Garmin 800

Ifstar

Hi all

i was trying to find out whether anyone could tell me the difference in the maps (for a roadie no mountain or offroad) between the Navigation Bundle and just the standard handset.

The issue is that I don't really want to front up an extra hundred or delay purchase to get something that I don't really need (like I need a garmin 800). Basically I want it for navigation and "training" and will be using them along recognised roads rather than out of the way cobbled mud ridden mountain paths. So do I need that nav package or is the garmin alone enough to get me round the roads southern England and london.

Thanks

Ify

chiark

I have a 705, and it came with the city navigator maps (which are above the base map).

I've ditched the city navigator and use the velomaps cycle maps based on OSM. They're very good!

The 800 can use the GB Discoverer maps, but if you're purely on road and not wanting to go walking or MTBing with it, they sound like a waste of money.

I would get the cadence and HR monitor bundle though.

TiBoy

Nice one chiark, I have OSM on my 705 (not sure which one) and don't get on with it very well, Velo maps looks much better. Not very tec minded so will get my mate to install it and give it a go . Agree about the HRM and cadence bundle, def worth the extra.

MattC59

Hi,

I bought one about a month ago, and it's fantastic !!!

The maps on the basic unit are exactly that............ BASIC !! For instance, I live near Newbury and the maps only showed the A4 and the A34. Not ideal if you use anything but major roads. I bought the full trail package, as it has the whole of the UK on OS maps. It's the same price as the Road performance package, but you get more mapping. Basically, you can still do full turn by turn navigation, as you can with the city navigator maps.

However............ there are free down loadable maps out there, which work equally well. I think the popular one is the OSM-based velomaps. I'm sure someone will be along shortly to let you know where you can download it from.

So, the cheapest option is to buy the base unit and download some free maps.

ps: If you buy the base unit and then look to upgrade the maps with the Gaqrmin maps. City Navigator is about £60, whilst The Discoverer OS maps are about £180 !!
It pays to buy the Trail / Endurance over the road package IMO.

chiark

The velomaps I use:
http://www.velomap.org/download/

I use the Great Britain map
http://www.velomap.org/donate/download_ ... in_en.html

and have added contour lines from openmtb
ftp://ftp5.gwdg.de/pub/misc/openstreetm ... k_srtm.zip

There's instructions on how to use them there, but it's pretty straightforward.

It seems the chap behind velomaps is now doing this full time and is looking for donations to keep him going - I must donate sometime as I really do find these better than every other map.

Ifstar

So I could probably get away with buying the basic package and then getting full turn by turn navigation via Velomaps. I really didn't think the base maps would be that bad?