Wasting time with Garmin Edge 800 GPS

A while back I bought an edge 800 GPS. It has been interesting to use as a ride record and sometimes useful with its pre loaded OS UK map database…good when I get lost. However using it all the time on the bars, spoils the ride flow and I find myself just using it as a recorder in my rucksack to view post ride.
The screen is also very very small and you need good eyesight and a bit of shade to read the fairly low resolution maps.

I just paid a whopping £130 to download a load of maps for our French holiday. I put a new SD card in and it seems to keep cutting out half way thru the 1.2gb download…lots of time wasting. I think i’ll cut my losses and buy a paper map.
Be warned I think the Garmin Edge is for the sort of folk who like to spend their leisure time reading IT manuals.. 🙁 grrr

Should have bought the 200 then. Haven’t read the manual yet.

Maybe.. The small screen is certainly a problem. Maybe the oregon would be better?. Overall I think I prefer paper and a compass!

Don’t trust them in the rain with an SD card. The USB port will rust too.

Yep I agree, I read the reviews and believed the hype…had one for a few months and sold it as it annoyed me… Got a Bryton 500 now which I prefer

Paul

£130 for French mapping, have you not heard of piratebay?

I think the money would have been better spent on the bike… or booze 🙂 anyway ill cheer up and start packing for Sunday! mustn’t forget the compass 🙂

Once again I’ll say:
second hand android smartphone: £50
Large capacity battery: £20
Waterproof bar-mount: £10
MMTracker App: £5
Memory Map files: ahem, not a lot

Bingo, GPS for less than £100.

spoils the ride flow

Somewhat less than stopping, getting a map out of your bag, checking it, heading off, stopping 100 yards further on at the next junction and repeating.

As you’re into theft, why bother with all that palaver? Just steal a decent GPS from someone.

do you want to sell it to me??????

As you’re into theft, why bother with all that palaver?

I assume that’s aimed at my pricing of memory map files?
I’ll admit to acquiring a few copies, but I did purchase the original software and set of maps, so I don’t have an issue with that now that all OS maps are feely available.

I love my Garmin 800 and its the best thing on the market ATM.
I do find it difficult to see the screen sometimes though when the sun’s out but fortunately that’s not a frequent problem.

Mines ace, only really use the navigation on the road and then it’s following a pre-loaded course.

Love my 800 as well. As much or little detail as you want to show on screen.
I find OS and road mapping fine. Sometimes I need to stop and check, but you would have to do the same if you had a map – or you would need a horrible map holder!

I know what I would rather…

Having a GPS & then not using it where you can see it defeats the object really. You might as well use a map.

Love mine. Only follow pre loaded courses which it gives you a big picture of the change so find it really easy to view. Never look at the map. Love the info it gives you

I’ve had mine for a couple of months now and, so far, it’s been more reliable than the 705 it replaced and does everything I want it to and more.

My 800 has been brilliant. The screen is far better than any smartphone screen in sunlight. Resolution isn’t the best, but at least you can see it! Tap screen to ignite the backlight (you have adjusted backlight brightness) and its clear as anything.

FWIW I’ve had no issues with water/corrosion.

I got mine to make rides flow better, and compared to maps/smartphones it does. Map continuously updates on screen, so very easy to spot the next turn etc…

Radioman how much posted to Oz? 🙂

Left it linked to computer overnight and download finally worked so i’ll be trying it in France. Will still be buying a back up paper map though! Will let u guys know if I finally throw in the towel and want to sell..

🙂

I’ve a 705 and think it’s excellent, I’d imagine the 800 is even better. I only really use it for on road navigation purposes (work out a route on mapmyride and then download to the device) and as a bit of a training aid with a cadence sensor.

For what I need it’s just about right, not sure I’d want to use it as a full on GPS though.

My 800 is the best thing i’ve bought in regards to cycling.

Take it all back now. After finaly got map downloaded..I don’t know why it kept stopping after halfway….that was big problem.

Garmin has been very useful here in Chamonix and I won’t sell now. French map is very detailed… Happy now 🙂

Another vote for the “they’re great” column – mine saved oodles of time on a JOGLE and coped fine with monsoons too. Way more capable than I’ll ever need in terms of training functionality too.

You know you can make your own maps for Garmin using images from mapping websites?

Didn’t know about that Mr Bandito. Thought I just had to download maps from Garmin. That’s what wasted an evening as each time it got half loaded it stopped, but the overnight session luckily worked. . I was worried as I had to leave the following day for France. Maps are expensive though but the France SE map I bought fron Garmin is very detailed and useful.

When I took mine to Croatia I downloaded a free, and pretty good, map from: Openstreetmap

Just had to copy it to a micro sd card and the edge 800 picked it up without any problems.

jam bo – Member
Should have bought the 200 then. Haven’t read the manual yet.

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Yes the 200 is all you need, maybe a wee backup map just in case, especially round Mabie, it gets a bit wild there 😀