I've been wondering about these things for a while. I think that they could be a real bonus in some of the more remote area natural loops. It might also avoid much time pondering maps and whether or not that track is as shown on the OS map, or something that has been made after the last revision.

The price of these GPS units has come down a lot, and it should be possible to get something basic and functional for a lot less that it used to cost. I like the idea of plotting in a route at home, where the mapping / advice from locals / etc can be collated and planned properly, and then just going out and riding it with GPS guidance. I also like the idea of swapping routes with others / downloading from the web.

So, I'd appreciate any advice on how well this works, and what recommendations people would have for a suitable unit.

I imagine that a handlebar mount woulkd be good in some situations, but a liability in others. I also suspect that there may be more than one 'format' or file type out there, so I'd like to avoid getting the 'Betamax' version of a GPS device.

Any advice appreciated; tia.

I second this very interested in info.

If you want basic get a [bottom of the range] Garmin Etrex
software wise, do it all online & upload it to the unit

I have had my Garmin 305 for at least a couple of years and would not be without it.
It is great as a wireless bike computer, but also to record routes (so you can do it again or share)
Have also used it to follow routes recorded by others and routes created on Tracklogs with great success. (There are sites that allow you download routes)
I know people say they prefer maps and I usually take a 'printout' just in case, but I once set off to do a route in the Chilterns and found I had forgotten to load the route – I did manage to get round, but with lots of stops to read map/check directions, whereas with the GPS it just flows..
It has survived crashes and being dropped. Battery life is fine and it works well even under trees.
The new unit from Memory Map looks tempting, but that would probably mean buying all the MM software…

Hope this helps.

Garmin Etrex H does the job very well if you don't
mind using a map too if you're off the beaten path ( though I often ride with just the etrex in areas I know passably well but just want specific directions)

I have been using old Mircosoft mobile phones with memory map for a number of years and on the whole the experience has been pretty good.
I typically mark up a route, download it to my phone and head out.

The software isn't bad, handy having the map and if you've got GPS its pretty fool proof as it'll show you where you are.

Down sides have been phones don't like getting too wet, battery life stops the use of continuous GPS use and leaving the phone constantly.

Also licencing of the software appears to limit the number of times you can move the maps now.

I might change in the future, the garmin 500? looks worth a look, if it just has an arrow pointing the way, its a lot cheaper than a lot of stuff and then either paper maps or phone/mm as a backup for when its not all that obvious which track to take especially handy when out on moorland or terrain with few landmarks.

Garmin have also brought out some new mapping based gps units which look good, are waterproof and run off AA batteries. Total cost adds up when you include additional maps required though.

I have had a Garmin Edge 705 for 18 months. It's very good but fiendishly difficult to get to learn. It's also a reet pain to convert routes off Memory Map into the Courses (.crs files) you need to navigate with.

Garmin have also brought out some new mapping based gps units which look good, are waterproof and run off AA batteries. Total cost adds up when you include additional maps required though

I've just got a new Dakota 20 & it really is a step up from the Etrexs
I've got a few different maps on it but I guess the best one for out on the hills is GB Discoverer [50k OS map] which was very cheap 😉

not had the chance to really play with it yet though

Just ridden Barnstaple to Bristol offroad over the weekend via GPS. We did have maps and they are a good idea – they came out a handful of times.

But 99% of the time we just followed the black line on the screen and trooped on!

I use an eTrex Vista HCx. I plot my routes on "Where's the path" (Google it) and use the talky toasty (or whatever they're called) basic vector maps on the actual unit. 215km and we only got the maps out maybe 3 times, all within a 15 min period on a particularly subtle bridleway in Exmoor.

For a great value GPS look at the Memory Map Adventurer 2800 – only £200 from http://www.tredz.co.uk (£50 cheaper than anywhere else) and it comes with all of the national parks on 1:50,000, 10,000 sq.km of free mapping and the PC based memory map software for planning routes etc. which is excellent. For that money it's a killer deal – maps, software etc. on an edge 605 was over £400 last time I looked. Software has a couple of glitches on tranferring tracks and maps which make it a bit of a faff but simple when used to it. Run time is over 7 hours so far and screen scrolling is great. You can download GPX routes for it and I bought it primarily to follow sportive routes and ride the South Downs Way without much hassle and loads of maps plus hill walking so it's a good all rounder. Battery chargers are also available soon to double run time and the bike mount is £20.

+1 for memory map adventurer.

But remember to order the handle bar mount when purchasing.

+1 for the Garmin Edge 305.

you can upload routes to it and follow a black line…..not brilliant but better than spending a fortune on full mapping software and a more expensive device.

Garmin have the new Edge 500 out which looks good.

