GPS Navigation

rdent

I'm looking for a cycling computer that offers navigation as well. I've seen the Garmin 500 does but was just wondering is there anything cheaper? Sub £100 would be ideal.

timben83

For some reason the sad answer is NO. I've been looking in the below at sub 150 and haven't really been able to find anything except for the O-syncce Navi2coach.

http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2013/05/navi ... puter.html

I've decided to up the budget and go for a Garmin 510.

Still a shame no one has used the power of the smartphone most of us have in our back pocket to bring something really good.

andrewjoseph

If you want to use your phone to navigate, apps like copilot will do. But, they drain battery quickly, need a tough waterproof housing, need a strong bike mount, costs a lot to replace once crashed. But most of all, if you crash bad enough to break the phone, then you've probably crashed bad enough to need the phone.

I've got my garmin 800 on the bars, and my phone safe in my pocket or my backpack.

homies35

I have viewranger on my android.

rdent

Yeah, I don't really fancy using my iPhone as the battery is rubbish as it is. Looks like I'll have to save for the Garmin, do you put your own routes on there?

larkim

This solves the battery drain issue for smartphones

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Portable-Extern ... ds=5600mah

And this (for me) solves the protection and carrying issues for both backup battery and phone.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Roswheel-Cycl ... 43c7420658

Smartphones are the answer.

rolf_f

rdent wrote:

I'm looking for a cycling computer that offers navigation as well. I've seen the Garmin 500 does but was just wondering is there anything cheaper? Sub £100 would be ideal.

Yes, absolutely! Bryton 40. Similar to the Garmin 500 but with a few extras and a neater, smaller package. Same sort of breadcrumb trail navigation as the 500. I think there are a few pros and cons between the two units as far as the navigation goes but they'll both get you where you want to go.

http://www.cyclesurgery.com/pws/UniqueP ... lsrc=aw.ds

dantheman1979

I use a Garmin Edge 200, the navigation is basic but it does the job. I use strava route planner to plot routes,you can also plot routes on garmin connect. Check out this link and see if it suits your needs http://velogps.com/garmin-edge-200-turn ... irections/

freezing77

rdent wrote:

I'm looking for a cycling computer that offers navigation as well. I've seen the Garmin 500 does but was just wondering is there anything cheaper? Sub £100 would be ideal.

Whilst not cycling specific the garmin etrex 10 can be handlebar mounted and offers breadcrumb trail/direction arrow style navigation for less than £100.

http://www.cotswoldoutdoor.com/garmin-etrex-10-gps-A2110107?channel_code=110&id_colour=180&product_code=73494430&utm_source=google-shopping&_$ja=tsid:45886&_$$ja=cgid:5263163572|tsid:45886|cid:102736972|lid:43530119092|nw:search|crid:15986543572|dvc:c|adp:1o1|bku:1&gclid=CMmXoZPh370CFdShtAodQywAnw&gclsrc=aw.ds

smoggysteve

Rolf F wrote:

rdent wrote:

I'm looking for a cycling computer that offers navigation as well. I've seen the Garmin 500 does but was just wondering is there anything cheaper? Sub £100 would be ideal.

Yes, absolutely! Bryton 40. Similar to the Garmin 500 but with a few extras and a neater, smaller package. Same sort of breadcrumb trail navigation as the 500. I think there are a few pros and cons between the two units as far as the navigation goes but they'll both get you where you want to go.

http://www.cyclesurgery.com/pws/UniqueP ... lsrc=aw.ds

This. Brilliant bit of kit. May look a bit cheap but as mentioned does the job extremely well.

rdent

How do you upload the route you want to take to it?

andrewjoseph

Garmins can use several ways of uploading routes, from web sites like bikehike, OS online mapping, to Garmins own free software.

On web based sites: Plan your route, download route to hard disk, upload to the unit via usb. Or download straight to plugged in unit.

For computer based software: plan route, plug in unit, upload.

freezing77

Additionally it is possible to plan a route on the device, but this can be time consuming and quite clunky.

homers_double

Re the Bryton, I was passed three times by a guy using one because he had to keep stopping to let his unit catch up as he was trying to find Cragg Vale.

From this we can deduce two things, 1) I'm slow and 2) the Bryton might not be that good.

southdownswolf

you forgot..

3) people rely on GPS far too much without having an idea of where they are.

tim000

i`ve got a mio 300 and pretty happy with it . nav is ok and easy to plot routes using mio share. rubust peice of kit . it fell from my bars on a fast decent today and bounced down the road and still work . it was`nt the mio bracket that failed it was a space saver i had attached to my bars that fell apart
for sale at £140


http://www.handtec.co.uk/mio-cyclo-300- ... tAodRXMAlg

rolf_f

homers double wrote:

Re the Bryton, I was passed three times by a guy using one because he had to keep stopping to let his unit catch up as he was trying to find Cragg Vale.

From this we can deduce two things, 1) I'm slow and 2) the Bryton might not be that good.

You can deduce these things based on a subset of one?

1) No, we can't deduce that you are slow. Just slower than the other bloke. Who might have been Contador after a meat feast.
2) The user might not be that good. Or that one unit might have been defective - it happens. Never had to stop to let the unit catch me up and I've probably done over 30,000 miles recorded on Bryton units.
3) Cragg Vale isn't hard to find! ie as per Southdownswolf's comment!

freezing77 wrote:

Whilst not cycling specific the garmin etrex 10 can be handlebar mounted and offers breadcrumb trail/direction arrow style navigation for less than £100.

http://www.cotswoldoutdoor.com/garmin-etrex-10-gps-A2110107?channel_code=110&id_colour=180&product_code=73494430&utm_source=google-shopping&_$ja=tsid:45886&_$$ja=cgid:5263163572|tsid:45886|cid:102736972|lid:43530119092|nw:search|crid:15986543572|dvc:c|adp:1o1|bku:1&gclid=CMmXoZPh370CFdShtAodQywAnw&gclsrc=aw.ds

And these are actually functionally useable for cycle touring (though ideally you want one with the mapping for that). Unlike the Garmin Touring which is oddly named as it is a crock of sh1te for touring!

