Psychbiker

I just got a Garmin 530 after watching my phone die too much. This thing is pretty nice but man does it do a lot. I was able to pair it with an older cadence/speed sensor and spent about an hour dialing things in.

I've been using Road Bike Pro app on my rides but I don't believe it connects/links with Garmin Connect.

From my reading most everyone doesn't even both with the Garmin Connect app after first install, they run a 3rd party app. Strava seems pricey at $60 for the year. Is there anything cheaper?

I plan to make my own routes and send them to the 530. Read it's not that hard.

Thanks
Rc

njkayaker

?

Not sure what you are reading.

You won't be able to not use Garmin Connect Mobile for some things.

Why don't you try using Garmin's stuff?

No, it's not that hard. There are a bunch of websites you can use. They all produce files that work equally well. Garmin's is OK. I use ridewithgps (the free subscription is fine).

​​​​​​​Enjoy the 530.

bluehills3149

Strava's basic version is free and the free version is good enough for most people. But note Strava's main claim to fame is logging your rides and sharing them with your Strava "friends" and comparing your times on various routes or legs with the Strava community (over 50 million users). If you've ever ridden hard up your local hill or around the lake and said "wow! that felt great! I'm sure that's the fastest I've ever done. I wonder how fast others have ridden this!", well Strava is for you.
However, its route mapping feature is pretty good as you can turn on the "heat map" feature so routes which are more popular show up glowing red. If planning a route in an unknown area there's a good chance that if a road is popular it's probably the nicest way. I plan my routes this way, export them and then open them on my bike computer.

Steve B.

Setup a RWGPS account. It's a good application for activity tracking as well as route creation. In the Garmin Connect Mobile app on the phone, find the connection to the Garmin iQ store. Look for a a Device App called Route Course, download and install that on the 530

Route App on the device lets you see the routes you've created in RWGPS and via BT will download the course to navigate. Works better and quicker then having to do a USB wired connection and download.

unterhausen

I use connect and the Ride with gps app. Ride with gps is nice, you can d/l courses easily with your phone. I have had issues with automatically uploading rides, even with connect running. But yesterday I was standing outside my house and noticed my garmin said it was uploading. So Connect worked the way it should, even though my phone was inside the house. Not sure if I need any other apps, maybe TrainerRoad.

njkayaker

There are other apps you can use to download RWGPS routes that don't require using yet another website.

For Ridewithgps routes. learn how to pin the routes you are interested in. That works better if you don't have lots of pinned routes (the RWGPS app only shows 10 or 15 pinned routes).

Steve B.

Not getting what you are suggesting here, NJ, in terms of "requires using yet another website". Route Course is actually something you recommended to me, is an iQ app on the 530 device and they've since improved it so you can actually view the course name as shown in RWGPS.

For the OP, another iQ app is the RWGPS app that also loads onto the 530. You cannot view every course/route you've created,but as NJ indicated, you can "pin" a route in RWGPS so they get shown. You can also sort routes in RWGPS to view the ones you desire to be seen on the device.

njkayaker

I might have mentioned it but, maybe, before the RWGPS app was available. I think it requires a subscription to be useful. People seem to like it.

It's yet-another-website (to use the routes on the RWGPS website, RouteCourse requires you to use another website and account).

I don't think it's a good fit for someone who is "overwhelmed".

Given the OP's problem of being "overwhelmed", the RWGPS app seems to be more reasonable to start out with.

The RWGPS app also shows you (some) of your most-recent routes but using pins lets you use any route (including ones that aren't yours).

Seattle Forrest

Garmin Connect is pretty good. I don't feel any need to use Strava.

sdmc530

this^^^^ I think Strava is overrated! I use it for the social aspect with friends but would never pay for it. Although with the original owner back in control again it might actually get better. Will see.

I find everything I need at Garmin Connect and with their database of apps its pretty good for any beginner I think.

I like Garmin because for me it works.