Garmin Edge 500 - GPX or TCX file

jonbob78

I'm looking at going out on route which i'm not too familar with which a friend of mine has been out on logged through Strava.

Using http://www.cosmocatalano.com/strava/export/ I can download their route into either GPX or TCX file.

Which am I better off using GPX or TCX.

From what I can make out, one is for routes and one is for courses. I'm not planning on racing using a virtual partner, just making sure I dont get lost of take a wrong turn.

Do I just connect the Garmin to my laptop and drag and drop the respective file into routes/courses?

Thanks

tiredofwhiners

All sorts of ways of doing it and each to their own.

Personally, I use TCX files dragged and dropped into my 705 'courses' directory but if the original data does not contain the right information for turn by turn instructions, I just recreate it in bikeroutetoaster and use the TCX file off that. Its much more reliable although slightly more fiddly.

Gizmodo

Please correct me if I am wrong, but GPX file is standard for all GPS devices and contains primarily GPS map points, whereas TCX files are Garmin specific and can contain additional data such as Heart Rate, Cadence, Temperatre etc.

So for purposes of following a course, both are equally as good. TCX just holds more than you will use.

@tiredofwhiners - on my Garmin 800 new route files need to be put in the "garmin\new files" folder, Is it different for the 500/705 models?

moscowflyer

I use TCX for my 800, I didn't think the 500 did mapping though?

Buckie2k5

MoscowFlyer wrote:

I use TCX for my 800, I didn't think the 500 did mapping though?

it has basic follow me route, no map etc

Gizmodo

MoscowFlyer wrote:

I use TCX for my 800, I didn't think the 500 did mapping though?

As Buckie says, it has a line to follow, see this you tube video from 2 minutes

tiredofwhiners

Gizmodo wrote:

Please correct me if I am wrong, but GPX file is standard for all GPS devices and contains primarily GPS map points, whereas TCX files are Garmin specific and can contain additional data such as Heart Rate, Cadence, Temperatre etc.

My understanding, maybe incorrectly, is that the GPX will point you in the direction of the next waypoint, whereas TCX will contain turn by turn messages at junctions. So at a junction, the TCX will say 'turn left' on the screen whereas the GPX might say the next waypoint is 'that direction' even if the road you need to get there is in the opposite direction.

Gizmodo wrote:

@tiredofwhiners - on my Garmin 800 new route files need to be put in the "garmin\new files" folder, Is it different for the 500/705 models?

Not sure to be honest - I haven't got a 800 so cannot comment but on the Garmin menu I get to it via Training/Courses once its in there.

duckson

You need tcx so it contains the cuesheet information on turns. Although I have been unsuccessful in using a route that has already been done as the cuesheet information is always missing. Best bet is to create a new route in ridewithgps and save it to your PC as a tcx. Make sure you delete any turns you don't want before you do this though. Then import it into bikeroutetoaster and save it again as a tcx but add a 350 feet turn warning. You need to import/export to bikeroutetoaster as ridewithgps doesn't allow warnings before a turn unless you pay for it. I find ridewithgps easier to use for mapping than bike route toaster. Drop the final tcx file into the new files folder on the Garmin. To do it go to courses and pick the course then do course.

drlodge

I think alot depends on whether you have the required maps loaded on your Garmin as to what turn directions you'll get.

GPX comes in two varieties, track and route. Its a little complicated but essentially tracks are a record of where you've been containing a "breadcrumb trail" of lots of points indicating the way. Routes are "suggestions about where you might go in the future" i.e. way markers with turn directions. Both types should work with your Garmin, I find most gpx files are tracks containing the breadcrumb trail and you'll need the right maps loaded on your garmin for directions to be given, AND you need to turn guidance on for each gpx file before you load it.

I've not play around with TCX files much, one time I managed to get loads of guidance showing, multiple cues for each turn. I'm still trying to understand how all these different files work!

duckson

There is no mapping function on the 500.

John.T

Courses created in ridewithgps.com include a 'cue sheet'. If you export these as 'GPX track' files and drop them into the new files folder (unit or SD card) you will get turn by turn instructions ahead of the turn on an 800. I use various Open Source maps and it works with all of them.

tiredofwhiners

drlodge wrote:

I think alot depends on whether you have the required maps loaded on your Garmin as to what turn directions you'll get.

Not so, you can get turn by turn instructions on a device with zero mapping capability, if you create the TCX route on a computer. My old 305 will give turn by turn instructions - you just have to lift up the screen close to your face to actually read what it says.

duckson

John.T wrote:

Courses created in ridewithgps.com include a 'cue sheet'. If you export these as 'GPX track' files and drop them into the new files folder (unit or SD card) you will get turn by turn instructions ahead of the turn on an 800. I use various Open Source maps and it works with all of them.

