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Which is the best GPS for both MTB and Road, ideally I want something that I can download rides for both uses with and additionally use for my own records such as Strava?
The more I look into it the more confused I am getting. I want soemthing that acts like a Tom Tom, but on the trails.
Any help/recommedations would be greaty received
Garmin 800
You'll not get something to "act like a Tom Tom" on the trails. If you can draw routes on a computer-displayed map then you can create something that will give you a line to follow or that will display an arrow pointing the way to the next waypoint. There is nothing that will simply "route" you on the device itself.
Different on the roads though - that IS possible.
I assume the Garmin 800 will work doing waypoints of road then?
Has anyone had any experience of the Bryton 50, Mio 300 or Memory Maps one?
I use the Edge 800 with turn directions off-road.
It's quite easy to do with [url= http://www.bikehike.co.uk/mapview.php ]Bikehike.co.uk[/url] course creator. You can manually add specific directions/instructions at certain points (coursepoints), also it has an OS map to help with your course creation.
Edge 200 allows you to add GPX routes. It only draws a line that you/arrow moves along but I've found that to be sufficient, in fact possibly better as you can read it at a glance rather than stare at a detailed map. It will also record your strava plot and if you decide to ignore the route and go elsewhere you can and it will still plot your route. You can create gpx files on the Ordnance Survey Getamap site to export.
The Etrex or Dakota units are good for navigation. You probably want the Etrex 20 or Dakota 20 at a minimum.
The Edge units have more cycle specific training functions, if that interests you, but the 800 is the only one with proper mapping - though the other two do have breadcrumb trails - and it's not cheap.
For mapping and navigation - and very basic cycle functions, average speed, distance, that kind of stuff - Etrex or Dakota. The Etrex is a little newer than the Dakota, but smaller screen and not touch screen.
For more training functions, heart rate monitor and stuff like that - The Edge. 500 and above is compatible with heart rate monitor. Only the 800 has full mapping facilities.
There are cheaper alternatives, such as the Bryton units, though I've read reports that they're not quite so user friendly.
I highly recommend the Viewranger app/ internet interface set-up if you want OS mapping
Garmin 705 is brill, upload routes to follow, set training plans, upload to strava, garmin training website, free maps via openmtbmap.org.
The set to follow road or not...the dogs doodahs