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Does the edge 800 track the trail when offroad navigating according to the route like google maps or is it the usual, rather unhelpful straightline between waypoints like my etrex vista.
And is it fast enough to dynamically trace your position as you travel on the map. I want a satnav for offroad that will update quickly enough (Particularly across 'screens') for me to navigate. My etrx is just too slow to update to make it really useful other than knowing where you are.
Happy to have maps as backup but don't want the constant stopping to check location on unknown trails.
I've thought about the satmap too but it seems they need to speed it up from reading reviews, although the screen size is good.
Embrace the unknown. It's fun to be lost...
tracks the route exactly (essentially).
What do you mean by 'across screens'. It updates as you ride. Change direction, it changes direction.
you can set to 'lock on road' or not.
when offroad I dont think it does turns etc unless you manually put them in.
if you veer off the plotted route, it does a buzzing sound as 'off-course warning'
Not sure I've understood the question 100%, but if you're following a GPX course that you've loaded, then that's what will show on the map. If you're off road you won't get turn by turn navigation obviously, but you will get off course warning and a heading to follow.
As for the map updating - in the map view you choose whether to orient the map as per your heading, or always keep north at the top. The former is very slightly slower to refresh if you're moving quickly, but both are perfectly easy to read on the fly. Scrolling and zooming on the map is plenty responsive - have just done a JOGLE with mine so had plenty of opportunity to practise!
Waypoint to Waypoint will always be straight lines, I always used Trackpoints with my Vista.
Ok. Thanks guys.
Plenty fast enough refresh to follow on the fly.
Map stays updated on your position and moves with your location? (This is what is lacking on my Vista unless I've set it up wrong. I can effectively head off the screen and then have to manually move the map to find and centre myself again. Which is the very slow bit when it redraws.
I have only used uploaded routes programmed by someone else on the vista, which always seems to have big gaps between waypoints and straight lines which is sometimes misleading regarding your real direction.
I think this has helped, Ta.
Map stays updated on your position and moves with your location?
Yup
Map stays updated on your position and moves with your location? (This is what is lacking on my Vista unless I've set it up wrong. I can effectively head off the screen and then have to manually move the map to find and centre myself again. Which is the very slow bit when it redraws.
All of the Garmins I've used will pan the map automatically. It sounds like you have something setup wrong. What model Vista? The original black and white one?
Usually if you manually move the map, then the map will then stay in manual mode. But if you press "Page" once, it will switch back to centred on your position.
Though it is true, some of the older Etrexes can be slow to redraw the map, especially if you have detailed maps loaded. Newer models are a lot faster.
slight hijack... where is the cheapest place for an edge 800 with full UK 1:50k maps?
I feel an impulse purchase coming on...
Dave
Winstanleys was...
Merlin were doing the "trail" bundle (unit + OS 50k + HR/speed/cadence sensors) for £365, which was pretty good I thought. Going via Topcashback gets another few quid off too.
Right... bought mine in March and I thought I wanted it to do exactly what you want yours to do.
First off. No way on this earth will it navigate with beeps, warnings and directions whilst you're navigating an off road trail, nor do you want it to. The couple of times it came close to doing it I got a beep and direction prompt every 5m or so I.E. everytime my plotted route had the slightest turn in it, it nearly ended up in the ferkin lake!
It says it will do the navigation thing off road but believe me I've tried, posted on here and spoke to Garmin and it won't.
This is what you think you want it for because you get it in your car but you don't need a paper map that often even on a new trail so why would you want a beeping cometary while you're on your bike.
