Some simple questions,

1. How many rides will it let you record before you have to plug it into a PC and pull them off? I assume it’s like the old eTrexes in that you can do several separate rides each stored as its own track until it gets full up, but that’s an assumption.

2. Anyone using one with Ubuntu? Any specific issues to be aware of there? I’d like to get routes on and off as seamlessly as possible (including conversion from Fit format to GPX for stored routes).

3. I assume it’s possible to charge it whilst it’s running, can anyone confirm?

4. If you load a GPX as a course and look at the map screen, will “wpt” nodes be rendered any differently to “trkpt” nodes? (The reason I ask is that if a wpt is identifiable then it’d be possible to use these as turn indicators for road riding.) I assume it doesn’t do this, but has anyone tried?

Cheers

3. I assume it’s possible to charge it whilst it’s running, can anyone confirm?

Can’t really help with the 200 but my 500 – which is similar – shuts down, into a charge mode

Got one last night and playing with it this morning:

Looks like you can store lots or rides and also lots of courses and download when you return to the PC. Memory is listed as “1000 laps”.

Garmin Connect is on-line but for full functionality you need to use the Communicator plugin. The official one is PC and Mac but there’s one for Ubuntu that I’ll be trying tonight:
http://www.andreas-diesner.de/garminplugin/doku.php

It doesn’t run while charging. Battery life is about 15 hours or so.
Edit – it shuts down when connected to USB. I’ll try tonight with an external battery.

I had a quick play with an imported gpx course (just copy file into the ‘New Folder’ on the device) but can only see a solid line rather than any rendered nodes.

1. I think there’s a max of 130 hours, as many rides as you like up to that.
2. Can’t help, sorry.
3. Plugged into a hub dynamo type charging thingy? I’d say yes, mine works ok (history, courses etc) when it’s plugged into mains. It shuts down as above when it’s plugged into the PC.
4. Can’t help, sorry. I’ve loaded routes via Garmin Connect and they indicate the route map fashion-ish – easy to follow, not tried yet with imported gpx files.

Hm. I’d be charging it on the bike with either an external battery or a dyno charger, depending which bike I’m on. That should be different to a PC connection, where it would be more reasonable to go into a different mode.

If I can’t charge it whilst using it that’s probably a dealbreaker.

I got the impression from the DC Rainmaker review that it would behave as a normal drive in USB mode so I assume that’s what Ubuntu falls back to…?

“I had a quick play with an imported gpx course (just copy file into the ‘New Folder’ on the device) but can only see a solid line rather than any rendered nodes. “

Cheers. A lot of GPX files are just “trkpt” elements (in the XML), though. I’m wondering if “wpt” elements are handled differently. I doubt it – but it’d be nice.

Oh, and re Ubuntu, I’m aware it won’t hook directly up to Garmin Connect via the browser.

In Windows it comes up as a navigable drive and the ‘activity’ folder contains .fit files.

Garmin Connect plugin (Windows) allows the browser to recognise the 200 and upload the files directly (tried it in Garmin Connect, Endomondo and Strava)

From the link above it looks like that plugin works the same in Ubuntu
http://www.andreas-diesner.de/garminplugin/doku.php?id=howto_garmin_connect

Will try the Ubuntu plugin tonight and check it charges off my external battery.

Oh – I didn’t read carefully enough first time – I assumed the Linux tool was just to enable access to the devices rather than a browser plugin. Sweet. Cheers.

The Garmin charges and tracks when plugged in to my laptop with the lid shut (USB chargin only) so looks like it’ll track and charge from a ‘dumb’ connection.

Just installed the plugin on Mint. Took a minuted:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:andreas-diesner/garminplugin
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install garminplugin

Works a treat – Garmin Connect recognises the connected device, lets you choose records and upload to the site in both Firefox and Chrome.

However, the plugin doesn’t work with Endomondo or Strava – the Windows version does.

