Best bike GPS system for pre-planned tour around UK

[Jamesh]

Brilliant thanks!!

I'll have a play!

I took me half the ride to get it working properly after a IT reset!!

[Sweep]

seem to be a fair number of folk having issues with "high-end" garmins.
Why not just use an Etrex 20/30 series?
Does everything I need and has been used on some very long rides.

[rareposter]

seem to be a fair number of folk having issues with "high-end" garmins.
Why not just use an Etrex 20/30 series?
Does everything I need and has been used on some very long rides.

I'm not sure they're "issues" to be honest but a lot of people seem to think you can just pop it on the bars and head out for a ride - you can't.

It needs some fairly detailed setting up, sometimes via an app if you're pairing things like a powermeter, cadence sensors, Di2 shifters etc to it, also if it's is syncing automatically to Garmin Connect, Strava etc. There are dozens of data fields you can potentially display so it's working out which ones you want and the layout on the screen, the mapping (even something as simple as North Up vs Track Up for example), the pages and the order you want to flick through them and that's before you get to routing options like choosing trails over roads.

Once it's set up then yes, they're usually pretty simple and you certainly don't need to repeat the set-up process every ride but you do need to know how it will behave when it comes to re-routing you if you go off course for example.

I'm just getting used to my Garmin.
It has three options for route choice:- distance, time and ascent.
Can you modify the display at all?
It's a touring edge btw.

Is that the option where the unit chooses routes for you? You tell it you want to do (eg) 40 miles and it pops up 3 possible options?
Check those carefully - they're based on popularity and user rankings so it can end up sending you off down an A-road or through forestry land depending on whereabouts in the country you are and what "popular" rides are uploaded near you. If you try that in SW London for example, it'll always put you through Richmond Park as that has far and away the "most popular" segments in the area.

[Sweep]

seem to be a fair number of folk having issues with "high-end" garmins.
Why not just use an Etrex 20/30 series?
Does everything I need and has been used on some very long rides.

I'm not sure they're "issues" to be honest but a lot of people seem to think you can just pop it on the bars and head out for a ride - you can't.

It needs some fairly detailed setting up, sometimes via an app if you're pairing things like a powermeter, cadence sensors, Di2 shifters etc to it, also if it's is syncing automatically to Garmin Connect, Strava etc.

was referring to need outlined in title of thread - maybe it's drifted - have just skim-read.
Etrex 20/30 is fine for pre-planned.

and as for:

>>pairing things like a powermeter, cadence sensors, Di2 shifters etc to it, also if it's is syncing automatically to Garmin Connect, Strava etc

I'd rather worry that all that might somewhat take away from the joy/interest in the tour around the UK.
where you might want to unsync/unpair.

[Sweep]

on the point upthread, someone complaining that their garmin won't take postcodes, this might prove handy.

https://www.freemaptools.com/convert-uk ... at-lng.htm

a two-step process of course - doesn't give the lightening fast result some folk expect of everything these days, but fine for chilled touring and general purpose use.

[rareposter]

was referring to need outlined in title of thread - maybe it's drifted - have just skim-read.
Etrex 20/30 is fine for pre-planned.

and as for:

>>pairing things like a powermeter, cadence sensors, Di2 shifters etc to it, also if it's is syncing automatically to Garmin Connect, Strava etc

I'd rather worry that all that might somewhat take away from the joy/interest in the tour around the UK.
where you might want to unsync/unpair.

I seem to remember that the OP (7 pages ago) did start a tour of the UK but then binned it off; since then the thread has drifted around a bit of general GPS matters.

Not sure about the issue of syncing - I guess everyone is different and what works for one person might not be of interest to another but once it's set up it kind of just gets on with it in the background, doesn't really affect the riding. One thing about the unit automatically uploading rides is that even if you lose or break the unit, you don't lose all your ride data, it'll be backed up online.
I did a LEJOG last year using a brand new GPS (mine broke about 2 days before the start) so I didn't have time to get it all set up to sync to the cloud. Was terrified of losing or breaking it along with all my ride info saved on the unit itself!

[Sweep]

was referring to need outlined in title of thread - maybe it's drifted - have just skim-read.
Etrex 20/30 is fine for pre-planned.

and as for:

>>pairing things like a powermeter, cadence sensors, Di2 shifters etc to it, also if it's is syncing automatically to Garmin Connect, Strava etc

I'd rather worry that all that might somewhat take away from the joy/interest in the tour around the UK.
where you might want to unsync/unpair.

I seem to remember that the OP (7 pages ago) did start a tour of the UK but then binned it off; since then the thread has drifted around a bit of general GPS matters.

