Wiggle

I just picked up an Edge Explore 2 for my touring setup (which is also really my "do everything" bike). Was really on the fence for a while because I also have a Garmin GPS64SX I can mount on the bars but decided to shell out for the EE2 for a few reasons:

1. Wanted some extra performance feedback (like heart-rate) but didn't need anything as elaborate as the 8 or 10 series units.
2. Much smaller, lighter and sleeker on the bars than the 64SX, easier to pocket if I take it for more "normal" biking and want to take it with me when I lock up. Will see much more use outside of touring, would use for general commuting and rec rides now too.
3. The Garmin 64 series can charge NiMH batteries which is nice (and the option for spares) but it's inability to disable auto-off when USB power is removed is quite annoying. They really need to update that.
4. Small point but now able to standardize my charge cables - phone, headlight and EE2 all use USB-C.

Seems like the sweet spot in that Garmin line-up as long as you don't need advanced training features. That 64SX would be a great option still if you were doing a trip with lots of exploring off-road though.

Not a fan of the colour though, the white doesn't match anything on my bike, silly I know Dynamo on-board now but it charges a buffer battery in my frame-bag, it won't be used to directly charge the EE2.

Tourist in MSN

Thanks for posting, but I am going to keep using my 64. I see you have a Cycle2Charge. I bought one this past August, so far I really like it.

Wiggle

I was quite torn before buying the EE2.

My basic bike computer was having troubles and it was time for a replacement. Could've gone for something quite basic to replace and supplement with the 64 for touring. But I also wanted mapping on some more local travel where I didn't want to bring the larger 64, and I do enjoy the metrics side of things while keeping a single unit.

The size and weight advantage of the EE2 doesn't matter much for loaded touring. I also just shamelessly enjoy gadgets

The C2C has been great so far. Really feel like they hit the ideal balance of performance, cost and size/shape.

Steve B.

Get a $6 black rubber case from Amazon. As well, can't see if you have one, but Garmin provides a tether. These have protected many an expensive device from damage if the mount fails,

Wiggle

I've never owned a higher end bike computer before so didn't realize they had cases available.

Thanks for the tip, definitely will get one. Saw the tether but didn't use it yet, will definitely be using it though to give it a second chance at life if that mount fails.

Tourist in MSN

Yup, the yellow and black cord on my 64 that is wrapped around the handlebar has saved it several times. It did not come with it, it is some cord I had at home. The one that came with it was a wrist strap sized and was a bit short for the handlebar.



Mine is the plain 64, no ANT+ for cadence sensor or heart rate. No built in compass but once you start moving it can figure out which way is north.

The photo taken above was on the day I left Five Islands Provincial Park on Bay of Fundy. If you have not been there, I highly recommend one of the hike-in camp sites. If I recall correctly they have four such sites, one of which is below.



The tide was out in the photo above.

HendersonD

I had a Garmin Edge Explorer and used it on a 650 mile tour this past fall. Worked great
Ended up selling it to purchase and Edge Explorer 2 to get better battery life and the ability to hook to a bike trainer
Going to use it on a 4,200 mile tour this summer

M1T

On a trip in a pretty remote area of Utah, my phone somehow became disconnected from the bike (very rough track). A slo-mo, "OMG, my phone is falling"... then, crunch! The glass shattered into a thousand piece and the screen was useless. Made it to the next remote town OK, but just by luck. Always have a backup.

str

Ride with GPS and Wahoo.

M1T

There probably is a really obvious answer to my simple question, but here it goes. I create cycling routes with MapOut. With MapOut I can 'trace by finger' my route and the program 'snaps' the line or route to the trail/road, etc. It works for regular roads, gravel roads, single track and even obscure hiking trails. On remote tours, I might need to use all 4 on the same day. The route is then saved in a GPX file. I download the GPX to my phone / Ride with GPS for backup, and to my now 4 year old Wahoo Element Bolt. I've also used MapOut to navigate in a pinch.

