You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
wanting to buy a new GPS for the handlebar with mapping software I’ve got a etrex 20 at the moment but was wondering if there’s anything better out there? Needs to have a big screen quick refresh rate and mount on handlebar
I have a Garmin Oregon - has a 3" screen that is readable in daylight, works with HRM and speed/cadence/power sensors if needed, plus takes AA batteries so can be run for multi-day events. Fairly chunky unit though.
There was a thread on this the other week. Have a look, lots of replies. Personally, I sold my Garmin 520 and bought a Wahoo ELEMNT (the large one) bundle with Speed/Cadence and HR. Couldn't be happier with it.
https://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/gps-numpty-advice/
I've the Oregon 600 (basically the previous generation), don't think it works with power sensors, that may just be the newer 700 series.
Providing you don't have the screen on all the time and have sensible settings for other things on the device, you can get 20 hours out of a set of rechargables. Screen on is just a tap of the power button so not a big deal.
The mount for the Oregon is not brilliant - it's basically zip ties - and with such a hefty unit the only place I've found that doesn't eventually shift is at the stemp/bar clamp area.
The mount for the Oregon is not brilliant – it’s basically zip ties – and with such a hefty unit the only place I’ve found that doesn’t eventually shift is at the stemp/bar clamp area.
a clean strip of inner tube on a clean handlebar helps.
Another vote for the Oregon.
Unlike Bob, my bar mounts are all fine and the unit stays put. It's always worth attaching a lanyard too though. I had an OTB and ripped the unit off the bars with my leg. It was still in the mount, dangling off the bars when I picked the bike up.
Oregon 700 looks good but anyone know about the Garmin 64 and whether it’s bike mountable?
Also can you put AA’s in the oregan as I’m planning a week bikepacking no charger!!!?
Yes, the Oregon runs off AA batteries. It has a menu option to let you specify which type. You can also run/charge it from an external power source like a powerbank.
What I do is: fit rechargeables (use a bit of old toothpaste tube to press down the nipple in the battery compartment to trick the unit into thinking you've loaded Garmin's very expensive battery back) Prior to leaving charge up a powerbank, then at night when I'm not moving I plug the powerbank into the unit and recharge the batteries. Even the cheap Duracell rechargeable AA batteries are fine, more capacity and about a third of the price of the Garmin pack.
I managed for five days like this on last year's HT550 (I was also recharging iPhone and potentially a Joystick, but didn't need the latter). If you take a Plug-top USB charger then if you get to a cafe you can recharge the powerbank.
whitestone - anything you need to be careful of with the rechargeables and a power bank? Guess you're relying on the circuitry in the powerbank to provide the right current for the batteries and not blow them up?
Budget might not stretch to the oregan cheapest I can find online is over £400 with mapping software!!! Think it’s going to have to be the 64 at £299
I've not had any problems with either an Anker or a Rav powerbank but that's not to say that the setup is electrically correct. The GPS unit will draw the current it requires rather than the powerbank pushing it into the device.
I've seen someone (presumably with much better electronics knowledge than myself) note (OK, complain) that the charging circuitry that Garmin use isn't optimal for two battery systems and that it will shorten the lifespan of the batteries. By how much I don't know but if it's from 500 cycles to 400 then it's not that much of a problem, if it's from 500 to 50 then it is.