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I would like to buy a basic navigation GPS unit, the Garmin Edge 530 seems to get the best reviews (£230). How do you set up route maps and do they have loads of off road remote routes available ? Ideally looking for something to direct me on routes like Sustrans, The Badger Divide etc. I don't want to have to set up account on subscription sites really as I might as well use my Iphone then. I'm Just after a simple route navigation device.
thanks
You need to tell it the route, either by creating it yourself (Garmin Connect is fine, so no need for an extra subscription) or downloading a suitable GPX file onto the device. The unit is loaded with maps, but there's an infinite number of routes out there so you need to help it out with that bit
The 530 does have ‘sat-nav’ functionality but it’s not something I’d choose to use outside of getting lost. As above, I’d download a gpx or use garmin connect.
The only issue I've been having with my edge 530 is when loading a GPX into the unit, if it's in gravel or road mode, it seems to automatically assign this profile to the route. This was an issue last week when I set off to do the Borrowdale Bash and it kept trying to keep me on roads at the start.
Where are you donwloading the free GPX files from ?
thanks
easiest is create an acount at connect.garmin and use the route creation tool to load it onto the edge.
But any website that can create a gpx can be used. If i have needed OS maps, something like bikehike works, it is a little faffy though.
Where are you donwloading the free GPX files from ?
thanks
I create GPX's to follow using either Garmin Connect web app or Strava Web App, I then load them to my Garmin using Garmin Connect.
I always forget Strava Routes isn't a paid for feature. That's my preferred place to make routes, you then link your Strava and Garmin Connect accounts and it copies them over for you (you then select which routes to send to the device)
I use a 530 and find it pretty good for both MTB and Road, you can either use garmin connect, not the best and a bit clunky.
Currently im switching between komoot and strava, you can download komoot straight onto the unit and create on a PC and download within the app.
I’ve been using my 530 with routes created through ridewithgps. I found Komoot awful. I don’t save as gpx files though, rather as .fit files and append ‘_course’ to the end then save them in the ‘courses’ folder on the unit. My 530 won’t display gpx files from with the courses folder.
You can use RidewithGPS (or other websites) to plot your route and export to gpx file