Any last minute warnings before buying a Garmin 800?

prhymeate

I am looking for a bike computer with mapping/hrm/cadence for a trip to France/Switzerland in June as well as letting me easily explore some new routes in the UK. I have been looking at the Bryton 50, Garmin 705 and Garmin 800. The best prices I can find at the moment, with a Wiggle voucher are:

Bryton 50 + HRM + Cadence = £200 (+£60 for Euro Maps)
Garmin 705 + HRM + Cadence = £192 (newly overhauled by garmin with 12month warranty)
Garmin 800 + HRM + Cadence = £260

I think the 800 fits my needs the best but I'm finding the idea of paying £260 for a bike computer a bit tough to swallow, even though it's a great reduction on the RRP. The voucher that I have needs to be used by the end of the month so I just wanted to check if anyone had any last minute advice before I bite the bullet.

Thanks

antfly

The 800 is great but you will need maps as well, city navigator Europe will do if it's just for the road, I think.

goonz

If you have the money then why not? I personally could not afford it and I would not use it enough to warrant paying that price.

I did have a browse at some reviews and the 800 came out on top so I guess its the best you can get, well most pros use it so can't be that bad! Well they get it free! :roll:

prhymeate

antfly wrote:

The 800 is great but you will need maps as well, city navigator Europe will do if it's just for the road, I think.

The 800 has the option to use the free Open Street Maps though doesn't it?

goonz wrote:

If you have the money then why not? I personally could not afford it and I would not use it enough to warrant paying that price.

I did have a browse at some reviews and the 800 came out on top so I guess its the best you can get, well most pros use it so can't be that bad! Well they get it free! :roll:

I'll have to sell my bass guitar to buy it, which is why I need to be sure before I do.
That reminds me of something Flea from the Chili Peppers said, he always struggled to get new bass strings and guitars and as soon as he could actually afford them, they were being given to him for free anyway. Must be nice

fsman

yes. Garmin 800 can use OSM maps

Talkytoaster OSM maps is a favourite

antfly

You can but they send you down tracks and trails that you don't really want to go down on a road bike, I find.

NickSy

I have one plus had the 705 before it (fell off and got squished by a taxi :evil: )

I think it's brilliant esp as I'm a bit of a statto. Also has useful functions like sunrise/set times etc. Route finding is pretty rubbish if you let it make any decisions but I find that this is the case with almost any mapping app. Garmin's website software allows you to create custom maps with any route you desire and then upload them to the 800 and I find this far more useful.

Go for it. They are expensive but will really enhance your enjoyment of the rides, especially when you aren't sure where you're going (provided you've set the route up in advance!)

prhymeate

90% of my rides will be pre planned. It would be nice to have the option to change my mind in the middle of a ride and explore somewhere else at times though. It seems a bit limiting if that isn't really possible without buying extra navigation maps...

prhymeate

antfly wrote:

You can but they send you down tracks and trails that you don't really want to go down on a road bike, I find.

Have you tried enabling "avoid unpaved roads"? There are some recommended settings here http://www.scarletfire.co.uk/2012/11/fo ... -edge-800/

NickSy

I'm sure it would be fine for returning to home etc. There's nothing really wrong with the route finding it just probably won't send you the way that you would choose if you knew the area. The navigator maps (OS maps essentially) are very difficult to properly navigate by while riding and not that easy to read stationary (for the purposes of route planning, they are fine for route following (i.e. when you only need to see the next 500m of road)). The're just not big enough to both get a good understanding of the surrounding area and see the local streets at a reasonable size. This is not a critisism of the Garmin but of almost all small mapping computers. My iphone does the work if I really want to study a map.

prhymeate

That sounds okay then. Is it possible to have a planned route, then take a detour of 10miles or so and then get directed back to the nearest section of your planned route?

antfly

Prhymeate wrote:

antfly wrote:

You can but they send you down tracks and trails that you don't really want to go down on a road bike, I find.

Have you tried enabling "avoid unpaved roads"? There are some recommended settings here http://www.scarletfire.co.uk/2012/11/fo ... -edge-800/

Yes I know but it makes no difference at all with the free maps. I use city navigator anyway unless I am on the mtb. It is much better than just a get you home, by the way it shows you every turn and gives you plenty of warning and zooms in the road when there is a turn just like a car GPS. You can set it to recalculate if you go off course if you want or if you go off a planned route it will start directing you again when you get back on course.

northpole

Is it possible to have a planned route, then take a detour of 10miles or so and then get directed back to the nearest section of your planned route?

