Garmin Bike GPS (very) Newbie Questions?

David Hooper

Hi Guys

Just made a very expensive impulse purchase (although I got a big discount) of a Garmin Edge 800 Bike GPS.

So far I have signed up to Garmin Connect (web based) and downloaded garmin Training Centre (PC based) - is one better than the other or are they complimentary and different.

Also I believe there is a programme called basecamp I can download for planning routes - do I get this from the garmin site?

Ive also had a brief look at GPX files on the MBR site but a little confused as to the varyinh g formats:
GPX Track
GPX Route
Garmin Course CRS
Garmin Course TCX

What are the differencves and advantages please?

Anything else I need to know - useful websites, downloadable software, sources for downloadable routes and anything else a thick and naive newbie needs to know?

Cheers

David

mudslinger

I've got the Edge 500 & love it. The 500 has very basic navigation which is OK for most of the time for me but you have proper mapping with the 800.

Garmin Connect & Training Centre are totally different. I upload the results of all my rides to both but tend to use Connect for reviewing rides. TC has a rubbish map view & I tend to use the for exporting routes & workouts to the Edge. I really like the workouts feature of the Edge as I spend quite a bit of time during the winter on the turbo trainer.

I create routes in either http://ridewithgps.com/ or Mapxy & save them as GPX files. I then use Garmin TC to send them to the Edge.

I ride quite a lot on the road so use the virtual training partner feature in the Edge to race against.

I occasionally use my Edge for running & last week I used it to record where I'd been each day on a snowboarding holiday.

starbuck310

I have Oregon. Route works like normal car sta nav on the road. Great for following a set route you have marked out on a map or down loaded shows you arrows etc. Track is for out in the countryside with out a road. No directions just a line to follow. I use 1:50K OS mapping and it works fine.

couldashouldawoulda

If you ride off road then TC is almost useless - the map only has main roads.

Connect is pretty good - you can share routes etc with no faffing and show them on google maps.

Also when your laptop dies and you buy a replacement that subsequently gets nicked you realise how volatile your local stuff is - with Connect you just remember your email / username.

However I think there are some things that TC does better (HR zones or something???) - but it's not something that interests me so I just dont really use it anymore.

kinelljohn

https://forums.garmin.com/forumdisplay.php?f=245
http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2010/08/garm ... -look.html
http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/tutorials/h ... -gps-unit/

Just a couple. I only use TC to view my club runs in Google Earth at the moment as I'm new to it too so loads more to explore.
Have fun.

TowerRider

Impulse purchase, wish I could afford those kinds of purchases. Got the edge 705 but you have OS mapping.... swap on impulse? What price did you pay?
I have to use viewranger with phone - kept in pocket incase.
Links above are what I read and used.

David Hooper

Got £80.00 discount

Thanks for all the info guys - a steep learning curve.

Ive now downloaded garmin basecamp - afree prog for route planning , but it wont let me work on my 1;50000 os PACKAGE - THINK i HAVE TO UNLOCK THE MAP OR SOMETHING?

gordonharris912

My opinion is that the Garmin Edge 605 / 705 and 800 are in a class of their own with their ability to download a map GPX file, then display the map and give you turn by turn instructions. Automobile Garmins take you the way the Garmin wants to go, and other cycling computers only record where you have been. So far no phone app comes anywhere close. I've collected over 200 great rides in New England , linked them to RideWithGPS and put them on an interactive map athttp://ridemap.info Full descriptions of the rides are at http://cyclingnewengland.blogspot.com

Garry73

I've got the 705 so only TOPO maps which are rubbish for plotting offroad routes. So to get round this I use memorymaps to plot my route and can upload straight to the GPS and this give me turn by turn navigation when out and about.