gps for audax rides.

[andymiller]

It's infuriating because you can go miles before you realise it and it cant be corrected. You have to let it correct itself which it usually does. Also as the map is upside down only the bottom 1/2" of the screen shows the road ahead.

These are Garmin 60csx's

I know that it's as obvious as IT support people saying 'have you tried rebooting?' but have you tried updating the firmware? - Garmin do quietly fix a lot of things with firmware updates.

Oh and on the subject of switching on and off, I find that sometimes to get the device to reboot switching on and off isn't enough and that you need to take out a battery.

[andymiller]

IMHO the extra features of the 30 model are not worth the extra.

This is more likely to be true than not. However there are requirements for measuring altitude with a barometric altimeter for certain parts of the Audax experience.

So any Audaxer with an interest in chasing AAA points will want the 30 model.

Or if they dont fancy coping with a wet touch screen an older Vista HCx.

There is a possible drawback with the Vista that it doesnt use .tcx files. I am not bothered by it as I am happy enough just to follow tracks but I can imagine it being of benefit if a GPS did.

Do the 20 and 30 use .tcx's?

The eTrex 20 does a pretty decent job not only of telling you the altitude at any given moment, but also producing altitude profiles and statistics:

31644.jpg (10.4 KiB) Viewed 827 times

(the graph scales are adjustable - so this isn't the best example, but one I had to hand.

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so unless you are required by the regulations to use a barometric altimeter, the eTrex 230 will do the job just as well.

The later eTrexes work with a joystick rather than touchscreen - the joystick isn't wonderful, but it copes fine with the rain.

On the subject of rain, I don't know whether Garmin have cracked the problem of water on touchscreens, but my iPod touch really doesn't cope with rain - and I imagine smartphones have the same problem.

SFAIK the newer eTrexes don't support .tcx - you have to get an 800 etc. .tcx files are .gpx files but with the addition of data on heart rate, cadence etc - this is useful if you want to analyse this information on your computer, but doesn't contribute anything to navigation. (It may also include things like split times which might be useful for racing - I don't know).

[stewartpratt]

On the subject of rain, I don't know whether Garmin have cracked the problem of water on touchscreens, but my iPod touch really doesn't cope with rain - and I imagine smartphones have the same problem.

Phones have capacitive screens, which are affected by water. Garmins use resistive screens, which aren't.

[meic]

so unless you are required by the regulations to use a barometric altimeter

Yes that was what was behind my comment, to have the climbing validated I thought that it needs to use a barometric altimeter but I am having my doubts now.
The use of a GPS enables Audaxers to collect AAA points on their own DIY rides.

Sorry if this is all a bit Audax geeky and specific but the title of the thread does specify for Audax use and this is a part of the possible use.

[ukdodger]

It's infuriating because you can go miles before you realise it and it cant be corrected. You have to let it correct itself which it usually does. Also as the map is upside down only the bottom 1/2" of the screen shows the road ahead.

These are Garmin 60csx's

I know that it's as obvious as IT support people saying 'have you tried rebooting?' but have you tried updating the firmware? - Garmin do quietly fix a lot of things with firmware updates.

Oh and on the subject of switching on and off, I find that sometimes to get the device to reboot switching on and off isn't enough and that you need to take out a battery.

Thanks but I'm very suspicious of Garmin. The 60csx can be loaded with free maps. Not so it's successor. You have to buy them from Garmin. I wouldnt put it past them to include an exclusion to free maps in the update.

I havent tried rebooting as it would be more trouble than waiting for it to correct itself. A friend says his car SatNav does the same thing and believes it's to do with the device swapping satellites. Thanks for the battery tip.

[andymiller]

Sorry if this is all a bit Audax geeky and specific but the title of the thread does specify for Audax use and this is a part of the possible use.

Absolutely - something the OP should definitely check out before buying.

Thanks but I'm very suspicious of Garmin. The 60csx can be loaded with free maps. Not so it's successor. You have to buy them from Garmin. I wouldnt put it past them to include an exclusion to free maps in the update.

I don't know about other models, but IME the eTrexes have always run open-source mapping. I don't know why Garmin would adopt a different policy for the 60sx. Although yes Garmin do have a mad licensing policy so it's not completely impossible.

[Ayesha]

Or a smartphone...
External power packs, or a supply from a dynamo will keep it running...

If you go down the iPhone or Android path, load a trip recording app and consider TomTom's navigation app.
The TT app gives all the navigation functionality of TT's motorcycle units.

