GPS with Map-My-Ride or Bikely Route Overlay?

[ges74]

Folks,
Just starting to get into cycling around here since FAREAST rawked an over-the-top, far-beyond-my-wildest-dreams :happy1: build of my humble ride this past weekend. THANKS FAREAST!!!!!!!

One of the reasons why I haven't gotten into riding until now (besides time and energy constraints) is the difficulty navigating Tokyo's ridiculously complicated streets. Am wondering if there are easy-to-read GPS map devices out there that I can mount on my handlebars. If so, do these allow pre-programming of routes? And if yes on this last point, are there any that are particularly compatible with Map-My-Ride or Bikely (or any other place I might be able to get routes as suggested by more experienced riders)?

Many, many thanks.
GES

 

[FarEast]

I think the majority of us use Garmin's products. I currently use the Edge 705 and love it (Although others can't stand them for one reason or another), although after 1 year of very heavy training, riding and racing use it died on me (Garmin have one in transit to me.)

These are great units and you can use the PC software MAPSOURCE to plot rides with as well as download other people’s rides and upload to the unit. There is a whole worldwide community that uses “GARMIN Connect” to upload rides to and you can select the appropriate ride ,down load it directly to the Garmin unit and ride.

If you go for the Garmin I would suggest getting it from the UK as the pound is very weak and you can pick up a brand new unit for around 40,000 JPY.

This however does not include the maps, a company called upupdown: http://uud.info/

Makes an English language map for Japan, it's not 100% complete but it’s perfect for what we do and I have never had issues with it yet. The map pack is around 10,000 Yen, depending on which version you get.

I know you are totally fluent in Japanese but the Japanese units that read Kanji are about 2.5* more expensive here 100,000 JPY for the Edge 705 and as you plan to take it back to the US eventually you might as well get the English version.

So I recommend getting the unit from wiggle:
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Garmin_Edge_705_With_Heart_Rate_Monitor/5360035900/


Also for those interested in the Edge 500... They just released a new colour! BLACK!

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Garmin_Edge_500_-_Black/5360050959/

 

[jdd]

My 500 is a black one, took an extra day or two (at most) via wiggle. Status was listed initially as on order, but then it came right away. Much better looking IMO.

 

[ges74]

Hey! How did I know you would respond! And thanks for the pickie!
BTW, I didn't want to ask a question about stuff that people had already posted on so had done a forum search for GPS...which turned up nothing?! But now that I know what to look for "Garmin 705" I see there are tons of posts about it?!
Sorry to be the classic noob.

 

[ges74]

Folks,
Just wanted to let you know that MemoryC.com [located in Ireland] has some FANTASTIC pricing on the Garmin 705 at the moment. Will report back on what actually appears in my mailbox after I get it, but I could scarcely believe my eyes - numerous people at the company had to reassure me that the quote was for NEW, not refurbished product. They seem to have excellent retailer reviews through the classic shopping engines (Pricegrabber, Yahoo) and the sales folks were very patient with me...I would highly recommend.
Thanks,
GES

 

[FarEast]

Ges74........

That is an amazing find! Even cheaper than Wiggle for the complete package and the fact you get the Euro map pack as well is STUNNING!

You mentioned that you found a coupon giving another 5% off..... could you post that info as well so others can benifit from your excellent search skills!

 

[ges74]

Yeay! Expiration date unknown but 6Y3GFN did the trick for me...

 

[FarEast]

Many thanks!

Oh and you are more than welcome for the bike build.... had great fun building it and it was a very big suprise seeing it after you discribed your Custom, Handbuilt Lynskey "Cooper" Titanium Road bike as "A peice of crap that you picked up cheap and intend to get a bit knocked about"

I would love to see your serious bike!

 

[ges74]

This coming from the guy who rides a 6 ft Pinarello laser cut, all in one piece, from a giant mass of carbon (I know I know that's not how composites work but it sounds good) - I'm surprised your shoes aren't molded into the pedals to prevent power loss!

...not to mention your seat is a full foot taller than your handlebars...

 

[AlanW]

Please keep us posted on what actually arrives and the performance of MemoryC. That is a great bargain price and if the shop performs well, I am really tempted to snap one up.

Thanks,
AW.

 

[Doug3]

I'm also in the market for a GPS/computer and considering the 705.

Did everything work out ok at memoryc for you ges74?

 

[Ludwig]

MemoryC.com

I just bought an Edge 705 on memoryc.com, thanks to the note here.

It took ten days to get through Japanese customs and I had to pay a small amount of tax (I think exactly 1,000 Yen), but otherwise the delivery went fine.

However, I was very surprised not to find the advertised European maps on the unit. No maps came with it, except for the so-called global "base map", which is completely useless: only the largest cities and roads are on it.

