I’m looking for a GPS to record my routes, similar to a bicycle computer does. Not interested in one ‘showing me they way’ as I wear specs to read and would have to put them on every time I wanted to view it! I would be like to be able to keep a record of my rides and upload them to Google Earth etc.

Must be MAC OS X compatible, apart from that anything goes. I know ZIP about them so feel free to recommend anything you guys think hits the spot.

Oh and not android or iPhone apps, tried about ten now and every single one of them is drastically inaccurate in comparison to people i’ve ridden with’s GPS results.

Garmin forerunner 205 / 305(with HRM). Now £96 / £109 on amazon.

You can wear it on your wrist or get the optional bike mount.

Compatible with Mac afaik.

#edit – the bundled “training centre” software wont work but apparently you can use Garmin Connect (online) along with their Communicator plug in.

I bought this a couple of weeks ago and it’s brilliant

http://global.mobileaction.com/product/product_i-gotU_GT-600.jsp

Simple and straightforward. I got it from Maplin for £50 though they’ve put the price up to £70 however it’s available online for around £50.

what couldashoulda… said – forerunner 205/305 – same as Edge but a watch. Garmin connect is quite good online but beware it only keeps detail of rides > 3 months or so old if you pay for the premium price – otherwise it just stores summary data on old rides.

I use a Garmin Edge 305.
If you don’t want the heart rate monitor, second hand 205s go for about £60 on ebay.

Garmin connect is quite good online but beware it only keeps detail of rides > 3 months or so old if you pay for the premium price – otherwise it just stores summary data on old rides.

Sorry to hijack somewhat but this is the first I’ve heard of this… anyone care to explain?

I’ve got one like BoardinBob – It just sits in my back pack and then I plug it in when I get home. It gives you all the info you wanted and brings up a google map with an overlay of the route. Seams a neat little system – not sure whether it works with a Mac though. The only thing is, unless I’m being daft (quite possible!) the “total ascent” appear wildy inaccurate. Either that or I actually did do 1800m of climbing in the Surrey hills on Sunday in 2 1/2 hours!!

Oggles – I think when they transferred to the new connect.garmin this restriction was removed – I can go back now and see old rides where they blocked access to the gps and hrm data previously. Sorry for any panic caused…

I have a Garmin ETrex
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B000PDV0CE/ref=asc_df_B000PDV0CE1990985?smid=A3DY1ULX0WPWJW&tag=googlecouk06-21&linkCode=asn&creative=22218&creativeASIN=B000PDV0CE

Which you can have for £30 posed? I dont have the bar mount though…

For Mac software for keeping logs of you ride I can recommend Ascent;
http://www.montebellosoftware.com/

Altitude measurement on GPSes are usually pretty crap by their nature. Every few seconds a variation of a couple of feet adds masses of extra height over the course of a couple of hours tracking. The garmin Edge (but not the Forerunner?) 305 adds a barometric altimeter over the 205 model which should help.

Thanks guys, I’ve ordered a Garmin Edge 305 with the cadence sensor and HRM so I can race my ‘virtual trainer’ and see how marginally slower i’m getting 😀

The Garmin Training Centre software is available for Mac on the Garmin website.