Looking for a Multi Purpose GPS

[oldcarltonfan]

Ladies, Gents,


I am looking for a single GPS device to use on a cycle, motorcycle, on foot and as a back up in the car. I don’t need sports functions such as cadence and heart-rate offered by the Edge 800, but I do want the battery life.


My problem is that I have got used to GPS audio via a headphone jack-plug in the motorcycle intercom and I can’t find a modern GPS with an audio-out jack-plug to replace my ancient, failing motorcycle GPS system due to the widespread use of mini-USB. I cannot find details of any systems which offer audio-out via the USB either; if they did I could use a USB to jack-plug converter.

I assume most modern systems can automatically plan direct to a point or address without computer pre-planning, similar to the classic ‘fastest route’ option on a car-only GPS?

Everything else points towards the better eTrex or Oregon450 type systems, i.e. Waterproof, shock resistant, colour, multiple waypoint (200+) and multiple route (50+), long battery life or chargeable via 12v socket (motorcycle/car use) and the ability to be loaded with suitable maps for European usage (City Navigator style) and accurate UK Ordinance Survey ‘50 Thou’ if required.

Does anyone know of a system with some form of audio out that I can convert to a jack-plug or will I have to accept that one unit won’t do all jobs perfectly?

Yours

Oldcarltonfan

 

[MrGrumpy]

Mobile phone app would do all of that just battery life thats the issue?

 

[oldcarltonfan]

Mr Grumpy,

I must confess, I hadn't thought of that.

I can use my mobile through the intercom whilst charging it from the bike anyway, it's already rigged. That would leave me an adequate motorcycle solution and I could spend the money on something optimised for battery life when cycling and hiking. I'll test it next time I'm on the motorbike.

I've just realised this should be in the bike, accessories, kit and clothing forum. I apologise to the mods, is anyone able to move it?

Yours

Oldcarlton fan

 

[Jonathan86]

Mr Grumpy,

I must confess, I hadn't thought of that.

I can use my mobile through the intercom whilst charging it from the bike anyway, it's already rigged. That would leave me an adequate motorcycle solution and I could spend the money on something optimised for battery life when cycling and hiking. I'll test it next time I'm on the motorbike.

I've just realised this should be in the bike, accessories, kit and clothing forum. I apologise to the mods, is anyone able to move it?

Yours

Oldcarlton fan

Your phone may have a better battery life than you realise.

I took mine out on a 45 mile trek on my MTB yesterday. 4 hours later I took it out of my bag to find it still had 45 odd percent battery life left. The trick is to turn everything off you don't need. For example, I just want it to track my runs and cycles quietly in my rucksack and therefore don't need stats in my face every second. As such, GPS is on, but I set the screen timeout to the lowest it can go, turn off 3G/Wifi and turn off every other unnecessary bacground process.

Give it a shot, could save you a few hundred quid.

 

[ColinJ]

Bigger text please - my old eyes can't cope with small print any more!