So my very basic question is, can I download a GPX file to the Edge 2? I think / hope the answer is yes, but never assume anything. I like the Bolt, but it's a little long in the tooth, somewhat limited on features, mainly screen size, and re-routing or finding the start of the next days route. I'm leaning towards the Edge 2 because it isn't weighed down with all the performance stuff... which I would never use.

njkayaker

Yes.

Steve B.

Expanding on NYKayakers brief, correct, but less then useful post, you can import to the Garmin Connect web app. How easy that is to do on a phone is determined by how good you are dealing with the sometimes obscure requirements for file transfers on a phone., I suck at it so would not attempt on an iPhone. It's easier done on a real computer. Once you import to Connect, you save, give a name,etc.... it's saved and becomes available on the Connect Mobile app, you then sync to the Edge device and the route will transfer and be in the device navigation section. I prefer to use RWGPS as my route tool, easy to use on a tablet, then I use the Garmin iQ app to retrieve and download rout to the Edge device.

M1T

...In 30 easy steps!

- Steve B. Thats what I was looking for. Thank you.

njkayaker

You asked a "basic" question. I wasn't going to guess what you were looking for. Things like knowing what phone you are using would be helpful.

If you can't use RWGPS (maybe, because you don't have internet access), things are a bit more complicated but not that hard. Steve's reply doesn't provide any information at all for this.

It seems MapOut requires internet access.

So, the easiest thing for you is to upload the route to RWGPS and then use the RWGPS or GRouteLoader IQ app/widget on the Garmin to download the route. The "best" option is to pin the route/trip in RWGPS.

Or, if you set it up, Garmin Connect will sync your pinned RWGPS routes.

If you want to use the GPX files downloaded by MapOut to your phone directly, that would be easy to do if you have an Android phone. With Android, you can use the GExporter app on the phone and the GImporter or GRouteLoader IQ app on your Garmin. The GExporter app will convert GPX files to FIT (the IQ apps require that the route files be FIT format to download).

If you are using Android and your phone supports using USB drives (not all of them do), you could use a OTG (on the go) cable and copy the GPX files from the phone to the "\Garmin\NewFiles" folder on the Edge. If your phone supports USB drives (attached devices), this is not hard to do.

Things are harder with iOS (iPad/iPhone).

If the course is on RWGPS, you can use the RWGPS or GRouteLoader IQ app/widget to download the file. This isn't "30 steps". It's easier if you pin the route/trip.

You might suggest to the MapOut developers to support exporting FIT files.

njkayaker

This part of your reply here is not very useful at all. He's already using RWGPS. So involving Connect is pointless complication.

This is useful.

Steve B.

A reply of "Yes" is SO much more informative.

As thought, we can end this pissing match, as your replies on these topics are usually remarkably informative. You likely have the most knowledge here on the subject of GPS and on line mapping and almost always have useful and informative information to share. A simple "Yes" is so unlike you.

njkayaker

It was enough to answer his basic question.

You started the "pissing match".

Who knows how interest the OP had for a detailed answer! If he was interested in more information, he could have asked more questions. If he wasn't, then it would have been a waste of my time to provide more information.

It's not like the OP put any work into asking his basic question. I'm not required to provide answers that you approve of. It's asinine to complain when people fail to do that.

So, that isn't enough? Apparently not.

Maybe, I was busy? Maybe, it was an indirect way of asking for more information before spending time on providing a detailed answer?

Steve B.

Absurdly argumentative as always. I would hate to be married to you.

Tourist in MSN

There are a few others that are argumentative on this forum too. I have a list of people that I ignore, I do not read their posts. I read your post, you are not one of them.

That said, it is hard to ignore someone if you started a post where they want to start arguments.

Steve B.

I was hoping this comment would have smoothed the waters a bit. "As thought, we can end this pissing match, as your replies on these topics are usually remarkably informative. You likely have the most knowledge here on the subject of GPS and on line mapping and almost always have useful and informative information to share. A simple "Yes" is so unlike you."

Apparantly I didn't grovel enough