Not sure about the issue of syncing - I guess everyone is different and what works for one person might not be of interest to another but once it's set up it kind of just gets on with it in the background, doesn't really affect the riding. One thing about the unit automatically uploading rides is that even if you lose or break the unit, you don't lose all your ride data, it'll be backed up online.
I did a LEJOG last year using a brand new GPS (mine broke about 2 days before the start) so I didn't have time to get it all set up to sync to the cloud. Was terrified of losing or breaking it along with all my ride info saved on the unit itself!

nothing to stop you saving all your gpx s to the cloud separately surely? - then can re/download to whatever. Mine are on cycletravel and usually separately to googledrive - can download these at will back to the garmin etrex via a small tab.

[rareposter]

nothing to stop you saving all your gpx s to the cloud separately surely?

This is the ride info - not a pre-planned course, the actual "I rode x miles at y mph average along z route". Because I'd not had time to set the unit up to connect via my phone and auto-upload rides, the data was stored on the unit itself and I couldn't get it off there until I actually plugged the unit into a laptop. And I wasn't carrying a laptop with me! Losing/breaking the GPS would have meant all the ride data disappearing forever.

Now when I finish a ride, the GPS just passes the info to the app on the phone via Bluetooth and the phone uploads it via wifi or 4G and the ride appears online a couple of minutes later. I can go in via the app and add pictures, crop the route, re-name it or whatever.

Works the other way around as well - I can plan a route on the phone using the app and then pass it to the GPS via Bluetooth. Useful if your tour ends up being different to what was planned or you have to re-route one day.

[Ayseven]

Just want to add... I. use an Edge 830 Garmin all the time. It does not work reliably when I programme routes on the device itself. It functions much better for me if I use Cycle.travel or Komoot to plan. I have tried the Komoot app on the 830, and it doesn't even show the path, although it gives you a map. Not very helpful.

A phone is not waterproof as I discovered on a bike packing trip recently. Battery life can be extended by always turning off the screen, and having give you voice prompts.

The best way I have found to use the Garmin is to plot a route on Komoot or whatever, and send that to Garmin Connect. Then pair your Garmin to your phone (make sure your bluetooth is on), and send the file to the 830. Not a very elegant solution if you ask me, but it does work that way for me.

I am pretty sure you can speed up the Garmin devices by flushing out all the old routes you have done, and resetting it. Garmin help people can tell you how.

If anybody has a better way to do things, please post them! I can't help feeling I am completely missing something.

[MrsHJ]

seem to be a fair number of folk having issues with "high-end" garmins.
Why not just use an Etrex 20/30 series?
Does everything I need and has been used on some very long rides.

Yes, my personal suggestion would be to avoid a garmin or similar until you’ve identified a real need for one. I’ve had two of the high end touring ones and I couldn’t rely on them. Both would randomly crash in the middle of a preplanned route in the middle of France or the states. In the USA in particular I was in pretty remote areas with limited maps. Luckily I was on fairly obvious trails and had great phone coverage. It was these events that lead me to conclude that good roaming was essential and I eventually gave up on the garmin and started leaving it at home. I bought a £10 wired cycle computer for the basic stuff.

[Sweep]

seem to be a fair number of folk having issues with "high-end" garmins.
Why not just use an Etrex 20/30 series?
Does everything I need and has been used on some very long rides.

Yes, my personal suggestion would be to avoid a garmin or similar until you’ve identified a real need for one. I’ve had two of the high end touring ones and I couldn’t rely on them. Both would randomly crash in the middle of a preplanned route in the middle of France or the states. In the USA in particular I was in pretty remote areas with limited maps. Luckily I was on fairly obvious trails and had great phone coverage. It was these events that lead me to conclude that good roaming was essential and I eventually gave up on the garmin and started leaving it at home. I bought a £10 wired cycle computer for the basic stuff.

Apologies if I have lost the drift/your history on gps and current set-up, but if you are now just using a non navigating bike computer I would strongly recommend the 20/30 series.
I have two 20s and one 20x (two of these obtained secondhand for spares/future proofing).
I have read so many tales of some of the smaller supposedly whizzy models having fits.
The worst that happens to mine is that now and again, very rarely, they freeze.
Very easy to fix. Stop, enjoy view, take the two AAs out, put them back in - ride along.
Anyone who has one will know that they also have a few other limitations, but maybe this is why they essentially work and are very reliable - not trying to be too clever.
Have ridden many night rides through wonky territory on mine, rides of 160-200 miles.
Also great for use off the bike - wandering around towns on foot.

edit
one here:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/225056523155 ... ondition=4

(no connection to me)
looks like it comes with no lead but a lead could be obtained.
It's the 20 - the 20x has a higher resolution screen but some say that in reality that makes it less readable.

