Any rides for beginners?

Ignorant question, do garmins have an inbuilt light for nightime use,coz Im weakening........

The etrex beeps and lights up for 15seconds ish on turns.

Can't speak for the edge series.

for what its worth.. the garmin edge 705 is rubbish in cold weather and prone to moisture if rained on all day. i bought mine in 2009.. my missus was furious that i'd spent so much on such a device.. the basic maps on screen are shite, i can't be arsed to buy the detailed ones or break maps for it, so i never navigate from the garmin.. but i like the fact that it records my ride and i can post it on the interwebz..

after a six hour ride my home seems to have elevated about 21m since i left it at stupid o'clock, the truth is, it is better to find a route then plot it if you can, then memorise it.. you end up with a mental map, it's all in the noodle upstairs.. so make a wrong turn one day and see where it leads, you then piece it all together, instead of only knowing the primary routes.. also ride with other people as often as you can to broaden your knowledge and don't be afraid to go some different.

^ openstreetmaps for garmin is free. I've done plenty of rides and driven across Italy on them. Also had no trouble in the cold so far (but it's it used in <0 yet)

Garmin thread

Almac , Spybot and Fox, yes Ive had a think and £250+ is a lot of Survey maps, so its plastic bags maps,zip ties and little torch ,oh and memory its a bit of fun 'discovering'....... the old ways are best........... never been interested in, times, height gain ,distance etc and who the f...k wants to know about cadence and stuff......thanks .

for what its worth.. the garmin edge 705 is rubbish in cold weather and prone to moisture if rained on all day. i bought mine in 2009.. my missus was furious that i'd spent so much on such a device.. the basic maps on screen are shite, i can't be arsed to buy the detailed ones or break maps for it, so i never navigate from the garmin.. but i like the fact that it records my ride and i can post it on the interwebz..

after a six hour ride my home seems to have elevated about 21m since i left it at stupid o'clock, the truth is, it is better to find a route then plot it if you can, then memorise it.. you end up with a mental map, it's all in the noodle upstairs.. so make a wrong turn one day and see where it leads, you then piece it all together, instead of only knowing the primary routes.. also ride with other people as often as you can to broaden your knowledge and don't be afraid to go some different.

Why would you tell your missus how much you've spent?

I've never had any problems with mine. Using it lagging it down with rain (so much that it was painful actually) although I haven't used mine out in -0 or below yet.

Believe me the maps are easy as pie to get on to the device, I thought it would be a ball ache but it was much easier than I initially thought.

Love my Garmin but I wouldn't say it's crucial to enjoy riding a bike and getting out for long rides. I probably take mine for granted now but I can't imagine riding without it on roads I'm not sure about.

^ my missus has used the string on an OS map for years and swears by it :(

you should try your garmin when it when its -5 deg C and you are descending col d'iseran in a blizzard :(

i can't follow my garmin at all, the screen is too small.. i'd need an ipad size display to follow anything.. getting too old see.

i prefer to enjoy the scenery, a missed turn always bring a surprise.. we were in deepest chilterns once, asked a local farmer what we'd find if we headed up a small track road.. he paused for a bit and said 'there be dead cyclists up there'.. it was indeed a dead end road to a winery.

i can't follow my garmin at all, the screen is too small.. i'd need an ipad size display to follow anything.. getting too old see.

Feeling your pain here. I never have more than 4 data fields on display otherwise they are so small I can't see them.

Find someone who has a garmin then sit on their wheel.

Or you could get off your arse and do it yourself.

I use my laptop.

...
That is all I have to say on the matter.

orly?

(fwiw, I've used ridewithgps to plot and plan routes, combined with a basic maphoder from njs.

hipster

Until I got a Garmin for Christmas I'd successfully plotted and navigated routes of up to and over 100 miles with this sort of thing:

wanted to post a pic of Matheus' 5 metre long map of google maps printed onto many A4 sheets and sellotaped together. couldn't find it.

^^ Do you mount that to your bars?

The pic of the epic map is in the St Margarets thread. I'd link to it but on my phone in bed.

HOLD THE FORT! let me fetch it...

ed, you need a couple of scrolls bars for a map like that.. nice

I think routes needs to be passed on from rider to rider . That way you dont need garmin and can rely on chap nav and instinct. Eventually, a cyclist becomes like a migratory birds that always know the way.

The most important route is the one that gets you out of London, in my case its the routes out to the essex lanes.

Give me a week or two and I ll revive the "joy of essex"

HOLD THE FORT! let me fetch it...

hah thanks ed!

try the ride east tomorrow slow pace through londons famous london always a good day out finishing with beers down by tower bridge area

wanted to post a pic of Matheus' 5 metre long map

The spelling of his name should be "Matthias".

Mappias, surely?

I meant to come back to this thread when I was at a proper computer with a minute. I very much agree with this:

the scenario you sketch Pete of getting out the scissors and sticky-backed plastic to plot a route seems in keeping with the ethos of cycling. Something about that level of crude devotion suits the egalitarian nature of riding a bike. It's appropriate. But surely a pain in the ass.

Unfortunately the pain in the ass bit made me buy a Garmin, but the traditional method is an enjoyable process if you have the time.

I also really like this:

I think routes needs to be passed on from rider to rider . That way you dont need garmin and can rely on chap nav and instinct. Eventually, a cyclist becomes like a migratory birds that always know the way.

I like the idea of shared cultural knowledge and it being passed on from generation to generation, a bit like the shared fireside folklore of ancient tribes. Or something.

Although I didn't actually come on the joy of Essex ride, I stole the route and did it on my own shortly afterwards and that was the start of learning a reasonable portion of Essex. I reckon I could now ride to as far away and exotic places as Kelvedon Hatch, possibly even Ingatestone, on chap nav alone, which is pleasing...

their GPS enabled devices' was causing a many of them wander about the countryside with insufficient care. Not good.

i thought this sounded pretty good really. i might get one.

I don't mean beginner cyclists. I used to be into mountain biking (a long time ago), my bike is my main form of transport when I'm not working but now I've bought a new road bike with the intention of getting into road cycling properly.
Anyone into going on some rides out of town, building up distances as we get fitter? Or is anyone already doing this and I could tag along. I'm not unfit but I'm definately need to start small and build up.

Cheers.
James

to get back on topic. I'd suggest you join a real cycling club. depending on where you in London (lots of clubs) but for example the people at dulwich paragon organise v.regular rides and are nice enough. A club will give you tired-n-tested routes, opportunity to ride with people of your own ability and also hints on how to be a good group rider. GPS's and setting up your own rides is fine but clubs are there to support people like you wanting to do some nicer rides into the countryside.

This ^.

Cycling clubs are a great way of learning about routes, training and general riding skills.

Forum ride are also a great one to start with, especially when it's all about the companies and not the speed.

In fact, the more people, the less you think about how far/fast/tired you are.