Routes on Garmin 800

vala

Got myself a Gamin 800 today, mainly for the navigation functions but no doubt i'll be using the rest of it.
I've got a route I need to plot and have noticed on Garmin Connect there's a map creator there, however more and more threads I've read mention using other sites for creating maps, i.e ridewithgps.
What is the difference between the 2?
Will the both still allow turn by turn navigation?

brettjmcc

yes, but you have to turn the directions on BEFORE you start the map/cousr with the 800 if you have plotted it on Connect. I can't speak for the other sites as I only use the Connect with my 800

vala

brettjmcc - thanks for the reply. Do you use the standard map that came with the unit or an OS map downloadable from somewhere like talky toaster?

Simon-R7

I used the maps of talkytoaster worked well for me

brettjmcc

I got mine last year when Halfords had it on offer and then used the BC 10% dicount on top, so I managed to get the European City maps version. It works fine for me, the only issue I have ever had is if I have ever messed up the course.

I will say though that Connect has improved ( abit) but sometimes it would route you off when you didn't expect it, so it is worth checking at a closer view level (i.e diverts you off through a 'short-cut road, only to get you back on the same road)

The only other issue I have had with it is where I started a course near my in-laws where there had been a lot of road improvements, so it did not recognise me starting, and even though I was on the course it was always trying to send me back to the start. Now I know this though I just alter the course to start a few 100yds up the road there

vala

Thanks for the replies.
This evening I've plotted my route (using GarminConnect) for tomorrow and have just been off in the car to see if it's doing what I want. So far so good. I tried it with the standard map and then the offering from Talkytoaster and the talkytoaster one was more favourable.
Fingers crossed all goes well tomorrow.
Thanks again.

Gizmodo

vala wrote:

... on Garmin Connect there's a map creator there, however more and more threads I've read mention using other sites for creating maps, i.e ridewithgps.
What is the difference between the 2? Will the both still allow turn by turn navigation?

There are lots of sites for planning routes, http://ridewithgps.com/, http://www.mapmyride.com/, http://bikeroutetoaster.com/ and many more.

The differences are minimal, they all use either the Google or Open Street Maps routing engines, most of them allow you to switch between the 2. Garmin Connect uses the Garmin maps of course. It's just a case of using one that you like, that has features you have got used to. They will all upload a Garmin TCX file to your 800, some directly, others you will have to save a file to your hard disk and then copy it to the "New Files" folder on the Garmin.

As others have said, the most important things about Courses on the Garmin are:

1. Ensure your route is planned accurately. I have plotted routes using Google maps that have taken me down roads that were closed years ago! Cross check with Google, OSM and Garmin maps that the roads you are planning to use are still open - not all maps (especially Googles) are updated very often. Zoom in close and make sure the tool hasn't used a path to cut the corner.

2. When you power on the Garming, press "Menu", "Courses", select your course, but before you press GO, press the spanner icon, select "Turn Guidance" and set this to ON and "Virtual Partner" to OFF.

There is also another setting, Spanner-System-Routing-Recalculate that you may (or may not) want to turn OFF.
So you are following your route but going so fast you miss a turning. The system will beep at you to tell you you are Off Course (see Off Course Warnings setting). Do you want to turn around and find the original course, or do you want to continue to the next turning where you might be able to re-join your course?

The trouble with Recalculate ON is that the Garmin could decide that the best way to rejoin the course is to cut a massive section out of your ride. So a planned 50 mile figure of 8 sort of coruse, could end up as a 20 mile loop if you went off-course when you were aproaching the middle for example. So it is your choice, but many people prefer to turn Recalculate to OFF. Of course, turning it off means your 50 mile course could end up being 60 miles if you keep going off-course and having to double back on yourself.

This is a good resource for all things Garming Edge 800
http://frank.kinlan.co.uk/garmin-edge-8 ... -edge-800/

fsman

+1 for ridewithgps. Fantastic mapping, and analysis and free.

rjkflyer

fsman wrote:

+1 for ridewithgps. Fantastic mapping, and analysis and free.

+1 Ditto. ALso responsive to support, and they update about every week.

vala

many thanks for the replies.

Gizmodo - big thank you for that post.

luckily one of the websites I went on was 'scarlettfire' who mentioned the same points you made. Big one being to turn on guidance BEFORE hitting the go button. I left virtual partner on though, didn't affect it negatively.
Is there a reason to not select it?

Used the unit today for an 86mile loop. Worked perfectly and exactly how I was expecting it to. I used the garmin course creator which, for today worked fine. Good to know about the other sites though and will now also double check roads etc with the other options.

Gizmodo

vala wrote:

I left virtual partner on though, didn't affect it negatively.
Is there a reason to not select it?

If you use RideWithGps they tell you to turn if off as their TCX file doesn't work well with it on. Other sites, especially Garmin, I'm sure would be fine.

Virtual Partner is better if you create a course from a previous Activity - it will show you if you are slower/faster than your previous effort. I assume that if it's a planned route that the Virtual Partner just goes at a constant speed, which is OK, but if the first half of the course is mostly uphill, you could get disheartened thinking that you are slow, but actually you will make up the time on the downhill later.

rch30

Try http://bikehike.co.uk/index.php you get options to download to file or direct to gps and options on what type of file as well. OS window is usefull also.