The 200 allows you to plot routes on computer then transfer them to garmin 200 and give you directions? I have 800 wondered how easy it was to follow direction arrows etc?

I assume off road its just a position arrow on a line?

You just copy any gpx file onto the 200 and choose ‘Courses’ and it works.

However, it’s just an arrow following a line. I reckon it’ll work well on the road (which is when I plan to use it most), not sure about mtb.

Slight hijack…

Do any of you guys/girls put the edge in your camelbak to record the routes instead of on the handlebars?

I basically bought it to replace using my phone to record routes & so I can use it daily for the commute.

I’m happy to have it on the bars on my road bike but less inclined on my mtb as the likelihood of me crashing & breaking is much higher…

Once it fills up it may well start compressing data to make space, older rides first. If this happens your history on connect and training centre will change losing the graphs. I don’t keep more than a months rides on the device since I discovered this happening on an old forerunner.

Thankyou kindly Mr Gravity, that’s most helpful.

PrinceJohn – Member

Slight hijack…

Do any of you guys/girls put the edge in your camelbak to record the routes instead of on the handlebars?

sort of, i take mine when i go running. you can get a clever little wrist-strap that allows you to wear the 200 like a watch.

(i haven’t got one of these yet, so i just put it in my pocket)

I’ve been using mine, and think if I select a certain option on Bikeroutetoaster, it allows you to get direction arrows, and warning beeps before turns (on road). I thought it always did this, and then used it via Garmin Connect and it didn’t happen, so went flying through a couple of turns.

Anyone else found out which setting it is that allows you to do this?

Oh, and just stick it in your camel bak, back pocket wherever. I’m the same – stick on the bars on my road bike, but on the mtb it lives in my camel bak. WHen out running I stick it in a back pocket on my shorts.

There is an option “Add Course Points at Junctions” on the map page and another “Add Course Point Warnings” on the export page. I’ve just tried using those and they seem to affect the TCX export but not the GPX export.

If there is a way of getting a turn alert though then happy days! 🙂

Well, this page says that the 305 will alert at course points:

Garmin Edge 305

So it looks like TCX files and course points would be the way it would do it, and they’re exportable from BRT. And if you say you’ve had the 200 fire alerts then I guess that was the way you did it.

WIN.

Pop the 200 on your stem/base of riser and it’ll avoid most potential damage.

Its much better for navigation than I thought (I really bought it to replace the iphone as route recorder) the arrow/line is easy to read quickly when you’re buzzing along.

A mate sent me a GPX I used today (made on a satmap?) and it appeared to have some junction nodes.

For road use garmin connect looks alright but I’ve been using the Ordnance survey getamap to draw out off road routes and export as GPX and drag-n-drop onto the edge.

Not necessarily answering any of the questions asked but it’s a great device, especially for the £54 it’ll end up costing with cash back and various discounts. 8)

Ok, where for £54 please, before I hit the button on my current basket…

Halfords in their sale (if still on)
British Cycling 10% off (cheap membership deal through Quidco)
Halfords vouchers bought with 10% off Seloc Lotus club discount (www.seloc.org £13 to join)
£30 cashback through Garmin promo

I mailed the developer and got a very fast and helpful reply. Evidently the plugin should work for both Endomondo and Strava too, so must be something up with my setup.

I’m going to do a full update and restart tonight, see if I can get the garmin talking direct to all my apps, that would be great!

Pop the 200 on your stem/base of riser and it’ll avoid most potential damage.

I wanted to put it on my stem but my stem is too short!

The Linux plugin works a treat under Firefox on Mint for Garmin Connect, Endomondo and Strava.

Only the Garmin Connect site works for me in Chrome.

Linux plugin is working well in Chrome now too, by the way. Developer was helpful – easily enough – once I had the error saying ‘not supported’ I just had to refresh the browser and it works!

Right then. Did a quick test this morning, ended up being in the car rather than on the bike, but I didn’t seem to get alerts at CoursePoints (the course was taken from a TCX file generated by Bikeroutetoaster, with course points and warnings generated; I did open the file to check they were present).

