• This topic has 37 replies, 16 voices, and was last updated 2 years ago by austy.
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  • Best option for turn-by-turn navigation?
  • lardman
    Free Member

    Right, currently I’m using my iPhone, as a mapping device.
    ViewRanger, downloaded OS maps and I just take it out of my pocket if I need directions. It¡s fine, but not the best solution.

    As the mud level rises above the hubs in the middle of winter, I go out on their road/gravel mostly. It’s going to be much easier to have something attached to my bars that I can glance down at and follow, or see where I am.

    I can plan routes online, like HikeBike etc: and need something I can easily get GPX file routes onto, and display them large enough to read on the fly.

    I could use my phone, but with battery/weatherproofing/cost/damage issues being likely, I’d like a more
    polished solution. I know nothing about any other platform and want something robust and easy to use.

    I use a Mac, if that’s an impact on platform/software etc:

    What’s everyone’s suggestions?
    Thanks in advance.

    kayak23
    Full Member

    I was using my phone, but transitioned to a Wahoo Bolt.
    It has limitations but it’s simple to stick a gpx onto and it’s nice and small.

    Main gripe for me is you can’t pan the maps.
    I guess you have to use your phone within the app, but if you’ve not got signal.

    w00dster
    Full Member

    I use a Bolt but don’t rate it for following routes. I think you need the Roam really.
    I wouldn’t trust my Bolt on any off-road rides. It doesn’t re-route you should you make an error. (I think the new Bolt does, mine is about 3 years old)
    For road I’ve had no issues with the Bolt when following routes. But you do have to use Ride with GPS or Komoot to get turn by turn. Element Roam will allow turn by turn from any source.

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    lardman
    Free Member

    Is the screen clear and easy to see turn navigation? How do you know if you’ve gone off track, and does it give you upcoming turn indications, like a sat-nav?

    lardman
    Free Member

    ld)
    For road I’ve had no issues with the Bolt when following routes. But you do have to use Ride with GPS or Komoot to get turn by turn. Element Roam will allow turn by turn from any source.

    So, you use your phone for GPS signal?
    What’s Komoot?

    lardman
    Free Member

    I’d have a read of DC Rainmakers site. He will have reviews of the key devices.

    Thanks, I’ll do that.

    w00dster
    Full Member

    Lardman, you don’t need to connect to your phone for GPS. Mine automatically connects, but this is just for showing me incoming calls and messages.

    Komoot is a nav/route planning app.

    kayak23
    Full Member

    Best option for turn-by-turn navigation?

    Don’t ride off-road. 😉

    I wouldn’t trust my Bolt on any off-road rides. It doesn’t re-route you should you make an error.

    No, but it tells you immediately you’ve gone the wrong way by way of flashing red leds.
    If you want to ignore that you can.
    There is also a ‘take me back to the start’ feature but I think you need to do this through your phone app.
    I’ve never used it as the red leds flashing you that you’ve gone off course are so obvious.
    You can of course ignore the off route notifications if you want and I do this sometimes on the fly, knowing that I can get back on track by using an os map in conjunction with the Bolt.
    As soon as you’re back on track you get green leds.

    Is the screen clear and easy to see turn navigation? How do you know if you’ve gone off track, and does it give you upcoming turn indications, like a sat-nav?

    I find it clear and easy. It has you as a little arrow icon, and your route highlighted ahead of this so a quick glance tells you that there is a deviation left coming up for instance.
    You can zoom in and out of this for more detail. As I say though, no panning, so you can’t take a look what’s the other side of that field over there as coming out just loses clarity.

    It gives you warnings for turns if you want them by way of the leds up top. I turn this off though as I find a quick glance at the ‘breadcrumb’ tallies well enough(usually) with the terrain I’m riding.