I have complained to MemoryC, but they insist that they sold what they advertised, insisting to call the global basemap "European".

I'm now experimenting with free maps available from this site for cycling in Europe: http://garmin.na1400.info/routable.php

So far, so good. Having planned out a 200km ride through the Black Forest on mapmyride, I was able to follow the route without looking even once at my printed maps.

Unfortunately, these maps don't work well for Japan, as for some reason Japanese place names were translated into romaji with a (real) Chinese reading, i.e. complete garbage. Fortunately, I own a legal copy of the UpUpDown Japanese maps in romaji.

 

[Doug3]

I also bought the 705 from MemoryC and had a similar experience as Ludwig. In my case the delivery took about a week and mine did not get checked at customs. I paid using PayPal so the unit cost me 35,259yen delivered. (I used the discount code listed above) Seems like a fair price.

I also found that there was no "European" map and logged a complaint through the MemoryC feedback system. After re-reading the product description I would say it is deceptive yet accurate. Not sure if it has been changed since when I originally purchased.

UUD says they will have a V3.0 based on newer maps out in August. The price of V3.0 will be higher than the current V2.0 Upgrading from V2.0 should be around 7,000yen.

My plan is to wait until August and then get the V3.0 of the Japan maps.

 

[Ludwig]

Thank you for the hint about the new Japanese maps. The current version is not that great - certainly nowhere as good as the freeware for Europe. Let's see what v3 brings.

My total came to JPY 32,923 including JPY 1,000 import tax. A great deal, but I don't feel good about having been misled and the company refusing to accept to see any of it.

 

[FarEast]

Yeah that is a bit of a scam.....but still a bloody amazing price for the unit! about 10,000 cheaper than what I got mine for.

 

[ges74]

Dear all, sorry for the delay in reply.
I had been waiting to update because the device that I received seemed to have been a returned unit (batteries were in, package partially opened) and I was hemming and hawing as to whether to return or not. Then I simply forgot to update.

In any case, I checked my CC receipt and it shows $370.75. I also got hit with the Y1000 customs fee. I didn't pay much attention to the Europe map as I don't have any plans to bike in Europe in the near future. I decided to keep the unit and it has functioned great.

As for Japanese maps, I'm not super hardcore so I went for the free version at http://www011.upp.so-net.ne.jp/mametaro/index-e.html and downloaded the map set there to my hard drive.

Since I'm only really interested in Tokyo, I then re-saved the "81000001.img (Kanto Area)" one to my hard drive as "gmapsupp.img" and used Windows Explorer to move from my hard drive to the "Garmin" folder on my 705 [connected the 705 to the laptop using the USB cable - 705 shows up as an external drive].

For routes, I have been using http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx with settings: "Auto routing off, OSM, foot, imperial units". I click along my route to program it in, then go to the Summary tab and save as a .tcx file on my hard drive. I then again use Windows Explorer to move from my hard drive to the "Courses" folder on my 705.

When it's time to do my ride, I turn the 705 on, go to "Training" -> "Courses" and select the course I want. The map comes up automatically. Then I click the bottom righthand "Start/Stop" button to start the timer/tracking function, and away I go!

For within Tokyo, it's been great, thoroughly enjoyed.

Hope my step by step directions weren't too pedantic, but I had to piece this process together from extensive trial and error and many different sites/posts. I'm such a noob that I needed every minor step laid out for me, which other sites didn't seem to do.

I remember that at the beginning I was very concerned because I didn't have MapSource or any of the other non-free software, but it ends up I didn't need any - the above process should work.

Thanks and happy riding!
Eileen

 

[Ludwig]

Thank you, Eileen.

I'm not sure what you mean by "batteries were in" - which device did you buy? The battery pack of the Edge 705 is non-removable...

I agree figuring out how to use the device for mapping and routing is a pain. The Garmin manual is pretty useless, alla "if you want to switch on the unit, press the switch-on button".

I will try out the free Japan maps which you are using. I have used v2 of UUD so far and have found them pretty awful. They just don't work well with the Garmin routing. Also, the maps are just so horribly out of date for a country which builds roads, tunnels and bridges as fast as Japan. I've just ordered v3 and will see whether they will be much different.

 

[FarEast]

Ludwig, I also had issues with the mappinbg from uud, but I found that if you set the Garmin to "lock on to map" then everything goes smooth!

 

[Ludwig]

Well, this is not what is going wrong for me. Pure city road riding is fine. It's the fact that on the countryside it leads you either down only the biggest roads or takes you onto footpaths depending on your navigation setting. Nothing reasonable in between...

 

[ges74]

"Batteries in" was for the accessories that came with - like the cadence majiggies and heart monitor. I think they ship with the batteries backwards or with a plastic piece to block contact but these were already inserted in the correct direction and had no plastic blocker.