techman

I often cycle in unfamilar cities. Right now my only navigation options seem to be a paper map, my smarthpone or printing out turn by turn directions.

1. With my Android device, the only navigation APP I can find with cycling routing is Google Maps. However, Google Maps does not provide
real time Navigation with cycling routes and I still can't find a handlebar mount that will hold and fit my larger-sized smartphone (4.6" scrreen).
2. I've seen the Garmin devices that mount to handlebars, but they seem more geared to trainers rather than real-time routing and navigation
on cycling friendly roads.

Thanks

Mondo734

The only thing I can think of is the Garmin Edge 800.

Looigi

IMO, the way to use a Garmin 800 (or older 705) is to lay out a ride on your computer (using either Garmin S/W or one of the many third-party websites), download it to the device, then have the device navigate it for you. It will alert you before upcoming turns and at the turn with a beep and an arrow depicting the type of intersection and your route through it.

These devices will navigate directly to a point of interest, but you can't interactively change the route is chooses, and IMO, the display is too small/low-resolution to be useful as a map. So laying a route out ahead of time on your computer is the by far the most useful option.

hillyman

May be overkill but Im a truck driver and use a folding bike to get supplies, find more interesting places to eat and just spin around area. I went with a Garmin Nuvi 1200 cause it has bicycle setting for navigation. added bike mount and battery pack so it runs quite awhile. think GPS battery will run 3 or 4 hours but I like peace of mind with extra juice.

yak

I just started using the 800, and there is an option to toggle on/off rerouting (which allows the unit to recalculate your route, say if you missed a turn and want the quickest way to get back on course). I bought the unbundled option, had an old mini sd card laying around, and used openstreetmaps to load a map of my region. It worked flawlessly this weekend. As a bonus, the OSM map also includes singletrack for some of the places I ride my mtb.

techman

Hilly, great idea. Are you ever concerned with rain or moisture?

hillyman

GPS is sealed pretty well inside handlebar mount. Maybe not in a hard rain around zippers. I carry plastic bags to cover it and my Brooks saddle just in case it rains.

techman

Hillyman, how are the bicycle routes. does the garmin navigate you well on bicycle friendly roads or roads with bike lanes?
Great idea, and I found a holder on Amazon where people claim it keeps out water.
Going to to try it

hillyman

Bike routing is pretty good but nothings perfect. Ive never had any trouble. I can search for places to buy food and parks to ride to. Move map around on screen to see if lakes or somethings around Id like to ride to. Most important it gets me back to my truck after Ive meandered around. Much better than $600 Garmin Edge 800 at $449-649 and doesnt work near as well as my $150 complete set up with GPS,handlebar bracket and battery pack.