gps for MUni?

I don't have experience with the new Garmin units. However, I do know
that the new units with the SiRF chip (high sensitivity GPS receiver)
keep satellite reception much better than the old units. GPS units
work a lot better when they can maintain satellite reception.

The Forerunner units with the new SiRF chip are the 205 and 305. Those
are the two I'd be looking at rather than the ones with the old
receiver technology.

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My dad uses a GPS for fishing and it works great and is easy to use. He
says that it's "industry standard" and the stock is doing very well.

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foforackard

UNICYCLE FOR CHRIST

Unibiker for life!!!!!🙂

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Ok I have the Garmin eTrex Legend.
http://www.garmin.com/products/etrexLegend/. It is awesome I use it
for ATVing but I'm sure I could use it for muniing. You can't really
put it on your wrist but you could put it on/in a backpack. It is
mostly waterproof and has an 8mb internal memory so you can upload maps
onto it so that you can see exactly where you are. Once I start
muniing next year I will probably use it all the time to see how far I
go and stuff. It can also show you your average if you are into
tracking that or anything.

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uni.rider.13

Some people call me nuts for riding, other people call me no
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uni.rider.13 said:

Ok I have the Garmin eTrex Legend.
http://www.garmin.com/products/etrexLegend/. It is awesome I use it
for ATVing but I'm sure I could use it for muniing. You can't really
put it on your wrist but you could put it on/in a backpack. It is
mostly waterproof and has an 8mb internal memory so you can upload maps
onto it so that you can see exactly where you are. Once I start
muniing next year I will probably use it all the time to see how far I
go and stuff. It can also show you your average if you are into
tracking that or anything.

that one looks cool but i really want one that I can wear on my wrist or
forearm for quick reference. John C recommended the Garmin forerunner
305 which uses the latest gps technology and also has a heart monitor,
calories burned, distance and it can pinpoint your location even if
your in a tunnel! here's info: http://tinyurl.com/yg4j8k

This is mostly used by runners, but I'm assuming it would be just as
accurate and easy for cyclists, especially those on one wheel

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MuniAddict

"There is an -idea-, of a Patrick Bateman"

"They all float down here"
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I got a wireless Cateye cycle computer $35. I can't see my preasant
speed (reciever must stay w/in 70cm, so I mounted it under my seat),
but can see my trip dist., total dist, and avg speed. The distance
parts are nice to know plus it makes tire rotation easier.

--
skilewis74
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I've use the forrunner 305, and loosemoose has i think the fortrek 205,
I know he likes it alot because he can download rides to his PC an
track equipment life and stuff. Personally i stick with a £15 cycle
computer on my coker, it gives me everything i need and is a lot
cheaper and simpler.

--
kington99

Dave

- what a thoroughly post-modern subversion of the cycling genre -
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I use a Garmin Foretrex 201. Wrist mounted and fairly compact.

It's good for speed and distance with a clear current speed display
availbale on one fo the screens. It can give some odd results though
-presumably because it is only accurate to so many metres, it is
possible for it to change from 10 metres too far north to 10 metres too
far south between samples, so it can sometimes log a top speed for the
ride of 20 mph or more when I know I've only done about 10 mph. Over a
journey, these minor errors are impreceptible.

It has got me out of trouble once - lost in the forest with darkness
closing in, it helped me to find my way back to the car.

It can lose the signal in wet pine forest though.

When you remember that Chay Blyth sailed solo round the world without
GPS, it seems strange to think of it as an essential for a 20 mile
unicycle ride.

--
Mikefule

If there's one thing I've learned, it's that most people don't.
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Mikefule said:

When you remember that Chay Blyth sailed solo round the world without
GPS, it seems strange to think of it as an essential for a 20 mile
unicycle ride.

Next time you ride, take a sextant, clock, compass and lots of charts.
Then complain about GPS...

One as yet un-mentioned feature is the capacity to connect the GPS to a
PC, which the one you linked to can't do. The best thing about GPS is
the way you can download routes from map software to GPS, and tracks in
the other direction. That ideally needs mapping software, but there are
a few free things (GPSU, sportrax) that do some of the job. The SiRF
stuff is nice (not that I've ever used it), but Ii'd say the PC
connectivity is more important.

John

--
johnhimsworth

Never argue with an idiot; they drag you down to their level and then
beat you with experience.
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johnhimsworth said:

Next time you ride, take a sextant, clock, compass and lots of charts.
Then complain about GPS...

One as yet un-mentioned feature is the capacity to connect the GPS to a
PC, which the one you linked to can't do. The best thing about GPS is
the way you can download routes from map software to GPS, and tracks in
the other direction. That ideally needs mapping software, but there are
a few free things (GPSU, sportrax) that do some of the job. The SiRF
stuff is nice (not that I've ever used it), but Ii'd say the PC
connectivity is more important.

John

I agree. Depending on the intended use, the larger units offer
optional maping software that is really nice when hiking (topo) or
vacationing (services). I believe they'll do most anything the auto
based units will do except it fits in your hand and you can map the
results on a PC.

Kevin

--
knobbytracks
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knobbytracks said:

I agree. Depending on the intended use, the larger units offer optional
maping software that is really nice when hiking (topo) or vacationing
(services). I believe they'll do most anything the auto based units
will do except it fits in your hand and you can map the results on a
PC.

Kevin

The handheld units like the Garmin Vista do not do turn by turn
navigation like the automobile units. They cannot calculate what roads
to take to get from address A to address B. The know nothing of street
addresses.

For outdoor use there are basically two types of GPS units: mapping and
non-mapping. The mapping units can load in topo maps or street maps so
you'll be able to see features around your current location. The
non-mapping units cannot load in maps. All you'll see is a blank
screen around your current location. No roads or other landmarks to
give you a clue as to where you are.

