Navigation question

[Erik Bakke]

Gents,

Can you share how you navigate?  The routes aren't complicated, and I've done a few several times.  Having said that, I get dumber as the distance accumulates, and making mistakes has consequences.  Routes that are new to me this is more critical.

I ride with a Garmin 530 and have the navigation on.  I use .FIT files which are theoretically preferred.  Having said that, on the simple Starlite, it spent probably 150km telling me I had to do a U turn, the thing is idiotic.  I know I was on course perfectly...

Because I also either pocket with voice, or handlebar mount my iPhone with RWGPS.  Navigation is perfect, and is probably worth cluttered cockpit syndrome.  I also like it that on a screen tap it shows me on the small notice bubble how many km to the next turn.  It's also a backup recording just in case.

Do you guys use 2 sources?  Do you use bigger screens than a Garmin 530?  Do you use other than .FIT files to give those things a chance at actually succeeding at simple navigation?

[Greg Achtem]

I use the pretty basic Lezyne Mega XL gps. At the time it was introduced it had the biggest screen and longest battery life of the head units out there. It uses .tpx files but I think it records .fit files if recording a ride. It has turn by turn notifications, list of the next two turns with distance, kms til finish, breadcrumb map and the usual bike computer functions.

It too has the bad habit of telling me I'm off route when you can see by the breadcrumb screen and by looking around that yes, I am on the only road in the vicinity (this is for gravel rides). When I was doing the Strathmore 200 on Friday there were also times it was telling me I was off route when I really wasn't.

Greg

Sounds like every gps system has its quirks and frustrations but I have been pretty happy with the Lezyne. 

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[Landon]

I also use the Garmin Edge 530. There are settings within the Garmin that need adjusting to make it work better. The problem is that with a gpx route there are only so many "points" and it creates a straight line between points. If the unit is outside of the range of those points it will think you are off course when you aren't. I can't quite remember the settings I had to change to make it not recalculate the whole time. I can check how I have it set once I'm back in Calgary. But it has worked flawlessly for me all of last year and at PBP since I adjusted the settings in the Garmin.

The easiest way I find is to use RWGPS to upload the files to the 530. Add the files into your RWGPS account and then you open RWGPS on your Garmin and save the routes you want. I typically only use the 530, but will use RWGPS on my phone as a backup if needed for more "fine" navigation.

-Landon

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[Stephen Kenny]

Hi Eric, I use one device, Garmin 1040, as my navigation aid. I download the route on the RWGPS mobile app on my phone for offline use as backup. I now keep my phone on during the events, I didn't use to, as Garmin has very good safety features that require the phone to notify contacts in the event of crashes etc., bike alarm when jumping into control stops and a very good "share my ride" feature that shares with my real time location on the route with my wife and family. I do bring my old Wahoo Element on multi-day events with the routes loaded, it usually stays in my drop bag. I have come back to the Garmin platform after being off it for many years. It is my belief, and of others, that their new units 840, 1040 etc. are running a new code base. I have used it on multiple 1200's and many brevets without the previous regular crashing etc. I'm very confident that the one unit is sufficient. As you say, in Alberta maybe not a big deal but in Europe and events in the USA where there are many turns, use of bike paths etc. they are almost necessary. The other feature, not available on the Hammerhead, is the use of custom cues by the organizers of the events. Having these pop up on the head unit is very helpful.

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[Erik Bakke]

Thanks guys, this is all helpful.

Landon those settings would be helpful as a bridge.

When you say you load the route to Garmin from RWGPS, is that actually different somehow than downloading the FIT/TCX/GPX then sending it to your Garmin via Garmin connect in any way?  I mean the route is the route right?  I do the latter.

Partly I'm going to TransPortugal again next spring.  https://trans-portugal.com

There are mountain and road versions.  The mountain isn't particularly technical.  Either one is excellent - nice weather, nice hotels, nice country.  I feel it's not my job to lure you folks away from randonneuring, but it definitely has cross appeal - long days, GPS navigated (although you're generally always with people), and it's run in a neat reverse age handicap fashion which I can expand on but its clever for several reasons.

Anyway since last time I did it it's probably worth updating my GPS game a bit.

[Landon]

Nope there is really no difference you are correct, the route is the route. Loading it that way works perfectly fine. The benefit of doing it the way I mentioned, is if you don't have a computer with you, its super easy to have the 530 connected to your phone and download your rwgps routes from your phone onto your 530 through the rwgps widget on the 530. Without a computer, loading the gpx files etc. Is a headache I've found. 

-Landon 

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[Greg Achtem]

Is it still the case you have to have premium membership of ride with gps to do mobile (phone, tablet) uploading of routes to head units? Or in my case the Lezyne app.

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