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What is Garmin Cycle Map?

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What is Garmin Cycle Map?

Old 12-17-15, 08:57 PM
  #1  
agenkin
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What is Garmin Cycle Map?

The Garmin Edge 1000, for example, is advertised to come preloaded with a Garmin Cycle map. I'm trying to understand what that map is. When I go to Garmin's web site, I can't find any place where Garmin Cycle maps can be downloaded - I only see City Navigator and Topo maps. Is the Garmin Cycle map different from the City Navigator? Is it available for download or purchase?

If I bought an Edge 1000 unit in UK, it would probably come with a regional Garmin Cycle map, right. Can I then purchase a Cycle map for another region?

I'm a bit confused about the mapping things with the Garmin units. Any clarification would be appreciated!
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Old 12-18-15, 07:10 AM
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Yes, the maps are different.

"Garmin Cycle Map" is Garmin's version of maps based on Openstreetmap (OSM) data. The City Navigator (CN) maps are based on other data (Garmin/Navtech).

The same OSM maps are provided with the 1000/1000 Explore/Touring units. I'm assuming the routing works the same on all the units (I'm more familiar with the Touring).

Yes, they come with a regional map (I don't know if the UK units come with all of Europe).

You can't buy or get the Cycle maps other than getting them with a unit (as far as i can tell).

But it shouldn't matter too much, especially if you are using loaded routes, since there are many sources for Openstreetmap based maps.


It might matter more when you have the device generate routes (not using a loaded route) since other sources of OSM are compiled for the 800/810, which have somewhat different routing parameters.

The significant issue is that the Touring doesn't deal with "highways" (the 800/810 do). Some of the cycle OSM maps classify cycleways as "highways" which might make them not available to being used for routing on the Touring. People in the UK (in particular) can get odd long-way-around routing when using the Garmin Cycle maps because round-abouts on A roads are classified as "highways" (A roads and the round-abouts on them are classified as "highways". In the US, highways are more like M roads. (Oddly, there A round-abouts are not classified as "highways" on the CN maps.)

The Touring allows (maybe, the 1000 does too) you to generate routes based on elevation data in the "dem" map that comes with the units. I don't know of a ready source for those maps.

Using loaded routes (planned on something like ridewithgps) will tend to be more predictable than generating routes on the device (true for all of them).


Free worldwide Garmin maps from OpenStreetMap

You can use the CN maps but I don't see a real need to.

Providing OSM lets Garmin sell the units for a bit less (by avoiding the cost of the non-free CN maps). The OSM maps also include cycleways and cycle paths. The CN maps don't (they are more tailored for cars).

Last edited by njkayaker; 12-18-15 at 07:49 AM.
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Old 12-18-15, 10:39 PM
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Thanks for your response. It sounds like finding the maps should not be a big deal with the OSM maps. I wonder why Garmin can't just distribute the OSM-based maps for free for their devices.
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Old 12-19-15, 07:05 AM
  #4  
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Originally Posted by agenkin
It sounds like finding the maps should not be a big deal with the OSM maps.
It's easy (after you do it once).

Originally Posted by agenkin
I wonder why Garmin can't just distribute the OSM-based maps for free for their devices.
They would have to distribute two versions of the maps (the 810 routing works a bit differently). Odd as it might seem, I think many of the 810/800 users don't use the maps. 810/800 users don't really need Garmin to provide OSM maps (there are many places to get them).
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Old 12-19-15, 10:56 AM
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there is a lot of work in maintaining maps, and Garmin wants to get paid for that. OTOH, there is nothing easier than to load the OSM maps onto a microSD card
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Old 12-19-15, 11:31 AM
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Originally Posted by unterhausen
there is a lot of work in maintaining maps, and Garmin wants to get paid for that. OTOH, there is nothing easier than to load the OSM maps onto a microSD card
Garmin provides two different types of maps:

1) City Navigator is a lot of work (for Garmin) to maintain.

2) Maps based on OSM data (not much work for Garmin to maintain). Garmin provides the OSM maps on the 1000/Explore/Touring. They do this because OSM maps have cyclepaths and because the OSM maps don't cost much to provide.

I find the OSM maps more than good enough (though, there are more problems with OSM maps than other maps).

