Getting the most out of a cycle GPS

[BlueFox]

Hi,

I have a MIO 310 and am learning how to use it. I use the OS maps online and draw a route by linking up a series of waypoints. This approximates the actual route on the cycle path or road. Is there a better way of telling it to follow a particular route or cycle path?

I've not yet used the record route feature but if you are planning to share GPX files with others, is better to use a recorded one or one you've created from a series of way points?

 

[Globalti]

Ask @ColinJ

 

[ColinJ]

Hi,

I have a MIO 310 and am learning how to use it. I use the OS maps online and draw a route by linking up a series of waypoints. This approximates the actual route on the cycle path or road. Is there a better way of telling it to follow a particular route or cycle path?

I've not yet used the record route feature but if you are planning to share GPX files with others, is better to use a recorded one or one you've created from a series of way points?

Ask @ColinJ

Attentive ... moi? You caught me while I am waiting for an update to my Garmin to install!

I do plot my routes using digital OS maps but I have them on my PC so I don't know how the OS website works. On my software, I can autoroute between start and endpoints but the software tends to take me off down roads that I'd rather not go down so I include extra intermediate waypoints to persuade it to take my preferred route. It then does the rest for me. Funnily enough, I have to tell it to route in 'driving mode' for my road rides because if I tell it to use 'cycling mode' it takes me off down canal towpaths, cyclepaths and bridleways.

I prefer to plot routes to share. (If you are plotting the route anyway to follow it yourself, then why not use them?) If you share routes that you record on rides you will be sharing any wrong turns that you make! I have seen strange meanderings on some people's shared routes and it is quite obvious where they got lost and struggled to get back on course! If you DO share recorded routes, make sure that you cycle some distance from home before switching on your GPS - if you don't, then you are also sharing the location of your home with the entire Internet, and you may not wish to do that!

 

[Globalti]

I just use a map, after extensive on-the-bog research. It's a good way of using downtime, or sitting down time. A map also shows me all the topography and the attractions just off the route like pubs, whereas I feel a satnav is like reading the map down a roll of cardboard.

 

[numbnuts]

I'm not too sure if you can use Garmin basecamp map (it's free) with your GPS as it is very easy to use

 

[coffeejo]

I just use a map, after extensive on-the-bog research. It's a good way of using downtime, or sitting down time. A map also shows me all the topography and the attractions just off the route like pubs, whereas I feel a satnav is like reading the map down a roll of cardboard.

I do both. I've got paper OS maps, digital ones on the PC and I got the Garmin 800 that came with them. Pricier but I've never regretted it.

 

[doog]

I just use a map, after extensive on-the-bog research. It's a good way of using downtime, or sitting down time. A map also shows me all the topography and the attractions just off the route like pubs, whereas I feel a satnav is like reading the map down a roll of cardboard.

Even my ancient and trusty Garmin Etrex Legend Hcx has all the local attractions, banks, restaurants etc and you can even download every known campsite.....Its taken me around Europe several times .

Although I agree there's nothing like studying a map. Not only does it give you the bigger picture and a sense of scale, however for the touring I do it would cost me a fortune in maps to get the same detail that I can on a device...I always take a larger scale map as back up and will happily pour over it in or outside the tent with a glass or two of Merlot studying my next days route (downloaded on the garmin)

 

[BlueFox]

Thank you all for your comments. Colin J, can you tell me what software you use for route plotting?

 

[ColinJ]

Thank you all for your comments. Colin J, can you tell me what software you use for route plotting?

Memory Map - LINK. That link is to a version available on DVD. They have recently had a download version for the special price of £50 for the whole of GB (except for Northern Ireland) but that seems to have disappeared from the website for some reason. Still, even at £80 that is stupendous value for software which has the equivalent of over 200 OS Landranger maps which cost about £8 a time for the paper versions.

There is a more expensive 'HD' version. The only advantage of that is that it would print out better (or look better when zoomed in). I get get on fine with the standard version but I never print maps. NB The HD version takes a lot more storage so that could be a problem if you wanted to put it on a phone or tablet with limited storage space.

Your purchase is licenced for up to 5 of your devices. I have my maps installed on a desktop PC, a laptop, an Android tablet and an Android phone. You can put a copy on a GPS but it has to be a compatible device - NOT Garmins and the like! The Memory Map website has some for sale, but I have never known anybody actually buy one of them. Much better to save your routes as GPX files and import those to whatever GPS you own.

 

[BlueFox]

Thanks. I had a look at the memory map website - the 1 in 50,000 are still £50 when you choose PC and mobile (and £80 if you want them on a disk).

As cyclists mainly want 1 in 50,000 maps not in 1 25,000, this is much better value than paying £20 a year to OS (although if you also do walking, £20 a year isn't bad as it gives you both as memory maps charge £120 to get all in the 1 in 25,000 maps).

Do Memory maps give you updates when the maps are updated?

The Memory Maps software sounds much better than the basic route planning software you get with OS Maps. I've also been trying gpseditor.co.uk (recommended on another thread) which also uses 1 in 50,000 OS map and enables you to plot routes easily (by selecting walking, cycling or car) by putting in a few intermediate points. The gpx files from gpseditor seem to be missing altitude information but you can get that from http://www.gpsvisualizer.com/elevation

 

[ColinJ]

Thanks. I had a look at the memory map website - the 1 in 50,000 are still £50 when you choose PC and mobile (and £80 if you want them on a disk).

As cyclists mainly want 1 in 50,000 maps not in 1 25,000, this is much better value than paying £20 a year to OS (although if you also do walking, £20 a year isn't bad as it gives you both as memory maps charge £120 to get all in the 1 in 25,000 maps).

Do Memory maps give you updates when the maps are updated?

The Memory Maps software sounds much better than the basic route planning software you get with OS Maps. I've also been trying gpseditor.co.uk (recommended on another thread) which also uses 1 in 50,000 OS map and enables you to plot routes easily (by selecting walking, cycling or car) by putting in a few intermediate points. The gpx files from gpseditor seem to be missing altitude information but you can get that from http://www.gpsvisualizer.com/elevation

I must have been tired last night because I couldn't find that option! I can see it now.

I use the 1:50,000 for my road rides but I have recently treated myself to the 1:25,000 version as well. The extra detail is ideal for planning walks and offroad rides. And I like just looking at the map ....

I don't think that MM do free updates. If you feel the need to update at some point in the future, they give a 25% discount on the usual price. TBH - maps generally don't change much over time unless you have a new road or village built near you. I used an old version for 9 years before upgrading.

 

[Tenacious Sloth]

I have a Mio 315 and use the free version of ridewithgps.com to plan my routes, saving them as a .gpx file and copying them into the tracks folder on the Mio.

Works very well.

Graham

 

[Nigelnaturist]

I have a Mio 315 and use the free version of ridewithgps.com to plan my routes, saving them as a .gpx file and copying them into the tracks folder on the Mio.

Works very well.

Graham

Same as but for the garmin, and as @ColinJ pointed out the Garmin auto re-route tends to take you all over the place, so better to pre plan.

 

[si_c]

Same as but for the garmin, and as @ColinJ pointed out the Garmin auto re-route tends to take you all over the place, so better to pre plan.

The Mio reroute is pretty sane. Although some poorly saved GPX files can result in the software being a bit dense, I use Strava for routing, it's got one of the best editors I've found, and they work flawlessly with the 505.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

The Mio reroute is pretty sane. Although some poorly saved GPX files can result in the software being a bit dense, I use Strava for routing, it's got one of the best editors I've found, and they work flawlessly with the 505.

Have a look at rwgps, exports both gpx navigation and tcx course files.