Cheap starter would be a Garmin Quest 2 - not a current product but you can still get hold of them. It's only a street level sat nav but allows you to import a route from memory map straight onto it. You simply follow your purple route line (system also can track-up and this is a big bonus). And if the route deviates from the road - you can be assured a nice lane is coming up. Battery lasts all day, screen nice and clear. I used one for over 2 years leading zillions of runs.
I now have a SatMap. This has the added benefit of live OS quality maps on view (although maps are expensive to buy - and you can purchase by area or whole or part of country) and a good sized colour screen. Integrates with memory map so you can transfer routes and export logs. Screen nice and bright and it's a robust and waterproof system. Battery lasts a long time too. Have found a couple of times I've temporarily lost satellite link, but only seems to happen when weather sub 5C and when not in very open areas.
Others use the Road Angel 7000 model - it's a touch screen system and battery life not so good. Doesn't track up either - but if you are used to reading maps it shouldn't be a big issue. This one has a screen that's one of the most hardest to view in sunlight.
Some use other Garmin models (more recent versions) and a few use their phone.
Cotswold Leisure at Darts Farm have got a Memory Map one on special offer I noticed yesterday, £179, don't know if thats a good price or not. Also TRF get 15% discount here on production of a current card.
Thanks for the advice guys I'll look into these options. there is a lot of stuff out there on the market and a heads up is always helpful. I don't want to spend mega Bucks around £200 Max for now just need something to help me find a good lane or ten. haha!
I've only lived in devon three years and work away quite a lot so not massively familiar with the surrounding countryside getting a lot more knowledge since I started riding the lanes mind.
I use a Garmin 550 Zumo and it works a treat with easy to read display and fully waterproof built for the bike. There are a couple on ebay at the moment
You'll often find little used satmap Active 10's on eBay, sold by hikers and cyclists. These are the big colour screen jobbies that track up etc. If you wait for one with full GB ordnance survey maps (supplied on an SD card) you'll be sorted. Last weekend one sold with full mapping and bike mount etc for £120.
-- Edited by Lucky on Monday 27th of January 2014 07:49:23 PM
The best system I've seen so far is the Garmin Montana (the 500 will do).
It generally comes with 50K scale OS mapping, will allow you to make your own mapping - 1:25K OS free if you know what you're doing, you can download and use open source mapping for many countries (or make your own), the unit is water resistant and best of all the screen actually works in direct sunlight!
I'm on hair trigger over one....
Best price is about £240 new but by the time you've added a holder & a RAM mount your up to £300 smackers...
The used satmap for £120 is bargain in comparison.
I have the garmin Montana 650 and its great. A big screen, and good detail on the o.s maps. I have hard wired mine onto bike for ease of use. I can recommend this and it's taken some big knocks and waterproof too. Good piece of kit.
the system i use is veiw ranger gps open maps its a app for your smart phone costs nothing for the app and can download all of the southwest os maps for less than £15 bargain in my eyes and if your phone is insured as mine is then you are sorted
again thanks for the sound advice guys I will have a look see what there is to offer and in the meantime I have an old smartphone I could use see if that's any good !! do you find the battery gets drained quickly with the phone though fatbaz?
I have a little Satnav
It sits there in my car
A Satnav is a driver's friend
It tells you where you are
I have a little Satnav
I've had it all my life
Its better than the normal ones
My Satnav is my wife
It gives me full instructions
Especially how to drive
"It's thirty miles an hour", it says
"You're doing thirty five"
It tells me when to stop and start
And when to use the brake
And tells me that it's never ever
Safe to overtake
It tells me when a light is red
And when it goes to green
It seems to know instinctively
Just when to intervene
It lists the vehicles just in front
And all those to the rear
And taking this into account
It specifies my gear.
I'm sure no other driver
Has so helpful a device
For when we leave and lock the car
It still gives its advice
It fills me up with counselling
Each journey's pretty fraught
So why don't I exchange it
And get a quieter sort?
Ah well, you see, it cleans the house,
Makes sure I'm properly fed,
It washes all my shirts and things
And - keeps me warm in bed!
Despite all these advantages
And my tendency to scoff,
I do wish that once in a while
I could turn the darned thing off.
(Since I don't actually own a satnav I must acknowledge and thank Hugh Cleary for this witty ditty copied from the national TRF site).
I have a little Satnav It sits there in my car A Satnav is a driver's friend It tells you where you are
I have a little Satnav I've had it all my life Its better than the normal ones My Satnav is my wife
It gives me full instructions Especially how to drive "It's thirty miles an hour", it says "You're doing thirty five"
It tells me when to stop and start And when to use the brake And tells me that it's never ever Safe to overtake
It tells me when a light is red And when it goes to green It seems to know instinctively Just when to intervene
It lists the vehicles just in front And all those to the rear And taking this into account It specifies my gear.
I'm sure no other driver Has so helpful a device For when we leave and lock the car It still gives its advice
It fills me up with counselling Each journey's pretty fraught So why don't I exchange it And get a quieter sort?
Ah well, you see, it cleans the house, Makes sure I'm properly fed, It washes all my shirts and things And - keeps me warm in bed! Despite all these advantages And my tendency to scoff, I do wish that once in a while I could turn the darned thing off.
(Since I don't actually own a satnav I must acknowledge and thank Hugh Cleary for this witty ditty copied from the national TRF site).
I to have a similar device Pete but can't find a mount to fit to the bars hmm! Tie wraps maybe
