Garmin Edge 705 routing.

ontherivet

I've had a Garmin Edge 705 for a few months but so far I've only used it as a training aid as I've been riding on familiar roads.

I haven't actually used the mapping on the device much yet but I'm heading off to Majorca in a couple of weeks and I wanted to programme in some rides. What site would anyone recommend for route planning for the Edge 705 that will give me turn by turn directions on relatively unfamiliar roads? Also what file format should I be saving these routes under?

ridgerider

BikeRouteToaster for me, and tcx file format...but with so many options available getting the 705 to do what you want consistently is an art form!

harpo

http://frank.kinlan.co.uk/garmin-705-knowledgebase/

This guy covers quite a bit about the 705.

Easiest thing is to plan a route on bikeroutetoaster, save it to your profile, then transfer it to the garmin using the bikeroutetoaster options on the site. So it for somehere you know and a small route then go out and test it starting mid route, before the route etc..........

Also when you load the routes before you go away load them up to make sure they saved ok, don't want to get there and not have them for some unknown technical reason.

rickwiggans

+1 for biketoaster. I find it preferable to download as a course (tcx) rather than a route (gpx), since in my experience, this largely does away with waypoint limitations.

Also, when following the route, unless you intend to leave it, turn "follow road" option to off road, and "re-route" to prompted or off. This gives you the best chance of the Garmin telling you to go where YOU want, rather than where IT wants!