Memory Map on computer, draw route.
Export route as a.gpx file
use GPX2CRS to convert to a .crs file.
Open .crs file in Garmin Training Centre and add to Edge 705.
Ride. Don't stop. Perfect.

Also http://openmtbmap.org/ lets you make your own maps for the Edge 705, which are fairly decent.

Memory Map on computer, draw route.
Export route as a.gpx file

Or how about: Bikehike on t'internet for free, draw route. Export route as a .gpx file, or download straight to your Garmin using the Garmin serial cable.

I just got a Garmin E-trex H for about 60 quid + 10 quid for the cable. Very basic, but all I want is to have an arrow showing which way to turn to follow my route. Tried it first time on a very dark wet night in the Chilterns and didn't even need to think about route finding, very relaxing (well, would have been except for the mud).

Having used a 205 (basically the same as the 305) and the Etrex, I'd say that for navigating as requested by the OP, the Etrex is much better – bigger screen, and easier to use because you can just use gpx files rather than having to mess about with conversion to courses. The 205/305 is brilliant as a training aid though.

I've a very old Etrex (non USB one) and a 205. etrex is good if you want something really easy to follow and it works really well with Tracklogs. Not sure if the new ones have a better battery life.

205 is brill as a bike computer on steroids and "follow the line". I keep looking at the more expensive ones with maps, bigger screens etc but not sure I'd get the use.

Just ridden Barnstaple to Bristol offroad over the weekend via GPS.

I'd be interested it the route if its available.

Thanks for all the advice so far; much appreciated, especially the detailed answers from users.
The user names are always a source of amusemement too. I was pleased to see that Glenn Campbell could take time off from maintaining the county line to give me some really clear info on the memory map Adventurer 2800. If ever there was a man that had experience of GPS surely he'd be that dude:-)
Also Seymour Butts; always reminds me of the Simpsons episode where Bart repeatedly calls Mo at his bar.

Anyway, thanks to all so far, much appreciated. Now I've got to be anal about the choice and make up a table of recommendations, then look into the product details to see what I fancy.

Last time we did a week away in the lakes I built all my routes on http://www.bikehike.co.uk and downloaded the gpx files to my computer, then transfered them to my garmin geko 201.

We needed the map a few times, but mostly we just follow the black line. I had the OS maps of the area, but you can get them from the library

The geko is 70 quid or less I think. It was a very good invenstment

Dibbs, I'll be writing the ride up shortly, it's not a good route at all to be honest. Probably the very worst bits of Exmoor, the worst bits of the Mendips, the Quantocks felt great at the time but ultimately just riding along the ridge, then a lot of minor roads and sustrans routes interlinking it all.

Does anyone know if the Garmin Edge 500 supports any sort of mapping?

Follow the line would be fine, via a gpx file I assume, but it's hard to tell from the website if this is possible, or if it's purely a route recording device.

Any thoughts appreciated.

Cheers, Rich

I use an Etrex Vista and memory map, do my routes or tracks on memory map and send them to the GPS and vice versa for sending gps tracks Ive done to memory map-easy as….

I use mapping software on the GPS that spretty good, shows bridleways, paths to good detail, much better than the standard stuff, was 'free' off the net…. as was memory map.

Ive got a Garmin etrex Vista Hcx which is great for recording and following routes – 2 * AA rechargable battery's will give you over 20 hrs of life

I did try an adventurer 2800 at x-mas but after 2 days it went back for a refund – complete bobbins compared to the garmin

You can get free topo maps from http://www.gpsfiledepot.com/maps/view/133/

Used to run it with a garmin handle bar mount – but that left it too exposed to crash damage (although garmin do have a good cut price crash replacement policy)- i've now stem mounted it using this mount which is very good http://www.buybits.com/product/sku_3753.aspx and http://www.buybits.com/product.aspx?id=4653

Cheers Zinger for your post – followed your instructions and have got all teh contour maps I now need – just upgraded from an older version eTrex to a Vista HCx for same use as you.

Got all the contour files as you described but didn't have Mapsource (from Garmin) so have now loaded that by following the thread below for a full working version (allowing manipulation of the contour files)…..

http://forums.gpsreview.net/viewtopic.php?t=4802
———————————————————
Here's a trick to getting MapSource, and it works! Best part is, it's right from Garmin with no hacks or cracks.

Download the Training Center:
http://www8.garmin.com/support/download_details.jsp?id=835
Install it

Then download the MapSource update:
http://www8.garmin.com/support/download_details.jsp?id=209
Install it.

You now have full blown MapSource, enjoy!

turboferret – i think the 500 is similar to the 305 where it doesnt support any mapping but allows you to upload a route which appears as a black line on the screen which you follow.