Hi – please can you recommend a very basic bike map gps unit. I am pretty rubbish with technology but keep getting lost on rides. Looking for:
1. Budget up to £70ish
2. Main function is map with direction arrows
3. Not to fussed about all other add ons but distance covered would be good
4. 8hr battery life or near.
5. Small and handlebar mounted

Thanks

Garmin Edge 20 or 25 might be an option – small, just about in budget if you shop about, battery 7h-8h, works very well as a tracker etc.

However, it’s weakest point is navigation – I believe it’ll do arrows / turn instructions but doesn’t do proper maps. If that’s enough for you, then it could be a winner. I think smaller units tend to be poorer for mapping.

I’m not sure but you might be able to pick up a second-hand Edge 800 for that kind of budget. A bit bigger but has proper maps (and can take an SD card to load Open Street Maps or OS maps). Battery 14-15h. I have one and it does turn-by-turn instructions and shows your route on a map.

Would the garmin 800 be a good choice for doing long sustrans routes over 3 to 5 days and up in scottish highlands ?

posted this before.. but my set up is.

– £20 android phone with gps (brand new)
– £1 unlocking fee via some bloke on ebay (took 12 mins!)
– giff gaff sim (free)
– waterproof bike mount. found it fit in a topeak iphone4 one perfectly, £9 in halfords

total cost – £30 plus credit (non tarriff – I put a tenner on two months ago with a “only top up a max of 10 per month if credit runs out’ and yet to pay more since)

using viewranger (free) you can pre-download maps, and it runs strava.

if you already have a smartphone, install viewranger its available free for iOS and Android.

important thing is to remember to pre-download maps

it easily handles a 3 hour ride, i keep a powerbank in the car to top it up after a ride, but could carry it if i was on an longer ride.

Garmin 800 would work well. Navigation on it is pretty good and you can plug a battery pack into it (or charge from a battery pack overnight) to extend the life.

There’s also a Garmin Touring that seems to be the same hardware but different software on it to make it more focussed on navigation etc. Might work even better.

I’m always a bit reluctant to put my phone on the bike – more likely to get nicked (even if it’s a cheapy), more delicate and bigger. I’m sure they work well but I like having my phone at home or safely stashed away and turned off when I’m cycling.

yup. my real iphone is kept safe (and charged for emergencies etc). the 30 quid set up is meant to be relatively disposable. the phone mount just slides on, only button to press to remove it.