Secondly. Garmin software = Bag of Shite. It isn't user friendly at all and every time you want something out of it they want extra money for the privilege. For instance, you can plot your route/track on your own maps or the maps you get with the Garmin on Garmin Base Camp which is nice for following OS FP's or BW's and looking at contours but you can't toggle and plot between Google Earth in Base Camp to check you are still on the real path. If you want to do that you have to use Garmin Connect and plot the route again because that programme doesn't allow you to use your own maps. I find myself plotting a track in Base Camp then plotting it a second time in Connect on it's Earth setting. However for a small fortune you can buy a Google Earth image off Garmin to import onto your map and route in Base Camp... when it's free everywhere else !!! 👿
Those are the down sides. Once you've got your map system set up and you've got a handle on how to plot the routes (sorry tracks or course... you'll come to understand) then it is fairly simple to plot, export and ride following a line on the device. Yes it's very quick to update and you quickly know when you've gone wrong. You can zoom right into a field gate if you've got the right maps on there and it will update your position as soon as you set off again. I've used it to track through thick cloud on a undistinguishable trail with a deathly cliff being the consequence of a wrong turn and it's worked like a dream. Once you've got the simple elements sussed in the crap Garmin software it's a great little device and you'll save loads of time on the trail.
Buy the version with the OS 1:50k maps because this will put any custom map you overlay in 3D into Base Camp. There are ways to get 1:20,000 OS maps too and the software wraps them over the 1:50,000's to put them into 3D as well(but not on the device only on Base Camp) which is really nice to see your route profile.
That will do, I could go on and on about this little ****er that for a while takes over you life. Definitely a love hate thing going on !
I find it very easy to use.
I plot my intended route using memory map.
Export the gpx file from this and import into garmin training centre.
Send it to the 800.
Tell your 800 to have the track pointing up rather than north.
Follow it round like any sat nav without the vocals.
I carry paper maps but cant remember the last time I've ever used them.
I plot routes on Memory Map and export them directly to my 800, no need to send it to TC first?
I use mine for on and off road routes - it's great! I never got to grips with BaseCamp or Connect, but don't actually need them. If you don't have Memory Map, you can use things like Bikehike to plot and download routes.
You can import Openstreetmap mapping into Basecamp from [url= http://talkytoaster.info/ukmaps.htm ]Talkytoaster[/url]
I use these on the laptop and on the Edge800 along with the 1:50k
I prefer to use Bikeroutetoaster, it has a bunch of maps including cycle routes for when your mapping and you can autoroute on path/cycle routes by changing the setting. Best of all it has turn by turn navigation (if you export a .crs) and it is editable, so you can delete all the ones you dont want and keep the main ones like trail junctions or where you may need to pin it for a strava segment LOL!
Best of all, its free!!!!
(youll still need maps for your device, but just get some open maps, again, free!!!)
+1 for Bike route toaster
If you combine this with openMTBmaps on the garmin you have the ultimate free garmin navigation route setup
actually, just playig about with BRT, i dont think you can delete navigation alerts. Ill have a play about with it and post back if i work out how to sort it.
I've had my edge 800 for a couple of months now and my "love hate relationship" definitely leans toward the "hate". I hope someone can clear this up for me: from what I understand you can't get turn by turn directions offroad (I have enough trouble getting it to give them on road). The consensus seems to be that you just follow the path on the screen so my question is this: How to people prevent themselves from crashing into every tree and boulder on the route as you have your head down looking at the tiny screen that you can't read in sunlight or if it's raining or if it's dark (yes I like offroad routes at night)? Are you people all on tandems and one of you is acting as navigator whilst the other one steers? I don't see how you can ride a trail whilst following a screen in case there's a turn coming up. It seems to me to be not a question of dangerous as much as downright impossible.
You're referring to the "Garmin Curse". It's a well described phenomena of silly but sometimes serious crashes caused by staring at your Garmin too long.
I don't look at the map unless I come to an intersection of sorts then I'll either slow down or stop.
I don't even have the device on the map screen the whole time as I've noticed it adversely affects the battery usage.
I keep mine on the data pages.
If I'm following a vaguely familiar trail I'll follow my nose and rely on the alarm to tell me I'm off course.
Its usually no more than 10 yards or so before it does.