Navigating When Touring

[Falco]

What would you say is the best and most reliable way to navigate a long distance ride over a few days? In my opinion, having a paper map is a must, if only as a backup.

But I was wondering if there is a route navigation device that anyone could recommend? Ideally, I'd like a cycle orientated turn-by-turn directing navigation device that will create routes for cyclists at any point on the tour, not needing another device to pre-make the route. I don't need any of the cadence, speed, segment, heart rate, tracking etc. features, just the navigation. Having it waterproof is a must and a long battery life would be good, otherwise I might as well just use my phone.

Or is there a better way?

[trilathon]

Paper maps and sometimes not even that.

Turn your tour into a quest for batteries, electricity, hook ups, chargers, satellite reception, subscriptions, audax routing, mindless predictability, a handlebar with not room left for the hands, relying on a device and not ones wits and personal communication, a dead weight pannier like a ball and chain shackle for your digital drug habit, the latest soma, and you might as well get a caravan or stay at home...choose life.

[Mike777]

Hi

I use an Satmap active 10 with o/s maps.

https://satmap.com/

There is now an active 12 !

Totally changed the distance I travel in terms of not having to stop and keep checking maps as device fixed to handle bars. Know with 5 seconds of a wrong turn based on the dot not tracking and programmed route programmed. Opened up unknown tracks and paths all over the country rather than cycling down busy roads (choose life !) Used on JOGLE a few years ago mainly tracking sustains and off road paths (I like safe predictability)

Rechargeable battery pack lasts about 14 hours which has always been fine. Plenty of adjustments to save battery (or takes only 3 AA batteries)

Guess the issue now is cost based on most phones having GPS.

I really like it and it have served me well over the past 5 years on numerous trips so on that basis it has been cost effective.

Regards

Mike

[hamster]

Most of the time I use a paper map. A phone with turn by turn navigation is a godsend in towns when trying to find a specific address like a youth hostel.

[Falco]

...digital drug habit, the latest soma...

I like the reference to Brave New World and that sort of romanticised freedom does appeal to me. I'm not that hardcore.

[Falco]

I use an Satmap active 10 with o/s maps.

Sounds interesting. I'll take a look at it.

[Falco]

Most of the time I use a paper map.

Do you have the paper map attached to your handlebars?

[PH]

Paper maps and sometimes not even that.

Turn your tour into a quest for batteries, electricity, hook ups, chargers, satellite reception, subscriptions, audax routing, mindless predictability, a handlebar with not room left for the hands, relying on a device and not ones wits and personal communication, a dead weight pannier like a ball and chain shackle for your digital drug habit, the latest soma, and you might as well get a caravan or stay at home...choose life.

Great post, made me laugh.
But my Garmin adds to my touring pleasure and I don't recognise any of that, like lots of things, it's a master/slave choice.

[hamster]

Most of the time I use a paper map.

Do you have the paper map attached to your handlebars?

Yes, in the top pocket on the bar bag usually. For audax events I use a small bit of perspex (10x8cm) zip tied to the top of the stem. Small bulldog clips hold a map or cue card in a plastic wallet.

[Falco]

What's the best paper cycle maps to use in England/UK?

[meic]

I am a keen enough fan of my Etrex GPS but it doesnt do what the OP is asking for.

They are very good at keeping you on a track that you have planned and downloaded from another source. The small screen and fiddly buttons/toggle make them pretty poor for planning on.
Trusting the onboard route calculations is normally a recipe for disaster!

Paper maps for an overview are fine but dont easily transform into a GPS track.

If the GPS had the route planning ability of Cycle.travel then I would be willing to trust its ability to pick a track for me to follow, which would probably be no worse than one I chose for myself.
As it doesnt you would need access to all those things that somebody poked fun at in a previous post.
A larger screen, access to digital maps, hardware and software to plot and transfer to the GPS.

For Wales the best paper maps for long distance touring are the OS Tour sheets 1:175,000.
North and Mid Wales (formerly sheet 10)
South and Mid Wales (formerly sheet 11).

[psmiffy]

[foxyrider]

What's the best paper cycle maps to use in England/UK?

Probably OS Explorer series. I use the Landranger series mostly but neither are that convenient for bigger trips due to the scale.

For those something at 1:100000 or even smaller will generally suffice - I prefer Michelin as they still get in a lot of detail.

[Mike777]

Forgot to mention I use www.bikehike.co.uk when planning a route.

Can plan by switching on cycle paths and checking all things relating to route like elevation ...mileage etc. Can toggle between OS maps etc.

Then simply save and then download route to Active 10 and away.

Great website.

Mike

[meic]

Then simply save and then download route to Active 10 and away.

But that can not be done when you are already out on the road on tour, can it?