Edge 1000 or Etrex 30 or other?

[rifraf]

I've had a decent run out of my Edge 800 but I've never liked the screen size as I find it very hard to make out things on the maps interface.
No issues with the bike related feature viewing like cadence, heart rate etc and I can't complain with the reliability of my unit or its heart monitor belt, sender units etc. unlike some others.
Fingers crossed this remains the case.

Ive an iPhone 5s which has a bigger screen and map feature although it'll probably be less useful out in the boonies away from any phone towers.
I have little interest in learning to locate and down load files on it as Im a slow learner and a bit of a technophobe these days.
My phone is also only a 16 gig model with lots of music on it so maybe a phone upgrade would be just as relevant and useful, although again, I wouldnt be looking forward to any huge learning curve and downloads.

I recently came across the Edge 1000 in an article online after I saw one in our for sale threads.
The screen, I gather, is improved and enlarged by comparison to the 800.

How ever the Etrex gets good press in here so although I'm not quite ready for a purchase decision, I am considering it.

My dyno-hub keeps my 800 topped up enough for my use so I'm not too worried about battery use.

One advantage with regards the 1000 is Im getting familiar with the 800 functionality so Im thinking smallish learning curve maybe compared to an Etrex.
Either unit would be cheaper than a phone upgrade.

However, I'm keen to hear your viewpoints to see if I've failed to take something into account or missed something needed to make an informed choice.
I've not seen either in the flesh.

If I grabbed an Etrex it would have the burden of being something else to cart as I like the functions of my Edge unit and wouldn't want to give them up and this makes me lean towards the 1000.

Thoughts, logic, reasoning, opinions and drunken ramblings welcome

[il padrone]

Edge Touring is another option that is fairly new on the market.

[rifraf]

One at a time please........

The silence is deafening.

RonK will likely espouse the virtues the fabulous iPhone 6+ which while a nice bit of kit is breathtaking in its wallet sapping properties and I'm unsure how its mapping functions away from the luxury of cell phone towers.

Ill Padrone will yell from the rooftops the superiority of the Etrex's ability to get by on easy to obtain AA batteries for which there are E-werk compatible chargers and a dick smith special on Eneloops (AT) Ozbargain site.

Likely someone will pipe up on how in their day, back when dinosaurs walked the earth, a compass and Hema map was all that was needed.......

[rifraf]

Edge Touring is another option that is fairly new on the market.

Pipped at the post by IP.

I think Andrew dipped his toes in those waters Pete.

I really like the cycling features including HR and Cadence as well as Temp and Altitude etc.
From memory the Touring model omits some of these.

Its not as easily accessible to purchase as the other models judging by a quick visit to Wiggle, Pushies and a few others.

As well, I don't think the screen size is a big enough improvement over the 800 which is one of my few motivations to temptation

I did some looking for it and the reviews on the "Evans" site were dreadful

[grantw]

The screen size on the etrex 30 is a little smaller than the 800 so if you want more screen, it's not the way to go.

[BenGr]

The edge touring is just the 810 with different firmware, well one of the other edge units anyway.

I'm quite interested in this topic myself.

[RonK]

Before committing, do your research thoroughly.
ETrex 30 has a tiny screen and will be no improvement on your current device.
Garmin Edge 1000 has many bugs and a poor reputation for navigation capabilities. The Edge Touring is Garmin's rushed response to the device I'm using - the Magellan Cyclo 505 which has greatly superior navigation capabilities to the Edge, but is also far from perfect with its own set of issues and idiosyncrasies.
iPhone 6 has a built-in GPS chip and is just as capable as a dedicated GPS. There are plenty of mapping and navigation apps to choose from and they make it easy to download maps. Battery life is the main issue but with two dynamo hubs you should be able to cover that.
The choice is yours...

[rifraf]

The screen size on the etrex 30 is a little smaller than the 800 so if you want more screen, it's not the way to go.

Thanks for that GrantW,
really good to know.
I'll scratch that from my list of possible suspects.
A shame as the AA batteries was a nice feature although its definitely the screen real-estate I'm looking for as a consideration priority.
As well, being yet another unit to have to carry, it wasn't ticking the right boxes for me although had it a super sized screen by comparison I might have been tempted.

[rifraf]

The edge touring is just the 810 with different firmware, well one of the other edge units anyway.

I'm quite interested in this topic myself.

Good info there BenGr - thanks
Yeah the 810 (and thus the Touring model) doesn't ring my bell as enough of a useful upgrade for me to empty the wallet.
A consideration if I didn't already own the 800, but not a contender for me currently.

[rifraf]

Before committing, do your research thoroughly.
ETrex 30 has a tiny screen and will be no improvement on your current device.
Garmin Edge has many bugs and a poor reputation for navigation capabilities. The Edge Touring is Garmin's rushed response to the device I'm using - the Magellan Cyclo 505 which has greatly superior navigation capabilities to the Edge, but is also far from perfect with its own set of issues and idiosyncrasies.
iPhone 6 has a built-in GPS chip and is just as capable as a dedicated GPS. There are plenty of mapping and navigation apps to choose from and they make it easy to download maps. Battery life is the main issue but with two dynamo hubs you should be able to cover that.
The choice is yours...

