Is there any feature on Garmin gps devices where by i can follow a usual route and challenge myself against previous quickest time. I have a 25 mile route in mind but i am guessing i will only be able to compare once i have done it and downloaded it i guess, wanted something on the fly really.

No point. There’s only going to be one winner.

It’s called Virtual Partner.. Just enable it.

Depends on which garmin. You can on the edge series (google: edge virtual partner).

Not really looked into it too far, I have a couple of segments uploaded to my 510 that do the virtual partner thing for that segment only.

You might be able to make it work with a route as well – or at a push define your route as a segment in Connect and upload it.

It’s called Virtual Partner.. Just enable it.

I first read that as Virtual Panther,and look,there he is. 🙂

Specifically on an edge 25. Having not looked at the manual (why would I, i am a bloke) i think i will take a peek and see what i find.

Virtual partner is ok but seems to work simply off the average speed which means mine climbs like a God and is a bit weak on the descents.

Virtual Panther

*waves*

I’ve got to dig this oldie-but-goodie out. Very original when it was first published.

[video]http://www.vimeo.com/44585500[/video]

Ok so I’m using an Edge 1000 (810 before that) and the Virtual Partner is installed both. On both you can set the Ave speed of it so you can pace yourself or back it off so you can always beat it..
It’s not a majorly accurate tool, mine climbs about the same, on the flat it’s about the same and descending I’m way behind..
It has a split screen VP on top, you below.
It chews your battery if you have it on all the time..
I’ve turned mine off (rather disabled the screen in the enable/disable screen section)
I’ve also turned off the Strava segments, bloody beeping all the time..

I’ve used the virtual partner on my 605 a few times but I’m sure it cheats.

I used a fairly steady climb from bottom to top of the Malverns as a route, then tried to beat it a few days after; at the top I was only a few seconds ahead but I was utterly broken!

Either there’s something difficult about trying to stay ahead of yourself all the time rather than letting yourself be behind some of the time, or it played back the route slightly faster than I recorded it…

Create a segment of the loop on strava, set it as a goal to activate strava live and your PR and then it should do what you want I think.

It’s what I do with my Edge 25.

OP you have described virtual partner which has been around for a decade or so. If you ride somewhere and save it as a course, either using the device or a computer it will record the timings and use this to create a virtual opponent against whom you can race. If you beat it, it uses the new fastest time next time
But you have to select to follow the course, it won’t automatically recognise you are on a stored course.

However if you create a route on a computer and save it as a course, the software you use will have to make up the timing data according to some algorithm; Tracklogs uses extended Naismith, but bikehike just uses average speed I think.

If you save a route as a track rather than a course, there is no timing data, iirc.

I have saved the course on the computer and sent it to my device. Next time i go for a ride i should select the “follow course” and this will automatically set up the virtual partner? Or do i have to enable something else first? Will there be a visual display of how i am doing compared to previous fastest time?

I don’t think an Edge 25 has a Virtual Partner function. You only get it on the bigger devices. The other way is to make the route one long Strava segment and compare yourself that way.

Yeah i am not sure if it does have VP either so i have created a large segment as well.

I think it does have virtual partner, but not virtual racer – dunno what that is.

Next time i go for a ride i should select the “follow course” and this will automatically set up the virtual partner?

If you saved it as a course then yes. The virtual partner’s speed will be dictated by whatever software you used to create the route (it is probaly configurable). If you don’t win, it won’t replace the computer’s time with yours.

Racing your own time is much better than the calculated computer one. I can outstrip the Tracklogs default it on the flat and just about keep in sight on the climbs, but it never stops to adjust its saddle, never buys a choccie bar from a garage, never stops at red lights or slows down for roundabouts.. of course it’s configurable so you can make it slower but where’s the fun in that 🙂

Molgrips – i actually created the course from a ride i did on sunday so i believe it has my times on it. This will hopefully urge me to go faster although as it was the first road ride this year it might be difficult to go slower!
Will try it this friday if the weather holds out.