and a printer.

kingrollo

will3 wrote:

kingrollo wrote:

ok - if I want turn by turn directions - on a map - with the ability the autoroute - is the 605 the cheapest model that will do this ?

Google maps and a printer.

Turn by turn directions ?

Autoroute ?

amaferanga

Solis wrote:

From my experience I would steer clear of any etrex based gps on the bike. They do exactly what they say on the tin (and do it well) up to the point where they shake themselves apart. My original etrex managed about 1000 miles, this was replaced by a etrex summit which lasted less than 500 both still work fine off the bike but suffer very regular power outage on the bike. Now using a 205 (opted for the cheapest version assuming same issues would occur) which has performed faultlessly so far (c2k miles).

rhext review is a good summary though would add you can input turn by turn navigation and also use a direction arrow as alternatives to the breadcrumb trail.

Your problem isn't the GPS, its the mount. The bike mounts for the Etrex series are excellent if you pad out the inside of it with a small strip of tape. This stops the unit from rattling about and should cure your power outage problem.

amaferanga

kingrollo wrote:

ok - if I want turn by turn directions - on a map - with the ability the autoroute - is the 605 the cheapest model that will do this ?

The Etrex Legend HCx is the cheapest as far as I'm aware. It'll give turn-by-turn directions on a map and autoroute (though the autoroute on all Garmin GPSs is pants).