Cheers RonK,
I guess its looking like a shoot off between the 1000 and a phone upgrade.............
I do like the look of that iPhone 6+ but I'm undecided if I'm ready to make such a spendy purchase just yet.

I might make enquires about my current iPhone to see what they are fetching and whether I feel inclined to make the leap to the newer unit.
They are out of date so fast, they make for a dreadful investment.

[RonK]

Before committing, do your research thoroughly.
ETrex 30 has a tiny screen and will be no improvement on your current device.
Garmin Edge has many bugs and a poor reputation for navigation capabilities. The Edge Touring is Garmin's rushed response to the device I'm using - the Magellan Cyclo 505 which has greatly superior navigation capabilities to the Edge, but is also far from perfect with its own set of issues and idiosyncrasies.
iPhone 6 has a built-in GPS chip and is just as capable as a dedicated GPS. There are plenty of mapping and navigation apps to choose from and they make it easy to download maps. Battery life is the main issue but with two dynamo hubs you should be able to cover that.
The choice is yours...

Cheers RonK,
I guess its looking like a shoot off between the 1000 and a phone upgrade.............
I do like the look of that iPhone 6+ but I'm undecided if I'm ready to make such a spendy purchase just yet.

I might make enquires about my current iPhone to see what they are fetching and whether I feel inclined to make the leap to the newer unit.
They are out of date so fast, they make for a dreadful investment.

Really? Since (I assume) it is maps and navigation you're primarily interested in and the Edge 1000 is not very good at those, I would have thought the options to consider are the Cyclo 505 or a phone upgrade.
As I've already said - do your research carefully.

[BenGr]

I wouldn't go for the 6+ myself. Have a look how big it is before considering it. The standard model should be big enough for most purposes. I guess it might make browsing/emailing etc easier but it would take up a lot of space in your handlebars.

[RonK]

I wouldn't go for the 6+ myself. Have a look how big it is before considering it. The standard model should be big enough for most purposes. I guess it might make browsing/emailing etc easier but it would take up a lot of space in your handlebars.

There are good reasons to go for the 6 Plus.
First, it has a much bigger battery (2915mAh vs 1810mAh).
Second, it has a better camera with image stabilisation.
Third, it switches into iPad mode when rotated horizontally, which makes the text easier to read and the keyboard easier to use for seniors.

[rifraf]

I wouldn't go for the 6+ myself. Have a look how big it is before considering it. The standard model should be big enough for most purposes. I guess it might make browsing/emailing etc easier but it would take up a lot of space in your handlebars.

its definitely the screen real-estate I'm looking for as a consideration priority.

I'm struggling to see the map details on the Edge 800 and hence this thread and my speculation on an upgrade solution.

The 6+ certainly ticks the box on size solution.
It would enhance my mobile music collection size and "might" convince me to leave my camera at home, lightening up my handlebar bag and reducing the bulk in it.

As I would be wanting to carry a phone with me anyway, it not so much an extra item as say something like an Etrex would have been had its screen size made it a contender.
Whether or not its big enough to take the place of an internet device on tour will take a visit to Apple for a play around and demo.
I've been resisting buying a mini iPad to replace my Macbook Air for on tour so food for thought.

I could just leave my Edge 800 on the bars for bike computer duty and keep the phone, as I do now, in the bar bag, utilising it for map duty as needed assuming its large enough for my declining eyesight.

The more I read about the Edge 1000, the less enamoured I am with it.
The reviews arent as positive as I'd hoped, with DC Rainmaker commenting:

"In summary, the bugs I’m seeing are in some ways unforgivable – they go to the core of what Garmin has touted as the foundational reasons to buy the Edge 1000: Bluetooth Notifications, Better Screen, Di2, and Segments. With flaws in all core areas of the experience, it leaves doubt as to why exactly to purchase it."

[grantw]

I have a 6+ and the camera is fantastic

[Calvin27]

I went through this a while ago.

The navigation hardware is great if you are on a road bike and riding for a quick time. But if you're touring or doing it at a bit more of a leisurely pace, I would say a phone is pretty good already.

I use gpx viewer and create my routes on map my ride. It uses google maps so pretty straight forward and easy to use. Process is simple.
1. Create route on map my ride.
2. Export the gpx (simple just on click on the page)
3. Copy this file to your phone.
4. Upload the file on gpx viewer.

It doesn't give you turn by turn but it's accurate enough to visually see main intersections or when you are off course. Don't worry too much about reception because by loading the gpx you pre-cache the maps - so you only need gps.

As for battery, I'd be wearly of recommending a bigger phone because of battery life. If you plan to have the screen on sleep and just unlock every now and then a bigger phone will be better due to battery life. But if you plan to keep the screen on all the time, the bigger battery in a bigger phone is pretty much negated. To solve this just buy a small battery bank. 2000mAh banks are cheap and really small nowadays.