Hopefully someone will tell me I'm wrong but as far as I am aware, Garmin's don't do this. They will tell you when you have rejoined your original route, but not how to do so.

I always rely on my iphone if I erroneously depart from the route to figure out where I am - as stated in an earlier post, the display is too small to read the map information and get a feel for where you are. (I have the OS maps).

The mounting clip for the 800 is a much improved design over the 705's however, the 705's batteries last considerably longer than the 800 - presumably because of the larger display and processor being more power hungry.

I do like the fact that the 800 allows you to display temperature which the 705 does not.

Peter

rnath

Do it. I got one a couple of years ago and initially used it for navigation only - it's great to be able to do long routes without unfolding maps every 15mins (especially in the rain). Also, find myself doing many more new routes as it isn't such a chore to route plan in advance. This winter I've started using the HRM training and that's been another revelation. I got it with OS maps so I can also take it hillwalking, but use free OSM (talkytoaster) maps for cycling. Most beneficial cycling gizmo I've bought.

prhymeate

Cheers for the replies everyone. I have to be honest, I'm a bit concerned that two people have mentioned they need to use their iPhone for more detailed maps. That's one of the major reasons I wanted the 800, so I don't have to get my phone out to check where I am, so I would have expected the maps to be detailed/clear enough as they are. I'd also hoped it would be a bit better at re-routing.

I'll check with Wiggle about their returns policy before ordering. I think I need to use one in person before I can really decide if it's worth it.

northpole

Just to try and clarify, I have the OS map loaded on my 800 and the problem I have is not that there is insufficient information, rather that there is too much information which tends to clutter up the display when you are trying to get your bearings.

Switching to google maps on the iphone you just get a much better overview of where you are in relation to towns or villages - the display is larger and there is much less detailed information on google maps.

The city navigator map bundle may be more practical - not as much detail on secondary roads and paths, but perhaps easier to read on the garmin.

I find that garmins are great if you stick to the route you have programmed, or if you are going to deviate from the route you have to make sure you remember how to get back onto it. There may be ways around this - the garmin instructions are pants - I just don't know how to obtain directions back onto a programmed route.

My main criticism of garmins is that they have not cracked the intuitive aspect of hand held devices in the way that Apple mullered it long time ago.

My comment about battery life is important if you are intending to go out on a ride of 10+ hours - the 800 may well conk out before you complete your ride - the 705 will keep going for longer.

Peter

antfly

You don't need a phone you just need city navigator if it's for road cycling, it's only 30 quid and it's easy to use.

prhymeate

Thanks again for all the helpful replies. I just found a video online comparing the OS maps and the OSM maps, for my use I think that the OSM maps will be a lot better and easier to read. I don't have any plans for 10+ hour rides so I'm sure the battery life will be fine for my use. I think I will bite the bullet and order one in the next day or two.

fsman

antfly wrote:

Prhymeate wrote:

antfly wrote:

You can but they send you down tracks and trails that you don't really want to go down on a road bike, I find.

Have you tried enabling "avoid unpaved roads"? There are some recommended settings here http://www.scarletfire.co.uk/2012/11/fo ... -edge-800/

Yes I know but it makes no difference at all with the free maps. I use city navigator anyway unless I am on the mtb. It is much better than just a get you home, by the way it shows you every turn and gives you plenty of warning and zooms in the road when there is a turn just like a car GPS. You can set it to recalculate if you go off course if you want or if you go off a planned route it will start directing you again when you get back on course.

The Free OSM maps will do this too.
Some even say they are better than the Garmin Maps and always being updated too.
I use them for Raod routing and as long as you have "avoid off road" set, it always routes correctly.
Only downside of OSM maps are that you can't route on the fly to a postcode. But if you have pre-prepared you route on something like Ridewithgps.com you won't have any issues. Any if you get lost the OSM maps will be just as good as the garmin maps in routing you home

Personally, unless people need on-the-fly routing to a postcode, the OSM maps are very good.

Scarletfire has a great guide for foolproof routing with OSM maps.

Saving your money, get the OSM maps and invest the savings in a HRM or GSC10 cadence monitor

fsman

here is the link

http://www.scarletfire.co.uk/2012/11/fo ... -edge-800/

prhymeate

Has anyone tried this 'hack' to get post code search working on OSM maps?

http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/OSM_ ... _On_Garmin

antfly

Can't delete.