Last edited by njkayaker; 12-19-15 at 11:35 AM.
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Old 12-19-15, 05:18 PM
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Do the self-rolled OSM maps contain points of interest, such as convenience stores, restaurants and motels?
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Old 12-21-15, 12:12 PM
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Originally Posted by agenkin
Do the self-rolled OSM maps contain points of interest, such as convenience stores, restaurants and motels?
Yes, they do. Who knows how complete or up-to-date it is.
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Old 07-28-22, 07:56 AM
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I've got a couple of questions about these...
  • Do they include all trails on OpenCycleMap.org?
  • Can you get updates?
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Old 07-28-22, 09:31 AM
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I'm assuming these cycle maps have all the bike trails and bike lanes. Other than that, what do bicycle-specific Garmin units and maps do? When you navigate to somewhere, does the routing give priority to bike lanes and bike tails over direct street routes that have no bike lanes?

My gps is the Garmin GPSMap 78s. It's marine unit but works perfectly fine with city navigator and other open source maps.
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Old 07-28-22, 09:55 AM
  #11  
Steve B.
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Originally Posted by Daniel4
I'm assuming these cycle maps have all the bike trails and bike lanes. Other than that, what do bicycle-specific Garmin units and maps do? When you navigate to somewhere, does the routing give priority to bike lanes and bike tails over direct street routes that have no bike lanes?

My gps is the Garmin GPSMap 78s. It's marine unit but works perfectly fine with city navigator and other open source maps.
I find the best way to navigate with the assorted Garmins I've owned is to create a course on RideWithGPS (or Garmin Connect), create the route/course and download to the device. Not using the device and using Connect or an alternative route creation program, gives me excellent control over where the course takes me. Its easy to select a bike path as example, or take an appropriate road. I never let the device create the route as I do not trust it to be smart enough to make good route choices. If I am unfamiliar with an area I will be riding, I actually sometimes use the bicycle route that Google Maps can generate, then I'll check with satellite view to determine if the route looks viable (good shoulders, etc... ). Then I'll draw that route in RWGPS. I find the device is very reliable at giving me good turn-by-turn directions, so use this often.
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Old 07-28-22, 10:21 AM
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Originally Posted by Daniel4
I'm assuming these cycle maps have all the bike trails and bike lanes. Other than that, what do bicycle-specific Garmin units and maps do? When you navigate to somewhere, does the routing give priority to bike lanes and bike tails over direct street routes that have no bike lanes?
Yes, the routing options can favor these. How it does that is somewhat obscure. There are routing options for "road cycling", "mixed surface cycling", "gravel cycling", and "mountain biking".

I think most people do what Steve B describes.

Originally Posted by Daniel4
My gps is the Garmin GPSMap 78s. It's marine unit but works perfectly fine with city navigator and other open source maps.
The City Navigator maps don't have bicycle ways.
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Old 07-28-22, 01:00 PM
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Originally Posted by Steve B.
I find the best way to navigate with the assorted Garmins I've owned is to create a course on RideWithGPS (or Garmin Connect), create the route/course and download to the device. Not using the device and using Connect or an alternative route creation program, gives me excellent control over where the course takes me. Its easy to select a bike path as example, or take an appropriate road. I never let the device create the route as I do not trust it to be smart enough to make good route choices. If I am unfamiliar with an area I will be riding, I actually sometimes use the bicycle route that Google Maps can generate, then I'll check with satellite view to determine if the route looks viable (good shoulders, etc... ). Then I'll draw that route in RWGPS. I find the device is very reliable at giving me good turn-by-turn directions, so use this often.
I agree with trying to plan a route in advance in RWGPS, and that's the way I mostly do it when going point to point. That said, the Garmin cycle maps with popularity routing can be fun as well. If in an unfamiliar area with high road densities as in Europe, what I have done is find a list of towns and have the device route to each. I will link a group of towns say 15km or so apart in a circular pattern. The routes can end up being amazing and a lot of fun.
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Old 07-28-22, 01:29 PM
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Garmin integrates with TrailForks to provide mountain bike trail maps on their units.

https://www.trailforks.com/garmin/
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Old 08-04-22, 09:37 AM
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Interesting - thanks a lot! I see there are also MTB trails included
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