Question on Garmin maps

Foyzy

Hi all,

I'm, thinking about getting a Garmin 800 but have a question on the maps available.

I understand the Ordanance Survery map that comes with the Trail version is great for planning road routes, but is it detailled enough to provide turn by turn directions around a major city? I am planning to do lots of long country rides but would also like to use it for getting around London. Is the 1:5000 OS map that comes with it able to help me find my way from Central London out to the countryside?

There is also the City Navigator map. Is this more what i need, or is this useless as soon as you get out of the city? The options are a little confusing!

Thanks

Robbie1958

I use City Navigator with my Garmin 800. i plan my routes using the Garmin connect maps website and then simply send them to my device. The only thing i have found is that Most mapping websites don't recognise little cut throughs and lanes. Unless someone has found a site that does?

I have not yet had a problem, it navigates just as well in town as it does in the country. i have not been through a city however but i don't see why it wouldn't work.

wongataa

For navigating on the road use the City Navigator maps. They will be clearer for road riding. These are the same maps as in the Garmin car sat-navs.

Andy Watson

I use City Nav for my routes and they are mostly in the countryside. It will pick up any road that your on. Or make the routes online and download them to the Garmin.

Foyzy

Thanks for the replies. I will only be riding on road, so it sounds like I need the City Navigator, not the OS map as I don't need footpaths, off road trails etc.

So just so I am totally clear, the City Navigator pack includes ALL roads in cities and country, so is all I need for road riding trips?

Thanks again!

wongataa

Foyzy wrote:

So just so I am totally clear, the City Navigator pack includes ALL roads in cities and country, so is all I need for road riding trips?

They should do. New roads may take a while to find their way into map updates though.

Foyzy

Hi all, another question. What is the routing like of the City Navigator pack? If it uses the same software as the car sat nav, does that mean it plots its routes the same way? The Garmin car sat nav will obviously find the quickest route by car - so motorways, A roads etc. Does the bike version find the most bike friendly version along quieter roads if I simply punch in a postcode? Or am I going to find myself cycling along the M1 if I take a route it has suggested?!

redvee

Don't buy any maps Get OSM from Talkytoaster.com for zilch. The only downside to using them is you can't find places/addresses unless the location is already saved in the unit.

wongataa

Foyzy wrote:

Hi all, another question. What is the routing like of the City Navigator pack? If it uses the same software as the car sat nav, does that mean it plots its routes the same way? The Garmin car sat nav will obviously find the quickest route by car - so motorways, A roads etc. Does the bike version find the most bike friendly version along quieter roads if I simply punch in a postcode? Or am I going to find myself cycling along the M1 if I take a route it has suggested?!

There should be a bike route option somewhere in the settings which should hopefully avoid such things as motorways. You can always check the route before using it just to make sure.

OSM maps are fine if you can live without the address searching and if there is coverage of where you want to go. You have to be aware that some places do not have all the roads mapped. Where I live coverage is good but the road my mum lives on does not appear in OSM for example. You can correct errors in OSM data yourself though.

With either map option you can of course plan a route at home and upload it to the GPS unit so you know for sure that no unsuitable roads will be on the route.