I've used my Etrex 30 for many years and its never let me down, the only problem is that I need to load all tracks onto the unit
before I leave home as it needs plugging into the PC.
I'm planning a long ride next year where I intend to create routes as I go on Komoot on my i phone then send to my GPS.
Can anyone suggest a GPS unit that this is easily done? I'm not very techy so would need to be pretty easy posting.php?mode=post&f=7#
Any help would be much appreciated
Wahoo bolt or ROAM is my pick. Never had an Etrex but I know the fiddling you talked of. Sold the 720, 1000, 520 (and maybe another... I forget) after I got my Bolt. Now on the ROAM which I've had for over or about a year and love it still. I started a thread on the ROAM and my long terms exp of it if you can find it... Tis on this forum in one of the shelves..
I've been doing a bit of research and decided that the Wahoo Roam is the one for me. If anyone could point me in the direction of a Black Friday Deal it'd be mucho appreciated.
Garmin Edge Explore will connect wirelessly to a smartphone and you can load the Komoot app onto the head unit with the IQ widget. They were recently selling for a bargain £129 from Halfords and Amazon, screen size and brightness is good, battery life is about 8-9 hours when following a route but I connect mine via a power bank so that's not an issue. Base mapping is ok and more detailled ones can be added from Fietsmap.
Initially had a little glitch (screen would freeze, needed to be switched off and on again occassionally), which was soon solved with a firmware update.
Since then, absolutely no issues (couple of years now), despite smashing the screen (split display) in a crash which required new handlebars.
I use it nearly on a daily basis but also for multi week trips, from heat to freezing cold. In rain and mud, sand and all you could possibly think of.
It's small, light and despite the small battery, I can use it for really long rides without it needing to be recharched, mostly thanks to it intelligent battery save mode.
Small screen isn't handy for getting an over view on the map and the capacitive touch screen isn't quite as handy as the pressure sensitive screen of the former model was.
Might be better with the newer 830 though.
I’ve got the Edge Explore. It’s very good and it’s dead easy to add routes via Komoot.
I plot in ViewRanger on my phone, as I have OS maps for the app and I like its plotting interface, then share the gpx to Komoot and it gets added to the Garmin automatically.
I have the Wahoo Elemnt, standard not the Roam version.
What I will say is that the app and how it works, uploads etc is really good and also recently the customer support when the screen failed was brilliant and they sent a new one out, no questions asked.
Going by that, I'd say the Roam would be really good - unless you specifically want OS maps.
Compared to multiple previous issues with Garmin and knowing what issues others have had I think that Wahoo have the upper hand.
As a cheaper, but no excuse to buy new shiny, suggestion.
I copy GPS files to my Etrex 30x using my Samsung phone. It came with a USB to USB-C plug that I use the Garmin cable with. The Samsung "my files" app lets you copy stuff across.
Oregon 700.
Install the routeCourse add-on from IQ.
Plot routes in your favourite route planner.
If that happens to be Komoot or RideWithGPs then they automagically appear on your Oregon...
Have to go with Mr Page, having had 6 Garmin over the years, the hardware and head units are well made, but the software can so glitchy and frustrating when it goes wrong, then i had two were battery life just gave up.
Had a Wahoo Element for 2 1/2 years now, and the best thing is that it just works, not had any problems with it and seamless integration with Komoot/RWGPS/ Strava too.
It is simpler than high end Garmin, and if you need every training metric under the sun, then go Garmin, but if you just want a head unit to navigate with and for the usual metrics then its great and ive had 12-13 hours navigation out of it
Scud wrote: ↑Mon Nov 23, 2020 6:32 pm
It is simpler than high end Garmin, and if you need every training metric under the sun, then go Garmin, but if you just want a head unit to navigate with and for the usual metrics then its great and ive had 12-13 hours navigation out of it
I think I have had up to 18hrs from the Elemnt. Another plus, on really long rides you can use a basic external battery, or at least have one spare.
I've got a cheap one with cable shrink wrapped on for added water resistance and seems OK.
mattpage wrote: ↑Sun Nov 22, 2020 11:57 am
I have the Wahoo Elemnt, standard not the Roam version.
What I will say is that the app and how it works, uploads etc is really good and also recently the customer support when the screen failed was brilliant and they sent a new one out, no questions asked.
Going by that, I'd say the Roam would be really good - unless you specifically want OS maps.
Compared to multiple previous issues with Garmin and knowing what issues others have had I think that Wahoo have the upper hand.
I sold my Bolt on here after about 18 months of use. Next user was an 'almost died but didn't die, Wahoo' kind of user. Smashed the screen (I believe he said from his own faults or summat) or summat like that. He spoke to Wahoo and they asked for proof of purchase from original owner. He showed it em (my details and my mates name who bought from Wiggle for me). I think they offered him 40% discount on a worn 3 year old smashed up device...
