Mapping with a garmin

kingrollo

I am thinking of buying a garmin edge touring - Ive been riding the same routes for years and really want to find some new routes. From reading around the Garmin does work like a sat nav - ie you put in a destination and it finds you a route, but i understand there are drawbacks to this method.

Many people have suggested creating your own routes - then downloading onto garmin. How well does this work ? - what sites do I use ? - and how long does it take to set up a route ? [is it worth it ?]

BrandonA

I have a 1000 and an 800. I assume the creating/uploading of routes would be the same. I personally use the Garmin Connect site to create my routes. Using their software you can sync courses to the device.

Occasionally I will upload someone else's routes that they have created in Strava. Doing it this way you download the route file from Strava and drop the file into a particular folder on the Edge. Then when you next turn the device on the course is ready to be used.

kingrollo

BrandonA wrote:

I have a 1000 and an 800. I assume the creating/uploading of routes would be the same. I personally use the Garmin Connect site to create my routes. Using their software you can sync courses to the device.

Occasionally I will upload someone else's routes that they have created in Strava. Doing it this way you download the route file from Strava and drop the file into a particular folder on the Edge. Then when you next turn the device on the course is ready to be used.

Can you tweek someone elses route ? (oooh eerrr missus !!!!)

drlodge

I've got the Edge 800 and use ridewithgps to create and download the route in gpx format - bung it on the garmin and off I go.

Editing someone else's route is a bit tricky, you can upload it easily enough but changing the route is fraught with problems. Easier to just start from scratch.

kingrollo

I want to set up my route so its direct - but avoids busy roads - how do you go about that without local knowledge ?

drlodge

kingrollo wrote:

I want to set up my route so its direct - but avoids busy roads - how do you go about that without local knowledge ?

Keep off A roads and stick to B roads or smaller, as much as possible. Google street view is great to see exactly what a road is like.

bobmcstuff

Second the use of Street View.

Strava have a couple of other tools which are handy:

Also Strava's global heatmap is handy for finding popular cycling roads: http://labs.strava.com/heatmap/

And the Clusterer is useful for finding popular routes of a distance you specify: http://labs.strava.com/clusterer/

bflk

The CTC route planner gives you fast/balanced/quiet road options for a route.

http://www.cyclinguk.org/journey-planner

Although the quiet option will typically use cycle paths where it can.

When done click 'GPS device export (GPX)'.

apreading

I find that regardless of settings, route planners all take you on both dual carriageways and gravel bridleways or worse. Google Street View to verify is the only reliable way if you dont know the area. even if there is a bike mode, there is never any way to tell it whether you want road bike or mountain bike routing.

I regularly upload other peoples routes and change them - its a bit fiddly in Garmin Connect as you have to tweak the file sometimes, then upload as an activity, then convert to a course - I do it in RidewithGPS quite often, or BikeHike etc.

dhungerf

I use the 510, it gives you a bread-crumb trail to follow. You can create a route in "Garmin Connect" or "RidewithGPS" and it works well. The routing thru ridewithGPS will be more robust by giving you turn-by-turn street names, Garmin Connect dosn't. Neither of them will keep you off of the un-paved roads, if you want to avoid them you can upload your "ridewithGPS" file into "bikeroutetoaster" and select the option to avoid dirt/gravel roads. I also look at the route in Google maps just to be sure.

All-in-all it works well. If I had the money, I would upgrade to the 800 series Garmin to get the full maps

Websta24

Just be careful with Garmin connect. Im not sure if its just mine but when you plan a route with it, it sends you the wrong way around roundabouts!!!

I use ridewithgps, the turn by turn guidance is spot on

wongataa

Websta24 wrote:

Just be careful with Garmin connect. Im not sure if its just mine but when you plan a route with it, it sends you the wrong way around roundabouts!!!

I have found it will route you round roundabouts both ways - it is inconsistent!

deadhead1971

The Touring model also includes the facility to generate random loop rides, so that could also be useful if one of your aims is to discover new places.

Lots of Garmin related tutorials and tips on my blog - http://Www.scarletfire.co.uk

bbrap

Websta24 wrote:

Just be careful with Garmin connect. Im not sure if its just mine but when you plan a route with it, it sends you the wrong way around roundabouts!!!

I use ridewithgps, the turn by turn guidance is spot on

One of my planned routes with Garmin Connect tried to send me through a gate and across a ploughed field. Not even a tree line to indicate there may have once been a route/path across. Its done this twice on different routes in the last couple of weeks. I now check (as others have said) with Streetview any particularly narrow/dodgy looking sections.