I’ll do some more poking around – maybe there’s some massaging of the XML that would make a difference – but in case anyone’s had this working and knows the trick, is there a trick?

(Oh, and RideWithGPS.com also seemed to recognise the Edge via the Linux plugin – didn’t have any data to test the upload with, though.)

Hello Bez,

Hope you are well sir? Did you ever establish whether you can get turn cues on the 200? I’ve seen slightly conflicting information on t’interweb, but it looks to me like it should be possible provided the route is generated in the correct way.

Cheers,
Gray

Yes you can get turn cues on the Garmin Edge 200. Check out this post on VELOGPS which talks you through how to do it and includes screenshots of what can be achieved (scroll to the end):

http://velogps.com/garmin-edge-200-turn-by-turn-directions/

Hm, interesting link, thanks. I’ve tried this in the past with BRT and no joy, so I’ll see if GPSies works any better. (Garmin said it wasn’t possible, FWIW.)

1. Never maxed it out with rides (activities) that’s after a year of c.8 hours per week. I have had to remove courses that I’ve either downloaded or created in Garmin connect.

2. Not heard of Ubunto, I use a Garmin connect to create routes which is excellent much easier than anything I’ve used before.

3. Never felt the need to charge it whilst riding, my longest ride last year was 8 1/2 hours and charge was not a problem.

4. Again not sure what most of those things are, the arrow navigation is very intuitive and has worked faultlessly to get me and several others around whole day rides at a good speed on unfamiliar roads. Routes plotted in Garmin connect and uploaded as a course.

Other stuff, get a SRAM bar mount it’s much neater than the rubber band type and much cheaper than the other bar types.

Lastly whilst I really like the edge 200 is basically a 500 with features turned off. If I was to buy again I would go for a 500 its worth the extra to have time displayed if nothing else.

Ps- You seem to be making navigation difficult, upload a course, select it , start. That’s it.

Will it give an actual location in either lat/long or OS grid or do you need some additional input? I really just want one for speed distance and tracking my routes but I would like an emergency grid ref if lost!

just got back from a ride using a course no bleeping for turns but easy enough to follow a route when plugged into the pc it turns off but when connected to a wall charger it stays on so would think you could use an external battery

Lastly whilst I really like the edge 200 is basically a 500 with features turned off. If I was to buy again I would go for a 500 its worth the extra to have time displayed if nothing else.

I press and hold the bottom left button and it takes it back it the home screen but still records a ride so I can see the time.

I rather have it like that else I would be tempted to look at it all the time and would probably crash and die.

Like the rest off the world, I am now a roadie, pressing buttons is a distraction 🙂

just got back from a ride using a course no bleeping for turns but easy enough to follow a route when plugged into the pc it turns off but when connected to a wall charger it stays on so would think you could use an external battery

Sounds like you either havn’t downloaded a TCX file or havn’t used a mapping tool which creates waypoints. Both are essential as outlined in the guide I linked:

http://velogps.com/garmin-edge-200-turn-by-turn-directions/

Garmin connect will allow you to download a gpx file of a route – gpx will just give you the breadcrumb trace but not any turn instructions, countdowns or beeps.

Took me ages to work it out when I got my 200 – wish i’d found that guide then !

ijust used the garmin connect program will have a look at the link and try using mm

Seeing as this has been resurrected, the answers to my original questions are:

1. Loads.

2. Yes, me. Ubuntu reads fine but for some reason writes to my 200 (I think it used to and the 200 got pissed up, but that may be hogwash, I’m deeply uncertain.)

3. Yes, it is, but the standard mount won’t let you insert the lead whilst the device is fitted; others might. (I’ve got a Garmin out-front mount but haven’t tested it yet.)

4. No, they won’t. And nor, IME, will a TCX file from Bikeroutetoaster with the waypoints in. I’ve yet to try GPSies.