Would like to visit the lakes and peak district this summer.

Garmin etrex 30 seems to be ok for money. Good reviews.

Handle bar mount.

Is this a question or a statement?

Etrex is spot on for navigating. And does all your basic cycle functions too. Either the 20 or 30 will do.

as above, whats the question? The turn by turn feature on my 810 is really handy along with the cycling stats – I’d say that was the best GPS for cycling 🙂

Navigation in the Peak/Lakes BW’s is fairly easy in most places….

It’s a question. Normally is with a ? At the end.

Thanks mikewsmith I’ll check out 810. Bit more cash needed thou.

The question is what do you want to do with it…. best is very open ended and will end up with a variety of answers.

Do you want:
Proper Maps and Navigation capability?
Training aids like HRM/Speed/Cadence?
Route Logging?
Route Following?

Whats your top features that you want from the device.

Was about to ask the same question as the OP.

Looking to do some rides myself this year from mainly the lakes and peaks areas and will need to follow a route on a sat nav (I’m useless with maps!!!)

I’m not really interested in any training aids just want the ability to

1. Follow a route that I’ve downloaded from the web (Biketreks have some for the lakes for example)

2. The ability to record a route (if I’m being led it would be useful to record the route for if I want to ride it alone in the future)

3. Want a fairly compact size (but not that small that I cant follow a route) for example the Garmin Montana would be too big for the bars.

4. As cheap as possible as I’m skint! 🙂

That’s about it. I’ve also been looking at the Etrex series, cheaper the better so the Etrex 20 unless the 30 is worth the extra?

Also if anyone has any decent route’s in these areas and would like to share that would be great 🙂

Do I need to look for something with full OS GB maps?

Cheers

If you want something that will let you ride, follow and route but keep the map in the bag almost all the time, look at the Edge 200. Load up courses, records your progress and GPS track of the route you took.

It doesn’t store maps, but shows a trace of the route on the screen and gives you a chirrup if you go off course. You can get them for about £70.

This is you going straight on for the next 300 feet (scale at the top). If you had a left turn coming up, you’d see the shape of that turn going off to the left,

The only time I’ve wanted for proper turn by turn directions is when I’ve been riding on the road in town and the signal is being bounced around by the buildings, and I’ve taken the wrong exit off the roundabout.

Not a problem if it’s a four exit job, left, right, straight on, that’s obvious from the screen, but when it’s funny circular junction with a 6 exits – the one at the top of Muswell Hill wiht the bus stop has got me more than once.

+1 for the edge 200.

I use it all the time for exploring new routes, just download a course and with a map in my backpack as backup off I go.
If you wander off course by more than a few meters it chirps into life and gives you a direction to follow to get back on route.

eTrex 20 should be fine.
eTrex 30 handy if you really need barometric altimeter and electronic compass (don’t think 20 has those, but could be wrong) – might make geocaching fractionally easier, or be useful up proper mountains.

probably going to swap my Vista HCx for a 30. But I use it for a lot more than riding and recording a route.

nedrapier/bigmick

the 200 looks ideal and very simple (good for me!!) the right price as well.

I like the idea of it not being cluttered with the detail of normal gps maps.

It would be pretty obvious if on a trail where I’ve gone wrong?

So with the 200 I could download a route in a gpx format to the computer then upload to the 200. I think most routes tell you where to start with a few instructions etc.

might give one a try. Cheers.

nibby – Member
nedrapier/bigmick

the 200 looks ideal and very simple (good for me!!) the right price as well.

I like the idea of it not being cluttered with the detail of normal gps maps.

It would be pretty obvious if on a trail where I’ve gone wrong?

So with the 200 I could download a route in a gpx format to the computer then upload to the 200. I think most routes tell you where to start with a few instructions etc.

might give one a try. Cheers.

yes, I just download a route from the net (GPX) then convert it to TCX format via website such as gpsies etc(tcx format seems to work better) put the file into the edge 200 as per the instructions and away you go.

I’d always recommend having a paper map with you what ever method of nav your using but I can honestly say my 200 has never let me down in Scotland ,Peak District or North wales.

As you say in the majority of case you are on a visible track and its obvious when a turn comes up,I’ve had a few wrong turns mainly on fast downhills but the edge soon beeps to let you know you’re off course.

As far as starting points if you want to start a route from another point the edge notifies you when you are approaching a course you have pre-loaded and you just follow it from there the only bit that gets thrown out is the comparison with the original route (i.e. how far ahead or behind you are from the person who made the original course) and all the stats are recorded anyway even if you run off course or decide to add some extra mileage onto a route.
Even if you are following a route and the way becomes blocked (as happened to me last weekend with fallen trees)the edge keeps telling you which direction you need to get back to the trail so all is good.

Cracking, thanks for info bigmick. I will start looking around for a good price.
Cheers

I have an edge 200 I don’t use (as I got a satmap which I prefer for navigating).

Barely been used, got all the books, leads, mount, etc threw the box away though. Email me if interested.

