GPS systems

[Norry1]

Fair point, I was just getting impatient

Its from an eBay shop as opposed to Joe Soap, so hopefully should be okay.

Martin

 

[thebigredone]

Sportypal is free and will give you the ability to track your ride through a free to use website. Works well on the Blackberry too.

Of course, GPS eats batteries on phones, and isn't great (when one runs out, you really want the other).

Personally, I use an Etrex Legend. AA batteries means it'll run all day, and I can get replacements at the roadside (if needed). I got over 44 hours almost non stop out of a set of Energizer lithiums, but generally use Uniross rechargeables.

It'll route me from A-B (ok, via a few Cs). I can review gradient and stuff as I go, and review the profile on the PC afterwards. I can see all the distance and speed information I need.

Its cheap. Cheerful. Works.

Sportypal's not too bad on the 8900...did a three hour ride last Sunday and it was still showing as fully charged when I got home. Obviously it wasn't but it hadn't lost much.

 

[sarahpink]

well my cat eye strada fell of my bike today, so thought hey why not get this!! so am going to order the garmin edge 705 with all the trimmings one question though how do i mount it onto my bike? would I need to get something seperate to mount it on, ceratinly don't want this beauty to fall of.

 

[Will1985]

All the trimmings? No need to spend money on the mapping one...OSM is fine.

It comes with all the mounts - you zip tie the GSC10 to the left chainstay, stick and zip tie the crankarm magnet, and zip tie the 705 mount onto the stem (ideally, but handlebar will do). The newer mounts are better but still prone to breaking so be careful. Replacements are about £8!!

 

[rh100]

This may a useful site to some:
http://www.tramsoft.ch/gps/garmin_dakota20_en.html

It's a shop, and it's foreign so I doubt anybody here will use them, BUT - it was quite usefull in seeing the features and screenshots of various different Garmin devices, a lot of the search results looking for info on Google didn't seem to go indepth.

Although I use Sportypal, and would still recommend it for use on a phone, I've talked myself into getting a Garmin Dakota 20.

It was a toss up between that or an Oregon 200.

The Dakota has a smaller screen, but is supposedly a bit brighter, it has the full compass and barometer same as the 705, and according to Garmin's site, it will take a HRM and cadence sensor, not overly bothered about that but just incase I come over all strange later on and get sporty about things

It also has a micro SD slot for added memory, but there is already 850mb on board, it also has USB connectivity and takes AA batteries.

There is also a Dakota 10, which seems to be the same, minus the compass and altitude barometer thing and the memory slot - not sure about the HRM with that. My main concern was the memory slot, not sure how it would pan out being limited to 850mb.

Just need to look into the maps now.

It looks like it needs City Navigator to get turn by turn directions for road use, is there a free alternative, ie does the open os stuff allow for turn by turn?

 

[andrew_s]

It looks like it needs City Navigator to get turn by turn directions for road use, is there a free alternative, ie does the open os stuff allow for turn by turn?

OpenStreetmap does do turn directions, but it doesn't do them as well as City Navigator does. For example, at a roundabout you'd just get "left on xxx road", whereas CN might say "1st exit at roundabout"

 

[AndyCarolan]

Interesting thread... Im thinking about going for a Dakota 20 for trail riding, offroad stuff but would I need to buy the Garmin OS maps or would the OSM maps work?

 

[rh100]

OpenStreetmap does do turn directions, but it doesn't do them as well as City Navigator does. For example, at a roundabout you'd just get "left on xxx road", whereas CN might say "1st exit at roundabout"

Thanks, will give it a try before buying anything.

Interesting thread... Im thinking about going for a Dakota 20 for trail riding, offroad stuff but would I need to buy the Garmin OS maps or would the OSM maps work?

Some links for the Dakota you may find interesting

http://www.topofusion.com/diary/2009/12/16/garmin-dakota-20-review/ American based but a review by an MTB'er

http://talkytoaster.info/ukmaps.htm

http://garmindakota.wikispaces.com/ Also click the Oregon link on the left, loads more info (they seem to share the same software)

http://www.gpsinformation.org/penrod/dakota/dakota.html

http://www.gpsfix.net/gamin-dakota-20-first-impressions/

Can't wait to get mine now The more I read the more it seems this is a good device for the price point it's at, hope it lives up to expectations.

 

[AndyCarolan]

Thanks for those links RH100, see... now I want one even more than I did lololol

 

[Norry1]

Well I have the Edge 705 installed now and it is excellent. I even set it up myself, so it must be simple

I need to buy another cadence sensor for my new bike - and also get the mapping stuff. What do I need to order?

Martin