[Psamathe]

seem to be a fair number of folk having issues with "high-end" garmins.
Why not just use an Etrex 20/30 series?
Does everything I need and has been used on some very long rides.

Yes, my personal suggestion would be to avoid a garmin or similar until you’ve identified a real need for one. I’ve had two of the high end touring ones and I couldn’t rely on them. Both would randomly crash in the middle of a preplanned route in the middle of France or the states. In the USA in particular I was in pretty remote areas with limited maps. Luckily I was on fairly obvious trails and had great phone coverage. It was these events that lead me to conclude that good roaming was essential and I eventually gave up on the garmin and started leaving it at home. I bought a £10 wired cycle computer for the basic stuff.

My own experience differs. Used high-end Garmin for 5 years now (incl. 3 months daily turn-by-turn on tours as well as local) and had 2 crashes where it immediately restarted, went back into the route resuming from where it left off and even the recorded track continued without much disruption.

Ian

[Jdsk]

seem to be a fair number of folk having issues with "high-end" garmins.
Why not just use an Etrex 20/30 series?
Does everything I need and has been used on some very long rides.

Yes, my personal suggestion would be to avoid a garmin or similar until you’ve identified a real need for one. I’ve had two of the high end touring ones and I couldn’t rely on them. Both would randomly crash in the middle of a preplanned route in the middle of France or the states. In the USA in particular I was in pretty remote areas with limited maps. Luckily I was on fairly obvious trails and had great phone coverage. It was these events that lead me to conclude that good roaming was essential and I eventually gave up on the garmin and started leaving it at home. I bought a £10 wired cycle computer for the basic stuff.

My own experience differs. Used high-end Garmin for 5 years now (incl. 3 months daily turn-by-turn on tours as well as local) and had 2 crashes where it immediately restarted, went back into the route resuming from where it left off and even the recorded track continued without much disruption.

And i've had no problems of this kind with an Edge 1000. Amazing machine.

Jonathan

[MrsHJ]

seem to be a fair number of folk having issues with "high-end" garmins.
Why not just use an Etrex 20/30 series?
Does everything I need and has been used on some very long rides.

Yes, my personal suggestion would be to avoid a garmin or similar until you’ve identified a real need for one. I’ve had two of the high end touring ones and I couldn’t rely on them. Both would randomly crash in the middle of a preplanned route in the middle of France or the states. In the USA in particular I was in pretty remote areas with limited maps. Luckily I was on fairly obvious trails and had great phone coverage. It was these events that lead me to conclude that good roaming was essential and I eventually gave up on the garmin and started leaving it at home. I bought a £10 wired cycle computer for the basic stuff.

Apologies if I have lost the drift/your history on gps and current set-up, but if you are now just using a non navigating bike computer I would strongly recommend the 20/30 series.
I have two 20s and one 20x (two of these obtained secondhand for spares/future proofing).
I have read so many tales of some of the smaller supposedly whizzy models having fits.
The worst that happens to mine is that now and again, very rarely, they freeze.
Very easy to fix. Stop, enjoy view, take the two AAs out, put them back in - ride along.
Anyone who has one will know that they also have a few other limitations, but maybe this is why they essentially work and are very reliable - not trying to be too clever.
Have ridden many night rides through wonky territory on mine, rides of 160-200 miles.
Also great for use off the bike - wandering around towns on foot.

edit
one here:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/225056523155 ... ondition=4

(no connection to me)
looks like it comes with no lead but a lead could be obtained.
It's the 20 - the 20x has a higher resolution screen but some say that in reality that makes it less readable.

I am beta testing the cycle.travel app for Richard and love it. No plans to get another bike computer, other than the £10 cateye one. The only thing I need to do is figure out whether I want the phone on my handlebars and if so how to do it super safely. I have a map on there anyway.

NB the models I had were the really expensive touring ones, not the edge but maybe it is now replaced by the edge? Funnily enough I got it after not getting on with the other one on the assumption it was just me but I recognise that some stuff works well for the way some people use it and other stuff not so much, I’m now too burnt to buy another one and have no need for it. I got the touring plus one before going to the USA (tested it on a shake down tour in France/CH and wasn’t delighted) and haven’t bothered to tour with it since the USA- in general I’m steadily stripping out stuff I don’t really need and refining my kit. The cateye is a 5 on one bike and a 7 on the other I think. Very solid, no issues, leave it in the bike all the time- can’t imagine anyone bothering to steal it unless bored teens. Has the only info that interests me- distance and speed. https://www.cateyecycling.co.uk/product ... mputer-p43