[Closed] MTB Digital Navigation

I use the Plot A Route website to make / import routes and create a GPX which I then transfer over to my handlebar mounted Garmin Etrex.

Garmin Explore and I use Garmin Connect to plot routes - shows you where other cyclists have been, road and off road, so it's handy.

Garmin basecamp on my PC and Garmin Etrex on my handlebars.
TalkyToaster maps on both.
Works great.

Also use Strava (premium) for planning, but usually import into basecamp, in order to get it onto the GPS

I'm using the OS mapping on computer and phone for planning and then a Garmin Fenix 6 watch (with talky toaster mapping installed) for most of my navigation. It gives me 3 options, watch for 99% of the time, get the phone out if better resolution needed and a printed route with OS mapping for when a solar flare kills the GPS satellites (or my batteries die).

The Fenix has coped with all day rides with no issues but you do have to remember to download the OS mapping into the phone before you start.

NB if you have some newish paper OS maps they come with a code that allows you to download the map into your phone in the OS app.

I use an old phone with viewranger. Battery lasts ages in flight mode and they are super cheap for a big screen unit. That gives me os maps, unfortunately the app is about to be discontinued so I may be changing soon but currently it works really well. For planning I use viewranger or sometimes onthego maps. I've got a fenix too but that is more for recording as the screen is a bit small but the it's clear enough to follow a trail.

Garmin 530 device.

I use two websites to "explore" maps.

https://wtp2.appspot.com/wheresthepath.htm

and

bikehike.co.uk (to plot)

I also use Strava a lot. I follow local mountain bikers to see where they are going and if it's not somewhere I've been. If you are looking at a new area you can look at segments and pull out rides of people on the leader boards to see what loops they did. Top placed riders are often locals and you can look at where they are going for inspiration.

Ridewithgps.com to plan routes and get inspiration from others.

Wahoo Elemnt on the bars for when on the move.

Backcountry navigator app on my phone when I want to see a detailed OS map.

I plan with os maps on one screen and Strava on the other. The gpx file is created in Strava as these work better in the real world as you are following where people actually ride.

Both of these are the things I subscribe to.

The gpx file use to go to a Suunto watch. Now they go to Hammerhead Karoo.

I use os maps on my phone as a backup and a paper ione n remote areas. The paper map can be printed from the os website

For a long time I used bikehike.co.uk, which had OS mapping. I'm not sure if it's still up though, there were various reports that perhaps the OS mapping had gone down for good due to changes in the Api. It's basic, but works really well for plotting routes on OS.

Mainly use Ridewithgps now, although you need to pay subscription for some of the premium features. Unless it's changed you can still get by for most stuff without.

Komoot is another subscription based service with more of a social media feel - more about sharing routes and adding context around them.

Most will have an Open Cycle Maps layer, which is like an open source version of OS maps. It can be really useful but not as accurate or detailed as OS.

Komoot is not subscription based, it's free for creating routes, if you want to use it for navigation then your local map is free but you'll need to buy out of area maps to navigate them. Cost me a one off €30 for the whole world.

I've got a Garmin Edge 830 on the bars, with TalkyToaster maps loaded, which gives a much better level of mapping detail than the Garmin supplied ones.

For planning, I use Komoot primarily to actually plot the routes, there's a widget in the Garmin Edge to download the routes direct, and as long as you disable all of the Garmin route recalculation functions (so it doesn't reroute if you go off course) it works pretty well. I've found Komoot to have much better route planning than Garmin or Strava when trying to plot long routes, although the climb/ascent values can be way underestimated compared to real world.

I also use stalking people on Strava as a good source of route inspiration, and either export their routes or manually copy them into Komoot. I actually find the 'social' aspect of Komoot quite useful, people can add notes to 'segments'/tracks etc which can be helpful - some of them are a bit 'fluffy' (lovely lane), some are useful 'gets very muddy, avoid when wet' etc.

Komoot (and most of the other route planners) use OpenStreetMap, which depending where you are may not have the best level of detail - so Bing OS Maps can be helpful to hunt for missing tracks, which you can manually trace into Komoot. I also have LocusMaps Pro on my phone with the Bing OS Maps overlay enabled, so should I need to I can refer to OS maps mid-ride.

If I'm exploring a new area I tend to look up routes on Trailforks and then import them into View Ranger and follow from my phone. If View Ranger is being pulled I'll need to find a new mapping app, which is a shame as I thought it worked well

Great software tool (which I completely didn't know 😉 about. Loving the free 'region' as it covers Dartmoor and way beyond 🙂
Which model of the eTrex? and what mount?
Many thanks

Again, great software and website too.
Stupid question but...Once you plot a route and create the GPX does anybody bother getting an old school print out (A4/A5) and laminate (ala trail card 😉
Many thanks

Again, great software and website too.
Stupid question but...Once you plot a route and create the GPX does anybody bother getting an old school print out (A4/A5) and laminate (ala trail card 😉
Many thanks
Ed

Many thanks All.
Great options and suggestions.
I'll get familiar with the different software options and start looking for some hardware.
Many thanks
Ed