AghhhhhhhhhH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! How bad is this system! I cannot even load basic GPX files from common OS Map software….

Hair is out!

Yes, it is pretty bad but you can load GPX files into it.

i dont understand why you are still using it.

best thing to do with garmin connect is ignore it – you do not need it for ANYTHING

I quite like it, and it’s still improving 😉

It’s a useful free place to store my workouts and track my training goals. It also allows some comparison of stats.

Yes, it’s limited and the course thing is a mite annoying, but it does do most of the stuff that I want it to do and it is free, so I’m happy to give it the benefit of the doubt.

I use Strava to record rides/mileage and either ridewithgps or bikehike to plot/share routes (all of which are free). Garmin Connect is shite.

I use ordnance survey getamap for plotting off road and road rides. For me its easier as its full OS mapping.

I also use ride with GPS as it has some good features for importing / exporting routes to my garmin.

For me these two sites are all i need. For £18 a year im happy to pay for the OS site.

imagine that i’m a massive thicky:

how do i plot routes, and get them on my widget, without struggling against the awful crap that is garmin connect?

I found Garmin Basecamp easier to use. Not sure what the differences are but it does what I need it for. i.e. plot and review routes, record rides etc.

best thing to do with garmin connect is ignore it – you do not need it for ANYTHING

I quite fancy an Edge 810 because then I could plot routes on my iPad/iPhone and download them straight to the Edge when I’m out and about. HOWEVER in order to do that they need to be on the Garmin Connect website so that you can sync them to the GC app. Which means you either have to plot the maps on GC (which is terrible, plus it has no OpenCycleMap) or plot them on something else but then go through the ballache of uploading them to GC as an activity, making a course from the activity and then deleting it (I believe that’s the only way?)