Ride with GPS

laurentian

I've never used this before so apologies if it's a bit of a daft question:

Going on a tour of Puglia in a couple of weeks. Have downloaded Ride with GPS App and uploaded the route.

When using this en route, will it use my data or does it just use GPS? (worried about data charges when in Italy)

Hope someone here knows - any help appreciated.

kingstongraham

No idea about RidewithGPS, but don't most companies have free or reasonable roaming charges for EU countries anyway? I know O2 pay monthly includes it.

whyamihere

It will most likely use data unless you prevent it from doing so. You can test if it works at all before you go though, disable WiFi and mobile data on your device and see if the app works and lets you follow a route. If it does, you can do the same thing in Italy and be sure that it isn't using any data.

drhaggis

Regardless, RideWithGPS is a decent route planner, and the GPX/TCX files it produces play totally cool with Garmin and, I suppose, Wahoo and all the others.

A bike GPS should have no problems working overseas.

hpaul

You would download these here or on WiFi over there. They will store on garmin or wahoo. Then you select them from your computer.

I use ride with GPS myself, for wahoo bolt. Pretty good

Charlie_Croker

I used to use 'Ride with GPS' on my android phone before getting a Garmin. If your using it on a phone, it does use data for the map, if you need a map, often the route alone is enough, you can work it out as you ride. There is I believe the capability to download the required maps before you embark, but this has never worked 100% for me due to all the different zoom levels I use. Defiantly worth having a play around with your local area before going away IMHO to find out more

Munsford0

I checked before we went to Portugal a couple of weeks ago and Tesco Mobile says no roaming charges for Europe till 'late spring'. When that is and what happens afterwards I don't know...

Few years ago I created a few routes in RWGPS and sent them to my Garmin in anticipation of hiring a bike for a couple of days during a family holiday / birthday in Algarve. Either I messed up the route planning or RWGPS maps differed from those on the Garmin but I only managed a dozen miles before the thing crashed repeatedly with route calculation errors.

laurentian

Thanks for the above responses. It appears that there is some confusion over whether my data (EE) is free in Italy although the suggestion is that it probably is, in which case I should be OK. It would still be great to get a definitive answer on this

kingstongraham

laurentian said:

Thanks for the above responses. It appears that there is some confusion over whether my data (EE) is free in Italy although the suggestion is that it probably is, in which case I should be OK. It would still be great to get a definitive answer on this

£2 a day on EE pay monthly unless your contract started before 7th July 2021. If before that, then it's included. That means for £2 you can use your UK allowances in the EU.

https://ee.co.uk/help/help-new/roaming-and-international/using-your-device-abroad/what-impact-will-brexit-have-on-roaming

daniel_b

Personally I'd be looking to get a 2nd hand gps head unit, and keep your phone battery intact should you need it for something critical.

The battery life will likely be better than your phone, and if you are unlucky enough for it to come off the mount, you'll still have your phone as a backup device, and presumably your mobile will be worth potentially a huge amount more than the 2nd hand gps unit - probably has a more fragile screen as well.

I'm probably an anomaly here, my current phone is 4.5 years old, and still performing well.

I picked up a Garmin 1000 2nd hand for under £100 over a year ago, but there are plenty of options out there for less than that.

drhaggis

daniel_b said:

[...]and if you are unlucky enough for it to come off the mount[...]

Don't know about other devices, but my Edge 530 came with a small rubberband. That band fits through a teeny weeny hole next to the USB port and can be used to secure the GPS unit against coming off.

daniel_b

drhaggis said:

daniel_b said:

[...]and if you are unlucky enough for it to come off the mount[...]

Don't know about other devices, but my Edge 530 came with a small rubberband. That band fits through a teeny weeny hole next to the USB port and can be used to secure the GPS unit against coming off.

Yes spot on, I know pretty much all Garmins have it, not sure about Wahoo etc.
My Varia did not have one, so I bought a £12 case which comes with one of those elastic loops, so I can pop it through the saddle rail for peace of mind, especially when using a band on mount.

Not sure that is even an option with a phone, unless you put it in an aftermarket case I guess.