Chunky101

There is life without Garmin:

- iPhone
- Quad Lock bar mount
- Anker Astro mini battery charger (cable tie to stem or under top tube, gives 8 hrs plus with display on)
- Apps (Strava, MotionX GPS, iCardio with HRM)

Works a treat!

rdent

SmoggySteve wrote:

Rolf F wrote:

rdent wrote:

I'm looking for a cycling computer that offers navigation as well. I've seen the Garmin 500 does but was just wondering is there anything cheaper? Sub £100 would be ideal.

Yes, absolutely! Bryton 40. Similar to the Garmin 500 but with a few extras and a neater, smaller package. Same sort of breadcrumb trail navigation as the 500. I think there are a few pros and cons between the two units as far as the navigation goes but they'll both get you where you want to go.

http://www.cyclesurgery.com/pws/UniqueP ... lsrc=aw.ds

This. Brilliant bit of kit. May look a bit cheap but as mentioned does the job extremely well.

How do you upload the routes on Brytons?

freezing77

If you want mapping as well get this and load openstreetmap. Just slightly over your budget.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-Garmin-eTrex-Vista-HCx-Handheld-GPS-Big-Savings-/400636364709?pt=UK_AudioTVElectronics_GPSSystems_GPSSystems&hash=item5d47c9c7a5

freezing77

Here is a friends etrex crossing the alps en route to Rome.

D@VE

Read the review from Robert. J. Frost
http://www.amazon.co.uk/product-reviews/B005ZUB91E

Garmin 200 is a surprise package!
If you know the tricks.

holiver

A Garmin got me from London to Bristol via a pretty random route using a lot of small roads that I had pre planned without once getting me lost or anything. Good little device.

rdent

Rolf F wrote:

rdent wrote:

I'm looking for a cycling computer that offers navigation as well. I've seen the Garmin 500 does but was just wondering is there anything cheaper? Sub £100 would be ideal.

Yes, absolutely! Bryton 40. Similar to the Garmin 500 but with a few extras and a neater, smaller package. Same sort of breadcrumb trail navigation as the 500. I think there are a few pros and cons between the two units as far as the navigation goes but they'll both get you where you want to go.

http://www.cyclesurgery.com/pws/UniqueP ... lsrc=aw.ds

With the Bryton, how do you upload routes?

rolf_f

rdent wrote:

Rolf F wrote:

rdent wrote:

I'm looking for a cycling computer that offers navigation as well. I've seen the Garmin 500 does but was just wondering is there anything cheaper? Sub £100 would be ideal.

Yes, absolutely! Bryton 40. Similar to the Garmin 500 but with a few extras and a neater, smaller package. Same sort of breadcrumb trail navigation as the 500. I think there are a few pros and cons between the two units as far as the navigation goes but they'll both get you where you want to go.

http://www.cyclesurgery.com/pws/UniqueP ... lsrc=aw.ds

With the Bryton, how do you upload routes?

There is an interface application that links the unit to your computer. You can either upload directly to the Bryton site or you can save the files as gpx, tcx etc and then just upload those files to wherever you like - eg Strava.

freezing77

There is an interface application that links the unit to your computer. You can either upload directly to the Bryton site or you can save the files as gpx, tcx etc and then just upload those files to wherever you like - eg Strava.[/quote]

Can you load gpx files onto the Bryton?

rolf_f

freezing77 wrote:

Can you load gpx files onto the Bryton?

Yes. I either create them in the Bryton app and export to the unit or import them from elsewhere to the app and then download them. There may be other ways to do it.

keef66

Well I went for the Garmin Touring Plus when I found it on Amazon for £200. Only 4 rides old, but already I'm a convert. It's just like a sat nav for a bike, but it also records your ride stats for later amusement.

OK, so I'm only out for a day at a time, so the battery life / recharging isn't an issue for me. For proper multi day touring without access to the mains it might be a problem.

Out of the box it has detailed maps for the whole of Europe, you can plan routes in a variety of ways, or simply ask it for a circular route of a certain distance and it will come up with three suggestions. Mine has already taken me to several places I've not been before, and it does seem to like finding hills, but that's not neccessarily a bad thing. You can preview the elevation totals for the suggested routes and choose the flattest if you want. My only gripe is that it once tried to send me up a footpath. But that's in the nature of sat-navs; my TomTom suggested I drive across a field when I was trying to find Rosedale last year. When I cycled past the footpath it quickly recalculated the route and I continued on my loop without venturing off the tarmac.

For a multi day tour you'd clearly need to be able to recharge it somehow. No idea if you can charge and navigate at the same time (dynamo hub for example)? And if you could, that wouldn't be entirely weather proof. I'm sure the Audax community is already working on it...

freezing77

One of these can recharge your phone and your garmin.
Other sizes are available.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/10000mAh-Portable-Dual-Port-Thunderbolt-Incredible-Black/dp/B0063AAIRG

rolf_f

freezing77 wrote:

One of these can recharge your phone and your garmin.
Other sizes are available.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/10000mAh-Portable-Dual-Port-Thunderbolt-Incredible-Black/dp/B0063AAIRG

If it had solar energy input it might actually turn the Garmin Touring into a computer that isn't wildly mis-named!

pandazoo

Just bought a Garmin Touring as well, so far it has been very good. 10% off in Halfords with British Cycling Club membership and they also do the edition with the out front bike mount and case