[rifraf]

http://www.bikeforums.net/touring/10102 ... -unit.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

In the above, I spotted a link to this page:

http://adventurealan.com/iphone4gps.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I thought it might prove interesting reading to some in here.
I've no thoughts on the accuracy of the info as I've yet to read it in depth myself

[RonK]

http://www.bikeforums.net/touring/10102 ... -unit.html

In the above, I spotted a link to this page:

http://adventurealan.com/iphone4gps.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I thought it might prove interesting reading to some in here.
I've no thoughts on the accuracy of the info as I've yet to read it in depth myself

Some useful information, but also some important information is outdated. The 4S is a long way in the past. In particular, the GPS is NOT necessarily disabled in airplane mode.

GPS apps I'm using like GPS Kit, Map.Me, Mapout, ViewRanger, Maps3D are able establish my location while in Airplane mode minimising power consumption.

Straight from the horses mouth. Posted by Apple Support May 9 2015.

When Airplane Mode is on, you'll see in the status bar of your screen. In Airplane Mode, these wireless features are turned off:

Cellular (voice and data)
Wi-Fi
Bluetooth

If you have a device with iOS 8.2 or earlier, Airplane Mode will also turn off GPS.

I'm using iOS 8.3. To reduce power consumption while navigating I just turn on Airplane mode.

[rifraf]

Some useful information, but also some important information is outdated. The 4S is a long way in the past. In particular, the GPS is NOT necessarily disabled in airplane mode.

GPS apps I'm using like GPS Kit, Map.Me, Mapout, ViewRanger, Maps3D are able establish my location while in Airplane mode minimising power consumption.

Straight from the horses mouth. Posted by Apple Support May 9 2015.

When Airplane Mode is on, you'll see in the status bar of your screen. In Airplane Mode, these wireless features are turned off:

Cellular (voice and data)
Wi-Fi
Bluetooth

If you have a device with iOS 8.2 or earlier, Airplane Mode will also turn off GPS.

I'm using iOS 8.3. To reduce power consumption while navigating I just turn on Airplane mode.

No reason you should have scrolled to the bottom of the page, but, down there he's added info for iPhone 5, so a little more up to date than it first appears.
(No he states he's yet to check out 5c and 5s. He's not updated since so unfortunately theres no helpful info for 6 or 6+ either although your usually well up on the eight ball before most anyway RonK)

The iPhone 4s is possibly obtainable at a price which makes it vulnerableness on a set of handlebars worth considering the risk compared to a newer, pricier unit.

Thats a great tip with regards Airplane mode - thanks

I too am utilising iOS 8.3 so now know I can navigate on reduced battery suck - thanks
Learning about using aps and different files is on my round toit list........

I've only recently worked out how to add music to the damn thing (which I'm enjoying greatly).
I hate the learning curve for new (ish) tech.

I do love utilising the flash function as a torch when trying valiantly to get my blooming key into the front door lock without my curses awaking the neighbours.

I nearly fell over when I saw the price of the 128 gig 6+
Whilst I was prepared for the shock of around grand, $1440 brought me back to earth quickly and I decided I'd be happier utilising the funds getting lost somewhere and spending the money on caravan parks, intoxicating beverages and maybe women and song in the attempt to get unlost whilst on a mystery tour somewhere.
Could be a very nice and comfortable somewhere for the money is my decision.
Its not my final word cast in stone, but for now I'm not going to worry my head about an upgrade considering the macrumours site is suggesting waiting for the next generation phone as the 6 is well along in its life (264 days) and the next model (6s?) isn't too far away, hopefully bringing down somewhat the pricing.
http://buyersguide.macrumors.com/#iPhone" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I managed to promptly find and download Map.Me, ViewRanger just now.
With regards Maps3d, I found two versions: a lite and a pro.
I assume you bought the pro

[RonK]

Yes, I have Maps3D Pro, but you can download the Lite to try. Gorgeous 3D topography lets you easily visualise how flat/hilly a route may be.

[RonK]

I nearly fell over when I saw the price of the 128 gig 6+
Whilst I was prepared for the shock of around grand, $1440 brought me back to earth quickly and I decided I'd be happier utilising the funds getting lost somewhere and spending the money on caravan parks, intoxicating beverages and maybe women and song in the attempt to get unlost whilst on a mystery tour somewhere.

Mmmmmm, they have gone up a bit - $1250 for mine in November.

[rifraf]

I nearly fell over when I saw the price of the 128 gig 6+
Whilst I was prepared for the shock of around grand, $1440 brought me back to earth quickly and I decided I'd be happier utilising the funds getting lost somewhere and spending the money on caravan parks, intoxicating beverages and maybe women and song in the attempt to get unlost whilst on a mystery tour somewhere.

Mmmmmm, they have gone up a bit - $1250 for mine in November.

I imagine its maybe relative to what the dollars been doing with regards the US currency?
Weren't we getting in the realm of $1.20 US for $1.00 Au around this time last year?
I'm not so sure on the timeline but know I did well building up the Ogre when I did rather than trying it now.
I might have worn the $1250 with a whinge and moan, but $200 on top saw me back down to earth and reality.
I'm not someone who would get full value from a smart phone.
I dont resent the monies spent on the one I have (5s( or the Edge 800 but my rent has increased significantly since then and so has my utilities.
I'm being much more wary as far as what I spend my money on.