GPS questions.

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marinyork

Resting in suspended Animation
Location
Logopolis
The old etrexes are good units, but you do have to be careful on pricing because everything is in change now. The prices on various retailers have fluctuated and there has been a lot of overpricing of second hand units (including on this site). People seem unaware that they are old units and therefore not worth anywhere near what a lot of people are asking. They are still good units though.

The price of the new eTrex 20/30 vs the Dakota 10/20 is not consistent either. e.g the price of the dakota 10 has gone to back down to £139.40 on amazon recently (850Mb internal, no microSD).
 

GrumpyGregry

Here for rides.
Not that I'm planning to sell but surely second hand they are worth whatever is prepared to pay. People are often wary of buying the first generation of any new tech meaning the tried and tested previous generation often commands a premium for a while.
 

marinyork

Resting in suspended Animation
Location
Logopolis
Not that I'm planning to sell but surely second hand they are worth whatever is prepared to pay. People are often wary of buying the first generation of any new tech meaning the tried and tested previous generation often commands a premium for a while.

As no one is selling on this thread, I think expressing my view on the matter is perfectly reasonable. If I'd posted my thoughts more forcefully on the threads in question there would have been uproar. One person on this thread is perfectly happy with my tips and good luck to what he bought just as he would have been perfectly entitled to ignore every single thing I said. I've even offered to lend my etrex to someone if it helped them decide.

I was wary of the dakota. We do have years and years of combined wealth of experience (between about 20-50 users on here) on the old etrexes to go on. It is true there has been a lot of trust built up on the etrex, but then you could say that merits trusting Garmin on the newer range.

I've no idea how some people reach decisions, but I suspect it goes along the lines of complete ignorance --> google --> cycle forums --> noticing a lot of posts about the Edge/etrex Legend/vista HCx and then seeing a 'consensus'. Much as I like the units, I think there is a bit too much haste for people to buy particular units.

It's a very interesting time for buying bike GPS at the moment, that's all.
 
OP
OP
Cubist

Cubist

Still wavin'
Location
Ovver 'thill
Thanks for all the replies everybody. I've got a bit of reading up to do!

I have a while to make my mind up, and expect I can monitor prices as I do so.
 
OP
OP
Cubist

Cubist

Still wavin'
Location
Ovver 'thill
Right. I have (potentially) found a S/H Edge 705 at £160. It's supposedly in good order with European mapping SD card included, and is the HRM version. That's a wee bit more than I budgeted for, but then I didn't realise the lesser units didn't have basemaps. Will this unit do what I want it to do?

Basically I want to a) log my rides, b) share them, c) download other people's rides and follow them.

Is there any software that would allow you to plot a ride on say mapometer.com and then transfer them into the unit as a course to follow?
 

GrumpyGregry

Here for rides.
Is there any software that would allow you to plot a ride on say mapometer.com and then transfer them into the unit as a course to follow?

Bikehike will do it. (EDIT: By which I mean a USB connected GPS and a browser with the Garmin plug in loaded will allow back and forther transfer of tracks/routes to and from your GPS and a mapping source like Bikihike)

The Audax web site has some excellent articles on it about route planning and GPS

Edge 705 review here from an authority on the subject.
 
OP
OP
Cubist

Cubist

Still wavin'
Location
Ovver 'thill
Bikehike will do it. (EDIT: By which I mean a USB connected GPS and a browser with the Garmin plug in loaded will allow back and forther transfer of tracks/routes to and from your GPS and a mapping source like Bikihike)

The Audax web site has some excellent articles on it about route planning and GPS

Edge 705 review here from an authority on the subject.
Great review, I feel a purchase coming on.......
 

fossyant

Ride It Like You Stole It!
Location
South Manchester
With the Edge, you can also get the open source MTB maps which include bridleway/canal paths etc. (for free).
 

jayonabike

Powered by caffeine & whisky
Location
Hertfordshire
Just to throw a spanner in the works...
I have a SatMap gps, and I can't fault it. I used to have a Garmin 705 but I sold it. The problem I found with it was if you zoom out to look at the larger area you loose a lot of minor roads and all it displays are major routes, so the nice quiet country lane your cycling down and you want to see where it goes suddenly disappears. The Satmap has a larger screen, I have had no problems with battery life, it lasts all day and the maps are 1:50000 O/S landranger (you can buy 1:25000 for greater detail) Worth taking a look at. Plotting routes to follow is easy, I use ridewithgps save as a gpx file and upload to the unit.
 

andrew_s

Legendary Member
Location
Gloucester
This is what mapping on the etrex vista HCx looks like. And below here is the dakota (20):

The map is of the same area.
No it isn't - the dakota sceen has only about 1/3 the area covered on the eTrex screen.

Anyway, a question...

Does the dakota touchscreen work with gloves on?
Many don't, unless you get special conductive gloves.
 
OP
OP
Cubist

Cubist

Still wavin'
Location
Ovver 'thill
No it isn't - the dakota sceen has only about 1/3 the area covered on the eTrex screen.

Anyway, a question...

Does the dakota touchscreen work with gloves on?
Many don't, unless you get special conductive gloves.

I think he meant they are displaying maps of the same geographic area rather than comparing screen dimensions.....

Handtec are doing the HRM and Cadence bundle 705 for £227.......:unsure:
 

Andrew_P

In between here and there
I went through quite a few other GPS/Bike computers and ended up with a 705, which is still in use 12 months later and I have never considered or pondered an upgrade, which for me in cycling speaks volumes.

If you have an N+1 all you need is a to buy at a later date another GC10 Cadence unit and a mount and it takes 1 minute to change the bike on the unit and stick it on your N+1

At £227 with all the add ons its really is great value brand new and boxed. For the sake £60 I would buy the new unit but I am a bit funny like that.

The only thing I have found is if you do not have the GC10 (cadence and wheel speed unit) is that the Sat Nav for speed and distance is very Android/Iphone-esque in that it flaps around when the Nav is struggling for clear sight, the GC10 irons these out.
 
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