garmin edge 800 european route map help please

bob150
bob150 Posts: 10
edited March 2014 in Tour & expedition
hi all .im planning a cycling trip starting in brussels passing through germany and holland i have a garmin edge 800 with uk os maps and base maps both of whitch useless for europe i have been told open street map will be good and have requested the maps i need but i dont know any one who has used them .can any one tell me if the routing is good and will put me on cycle paths and quiet roads when available . the only other option i know off is loading my route from google maps .both of whitch i have no experience in using so some help/advice would be very usefull :D .many thanks bob

Comments

  • wongataa
    wongataa Posts: 1,001
    I would get the maps you are thinking of using and try them out in this country around where you normally ride. That way you can see what the routing is like easily.
  • mjcaskey
    mjcaskey Posts: 94
    Hi
    I have a Garmin 800 and it came with a mini SD card with all UK and Road mapping on it. There are various different purchase bundles such as this. I suggest you go onto the Garmin website and purchase the SD card for city/European mapping and your unit will be set to go. I am doing some European touring this year and use the unit regularly in the UK. Just be aware that some of the mapping/route planning options such as strava do not always offer the turn by turn directions, just the coloured line on the map that leads the way en route. This in most instances is just fine. It only matters if you want to have the Speed/cadence or HR screens on as you cycle along because the turn by turn instructions come up automatically with the screen switching a the right time if your route is configured that way. There is no point in my view trying to manage with the OS mapping for a road tour.
    Hope this helps.
  • BillyMansell
    BillyMansell Posts: 817
    When I've been in France I've used OSM maps on my Garmin 800 with Velomaps and Garmin Basecamp on a laptop to plan my routes before uploading the the routes to the Garmin.

    I found it all worked extremely well apart from one unforeseen road closure and my lack of knowledge of the area which meant I occasionally went up an unsuitable track thinking it was a road.

    For touring you could use the above software and, assuming you wouldn't have a laptop with you, plan and upload all your routes to the Garmin before you leave but that might limit you to riding point to point each day rather than having the freedom to explore.

    Having said that, someone else may be able to advise how good or bad the OSM maps are for general navigation. As Wogataa says, download the maps for your current location and see how well they work for you.
  • bob150
    bob150 Posts: 10
    thanks for all your advice its given me a point in the right direction i was getting a little confused with it all . i have decided to try open street maps locally first to see how i get on assuming if its good or bad here it will be much the same in europe im reluctant to buy maps for abroad just yet . i wont be taking a lap top with me but dont mind uploading a route before i go my accomadation is booked for each day so i have to stick to point to point with plan to explore a little once i reached my destination each day :D
  • freezing77
    freezing77 Posts: 731
    Myself and or my friends have used OSM in the UK, France, Sicily,Spain, Portugal, Italy and Switzerland without any particular routing issues.

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