Bikey GPS
Author
Discussion

dreamer75

Original Poster:

1,446 posts

257 months

Friday 7th February 2014
quotequote all
Hi all

I'm about 6-7 months into mountain biking and so far it's mostly been around Swinley Red/Blue. I'm thinking of investing in a bike GPS so I can preload rides into it (I hate just pedalling randomly, and yet I have no sense of direction!).

Any recommendations ? Not really sure what to look for ! I don't really cycle on roads (occasionally if its part of a route e.g. south downs way) so really want to upload other people's off road routes to follow, as well as map my own.

Thanks!

Edited by dreamer75 on Friday 7th February 19:55

daddy cool

4,107 posts

258 months

Friday 7th February 2014
quotequote all
All depends on your budget!
Free: (if you have a smartphone) - install endomondo or Strava, ride, have fun.
~£70: Garmin 200. records your rides, allows you to follow downloaded routes as a breadcrumb trail. Had one for a couple of years, great device.
~£140: Garmin 500. As above, but adds HR/cadence. More accurate GPS meaning greater detail and more accurate distance of twisty tracks like Swinley
~£250-£400 depending on package, sales, offers, accessories: Garmin 800/810. As above, but adds full OS mapping facilities, turn by turn directions on road as a small car satnav, colour touch screen - what I have now.

mouseymousey

2,642 posts

266 months

Friday 7th February 2014
quotequote all
daddy cool said:
All depends on your budget!
Free: (if you have a smartphone) - install endomondo or Strava, ride, have fun.
~£70: Garmin 200. records your rides, allows you to follow downloaded routes as a breadcrumb trail. Had one for a couple of years, great device.
~£140: Garmin 500. As above, but adds HR/cadence. More accurate GPS meaning greater detail and more accurate distance of twisty tracks like Swinley
~£250-£400 depending on package, sales, offers, accessories: Garmin 800/810. As above, but adds full OS mapping facilities, turn by turn directions on road as a small car satnav, colour touch screen - what I have now.
I've spent ages looking into which bike GPS to get and have finally decided on the Garmin 800. Cheapest place I have found is Amazon for £239 for bundle include HR and Cadence sensors.

Amazon Link

dreamer75

Original Poster:

1,446 posts

257 months

Friday 7th February 2014
quotequote all
Thanks guys. I run free Strava for logging, but I'm after more functionality. What's the difference between the 800/810 and the Touring Plus Garmins? I thought it was only the Touring ones that allowed navigation?

dreamer75

Original Poster:

1,446 posts

257 months

Friday 7th February 2014
quotequote all
Thanks guys. I run free Strava for logging, but I'm after more functionality. What's the difference between the 800/810 and the Touring Plus Garmins? I thought it was only the Touring ones that allowed navigation?

daddy cool

4,107 posts

258 months

Friday 7th February 2014
quotequote all
mouseymousey said:
I've spent ages looking into which bike GPS to get and have finally decided on the Garmin 800. Cheapest place I have found is Amazon for £239 for bundle include HR and Cadence sensors.

Amazon Link
Actually showing as £235 for me, which is even better. Think I paid about £260 recently in Halfords when they were on offer + BC discount for that plus the euro maps. However, for £235 that's a bargain - you can download the 1-50k OS Discoverer maps from the bay full of pirates, and just pop it on a spare SD card and you are good to go.

Incorrigible

13,668 posts

290 months

Saturday 8th February 2014
quotequote all
Only a suggestion, but when your mates invite you out for rides you could just turn up rather than staying home moaning about the gardener wink

And sorry I too out of breath to properly take the piss last time out hehe

dreamer75

Original Poster:

1,446 posts

257 months

Saturday 8th February 2014
quotequote all
So rude ;-) Bike is in the repair shop atm, all the mud has broken it! Also been wondering about buying a car so I can transport it down to rides…….

Mark83

1,437 posts

230 months

Sunday 9th February 2014
quotequote all
mouseymousey said:
daddy cool said:
All depends on your budget!
Free: (if you have a smartphone) - install endomondo or Strava, ride, have fun.
~£70: Garmin 200. records your rides, allows you to follow downloaded routes as a breadcrumb trail. Had one for a couple of years, great device.
~£140: Garmin 500. As above, but adds HR/cadence. More accurate GPS meaning greater detail and more accurate distance of twisty tracks like Swinley
~£250-£400 depending on package, sales, offers, accessories: Garmin 800/810. As above, but adds full OS mapping facilities, turn by turn directions on road as a small car satnav, colour touch screen - what I have now.
I've spent ages looking into which bike GPS to get and have finally decided on the Garmin 800. Cheapest place I have found is Amazon for £239 for bundle include HR and Cadence sensors.

Amazon Link
I got this for Christmas. I must say I'm very impressed with it.