Re. paper maps - I got my paper maps out the other day to look at my usual 25-35 mile circuits (which I can navigate from memory). As I recall it, with the 1:25000 sheets, I needed 4 sheets but with the 1:12500 sheets, I only needed 3. If I was travelling eastward from Coventry to Stamford (61 miles plotted with cycle.travel), I only need two 1:25000 sheets.
Using phone maps (O.S., Google or Osmand in my experience), even using the zoom facility, it is difficult to "see" a route on the little lanes (I find the same thing challenging when at the junction of three or four paper sheets too).
After some navigation errors using a track displayed on my phone via Osmand (I had the phone in my pocket, taking it out to refer to as I felt necessary - not on the handlebar "always on"), I got a Garmin Edge 530: it's turn-by-turn navigation function works well, it mounts conveniently and has a good battery life.
I can't use it to calculate a route to a specified destination but I can on the Connect phone app and then transfer it but I understand this relies on a data signal. I can use Osmand to plot a route with no data signal and I can transfer the route to the Garmin using a cabled connection but I can't do it over Bluetooth (despite both phone & Garmin having Bluetooth) and I can't import the gpx file into Garmin Connect (phone app) from my Osmand folder. I cannot use the 530 as a stand-alone to calculate a route to a destination.
I understand that some of the more expensive Garmins in the Edge range are capable of stand-alone route calculation by postcode but doing a web search, I find it ridiculously difficult to determine what cycle GPS computer has what stand-alone (and not requiring data signal/smartphone link) route calculation capability - particularly by address or point on map.
Recently, I was going to use a pre-loaded route to navigate back from a pub but decided to take an off-road detour through some woods, with the plan to load the route on the Garmin when I was back on the road and in the vicinity, hoping that the Garmin route recalculation would get me back on track. It was a nightmare and I ended up looking at Osmand on my phone (with the same track showing) to get back on track. Even then, when back on track and switching to the Garmin, the Garmin tried taking me in the wrong direction (and I didn't have it set to navigate to start of track).
I have also had problems with the Garmin when it thinks I am on a parallel road/path and when my return is on the same roads as my outward journey (so now I pre-load the outward and return legs as separate tracks). I do find the menu navigation on the unit a bit unintuitive too.
Despite all those problems, on a pre-loaded route, the Garmin is the easiest and best navigation aid that I have used. Even using online cycle-specific route-plotters, I am rarely happy with the route without doing some tinkering and making some changes - so I wouldn't expect a stand-alone unit to give me a preferred route - just a "get me there" route.
Using phone maps (O.S., Google or Osmand in my experience), even using the zoom facility, it is difficult to "see" a route on the little lanes (I find the same thing challenging when at the junction of three or four paper sheets too).
After some navigation errors using a track displayed on my phone via Osmand (I had the phone in my pocket, taking it out to refer to as I felt necessary - not on the handlebar "always on"), I got a Garmin Edge 530: it's turn-by-turn navigation function works well, it mounts conveniently and has a good battery life.
I can't use it to calculate a route to a specified destination but I can on the Connect phone app and then transfer it but I understand this relies on a data signal. I can use Osmand to plot a route with no data signal and I can transfer the route to the Garmin using a cabled connection but I can't do it over Bluetooth (despite both phone & Garmin having Bluetooth) and I can't import the gpx file into Garmin Connect (phone app) from my Osmand folder. I cannot use the 530 as a stand-alone to calculate a route to a destination.
I understand that some of the more expensive Garmins in the Edge range are capable of stand-alone route calculation by postcode but doing a web search, I find it ridiculously difficult to determine what cycle GPS computer has what stand-alone (and not requiring data signal/smartphone link) route calculation capability - particularly by address or point on map.
Recently, I was going to use a pre-loaded route to navigate back from a pub but decided to take an off-road detour through some woods, with the plan to load the route on the Garmin when I was back on the road and in the vicinity, hoping that the Garmin route recalculation would get me back on track. It was a nightmare and I ended up looking at Osmand on my phone (with the same track showing) to get back on track. Even then, when back on track and switching to the Garmin, the Garmin tried taking me in the wrong direction (and I didn't have it set to navigate to start of track).
I have also had problems with the Garmin when it thinks I am on a parallel road/path and when my return is on the same roads as my outward journey (so now I pre-load the outward and return legs as separate tracks). I do find the menu navigation on the unit a bit unintuitive too.
Despite all those problems, on a pre-loaded route, the Garmin is the easiest and best navigation aid that I have used. Even using online cycle-specific route-plotters, I am rarely happy with the route without doing some tinkering and making some changes - so I wouldn't expect a stand-alone unit to give me a preferred route - just a "get me there" route.