Happy with my Etrex 20. The reason I bought it was that it runs on AA batteries so is better for longer trips, you just carry spare batteries. I bought full UK OS maps on ebay for a very reasonable price. IMHO the maps are essential for MTB and finding new/alternative routes….

I have an edge 200 I don’t use (as I got a satmap which I prefer for navigating).

Barely been used, got all the books, leads, mount, etc threw the box away though. Email me if interested.

Thanks. Interested but it wont let me click into your profile to get email address?

Etrex 20 user here. Does everything bar cadence/hrm and cheap too £135. Free routable maps with open cycle maps / open mtb. A bit complicated to set up at first though- pm me if you get one and find yourself stuck.

I did manage to destroy my first one though, mount it on the top tube just behind the stem not on the bars. John Lewis replaced it for free though..

been using my garmin 800 for stuff like this for a few years….download the routes or just plot them myself with bikehike or bike route toaster,simple

I do have OS maps that does help a bit I guess

saying that before I got the 800 a paper os map did the same but a lot for stops

Just to open up your options, i have a Mio 505 GPS unit.

Comes loaded with UK & Ireland maps if bought in UK (you can buy more expensive model with EU maps) plus options to buy more
Road/trail/driving settings.
Full route plotting & recording facility
Wifi to upload your tracks/download plotted routes
Surprise Me function – set your preferred time/distance & it will offer you 3 different routes to follow.

I love my Garmin Edge 200, easily the best bike toy I’ve bought, if nothing else it’s saved me hours standing around looking at maps wondering which way I go at this junction.

If you want something that will let you ride, follow and route but keep the map in the bag almost all the time, look at the Edge 200.

It’s certainly much better than nothing. But if it’s anything like the 500 the Etrex is far, far superior in terms of finding your way. What I didn’t know before buying the 500, was the track disappears. Which is fine, because it usually re-appears when you need to make a turn, or when you stop, which is fair enough. Except it has a bug in it that means if the route points are too far apart or whatever, it doesn’t appear at all, under any circumstances! Instead it just tells you’re off course when you inevitably stray away from your planned route. It tells you exactly how far you have strayed off course, but not how to get back there.

It’s great for every day use, especially if you’re interested in the training functions. But if I’m going somewhere new, and think I might get lost, I’ll take the Etrex every time.

As for Etrex 20 or 30 … The electronic compass would be nice, as once you stop, the 20 no longer knows which way is North. And if you’re lost, you often stop to look at the map… It’s a minor inconvenience though.

hmm can’t say the compass issue has bothered me – i dont stop that often though as normally have my routes plotted out. Not sure what the price difference is vs the 30, may be worth it might not. If you move a meter or so the 20 would know which direction you are pointing?

mmmmnnnn…… I’m almost decided on the edge200 🙂 stop confusing me 🙂

if I can get a cheap 200 will give that a try if not might pay the extra for etrex20.

I like the simplicity of the 200 and the idea of just following a line and keeping a map with me in emergency’s.

Thanks for all advice etc.

it has a bug in it that means if the route points are too far apart or whatever, it doesn’t appear at all, under any circumstances! Instead it just tells you’re off course when you inevitably stray away from your planned route. It tells you exactly how far you have strayed off course, but not how to get back there.

Hmm, never had this problem myself. Could it be something to do with the file type you’re using? trace or route, or something? one has many, many breadcrumbs, the other has waymarkers further apart? I think there’s software that can fill in the gaps for you. eg bikehike and gpsies allow a bit of messing about.

it has a bug in it that means if the route points are too far apart or whatever, it doesn’t appear at all, under any circumstances! Instead it just tells you’re off course when you inevitably stray away from your planned route. It tells you exactly how far you have strayed off course, but not how to get back there.

I used to have this problem until I was advised to convert all routes from gpx format etc to tcx format before loading to the edge and its been fine since always shows a route rather than points.

If anyone knows of any deals on the 200 please let me know. Cheapest looks like Handtek at £82

Cheers

Hmm, never had this problem myself. Could it be something to do with the file type you’re using? trace or route, or something? one has many, many breadcrumbs, the other has waymarkers further apart? I think there’s software that can fill in the gaps for you. eg bikehike and gpsies allow a bit of messing about.

I searched the interwebz and it seems to be a very common problem. There’s a lot of complaints about it anyway.

I used to have this problem until I was advised to convert all routes from gpx format etc to tcx format before loading to the edge and its been fine since always shows a route rather than points.

All my routes are tcx format, created in bikehike. It was more of a problem initially, as the Etrex only takes a limited number of route points, and so I had a habit of cutting them down, which I have learned not to do with the Edge. It’s a little more reliable now, but I don’t have a lot of confidence in it. In comparison, the Etrex is fantastic for navigating and I would choose it every time for that purpose.

It’s not that one is better than the other, they’re just different. For my everyday rides I tend to use the Edge. Going anywhere new I much prefer to have the Etrex with me.