GPX Track files don't include a cue sheet but with the 800 which has the mapping it will navigate you anyway.

jonbob78

After saving a tcx file on my desk top, I opened up the garmin as a 'USB mass storage device' and dragged and dropped this into courses which when searching for courses wouldn't find. I also dragged and dropped in the 'new' folder, again this didnt pick up.

In the end I uploaded this to Garmin Connect and saved and imported a course this way i think it saved as a tif file??? I'm guessing this wont show me turn by turn notification.

Am I doing something wrong?

ddraver

I can't help as I do this differently every time - all I want to add in case anyone for Garmin happens to read this is that all this is so so much harder than it needs to be.

Why can't one just upload a GPX or TCX to Garmin Connect and have it work without all the bullsh1t of having to run it through TCX Convertor or bikeroute toaster (which is brilliant)

duckson

jonbob78 wrote:

After saving a tcx file on my desk top, I opened up the garmin as a 'USB mass storage device' and dragged and dropped this into courses which when searching for courses wouldn't find. I also dragged and dropped in the 'new' folder, again this didnt pick up.

In the end I uploaded this to Garmin Connect and saved and imported a course this way i think it saved as a tif file??? I'm guessing this wont show me turn by turn notification.

Am I doing something wrong?

You drop any new TCX file into the NewFiles (make sure its "NewFiles" and not just "New") folder and make sure you "eject" the Garmin from Windows safely from the system tray icon.
Go to courses on the Garmin and select the course and pick "Do Course".
When you plug it back in in future the TCX file in the NewFiles folder has disappeared and it now resides in the Courses folder and is a .FIT file.

duckson

ddraver wrote:

I can't help as I do this differently every time - all I want to add in case anyone for Garmin happens to read this is that all this is so so much harder than it needs to be.

Why can't one just upload a GPX or TCX to Garmin Connect and have it work without all the bullsh1t of having to run it through TCX Convertor or bikeroute toaster (which is brilliant)

Probably because the 500 isn't designed for navigating but this is frig to get it doing so. They arent going to publicise the 500's ability to navigate to some degree as it could take sales away from the 800 which is sold as a sat nav.

ddraver

I have an 800 - it's still a pain!

Bikely to Garmin Connect - that's a no no
Bikeroutetoaster to Garmin Connect - that's a no no
singletracks.nl to Garmin Connect - oh you'd better believe that's a no no

Stupid....

Gizmodo

ddraver wrote:

I have an 800 - it's still a pain!

Bikely to Garmin Connect - that's a no no
Bikeroutetoaster to Garmin Connect - that's a no no
singletracks.nl to Garmin Connect - oh you'd better believe that's a no no

Stupid....

I have an 800 - it's simple

Garmin Connect - works great
Ridewithgps.com - easy and works

I think you'll find it's the web sites you are using, not the Garmin.

ddraver

The website is irrelevant. IF it is a GPX file or a TCX file then it should work, and I mean it should work without having to run it through some program or other. Just as I fi download a pdf file from a website it will always open in a pdf reader.

But it never does...I'm just trying it now with mapmyride.com....well whadyaknow...

tiredofwhiners

ddraver wrote:

Bikeroutetoaster to Garmin Connect - that's a no no

Why would you want to send data from brt to GC ? Just send the route from brt direct to the Garmin.

ddraver

Because I want to do all my planning, storing and mapping in one place like in every other software in the world.

Download from XX, Upload into YY to change something, then save it and upload it onto ZZ to send it to the device then upload it into Garmin Connect?

Please!

John.T

You must be getting something wrong somewhere. I seldom did it with my 500 but had no trouble. Have done it many times with the 800. Takes 2 minutes (once you have your route).
Create your route. I use ridewithgps.
Export it as GPX track. I send mine to desktop.
Open the 500 / 800 to view files. Open the Garmin folder and then copy and paste the file into 'new files'. You can also drag it.
Remove the unit using 'safely remove hardware'.
Boot up the unit and it will convert the file to fit and put it in the courses folder. With the 800 you can do this onto the SD card if you wish. Works just as well.

ddraver

Sorry John, that's still a workaround. Finding a route, planning a route, Storing interesting looking routes for future use, Training Analysis and History should work with 1 website - the obvious choice being the Garmin one.

Gizmodo

ddraver wrote:

Sorry John, that's still a workaround. Finding a route, planning a route, Storing interesting looking routes for future use, Training Analysis and History should work with 1 website - the obvious choice being the Garmin one.