[Adam S]

Thanks but I'm very suspicious of Garmin. The 60csx can be loaded with free maps. Not so it's successor. You have to buy them from Garmin. I wouldnt put it past them to include an exclusion to free maps in the update.

Garmin devices definitely suffer from a lack of competition and thus tend to be far from user friendly and released in slightly glitchy states. Their jealous guarding of their licensed mapping is slightly more understandable. You can use free maps with the 62 series, shouldn't be any problems there. In fact they support multiple maps so, in that respect, they should be better than the 60 series.

[ukdodger]

Thanks but I'm very suspicious of Garmin. The 60csx can be loaded with free maps. Not so it's successor. You have to buy them from Garmin. I wouldnt put it past them to include an exclusion to free maps in the update.

Garmin devices definitely suffer from a lack of competition and thus tend to be far from user friendly and released in slightly glitchy states. Their jealous guarding of their licensed mapping is slightly more understandable. You can use free maps with the 62 series, shouldn't be any problems there. In fact they support multiple maps so, in that respect, they should be better than the 60 series.

Are you sure about the 62? I tried on a friend's and could not find a way of getting a map in it. Please expand.

[andymiller]

Garmin devices definitely suffer from a lack of competition and thus tend to be far from user friendly and released in slightly glitchy states.

To be fair, they do release a steady stream of firmware and software updates - which often introduce meaningful improvements, not just maintenance and bug-fixes.

[Adam S]

Thanks but I'm very suspicious of Garmin. The 60csx can be loaded with free maps. Not so it's successor. You have to buy them from Garmin. I wouldnt put it past them to include an exclusion to free maps in the update.

Garmin devices definitely suffer from a lack of competition and thus tend to be far from user friendly and released in slightly glitchy states. Their jealous guarding of their licensed mapping is slightly more understandable. You can use free maps with the 62 series, shouldn't be any problems there. In fact they support multiple maps so, in that respect, they should be better than the 60 series.

Are you sure about the 62? I tried on a friend's and could not find a way of getting a map in it. Please expand.

I'm sure because I've met walkers using openstreetmap based maps on them. A quick Google search didn't reveal any reports of Google locking the units to only their maps. If they had, it's safe to say that some people would be screaming blue murder! I guess it could depend on which maps you were using but the two cycle maps that spring to mind are TalkyToaster's maps and Velomap, both of which list the 62 as compatible (Velomap includes screenshots from the unit: http://www.velomap.org/about-2/screenshots/#gpsmap-62 [towards bottom of page]).

As a relative newcomer to mapping GPS units I don't have any experience with installing maps on older units. I gather that it involved messing around with a program called Mapsource and editing the name of downloaded maps as the units would only accept a single map and it had to have a certain name. Modern units will accept multiple maps and the name of the file is irrelevant so I think it's just a case of downloading the map to the 'Garmin' folder of the unit's internal or SD memory and it will be detected when the unit powers on. That worked with my Etrex 30 and I can only assume the 62 is similar.

If the OP decides they want a general purpose rather than cycling specific GPS, I would suggest the etrex series is probably more suitable than the 60/62 as the latter are more expensive and are probably a bit heavy and bulky for mounting on handlebars. Also, I would agree with the above that, unless the barometric altimeter is required (I can't see why that level of accuracy should be), the Etrex 30 is not worth the extra money.

[PH]

Etrex 20 is ideal for me, nice and simple to use, I just load a track, have the screen zoomed in and glance at it at every junction. Very occasionally I'll miss a turn, but because I have it zoomed in I'll notice straight away. I've done 10 Audax rides with it and about 3,000 miles of touring, haven't got lost yet. It's transformed my cycling, probably my best cycling buy in the last decade.

[jags]

yes i like the look of the etrek20 found one at a good price on handtec. would that unit come with maps i'm in ireland when i bought the legend there was britan and ireland on it.
i was looking at the audax page on yacf and a lot of the lads like the etrek legend.

[meic]

Yes, the Legend/Vista is a useful GPS unit for my Audaxing.

However I bought my Vista HCx five years ago and like me those recommending it are probably doing so on the basis of what was available 5 years ago.
The GPS still suits my needs but something better may be available for those buying now.

[jags]

Thanks meic the etrek 20 just seems an update to the legend i could be wrong usually am
price wise theres not a lot of difference in the legend and 20 units.