Cycle touring mapping gadgets - Republic of Ireland

Batmeister
Batmeister Posts: 3
edited March 2017 in Road buying advice
Can anyone provide some good advice on bike navigation options for a tour of the ROI later this year?
I've avoided buying a Garmin for years, and a part of me wants it to stay that way, however I need to navigate the length of Ireland effectively and cheaply.
Additional info... my eyesight isn't good enough to read small screens, and I don't cycle in my glasses.
I have an iPhone 7 on a UK Vodafone contract with some data allowance, but can't afford to rack up big data bills roaming, so any phone based options need to be low data or GPs only.
I'd like to upload completed ride sectors to Strava.
I have been taking the piddle out of my mates for using Garmins, so buying one has some pain in store for me. But hey... if it's the best tool....

Anyone got any good ideas ?

Comments

  • rs6mra1
    rs6mra1 Posts: 105
    Its got to be the Garmin Edge 1000 simple because of what you want to do and the screen size. A phone is a phone so keep it that way - save your battery and avoid incurring additional data charges. There are rumours of a new version to be released in 6 weeks. Time for a Garmin.................
  • Man Of Lard
    Man Of Lard Posts: 903
    Buy a local PAYG SIM (only works if your phone isn't network locked of course) with data...

    http://prepaid-data-sim-card.wikia.com/wiki/Ireland
  • mercia_man
    mercia_man Posts: 1,431
    I've just obtained an iPhone SE and have downloaded the free ViewRanger app. That has free Open Cycle Maps and ViewRanger Landscape Maps of the whole world, including Ireland. These zoom in to show great detail including contour lines, foot paths, cycle routes and individual buildings.

    They are viewable online. You choose the areas you want and download them free to your phone. You can use them with your phone switched to airplane mode as they rely on your phone's inbuilt gps. Older iPhones wouldn't do this and ViewRanger' instructions also say this. But I see on the web that people have discovered the latest iPhones will work on gps with the phone offline on airplane mode. I can confirm my phone works fine on ViewRanger in airplane mode. It fixes your gps location quickly and you can use it to navigate and follow routes etc. Use it like this on airplane mode in Ireland and you won't be stung with big roaming and data charges.

    ViewRanger also offers paid for OS mapping. For example, I have just bought the whole Cornwall and Devon south west peninsular in Landranger in 1:50,000 for £7.99. You can also buy Irish OS maps but the free ones look pretty good to me.
  • barongreenback
    barongreenback Posts: 229
    Get a 3 sim on a month by month contract. Roaming in Ireland is included in your U.K. Data package.
  • deswahriff
    deswahriff Posts: 310
    ...I just picked up a Garmin Edge Touring ahead of our upcoming overseas trip in May. Once you suss out the correct parameter settings, it seems spot on so far for following a pre-planned/loaded route.
    Screen is a good size too but I have "bi-focal" sunglassess (BBB) with a little +2 strip along the bottom edge which sorts out the eyesight issue. Battery life seems ok too assuming you can charge it overnight - ran it for a four hour sportif yesterday with the map on constant display and it was only down to 50% at the end...
    ...bear in mind its doesn't do all the clever stuff we've come to expect from these things but I'm happ with my old Edge 500 for that!
    ...btw, check out CEX ...while they don't have a lot of cycle related gadgets, that's where I got my Touring for £90 - it looks brand new!
  • wotnoshoeseh
    wotnoshoeseh Posts: 531
    barongreenback wrote:
    Get a 3 sim on a month by month contract. Roaming in Ireland is included in your U.K. Data package.

    I'd check that before you try it, if I were you. I live in Northern Ireland and subsequently have a UK phone contract - I know that I can't roam on the same land mass for free i.e. it is not included. I can go to London, or Scotland, or Wales or anywhere on the "mainland" but if I go twenty miles down the road I don't have any coverage, and will pay through the nose for roaming charges. YMMV
  • Man Of Lard
    Man Of Lard Posts: 903
    3UK definitely does "like home" in Ireland.

    http://www.three.co.uk/support/roaming/ireland
  • sungod
    sungod Posts: 17,340
    i've used 3 "feel at home" in many countries, it works exactly as advertised

    the only slight limitation is that they block tethering outside uk
    my bike - faster than god's and twice as shiny
  • Batmeister
    Batmeister Posts: 3
    Thanks to all who replied. Am checking out all options. Also looking at those BBB sunglasses that deswhariff uses. Didn't know they existed and might solve a lot of bike related issues. May even be able to see to repair my own punctures ! :D
  • fenix
    fenix Posts: 5,437
    If you've space on your phone you can download the area from google maps to it so it's available offline ? I do that for the roads I'm likely to get lost on and you can bet that when I'm lost I won't have a phone signal- but obv GPS still tells me where I am.
  • deswahriff
    deswahriff Posts: 310
    https://bbbcycling.com/en/bike-wear/sport-glasses/BSG-49PH

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