    Gps off road can’t really be as failsafe and clear cut as on road. You have to learn to read the terrain as you do when using a paper map..
    It also depends on how accurately someone has plotted the route.
    I sometimes create gpx files to follow using the OS maps app on my phone. You’ve only got to be a bit lazy with plotting your series of straight links to mean that on the ground, it might look like you’re meant to be the other side of that hedge, or whatever.

    You learn to decipher little things like that the more you use them.
    I love the Bolt and see no reason to get anything that’s bigger with unnecessary detail.

    reeksy
    Full Member

    I use a Bolt for this too. Apart from when it’s a really complex singletrack route it’s really clear to view.

    As above, its brilliance is the simplicity.

    Over Christmas I did an extended ride with mates. Two of us had the route but my mate’s Bryton proved too difficult to read in the sun at points. That’s never a problem with the older Bolt like mine (no idea about the new colour screen).

    teamslug
    Free Member

    I have a lezyne mega XL. I’ve used it for 100 milers in places I’ve never ridden and find it easy to follow and accurate too. I’ve forgotten to download maps before now and had to follow a line with no overlay and it’s still pretty easy to follow. I also had an original elemnt which was good too but needed battery capacity too. Lezyne lasts ages.

    w00dster
    Full Member

    I had a Lezyne for a bit, doesn’t that need a phone connection for turn by turn?

    Kayak, those are the same LEDs constantly blinking. They tell me if my power, rpm, heart rate and speed is meeting the targets I’ve set. For the majority of my rides when training I use this data so need this feature enabled.

    I’ve just noticed Back On Track is enabled on the new Bolt. Other people may not need this, but I’ve found it’s a feature I’ve missed. Not often, but occasionally, especially when you need to divert of your planned route.

    My preferred device was a Garmin Edge 1000 Explore. But it’s way more expensive. Mine was also quite buggy so went back…..would occasionally power off mid ride. Not often, but incredibly annoying if you don’t notice it straight away.

    I’d imagine Garmin have improved things, my purchases were in 2017/2018 so at least a version behind.

    StirlingCrispin
    Full Member

    Garmin Edge Explore with upgraded maps from Talky Toaster.

    I don’t really ride where there are turns but tend to follow a breadcrumb gpx trail across a featureless bog.
    Your riding may vary.

    tonyd
    Full Member

    My previous bike computer was a Garmin Edge 205 so no idea what the other options are like today, but I use a Wahoo Elemnt Roam. Not used it off road, but it is really simple to use and follow. I can happily do a 100 mile road ride without stopping to check a map once.

    Generally just put a route together using Strava, checking parts against Google Maps streetview (to make sure it’s passable on the road bike). The Roam syncs with Strava and pulls the new route down automagically, then just select it and off you go.

    Directions are simple to follow, you get notification of a turn coming up (audible and visual, all configurable), the map is clear and easy to see but not so detailed that it becomes useless. You can set up all sorts of stuff via the Elemnt app – LEDs, cadence/HR/etc threshold alerts. I just use mine to navigate and record. When I get home and stop the ride it connects to my wifi and uploads to Strava before I’ve even taken my shoes off.

    No idea how easy it would be to put together an off road route, but as above, there are tons of routes on Strava, Komoot, etc, and the Elemnt software is integrated with most/all of them so should be pretty simple.

    lardman
    Free Member

    thanks all for replies. the DC Rainmaker review demonstrated a million ‘features’ id never use, so i’m not sure i got much from that.

    It’s mostly on road/back-country lanes/sustrans/gravel type stuff i’d be needing, so i think the Wahoo Element Roam is looking like the best option right now.

    Do you have to use strava to get routes onto the Roam? Or can i create them from another source, save as GPX (or similer) and get them onto the Roam? I dont use STrava, and want to limit the amount of apps/platforms i have to use.

    kayak23
    Full Member

    Do you have to use strava to get routes onto the Roam? Or can i create them from another source, save as GPX (or similer) and get them onto the Roam?

    I used to use a site called GPSies for ages. It’s now called All Trails.
    I think you can only download gpxs off Strava with a premium account anyway, which I’ve never had and so I have to use other approaches.

