What's the Best GPS Unit for Cycle Touring?

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
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Mick F
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Re: What's the Best GPS Unit for Cycle Touring?

Post by Mick F »

When it's throwing it down, I can't see the screen through the water droplets, so I blow it off! :D
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al_yrpal
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Re: What's the Best GPS Unit for Cycle Touring?

Post by al_yrpal »

I find a small piece of cling film keeps the phone waterproof and doesnt interfere with the touch screen.

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khain
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Re: What's the Best GPS Unit for Cycle Touring?

Post by khain »

granville2 wrote:The high sensitivity of the screen has also been a problem when it is raining hard, the rain drops landing or drops of water rolling on the screen are read as finger touches and unit can get completely tied up trying to keep up with the random inputs. When I made the mistake of unlocking the screen in the rain on a hike I could not get control of the unit without sheltering and drying the screen.

I hadn't even considered the effect of rain drops. That could be a serious problem in Scotland.
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willem jongman
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Re: What's the Best GPS Unit for Cycle Touring?

Post by willem jongman »

I chose the Garmin Etrex 30 because it is cheap, light, and goes 4-5 days on good rechargeable batteries. Therefore, on many trips I do not even need a charger if I take a few sets of spare batteries.
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gordonyoung
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Re: What's the Best GPS Unit for Cycle Touring?

Post by gordonyoung »

I use the Viewranger app on my mobile phone and downloaded the (free) Opencycle map which I have used on all my european tours. I also have the OS maps for the UK and Ireland which I had to pay for. Since I have the phone with me anyway I have found this to be the best solution.
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andymiller
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Re: What's the Best GPS Unit for Cycle Touring?

Post by andymiller »

khain wrote:
granville2 wrote:The high sensitivity of the screen has also been a problem when it is raining hard, the rain drops landing or drops of water rolling on the screen are read as finger touches and unit can get completely tied up trying to keep up with the random inputs. When I made the mistake of unlocking the screen in the rain on a hike I could not get control of the unit without sheltering and drying the screen.

I hadn't even considered the effect of rain drops. That could be a serious problem in Scotland.


You could go for either one of the eTrex series or one of the GPSMap64 series. The eTrex has a little joystick while the GPSMap64s have arrow buttons. Neither is desperately ergonomic, but work in the rain. Whether that's enough of an advantage to persuade you to not get a touchscreen is going to come down to personal preference.
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willem jongman
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Re: What's the Best GPS Unit for Cycle Touring?

Post by willem jongman »

The Etrex models are also far more frugal with batteries.
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