still looking for a GPS. one without all the fancy latest tech stuff.

i dont need HRM or to know how slow i am going. i just need to load a GPX to follow, and to load a route i have created on say OS maps.

i am rubbish at tech stuff, so all help greatly appreciated.

Sounds like you want a hiking one instead. Or maybe just use an app on your phone. Would be cheaper to use a cheap weather proof phone with a big battery. 

How about one of these?

https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Garmin-Edge-Explore-GPS-Enabled-Computer_128412.htm

https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2018/07/garmin-edge-explore-review.html

I was lucky enough to get one of these for ~£27 from Chain Reaction back around Easter https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/p/lezyne-super-pro-gps-bike-computer (not surprisingly went out of stock quickly, just like the Mega XL they did for ~£37)…

But £89 (if you’re a member already with reward points, just buying this alone would allow you to get a £5 basket discount, a £150+ basket could allow a £10 discount code etc.) is still a great buy for the features it has.

https://www.merlincycles.com/lezyne-super-pro-gps-computer-152382.html

It’s a solid GPS computer with a proper map rather than “breadcrumbs,” it does “offline routing” so it doesn’t need to be paired to your mobile and need a mobile broadband signal like older models.

It can do lots of other things like power and heart data, but you can easily customise exactly what data you want to see during a ride on a number of different screens.

This Beeline Velo does what you’re after, but I’ve not got any personal experience.  

https://beeline.co/pages/beeline-cycling

I think this YouTube video is done by an STW member. 

Depends a bit on what kind of routes you’re following.  You can have a basic device that gives you speed, distance, breadcrumb trail or left/right and an alert to say of you’ve gone off track.  Those are great as long as you’re follow a relatively obvious route, and you don’t have a reason to deviate.

Where they’re not so good is when your route takes you through a common or woods where you have multiple intersecting paths, it can be quite confusing to work out which is the straight ahead/slightly left turn, and you might have to try a few to get far enough up the trail to see if you’ve take the correct route or not.

Or if you have a mechanical/injury/weather complaint and you need to cut your route short, find some food/shelter, dow a bit of route planning on the hoof, you need something else with you, a phone (with maps and/or signal) or a map.

I’ve got an Oregon 650 which is a bit old and clunky, but it does what I want it to, set it up in lots of different ways,  I can load custom maps, replace AA batteries on multiday hikes/bikes/skitours.

Wahoo Elemnt Bolt is about as simple as they come.
I’ve loved using mine for about the last 5 years.
It has its limits, but for simple navigation, it’s brilliant.

Going with the reccomend what you’ve got’ theme, Garmin 530 here. I can do fancy stuff with HRMs etc but that’s not what I use it for. I plot a route on Outdoor Active or download a GPX from somewhere, Outdoor Active syncs the route to the garmin and I get on the bike and follow the pink line on the map.

Garmin Edge 530 can be bought for £165 new currently, worth waiting to see if any deals crop up on Black Friday.

For Years I have used a Garmin 62s.

These are now obsolete but the 64  is the updated version.

These can be ordered with a full set of OS maps.

If you down load a route you can just follow it on the screen.

I have had  mine a long time and it has survived falling of by bars at speed and going kayaking.

The only reason I have a different device is that due to long service the rubber  covering on the outside had worn through.

Other than basic route following it just does basic stats like speed and distance.

Mine has been great.