    One way was to use All Trails, where if you zoom in to the route on Strava that you want to copy, and also on All Trails, you can pretty much plot a series of waypoints in All Trails and create a gpx file that you can download and then load into your device.
    I guess it’s a little clunky, but it works and it’s a good way if you’re a cheapskate like me.

    I now have an OS maps subscription(about £25 annually) which can do the same thing, and export a gpx file to use.

    All Trails/ GPSies

    nickjb
    Free Member

    If you are fairly happy with your phone solution then just buy another phone. You can get a second hand rugged phone for £50 or so. Then stick that on your bars. It’ll run all the apps and it is very easy to put routes onto. It should run any subscription services you have too. Most allow multiple devices with the same log in.

    asbrooks
    Full Member

    If you are using google chrome as browser, there is an extension which allows you to download a gpx file from strava. Linky
    I’ve never used it so can’t vouch for it’s usefulness. I have just tried it and it seems to work

    ransos
    Free Member

    Garmin Edge Explore has very good maps. It lacks some of the training gubbins on the more expensive units but I never need those.

    kayak23
    Full Member

    If you are fairly happy with your phone solution then just buy another phone

    Downside with a phone is rain can play havoc with a touchscreen.
    Very hard to dry things off when it’s wetter than a trouts elbow.

    Much nicer to have physical buttons.

    lardman
    Free Member

    Downside with a phone is rain can play havoc with a touchscreen.
    Very hard to dry things off when it’s wetter than a trouts elbow.

    this is the main reason for not wanting to use a phone. I’m also a dyed-in-the-wool IOS user, so cannot face the thought of a different OS on another device.

    So, i take from previous replies that you CANT get GPX files onto a Wahoo Roam, without using Strava then?

    asbrooks
    Full Member

    I have one of these which I use on the ocastion when I need to follow a gps route Linky

    I can just about get an old iphone SE in it with charging cable and a small power bank. Used to use it with viewranger, which is no longer available. Not used since viewranger went offline.

    I worked quite well, it’d tell me if I were of route which is usually quite often.

    kayak23
    Full Member

    So, i take from previous replies that you CANT get GPX files onto a Wahoo Roam, without using Strava then?

    A gpx file is a gpx file.
    If someone emails you one, you can get that onto the device via the app.
    If you download one, say off STW, then again, the app is used to upload it to the device.

    No Strava needed. Strava is just good for nicking other folks routes.

    tonyd
    Full Member

    You don’t need to use Strava to get GPXs onto the Roam:

    https://wahoofitness.yonyx.com/y/conversation/?id=0879d4c0-53dd-11e8-8f6c-bc764e10d166

    Edit to add: Here is a list of other apps that are compatible with Wahoo stuff:

    https://uk.wahoofitness.com/fitness-apps

    lardman
    Free Member

    Splendid… thanks for those replies. Looks like the Roam would do what i’m wanting it to then.

    DrP
    Full Member

    I use a garmin edge 830, and plot routes using http://www.ridewithgps.com

    The great thing about this combo is that RWGPS snaps the route to paths/commonly used tracks, and the routing function off road on the edge is pretty good, so you can set up alarms/alerts when you need to turn/navigate.

    It NOT as neat/instructive as ON-road, as the maps are more comfortable with roads (junctions etc trigger turn instructions).

    DrP

    lardman
    Free Member

    Thanks DrP-
    Another option then. Mostly, I’m gonna be using it for small roads/gravel stuff… so bit of on, bit of off-road.

    Local Brighton based routes may be good to share?

    lardman
    Free Member

    in the end, i pulled the trigger on a Garmin Edge Explore as it seemed to do the simple few things i wanted pretty well. It was also a bit cheaper than the Roam/Edge530 type affair and i DON’T need any of the fancy training stuff.

    Thanks for all the input from everyone.

    StirlingCrispin
    Full Member

    Excellent.