We are completely off topic here as the OP wanted to know how to send a route to his Edge 500.

But DDraver you need to look at the Garmin Connect website again, it does everything you want and you don't have to send anything through conversion programs.

John.T

Gizmodo wrote:

ddraver wrote:

Sorry John, that's still a workaround. Finding a route, planning a route, Storing interesting looking routes for future use, Training Analysis and History should work with 1 website - the obvious choice being the Garmin one.

We are completely off topic here as the OP wanted to know how to send a route to his Edge 500.

But DDraver you need to look at the Garmin Connect website again, it does everything you want and you don't have to send anything through conversion programs.

We are off topic but if the OP follows my instructions and saves the Strava route as a GPX file then copies to the new files folder it should work with a 500. Just don't expect much more than the breadcrumb trail. If the original had turn by turn directions he may get these. I don't know as I have never tried on a 500.
DDraver. Connect does indeed do all you need including direct transmission to the unit but I don't know what format it sends in and how good turn by turn is. I also prefer to work with rwgps as I know it well and find it a lot easier. Export, drag and drop is hardly a problem. I have never used a conversion program, not even sure what you mean.

ddraver

That's true about going off topic, that's all my bad.

Anyway, I'm sorry. But it does nt. I want to upload some GPX files from mapmyride to Garmin Connect to do some boring stuff like changing the start/finish and putting in the best route through the city to my place etc..

but no, "some Activities could not be created"

It's not even an activity, it's a course (is suspect this is where the problem occurs tbh). Your right, the Garmin Connect website SAYS it does, but it doesnt...Yeah I could put it through TCX convertor or upload it into BRT or ridewith GPS, but I shouldnt have to. The Edge series has been out for years now, It should work!

John.T

ddraver wrote:

That's true, I'm sorry. But it does nt. I want to upload some GPX files from mapmyride to Garmin Connect to do some boring stuff like changing the start/finish to my address and putting in the best route through the city to my place etc..

but no, "some Activities could not be created"

It's not even an activity, it's a course (is suspect this is where the problem occurs tbh). Your right, the Garmin Connect website SAYS it does, but it doesnt...

So you want to create a course in one site and then edit it in another. Another kettle of fish entirely. And you may struggle. You would need to find a program to edit the GPX file then upload the finished file to the new site. It could actually be easier to just replan the course in the site you want it to end up on.
In an earlier post you said you should be able to plan, store, record and analyse from the same site. I find rwgps does all this well. Much better than Connect or Strava.

ddraver

Sort of, I want to search for routes around Den Haag (to be precise) as I don't know the countryside that well and there are a maze of bike paths, some of which are gorgeous running past windmills, canals and tulips etc and some that are for people to ride to work quickly at the industrial estate. Obviously I want more tulips than concrete...

The reality is that to get a few I need to scour a few websites like Bikely, Garmin Connect, mapmyride etc, then download them from there and then upload them to One Site (or store them in one software package, but that's not possible either) to do all the rest of the stuff.

Maybe I Should give ridewithGPS a go, but that means trying to swap all the stuff I have in Connect into that...

I'm not asking for a solution as there is nt one. All I'm protesting is that there blimmin' well should be one by now

Gizmodo

ddraver wrote:

Sort of, I want to search for routes around Den Haag (to be precise) as I don't know the countryside that well and there are a maze of bike paths, some of which are gorgeous running past windmills, canals and tulips etc and some that are for people to ride to work quickly at the industrial estate. Obviously I want more tulips than concrete...

The reality is that to get a few I need to scour a few websites like Bikely, Garmin Connect, mapmyride etc, then download them from there and then upload them to One Site (or store them in one software package, but that's not possible either) to do all the rest of the stuff.

Maybe I Should give ridewithGPS a go, but that means trying to swap all the stuff I have in Connect into that...

I'm not asking for a solution as there is nt one. All I'm protesting is that there blimmin' well should be one by now

I'm beginning to understand what you want to do at last. Similar to what a comparison web site does for insurance, you want something that will search other people's routes from multiple web sites, then allow you to tick the ones you want and store them in 1 place and ultimately upload them to your Garmin.

Sounds like a cool idea, I've been on holiday with my bike a couple of times this year and searched other people's rides for ideas. But as you say, there are so many mapping sites now which one(s) do you search and then do they all support sending to Garmin.

Unfortunately I can't see all the mapping web sites allowing another web site to search their content.

ddraver

Nor I - but they would nt have to if just one of the "training sites" could import GPX files properly.