 Topic Name: The Perfect GPS
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on: November 01, 2011, 12:25:19 PM
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tanman1337
Location: Yuma, AZ
Posts: 309
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« on: November 01, 2011, 12:25:19 PM » |
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I'm looking to buy a GPS that is top of the line for all my outdoor bikepacking needs. I'm very new in the sport, but I absolutely love to ride. I'm going to be riding the AZT 300 this coming spring and hopefully the Great Divide sometime in the future. I have looked at the new Garmin 800 and also their 62 Series GPS. What is the overall consensus for the best bikepacking GPS including, small things like rechargeable batteries vs. standard, signal strength, and mounting?
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Topic Name: The Perfect GPS
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Reply #1 on: November 01, 2011, 12:33:18 PM
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tanman1337
Location: Yuma, AZ
Posts: 309
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« Reply #1 on: November 01, 2011, 12:33:18 PM » |
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Also, the biggest question I have is- Since the AZT is not until Spring, should I hold out and wait for something better to come out right before? I know technology these days changes so rapidly... Thanks
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Topic Name: The Perfect GPS
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Reply #2 on: November 01, 2011, 01:13:33 PM
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tanman1337
Location: Yuma, AZ
Posts: 309
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« Reply #2 on: November 01, 2011, 01:13:33 PM » |
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Does anyone have any feedback on the big differences between the 62 series and the etrex? How about non-Garmin setups?
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Topic Name: The Perfect GPS
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Reply #3 on: November 01, 2011, 02:44:29 PM
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Topic Name: The Perfect GPS
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Reply #4 on: November 03, 2011, 04:21:09 PM
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stevage
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 174
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« Reply #4 on: November 03, 2011, 04:21:09 PM » |
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I've had a Garmin Oregon 550 for a couple of years and find it pretty much "perfect". Rugged, waterproof, easy on batteries, big screen, good mapping (I use OpenStreetMap). Being able to easily follow a set route, especially at night, made a huge difference to my cycling adventures. Get the bike mount, stick it on your stem, and it's just fantastic.
I hadn't come across the Edge 800, but I see it has an internal battery. It's much, much better to have standard AAs - just buy a lot of rechargeables, and you can go for days. I recorded a complete trace for an 8 day hike with just 4 pairs of NiMH.
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Topic Name: The Perfect GPS
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Reply #5 on: November 03, 2011, 05:00:02 PM
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orion_134
Posts: 28
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« Reply #5 on: November 03, 2011, 05:00:02 PM » |
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Will your 550 operate while plugged in/charging?
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Topic Name: The Perfect GPS
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Reply #6 on: November 03, 2011, 05:53:24 PM
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stevage
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 174
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« Reply #6 on: November 03, 2011, 05:53:24 PM » |
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Well, it doesn't charge batteries, so the question is moot. You charge batteries with a normal NiMH battery charger.
Why do you ask?
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Topic Name: The Perfect GPS
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Reply #7 on: November 03, 2011, 07:24:31 PM
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orion_134
Posts: 28
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« Reply #7 on: November 03, 2011, 07:24:31 PM » |
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The question is not moot. I am searching for a GPS that will run on AA when not plugged into my dyno hub, but will still allow functionality when plugged into the USB charger. Some will bypass the batteries and allow them to remain at their present charge state while on AC power, while others will enter a USB-computer mode that changes it into a storage device and disables the GPS functions.
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Topic Name: The Perfect GPS
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Reply #8 on: November 04, 2011, 12:12:56 AM
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stevage
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 174
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« Reply #8 on: November 04, 2011, 12:12:56 AM » |
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Ah, I see. Just doing some testing now, and it looks like it can: if you take out the batteries and connect it to a dumb USB charger, you get full functionality. (Interestingly, it first went into file transfer mode, then after a minute or so, rebooted normally).
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Topic Name: The Perfect GPS
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Reply #9 on: November 09, 2011, 04:58:54 PM
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Payton MacDonald
Posts: 117
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« Reply #9 on: November 09, 2011, 04:58:54 PM » |
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For the Oregon 550 can you program in a route ahead of time like the TD and then set it up to help you navigate? As in "turn left in fifty meters". Or "beep!"
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Topic Name: The Perfect GPS
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Reply #10 on: November 09, 2011, 05:10:56 PM
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Payton MacDonald
Posts: 117
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« Reply #10 on: November 09, 2011, 05:10:56 PM » |
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It looks like the 300 has almost exactly the same features but without the camera etc. Any one using the the 300 and have anything to share? Thanks!
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Topic Name: The Perfect GPS
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Reply #11 on: November 09, 2011, 05:28:49 PM
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stevage
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 174
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« Reply #11 on: November 09, 2011, 05:28:49 PM » |
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For the Oregon 550 can you program in a route ahead of time like the TD and then set it up to help you navigate? As in "turn left in fifty meters". Or "beep!"
Yes, but the problem I always run into is that you're planning the route on one set of maps (typically Google), and then running it from a different set (in my case, OpenStreetMap). Which just doesn't work very well, for reasons I'm too inarticulate to explain. |
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Topic Name: The Perfect GPS
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Reply #12 on: November 10, 2011, 01:36:09 AM
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bmike-vt
Location: Horgen, Switzerland
Posts: 1122
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« Reply #12 on: November 10, 2011, 01:36:09 AM » |
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Only way to get turn by turn is to use one that is set up to handle the street software. Likely that this wouldn't work well at all for anything but pure road riding, as most bikepacking has a mix of smaller roads and trails. Also, when using a GPX file you 'follow the line' instead of being able to listen to directions. 2 very different ways to navigate.
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Topic Name: The Perfect GPS
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Reply #13 on: November 10, 2011, 03:22:24 AM
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stevage
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 174
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« Reply #13 on: November 10, 2011, 03:22:24 AM » |
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In my experience of both methods, neither is fool proof. Using routes, you get a lot of false alerts (it beeps at every roundabout, when a road merges into another but you continue in a straight line etc). Using tracks, you get false negatives (you should have turned, but didn't notice). It's fairly rare to go far past a turn, when following a track.
Ideally, the GPS would let you know when you were far off track (eg, 100m). Don't think mine does though.
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