I need chips with my cycling

[Gargamel]

I need to acquire some gadgetry, I have been borrowing a garmin 405, but to be honest it is a bit rubbish for cycling.

I want maps, and strava access as a minimum, really I want to be able to accurately measure time, speed and distance. I don't need heart rate monitoring.

Budget is slightly variable. What do I need.?

[russy01]

Gargamel said:

I need to acquire some gadgetry, I have been borrowing a garmin 405, but to be honest it is a bit rubbish for cycling.

I want maps, and strava access as a minimum, really I want to be able to accurately measure time, speed and distance. I don't need heart rate monitoring.

Budget is slightly variable. What do I need.?

If you want maps you are limited to the garmin 800 or 810.

If you don't need maps then you can look at the 200, 500 and 510.

I have the 510 and its great, fancy colour screen etc. However a 500 does nearly everything the 510 does and is smaller and probs upto £100 cheaper.

You need to fully decide whether you need maps, this is the biggest factor.

[shouldbworking]

Gargamel said:

I need to acquire some gadgetry, I have been borrowing a garmin 405, but to be honest it is a bit rubbish for cycling.

I want maps, and strava access as a minimum, really I want to be able to accurately measure time, speed and distance. I don't need heart rate monitoring.

Budget is slightly variable. What do I need.?

An android smartphone with maverick and strava.

[Gargamel]

Phones are out.

Maps would be useful... but I am wondering if it is a must have.

Is the garmin stuff any good though, nth the 405 is a bit st.

[Celtic Dragon]

If you don't need maps, look at the Garmin Forerunner wrist mounts. I use a 305 and can get a cadence unit for if I want, and it's strava compatible.

[DrMekon]

Etrex 20 is a good option if being able to put AA batteries into it rather than worry about changing is a plus.

[nammynake]

Garmin 200. A great little unit. You can upload routes and get a 'breadcrumb' trail to follow. More than adequate for road routes and can also be used for off-road routes to great effect too. Completely waterproof - mine survived torrential downpours over a 6 day ride to Paris during last summer.

[MadDad]

Garmin 500 is great - especially when paired with the GSC10 and a H/R monitor, I recommend it (although mine had a brain fart today but to be fair it is the first time in about 9,000 miles).

You don't need GPS maps on your bike computer - and if you have time to read them you are not working hard enough!

My formula for a ride in an area I don't know is simple. Sit down with a cuppa and google maps before you set off, write down/memorise key junctions, road numbers/names and villages along your route. Write them down (if you really need to) and stick them in the bag with your driving license, £20 and debit card, then ride.

As long as you have a smart phone you will always be able to find where you are and re-adjust your route (if needed)....there, I have just saved you a couple of hundred ££££'s!!!

[yellowjack]

Gargamel said:

I need to acquire some gadgetry, I have been borrowing a garmin 405, but to be honest it is a bit rubbish for cycling.

I want maps, and strava access as a minimum, really I want to be able to accurately measure time, speed and distance. I don't need heart rate monitoring.

Budget is slightly variable. What do I need.?

I've been procrastinating for months now over a Garmin 800 Enduro bundle, with OS 1:50,000 maps, cadence and heartrate, but

a) It's too expensive for me. I CAN afford to buy it, but I'm not convinced it offers brilliant VFM
b) As a committed technophobe, I always hesitate to buy fancy gadgets, then end up buying them after they've been replaced by something better
c) Every time I think I'm convinced, I either read or hear something negative about the Garmin range, but there doesn't seem to be a real alternative which will do the OS maps

I'm hoping you'll get some good advice on this thread, which I can piggy-back off in order to come to a decision about which way is the best GPS unit to get into the Strava thing.

[DrMekon]

You don't have to pay for maps. Use the Open Street Maps files from talkytoaster.

http://talkytoaster.info/ukmaps.htm

It's very easy to install them.

[Magic919]

I started with a Forerunner 405, but moved to a Garmin Edge 800 and haven't looked back. My wife has been using the 910XT, but she's swapped to the 800 for cycling.

Mine has the OS maps, but I'm not sure it ever makes much difference. A guy at work uses OpenStreetMap, even in Europe, and swears by them.

[Gargamel]

Hmm I take the points regarding maps, that is actually the one feature of blackberry phones that is consistently decent is the maps function, so I guess I can live without it

Thanks for all the advice....I know it is inevitable that people will advocate there own set ups, but is there an acknowledged device which is really the market leader ?

[TonyHetherington]

The Garmins do seem to be that device - and without maps the 500 (older one) or 510 (newer one) seem right up your street.

The 510 has bluetooth capability to your phone so it instantly connects with Strava, and other stuff (FB/text messages/weather updates to the garmin etc) and if I was buying one today (I currently have the 500 with HRM and cadence) then I'd get the 510.

[TKF]

Gargamel said:

one feature of blackberry phones that is consistently decent is the maps function

Is this a joke?

[AyBee]

Any bargains around right now on the Garmin range? Would love an 800 but suspect the maps is a bit of a fad since I'd use it a few times and then wouldn't need it to do the same route. Do want HR and cadence though.

[TonyHetherington]

Every now and then SportPursuit has 500 or 800 for a good price (now the 510 and 810 are out) but so do a few other places (ProBikeKit for example)

[scubadude]

I've always had cycle computer previously but last one died during removal from my old bike so last 500miles on my road bike have been computer free, just strava on the iphone in my pocket, rather "refreshing" in some ways to ride data free, although I feel I'm overdoing it sometimes and not knowing how far you've been/got to go is alittle disconcerting when you food/drink runs out then you relaise your still 20miles from home- Opps :-)

I like the idea of a 510 but not sure I can convince myself to spend that kind of money when already carrying a phone and a £15 Halfrauds special would do 95% of the job.

[TonyHetherington]

Would you believe it, just got a mail from SportsPursuit that the Garmin 800 is on with them from today;

http://www.sportpursuit.com/join/Tony_Hetherington...

If you click that, it joins you via my account which means you get £10 off (and I get £10 credit)

£270 for the Edge 800 Trail Bundle
£315 for the Edge 800 Enduro Bundle

(both then less £10)

[Raven Flyer]

Gargamel said:

is there an acknowledged device which is really the market leader ?

Yes there is... the Garmin Edge 800



(or the 810 if you need to update facebook with your position as you ride)

[bert11]

My mapping solution is the Garmin Edge 500, whereby I plot a route the night before and follow the 'breadcrumb' trail on the 500. Make sure you "street-view" the map on your computer before the ride to stop it taking you down mud tracks or through locked farm properties!

Edited by bert11 on Tuesday 9th April 19:54