Anyone own a Garmin E-trex HCX vista or legend?

[J-Lo]

Hi,

Im thinking about buying the Garmin E-Trex HCX Vista. I know you can plan your route on PC and download it to the device, but im interesting also in planning it without a PC (On the device route planning). I can't seem to find an answer to this.. Does this device let you avoid motorways and/or A roads? Or is there a cycling 'mode' or 'profile'?

Id just like to know if this will be suitable for touring etc, obviously I would have maps aswell as a backup

Thanks in advance

 

[Madcyclist]

From what I remember the E-Trex HCX Vista certainly has an auto routing function with a cycling option avoiding main roads. I've never actually used the function myself, apart from uploading routes plotted on the PC for a charity ride a couple of years ago I've only used it for tracing routes.

I'd love to of been able to use it in India and Thailand but didn't find suitable routable maps for it.

 

[J-Lo]

I would imagine it does, but can anyone confirm this? Ive searched the Garmin site to no luck - ive emailed them & got no reply as of yet, and I can't find any info in online reviews etc - its not easy

Thanks MC for reply!

 

[looe]

Hi,

Im thinking about buying the Garmin E-Trex HCX Vista. I know you can plan your route on PC and download it to the device, but im interesting also in planning it without a PC (On the device route planning). I can't seem to find an answer to this.. Does this device let you avoid motorways and/or A roads? Or is there a cycling 'mode' or 'profile'?

Id just like to know if this will be suitable for touring etc, obviously I would have maps aswell as a backup

Thanks in advance

Yes you can. You can have it in cycling mode and choose to avoid toll roads, paved or unpaved roads. The best option is to have it in delivery mode though!!

 

[mercurykev]

I've got an Etrex HCX Legend and use it for all of my audax and bike touring. It's an excellent piece of kit and pretty easy to use. As previously mentioned, setting it to delivery mode seems to work best for cycling as it keeps you clear of the worst roads for cycling on, although I'd never want it to avoid all A roads as many of these are perfectly suitable for cycling and in some areas e.g. NW Scotland you don't have any other option.

This site will tell you everything you need to know about using an etrex for cycling - http://www.aukadia.net/gps/

 

[J-Lo]

Thanks alot to both of you for the great replies! This delivery mode sounds interesting.. off to read up on the link - thanks merc

 

[zigzag]

i've been using vista hcx for two years, i usually plot the route/track on google maps and transfer it to gps. it is possible to create a route on the gps unit, but small screen and slow refresh rate of the map makes it fiddly and time consuming.

 

[KingstonBiker]

I've got one and after a bit of a learning curve I've got to grips with it. Like most people I create the routes/tracks on the PC and download to the eTrex. I use the open street map provided by talkytoaster. I've used cyclestreets.net to create cycle specific routes and then saved as a GPX file for use on the device. I use the WinGDB3 tool to convert the route to a track and download both the route and the track to the device. The reason for both is so the route prompts me to change direction while the track allows me to double check I'm going where I really want to go.

EDIT: More often I've downloaded track files from sites like bikeroutetoaster and then used WinGDB3 to convert to a route (or more likely multiple routes to avoid the 50 point routepoint limitation). Again I use the route to prompt me but the track to reassure me.

 

[J-Lo]

Thanks - that sounds like a good idea! Am I right in thinking you can just use bikeroutetoaster also? Bought one today anyhow, will be here next week Bought an SD card too, if I choose to download the uk garmin maps, is it just a case of copying it onto the memory card?

 

[KingstonBiker]

Yes bikeroutetoaster is fine. I didn't bother purchasing the Garmin maps and just use Openstreetmap. The maps get loaded on to the MapSource software that comes with the eTrex and you then download to the device (along with your tracks, routes and waypoints). It is all a little confusing at first and you'll take time to find what works for you but you'll get there in the end. The link posted above by mercurykev is a very useful one.