Sat Nav for cycling

[Heltor Chasca]

I use the stars as the most reliable method to navigate.

During the day I use a Wahoo Elemnt with RWGPS or Cycle.Travel

 

[Paul_Smith SRCC]

I agree with the majority on this thread, bike GPS units are far better at following a planned route composed at leisure on a computer, they are less impressive if you actually try and plan a route using one. To plan a route on a computer my personal favourite is RWGPS, I like that you can toggle between driving, cycling and walking; using driving to make sure I stay on roads and toggle to walking if I want to walk over a footbridge for example. Plotting a route on a computer is all part of the build up for me, I'm in my mid fifties and plotting a route reminds me that back in the day I would have on OS map in the bathroom that I would read 'on the toilet' merrily planning my next ride

I still use my Garmin 810 that I bought in 2013 and is still actually available from Madison the UK distributor, note you can use the unit to plan a route (click for video) although it is a bit of a faff, that said I have used it on the rare occasion and been pleased with results, but I much prefer pre planning where possible. Of the current Garmin range if I were buying now I would choose the Edge 830, in many ways a touch screen version of the Edge 530 that uses buttons instead; I find the former far more intuitive to use than the 530 and well worth the extra £90.00 at retail as far as I'm concerned. The 830 is so impressive I'd actually choose it over their flagship model the Edge 1030. All the current units have a listed battery life of 20 hours, where as my 810 has 17. I'd treat all of those as optimistic, that said I have never run out of battery but when on tour I do carry a power bank in my 'handlebar bag' as back up just incase, if needed the usb lead easily reaches the 810 located on my stem. There are quite a few GPS units from other brands, Wahoo, Satmap, Bryton and Lezyne to name just a few, all have there pros and cons and note some have more a focus on training data than they do navigation

Although I plan courses using RWGPS, I do import that route into Garmin Connect so that I have a back up on my phone if needed, I can also use the same app on my phone to plan a route from 'point to point' as well as a 'circular route' over a specified distance which I have found of some use when on a center based holiday when I do not have my computer with me or pre planned routes already loaded onto the unit.

I do find a GPS incredibly useful, most of the time I love it, but there has and I dare say will be the in the future the odd occasion where it will send me around the bend when it should've navigated me around it but didn't! Like any GPS I would recommend not relying on the navigation too much, like many who use GPS systems in their car you will find the odd occasion where the system will not do what is expected and you need to over ride the presented information with a large dollop of common sense!

 

[derrick]

Let me know how you plan your route.

@YukonBoy Just a bump. Or did you get lost.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

@YukonBoy Just a bump. Or did you get lost.

Nope I pick a list of villages to pass through in sequence. If a short list I hold it in my head, longer I'll write down a list of them and put in route sheet holder on stem. If there are any tricky navigation bits I'll make a note of the turns. Most of the time you can just follow the sign posts. Map in saddlebag as backup. Works a treat anywhere in the country, as well as abroad, though in France noting road numbers works better.

 

[Deleted member 26715]

Nope I pick a list of villages to pass through in sequence. If a short list I hold it in my head, longer I'll write down a list of them and put in route sheet holder on stem. If there are any tricky navigation bits I'll make a note of the turns. Most of the time you can just follow the sign posts. Map in saddlebag as backup. Works a treat anywhere in the country, as well as abroad, though in France noting road numbers works better.

Works if you're using roads, not so good it you're using bridleways where the signs have accidentally been knocked over.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Works if you're using roads, not so good it you're using bridleways where the signs have accidentally been knocked over.

Use a compass and a route sheet with distances for that. Most Bridleways signs don't have a destination on them anyway apart from where they leave the road. It's not hard navigating without a GPS. You should try it.

 

[derrick]

Nope I pick a list of villages to pass through in sequence. If a short list I hold it in my head, longer I'll write down a list of them and put in route sheet holder on stem. If there are any tricky navigation bits I'll make a note of the turns. Most of the time you can just follow the sign posts. Map in saddlebag as backup. Works a treat anywhere in the country, as well as abroad, though in France noting road numbers works better.

Sounds like a lot of faffing about.do you use waterproof maps? I have a lot of routes in my head. Some of them 80 milers. But nomally anymore than 50 miles it goes on the Wahoo. Rain wind or shine the route is always in front of me.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Sounds like a lot of faffing about.do you use waterproof maps? I have a lot of routes in my head. Some of them 80 milers. But nomally anymore than 50 miles it goes on the Wahoo. Rain wind or shine the route is always in front of me.

Less faffing than messing with your wahoo by sounds of things, far quicker to draw up a list of places. Some use electronic technology for its own sake, which fine, but far from necessary. Waterproofing you just need a clear sandwich bag and some bar bags have a built in map holder. Plus also far more flexible is you change parts of the route.

 

[Deleted member 26715]

You should try it.

Why, if I go somewhere new I'm happy to plan on the PC before load it into Komoot & follow the arrows, I'm not arseing about getting maps out mid ride, shoot if I wanted to do that I'd buy a carbon road bike.

 

[derrick]

Less faffing than messing with your wahoo by sounds of things, far quicker to draw up a list of places. Some use electronic technology for its own sake, which fine, but far from necessary. Waterproofing you just need a clear sandwich bag and some bar bags have a built in map holder. Plus also far more flexible is you change parts of the route.

You obviously have never used one.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

You obviously have never used one.

You are mistaken. Try a route without one, it's only a faff, and hard if you're not the best at navigation but really it's the simplest of methods. You'll be far more aware of where you are rather than slavishly following that line on the small screen.

 

[derrick]

You are mistaken. Try a route without one, it's only a faff, and hard if you're not the best at navigation but really it's the simplest of methods. You'll be far more aware of where you are rather than slavishly following that line on the small screen.

I have done a lot of sailing, using charts is not a problem, while at sea there is no room for errors, the GPS was the backup. but on land i like the easy life. I do not want to keep stopping to look at maps. each to there own, you stick with maps i will do it the easy way.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

I have done a lot of sailing, using charts is not a problem, while at sea there is no room for errors, the GPS was the backup. but on land i like the easy life. I do not want to keep stopping to look at maps. each to there own, you stick with maps i will do it the easy way.

You don't the map is the backup. Most of the time you just look at the sign post at a junction. Fast, easy, no need to mess around.

 

[Shut Up Legs]

I thought I'd revive this thread, and ask some questions: have any of you used the Wahoo Elemnt Roam for a while, and if so

- how did you find it overall?
- how is the battery life? It's claimed to be 17 hours, but under what conditions, i.e. if you're using the navigation feature is the battery life less than that?
- how is the GPS accuracy?
- how is the unit's overall reliability? Does it appear to have any really annoying software bugs?

Regards & thanks,

--- Victor.

 

[Heltor Chasca]

I thought I'd revive this thread, and ask some questions: have any of you used the Wahoo Elemnt Roam for a while, and if so

- how did you find it overall?
- how is the battery life? It's claimed to be 17 hours, but under what conditions, i.e. if you're using the navigation feature is the battery life less than that?
- how is the GPS accuracy?
- how is the unit's overall reliability? Does it appear to have any really annoying software bugs?

Regards & thanks,

--- Victor.

I don’t think it has been around long enough yet for a long term view. When they have been about, the Roam is an upgrade from my Elemnt that I will be considering.