Need an entry level navigation system

Carlm90

I want to spend around £100 on a nav for my bike, inc mount

I am wondering what you guys recommend?

craker

An older handheld GPS can be yours for fifty notes or so - I've got a Garmin Etrex with a homemade handlebar mount. Get a lead for it and upload your waypoints from your PC and its a great navigation tool.

rafletcher

OS map plus map trap

desweller

OS Explorer series map + compass. Batteries will never wear out, doesn't stop working because the satellite can't be found, extremely tolerant of being dropped on the floor.

amaferanga

DesWeller wrote:

OS Explorer series map + compass. Batteries will never wear out, doesn't stop working because the satellite can't be found, extremely tolerant of being dropped on the floor.

Not so good in the rain though and expensive if you want coverage of the whole of the UK. Difficult to read on a bike as well and does not actually tell you your position on the map.

If you're stuck in the 80's then fine, but lets not pretend that a map and compass is better for navigating on a bike than a good GPS system.

To the OP - a Garmin Etrex HCx would be ideal IMO. They use the same maps as the Garmin Edge 605/705 so you can either buy or (ahem) acquire the City Navigator maps or use Open Street Map for free. You might be able to pick up a used Etrex HCx plus bike mount for about £100 (probably nearer to £140 if you buy new).

rafletcher

amaferanga wrote:

If you're stuck in the 80's then fine, but lets not pretend that a map and compass is better for navigating on a bike than a good GPS system.
quote]

Oh, but it is. Using a GPS is not "navigating" IMO. It's following a pre-prepared track, or helping you towards a pre-determined end point. I don't think I'd want to cycle tour with a GPS - not if I wanted to decide each morning where I was going, and then decide half way I wanted to change my mind. And of course if I did want to do that using a GPS I'd need the laptop to programme / reprogramme the route.

Of course a GPS will tell you where you are - but I'll wager that it's much much easier to visualise where you are from the coodinates it provides if you plot them on a map, as opposed to scrolling around a small screen. And following the heading towards a destination blindly will not prove to be the most efficient way to travel.

But for following a pre-destined track, then yes a GPS makes that easy. And a used 705 would be my choice.

amaferanga

Who mentioned touring? That's completely different to what most people want GPS for.

For most they want to do planned rides in their neck of the woods, but on roads they don't necessarily know and without stopping all the time to check a map. For this navigating using a GPS is far superior.

For fast touring with a pre-determined route (e.g. LEJOG) then IMO GPS is also far superior.

For leisurely touring with no pre-planned route then I agree that a map is probably better.

Carlm90

I want the GPS to map my route and so I can look back on where I have travelled. I guess I will use it in the future for finding my way but this is just for mapping where I've been on this occasion. I would like to just do basic functions like average speed etc so would this cycling computer do the job?

http://www.rutlandcycling.com/33266/RSP-Pro-Series-Cycle-Computers.html?referrer=froogle1%3futm_source%3dgoogle&utm_medium=froogle&utm_campaign=pid33266

Obviously hasn't got GPS but if I'm going to save some money then this will be good at it's job.

keith1200rs

A mobile phone & Endomondo? Depends on if your mobile phone has GPS.

Keith.

kingrollo

put a wanted add on classified. probably get a garmin edge for about £50 - that what I did - been really good.

Carlm90

Won't I get ridiculous phone bills if I'm using it through the UK and into other countries...

keith1200rs

Depends on the tariff you are on. The amount of data it transmits is quite small, but you may want to do a check first before you comitt to it. I tried to check for a 2 hour ride and it send 50k to 100k, I think.

Keith

prawny

If you turn your internet connection off it will just record you're co-ordinates then overlay it onto a map when you upload it/connect again at home.
I've been out with endomondo/mytracks and others on but no internet, works fine for logging. If i try and look at the route before I connect to the internet it looks like a willy drawn on a brown background, which is nice.