The mapping units require additional software maps to load on the GPS
receiver. Those additional maps cost additional money. So after you
buy the GPS unit you also have to buy the software maps if you want to
make use of the mapping features.

The non-mapping units show just a blank screen around your current
location. They will display waypoints that you can program in during
your trip or before your trip. They will also display routes which
link different waypoints together. The ones that offer tracks will
display a breadcrumb trail of where you have been. It's like putting
dots and straight lines on a blank sheet of paper. The dots are
waypoints and the straight lines are routes. The GPS can tell you what
direction and how far you need to go to get to a specific waypoint
(like back to the car). That's the basic navigation you get from those
kinds of units. It's the kind of navigation you get with the
Forerunner 205 and 305. The Forerunner 205 and 305 can connect to a PC
or Mac and load your track to MotionBased.com so you can see your route
on the computer with streets and other landmarks.

The mapping units have the same features of the non-mapping units
except they also display a nice map on the GPS screen.

--
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I have a mapping GPS and I love it for finding distances, speeds, and
also using it's ability to mark interesting spots. But I use a
magellan.

--
madmattunipro

Quoted message said:

<>Unicycle For Christ<><

www.bedfordunicycles.ca

http://www.norco.com
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john_childs said:

The handheld units like the Garmin Vista do not do turn by turn
navigation like the automobile units. They cannot calculate what roads
to take to get from address A to address B. The know nothing of street
addresses.

I'm not sure I follow the rest of your post but I disagree with this
statement. As I said, with the optional software (maps) they will do
all of this and more.

--
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I have a 201 as well. If you are in mountainous territory, and if the
SirF chip in the 205 series will make signal reception better, you may
want to go in that direction. I do lose my signal periodically in steep
valleys and such. Also, take a look at 'GPS Visualizer'
(http://www.gpsvisualizer.com/) for doing maps and stuff.

--
mboulanger

All things unicycle get better the more time you spend riding- Wheel
Rider
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knobbytracks said:

I'm not sure I follow the rest of your post but I disagree with this
statement. As I said, with the optional software (maps) they will do
all of this and more.

Additional software or firmware updates will not allow a GPS like the
Garmin Vista to do turn by turn style directions giving you directions
to a street address. It's just not something those units are designed
to do. The automobile navigation is different from the type of
navigation you get on GPS units you take out into the woods on hikes
and muni rides.

I have a Garmin Vista. It shows a nice map on the screen with many
street names along with topographic elevation lines. I can use it to
figure out what street I'm on and what direction I'm going. It can be
very handy for figuring out how to drive to where I want to go. But it
does not tell me what roads I need to take to get there. It does not
tell me when to turn. It can't do that. I also cannot type in "124
Main St" and have it know where that address is.

The GPS units you get for outdoor recreation are different than the
type you get for driving navigation. The outdoor recreation units are
basic units (non-mapping) or basic mapping (no turn by turn
navigation). You wouldn't want to take an automobile specific unit out
into the woods. It doesn't do the right kind of navigation.

There are some handheld units that bridge the gap and do both outdoor
style navigation and automobile turn by turn navigation. But for now
most units do one style of navigation or the other.

--
john_childs

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I bought a Garmin Forerunner 201 a few years ago (two actually, the
second one I found at an estate sale, which was slightly creepy) and
I've had a lot of fun with it. I used it while training for the STP and
I found it much better than a cycle computer. Since it was on my wrist
I could easily see my speed, distance, etc. without having to look down
between my legs. I could download my routes to my computer and then
plot them over satellite footage.

I found that watching my trip average was a great way to inspire me to
ride a little bit faster--must try to maintain x mph for as long as
possible.

Most of my riding was on streets and wide open paths. Riding through
the woods would be more problematic as you might lose signal.

I also use my GPS in strange cities to avoid getting lost. Enter the
hotel coordinates (either before I get there from mapping software such
as AutoRoute or Streets and Tripsm or once I arrive) and then I can
freely wander the city without a map, knowing that I can trivially find
my way home. It's nice to be less dependent on taxis.

--
Bruce Dawson
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I'll probably buy one when I can afford it, but for now, I use
'GMap-Pedometer' (http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/) to work out
distances, plan routes, etc. Obviously not much help when you're lost
out on a mountain, but it's fun for working out where you went wrong
when you get home. 🙂

--
milk

Don't buy a stupid dwarf. It's not big and it's not clever.

*
UK's Unicylists - ['UKSU.ORG' (http://uksu.org)]*
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john_childs said:

The handheld units like the Garmin Vista do not do turn by turn
navigation like the automobile units. They cannot calculate what roads
to take to get from address A to address B. The know nothing of street
addresses.

The Garmin GPSMap 60 series is a handheld unit that does that if you
load the fancy maps (sold separately). It's been around for a few
years.
http://www.garmin.com/products/gpsmap60csx/

I've been pretty happy with it for tracking my rides. A GPS is
overkill for speed and distance stats (and the elevation data is super
noisy without the barometric altimeter), but it's a fun toy if you want
to map the route or geocode photos.

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I use low tech GPS that is always reliable. Called the sun. Sure it may
not tell me how fast I'm going or where things could be or how many
calories I *may* be burning. But it does keep me informed on how long
I've been out and which direction I'm going which are probably the only
things that really matter.

--
Wedgehog
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Wedgehog said:

I use low tech GPS that is always reliable. Called the sun. Sure it may
not tell me how fast I'm going or where things could be or how many
calories I *may* be burning. But it does keep me informed on how long
I've been out and which direction I'm going which are probably the only
things that really matter.

Wow! Sounds like a novel idea! How much are these so-called "suns?"

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