Scud wrote: ↑Mon Nov 23, 2020 6:32 pm
It is simpler than high end Garmin, and if you need every training metric under the sun, then go Garmin, but if you just want a head unit to navigate with and for the usual metrics then its great and ive had 12-13 hours navigation out of it
I think I have had up to 18hrs from the Elemnt. Another plus, on really long rides you can use a basic external battery, or at least have one spare.
I've got a cheap one with cable shrink wrapped on for added water resistance and seems OK.
Yep, on a long ride I've left the cable plugged in and just attached the battery as and when needed. Only time its let me down it was my fault on LEL 2017 when I plugged in a flat USB battery and ran the wahoo flat. When I plugged in a fresh one it just rebooted and restored my ride with no data lost. Can't say fairer than that.
Thanks for all the great recommendations, with reference to wahoo people say the Wahoo maps are not as good as maps that are available to use on the garmin units, is this true?
With my Garmin I had to load maps for different countries on the SD card, I understand Wahoo automatically does this, is that true?
Also i've read that people have trouble saving activities longer than the 17 hour battery life, it just defaults and resets.
I like the sound of the ease of transfer of routes from phone to head unit on Wahoo but would this be a problem with low or no signal in remote areas, i'm guessing it's bluetooth so shouldn't matter?
Thanks for any help.....
Johnhenry wrote: ↑Wed Nov 25, 2020 8:50 am
Thanks for all the great recommendations, with reference to wahoo people say the Wahoo maps are not as good as maps that are available to use on the garmin units, is this true?
With my Garmin I had to load maps for different countries on the SD card, I understand Wahoo automatically does this, is that true?
Also i've read that people have trouble saving activities longer than the 17 hour battery life, it just defaults and resets.
I like the sound of the ease of transfer of routes from phone to head unit on Wahoo but would this be a problem with low or no signal in remote areas, i'm guessing it's bluetooth so shouldn't matter?
Thanks for any help.....
At the risk of sounding wishy washy "better" is a relative term here IMHO.
The garmin maps are better as they are colour/more detailed. The Wahoo maps are better as they are clearer and easier to take in at speed. (I have a normal elemnt, not a roam)
I'm sure wahoo stated that all maps were preloaded bar Russia and China to save space. I found out that Morocco wasn't preloaded when I got there, its not possible to scroll about and see when at home! It wasn't any bother to download them but would have been a disaster had I not had wifi/4G!
I havent had any problem with my wahoo resetting on long rides. I cant remember what I did on LEL2017 but I definitely had the wahoo on for 19.5hrs for the National 400 audax and 38hrs for the Bryan Chapman Audax as I wanted it as one ride and to keep a proper track of my average speed.
The routes are added via Bluetooth from phone to unit so no issue there. If the route has been created prior to the ride you may as well just add it beforehand. If you are using the phone to make a new route you'll have needed signal/WiFi in any case.
I have the OS maps on my Garmin and also the OSM ones
Often the lack of detail, given the small screen, makes the OSM the better choice for actual use and everyone i know would use their phone with actual OS maps if they were actually had to re-route rather than the tiny GPS screen
Never used a Wahoo so cannot comment on how good their mapping is
Johnhenry wrote: ↑Wed Nov 25, 2020 8:50 am
Thanks for all the great recommendations, with reference to wahoo people say the Wahoo maps are not as good as maps that are available to use on the garmin units, is this true?
With my Garmin I had to load maps for different countries on the SD card, I understand Wahoo automatically does this, is that true?
Also i've read that people have trouble saving activities longer than the 17 hour battery life, it just defaults and resets.
I like the sound of the ease of transfer of routes from phone to head unit on Wahoo but would this be a problem with low or no signal in remote areas, i'm guessing it's bluetooth so shouldn't matter?
Thanks for any help.....
At the risk of sounding wishy washy "better" is a relative term here IMHO.
The garmin maps are better as they are colour/more detailed. The Wahoo maps are better as they are clearer and easier to take in at speed. (I have a normal elemnt, not a roam)
I'm sure wahoo stated that all maps were preloaded bar Russia and China to save space. I found out that Morocco wasn't preloaded when I got there, its not possible to scroll about and see when at home! It wasn't any bother to download them but would have been a disaster had I not had wifi/4G!
I havent had any problem with my wahoo resetting on long rides. I cant remember what I did on LEL2017 but I definitely had the wahoo on for 19.5hrs for the National 400 audax and 38hrs for the Bryan Chapman Audax as I wanted it as one ride and to keep a proper track of my average speed.
The routes are added via Bluetooth from phone to unit so no issue there. If the route has been created prior to the ride you may as well just add it beforehand. If you are using the phone to make a new route you'll have needed signal/WiFi in any case.
That's a great help and cleared up my queries, did you have to download the Morocco map from Wahoo ?
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