    Treat yourself to a TalkyToaster upgrade – well worth it: https://shop.talkytoaster.me.uk/maps/british-isles-ireland

    (The Garmin Edge basemap is 5 years old while the TT map is based on the current Open Street Map),

    Bez
    Full Member

    I’d imagine Garmin have improved things

    lol

    stevextc
    Free Member

    thanks all for replies. the DC Rainmaker review demonstrated a million ‘features’ id never use, so i’m not sure i got much from that.

    So other than battery life and touch screen in rain it looks like a phone is perfect.
    I recently looked at various bike computers (prior to XMAS) and couldn’t find any that didn’t do a ton of things I want (like ability to call/text) and weren’t packed full of stuff I’d never use and have to disable and still have it annoy me on menu’s. (Like HRM and anything to do with what they label as “health” or “fitness”)

    I’m also a dyed-in-the-wool IOS user, so cannot face the thought of a different OS on another device.

    I find IOS annoying because it has a load of apps I don’t use but can’t delete.. They are stuck away but still the settings come up etc. A garmin would annoy me even more with all the “health” type stuff.

    All I really want it turn-by-turn … so menu’s full of stuff I’ll never use …
    I recently upgraded to a SE and use Komoot/OSMaps and used to use Trailforks before it was subscription (but was crap for turn by turn anyway) ..

    The wet screen thing can be got around to a some degree using voice commands… Quadlock is stupidly expensive but very very good.
    On Komoot I plan a ride on the PC then it connects when the phone connects and you can download the whole route prior to setting off. I sometimes prepare alternates etc. .. when I get 1/2 mile from the house I just Hey Siri open komoot… I then only need to press record or select the route then not touch it for hours… my son tells me i can set up Siri to do that as well.

    stevextc
    Free Member

    Out of interest has anyone found a GPS that just does GPS turn by turn?
    I’ll put up with stuff like speed as that’s part of the GPS but I want one that has no health or other stuff on it at all.
    I just want to download a GPX and get navigation without any of the other stuff.

    nickjb
    Free Member

    Garmin stuff is pretty configurable. I easily can set my watch up to only show navigation if I want. It’ll still log all the health stuff but you don’t have to look at it.

    DrP
    Full Member

    @stevextc

    Have a look at Beeline..super simple!!! Might be what you’re after..


    @lardman

    “Local Brighton based routes may be good to share?”.. for sure…

    Check this lovely East Sussex ride out..

    I’ve loads of otehr rides you can nick from my RWGPS page..

    DrP

    ampthill
    Full Member

    @stevextc

    The Hammerhead Karoo is a bit like that. Well it assumed all the training stuff will be done on system. But it basically has a screen that is just a sat nav. Although route planning is best done off the device. But it’s not cheap.

    stevextc
    Free Member

    DrP

    Have a look at Beeline..super simple!!! Might be what you’re after..

    That seems ideal assuming I can read it … my short vision is a bit at the limit to stem distance and Komoot tends to work because I can see blury colours well enough (if I need to actually read it I have to stop pull out reading glasses and such which is a bit of a faff as they will steam up one way or another) but it seems the only real way to find out might be to give it a try.

    hutchweb
    Full Member

    As a long time user of viewranger I now have a pro+ license for Outdoor Active for a year (they took over viewranger).
    It has voice turn by turn navigation that works realy well, so can leave the phone in my pocket and be reminded to turn left in 40 yds onto track, then continue straight for 1 mile etc. The route planning is also awesome, can stick to bridleways and roads and produce good detailed gpx downloads for my garmin if i want backup. The route planning cleverly allows os mapping in the view but uses open cycle map for the routing. You can download the mapping associated with a route so it works off grid.
    Got to decide if i want to pay £56 a year in 9 months time, but enjoying it at the moment.

    austy
    Free Member

    The other option I find really easy for creating gpx/tcx files is http://bikehike.co.uk.

    Free to use and uses OS maps and Google maps.

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