garmin edge 605

jasonj

Hi all,
Im a bit new to the forums so here's my first question.
Santa brought me a very nice pressy this year, a nice shiny new garmin edge 605. I realy wanted to use it for Os routes and guidance on the trail but it has a very basic map instaled. Ive looked at the TOPO maps on the garmin website and they again are basic compared to Os, and very expensive.
Has anyone got one of these gadgets , and if so what mapping do you have on it,can you help.
Im about to realy upset my other half if it turns out that this is the wrong gps for me. I realy want to be able to use it like a Os map while out riding.
cheers all
jason.

MrVanilla

Hi Jason,
Bad news, should probably have gone for either a Satmap Active or an Adventurer 2800 if you want OS maps. Garmin do an Explorer software series but only for Oregons, Dakotas and Colorado receivers, as far as I'm aware the explorer software is not available on the Edge series. I don't know if this is any help but there are instructions here http://www.gpspassion.com/forumsen/topi ... _ID=130392
that let you take a paper map/memory map screen capture and import it into a garmin device..however again it seems specific to the models above.
The TOPO maps are gash, but there is an open source mapping site that appears to be better for off road trails;
http://sites.google.com/site/talkytoasteruk/ukmaps

If you really want dedicated OS maps then the satmap and adventurer 2800 are really your only choice (apart from a PDA). If you want to combine OS maps with topo maps then an Oregon, Dakota or Colorado device with explorer 1:50k would be best.

jasonj

Thanks for your help,
ill have a look at talkytoaster and see if its any good for what i want. I have that sinking feeling that the 605 is more use to a roadie than to the type of riding i go in for.
Your bang on with the incompatability of Os on an edge, looking at the reviews my missus read that issue is not very clear.
thanks mr vanilla
jason

MrVanilla

No problem dude, i was stuck in a similar position deciding whether to go for an Edge705 or an Oregon550, the OS mapping functionality swung me in the direction of the Oregon however as I didn't need a camera i went for the Dakota 20 instead. All the functionality of the Oregon (apart from 3D maps) in a smaller unit.
It might be worthwhile firing off an e-mail to Garmin about OS map support on the Edge series as it may be in their road map.

Barrie_G

MrVanilla wrote:

It might be worthwhile firing off an e-mail to Garmin about OS map support on the Edge series as it may be in their road map.

It's not, and the road maps are just that maps of roads they show no other rights of way not even cycle routes/paths which for something which is sold as a cycling/training aid is IMHO an absolute disgrace (I e-mailed garmin and let them know this upon my discovery of this fact though if I remember correctly I never got a reply :roll: )

Briggo

Barrie_G wrote:

MrVanilla wrote:

It might be worthwhile firing off an e-mail to Garmin about OS map support on the Edge series as it may be in their road map.

It's not, and the road maps are just that maps of roads they show no other rights of way not even cycle routes/paths which for something which is sold as a cycling/training aid is IMHO an absolute disgrace (I e-mailed garmin and let them know this upon my discovery of this fact though if I remember correctly I never got a reply :roll: )

I emailed them about how its all advertised as ideal for hikers/cyclists etc in the wilderness (the TOPO maps) and that the lack of any detail was disgraceful, the fact there are like a handful of paths and the ones mapped are completely wrong or incomplete anyway.

The annoying thing is now I registered the TOPO maps I cant return it, it was an xmas pressy from the missus and I only half arsed looked into the Edge's she must have noticed thought it'd be a nice surprise. I feel so bad!

Its not completely unusable though you can upload routes online and follow them fairly easily even though you cant actually see the bridleway etc, just have to use noggin a bit

MrVanilla

Barrie_G wrote:

MrVanilla wrote:

It might be worthwhile firing off an e-mail to Garmin about OS map support on the Edge series as it may be in their road map.

It's not, and the road maps are just that maps of roads they show no other rights of way not even cycle routes/paths which for something which is sold as a cycling/training aid is IMHO an absolute disgrace (I e-mailed garmin and let them know this upon my discovery of this fact though if I remember correctly I never got a reply :roll: )

It's a shame (and shocking service from Garmin given how much these units cost) because the 705 looks like a nice sturdy unit designed for MTB. It looks like our US cousins get access to 24k TOPO maps so they do get to see all the off road trails :roll:
Jason, you might be able to return it as "not fit for purpose", contact the retailer and if you get no joy contact your credit card company.

gonga

Briggo wrote:

Barrie_G wrote:

MrVanilla wrote:

It might be worthwhile firing off an e-mail to Garmin about OS map support on the Edge series as it may be in their road map.

It's not, and the road maps are just that maps of roads they show no other rights of way not even cycle routes/paths which for something which is sold as a cycling/training aid is IMHO an absolute disgrace (I e-mailed garmin and let them know this upon my discovery of this fact though if I remember correctly I never got a reply :roll: )

I emailed them about how its all advertised as ideal for hikers/cyclists etc in the wilderness (the TOPO maps) and that the lack of any detail was disgraceful, the fact there are like a handful of paths and the ones mapped are completely wrong or incomplete anyway.

The annoying thing is now I registered the TOPO maps I cant return it, it was an xmas pressy from the missus and I only half arsed looked into the Edge's she must have noticed thought it'd be a nice surprise. I feel so bad!

Its not completely unusable though you can upload routes online and follow them fairly easily even though you cant actually see the bridleway etc, just have to use noggin a bit

My missus did the same for me
The topo maps are nothing short of a disgrace!
why can't garmin come up with an o.s map solution if other units have it?
luckily i didn't pay for the map and aquired them elsewhere
The unit is a nice bit of kit but useless as a navigation aid

Barrie_G

I also use the open source maps rather than the city navigator, ok the open source doesn't have all the roads on either but they tend to have most of the other routes that cycles can use so tend to be more useful.

Pufftmw

I had the same dilema when Santa bought me a 605 as a surprise pressie. It's still sat in it's box and I went and got a Satmap which is awesome