Newbie - What mapping product for cycling ?

grahammackie · Occasional Visitor Joined: Dec 26, 2004 Posts: 5

Have just received a new Etrex Vista C for xmas along with a copy of Metroguide Europe (which I thought I needed !!)

Discovered today that the routing didn't work and that the Mapsource product was a waste of time.

I wanted to Vista to help with Navigation on longer mountain bike rides which are a mixture of roads & bridleways - preparing routes at home and then navigating them using the Vista. City Select Europe snow eems to give me the only option for good road mapping. Was going to buy Tracklogs or Memory map for 1:50 mapping of the bridelway - although i realsie I won't get the map detail on the Vista.

Before I shell out what now feels like a load of money I would appreciate any opinions - is there a better way to do this ?

DavidW · Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2004 1:55 pm Post subject:

I'm no expert on these products, but I think you need to decide exactly what is wanted.

If you want map display, Memory Map or other topographical software on a Pocket PC would be a good choice - but I don't believe you can interface an Etrex C to a Pocket PC as I believe the Etrex C is one of the Garmins that has no serial support and only supports a proprietary Garmin protocol over USB.

If your interest is just in waypoints, I'm less familiar with what is available and possible. Obviously such a setup will be cheaper.

There are trade-offs to be made, both in terms of budget, and how rugged the whole setup is to be. Pocket PCs are quite fragile without a proprietary ruggedisation product.

What are your exact needs from the setup, what is your budget, and what are you thinking of doing with what you have?

David

johnnyg · Occasional Visitor Joined: Aug 16, 2004 Posts: 5

checkout using Anquet maps www.anquet.co.uk (assuming you're in the UK and want to go on and off road) - can use their 50,000 or 25,000 scale Ordnance Survey derived products to create yourself route maps including height profiles. You can then print yourself a map out and transfer the waypoints to your garmin (BUT check with Anquet first that your specific model is supported - they say all - and I use with a garmin gps60C, and a friend uses an etrek...but buyer beware!).
I've done this for walking, and a friend does it all the time for cycling.

John G

Halfpiste · Posted: Thu Dec 30, 2004 6:49 pm Post subject:

Hi

I use my Legend with a handlebar mount for cycling and prepare routes on my PC using Tracklogs 1:25000 mapping software. I then download to the Garmin and follow the route on the map screen using the 500 ft scale or bigger. I find this easier to navigate than by using the navigation screen.
I can't vouch for Anquet or the others but find Tracklogs to be fairly priced, plus it offers full GB coverage at OS 1:25000.

Hope this helps

Colin

whitepjs · Occasional Visitor Joined: Dec 30, 2004 Posts: 2

I agree with the analysis of Tracklogs software. I use their CDs a lot for walking, and have found the PC software and Garmin upload very easy to use. The whole of the UK is covered, and at only 25 quid or so for each Explorer map, it seems pretty good value. You can print a copy of the map extract to go with the uploaded route, and that seems to work really well. I use an Etrex Summit btw.

Rgds

grahammackie · Occasional Visitor Joined: Dec 26, 2004 Posts: 5

Thanks for all the advice. Bought a copy of a site centred tracklog map at 1:25,000 and it seems to do the job great - as long as I select 'off road' on the Vista C.

Happy to provide a more in depth review once I try it in anger rather than a trip to the local shops !

Phil Pugh · Posted: Wed Feb 23, 2005 7:18 pm Post subject: A bit late?

You seem to have made a choice - but you may want to take a look at OziExlorer (www.oziexplorer.com). This comes in a version for a PC/Laptop and a cut down version for a Pocket PC device. It was designed a few years ago by an Aussie who wanted to do a lot of off-roading in his 4X4. For my money it's the best bit of software for using with your own maps - it's has some really nice features - too many to discuss here.

You can scan maps (or take screen shots etc) and calibrate them on the PC version then download to Pocket PC (or use on a laptop) and it works really well. I use it for walking/cycling. I have done C2C and Trans-Pennine with scanned OS maps. I have even used it for sailing using scanned nautical charts. Normal caveats apply - it's only an aid to navigation not a substitute. Using captured screen images of maps (I also own Anquet 1:50,000 OS maps and taking screen images for the maps (I use SnagIt) is more than adequate) a car trip will show the track spot on the road - if it doesn't then I've probably mis-calibrated the map! The latest version of OziExplorer for the PC even does automatic merging of scanned maps - very useful to see if you've missed bits out in the middle!

It doesn't do routing - but you can generate GPS routes (eg for GARMIN ) using waypoints and transfer these to and from your GPS unit and it can 'talk' to you letting you know when you are approaching a waypoint etc. It will download/upload tracks waypoints and route to your GPS unit.

The site has a 2 demo versions one which shows you all the functionality but doesn't allow you to navigate - or one that allows navigation - but only for a limited amount of time and with limited functionality - but enough to get the flavour.

	PocketGPS
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