DAMN Riders - No rules, Just ride!

Horizontal, 100%. Also, make sure you go into the settings and turn OFF "auto rotate" or it will spend your entire ride flipping horizontal-vertical-horizontal-vertical-horizontal-... as you lean the bike. Super annoying. :)

I also find setting "auto-reroute" to "ask me" to be a good option. The reason is because sometimes it likes to re-route for no apparent reason and the re-routing will almost invariably mess up the cool route you had planned and replace it with something that sucks.

It's actually not a very good street GPS, but I bought it for its ability to properly import GPX files, which it does wonderfully. And you got the 't'opographical model like I did, which means you get the nice "layout of the land," so when you get good at reading it, you can find all the cool roads that twist up, down, and over hills. I use mine most effectively as a scrolling map, looking for fun roads, than for an actual GPS navigation device.


~Patrick

Thanks Patrick, I haven't played with it on the bike yet I'm still working on mounts. Those type of suggestions are just what I need. I bought it mainly for loading/following gpx files but was under the impression that it would also work "ok" on the road if you load the optional Garmin City Maps. Have you done that? I know Wingfixer did but don't know if he's had a chance to try it yet.

Also do you think the sd card or the download would be better for the City maps? I don't know about using memory space vs needing the sd slot for something else.

I used osm - open source maps. They're free online. They work okay, but they are not always correct. You are right, Wingfixer paid for the city maps but talking to him the review seemed mixed. On the one hand, I assume it's more accurate. On the other, they're expensive and you need to buy multiple maps because they are regional. And you can only use one at a time. Honestly, I don't know how Garmin continues this bs in the age of Google Maps, but cell phones are hard to see in direct sunlight and expensive and not waterproof or rugged. But still, the market is shrinking.


Patrick

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Samsung Galaxy phones have been water resistant since the S5 and waterproof since the S7. Put one of them in any sort of case, and they're plenty rugged for on-bike use.

My next GPS for the road bike will likely be a 7" tablet. I've been using a Garmin Nuvi 765 for years that I waterproofed myself. It's not half bad, but a tablet has a lot more features and there are mapping apps for them that work relatively well. I've been testing out CoPilot vs Google Maps for a while.

I got a ntm Montana 600. Looks like it has basemap, nr, amp cradle mount with wires and charger. I need basecamp from garmin, right? Or not? What do I need to follow off road tracks?

you need basecamp (free app) if you want to create routes/tracks or look at stuff you saved from rides. You can also down load stuff like the KAT file and load it onto your Montana so you could follow that route or track. You need to make sure you have the latest firmware on your montana, go to the Garmin website and downlaod the latest and update your unit. They do not ship with the latest versions of software.

You can also use other online mapping site like Trailtech's Rideleader to create tracks or routes and load them onto your montana. Almost all GPS's today and mapping SW or sites use "GPX" file format.

Go to you tube and look up some video's or How too's. It is hard to explain it, easier to see it or have someone show you.

Will do, thx.

I’m in the Judd camp on using phones. They have been getting expensive and sophisticated I tend to use them for everything. Buy a life proof case to make them water right, retina screen, crystal clear, can zoom up to 20’ . I use the GAIA app subscription. For example when you posted on the other thread about the BDR and KAT stuff that it’s downloadable now I searched it on phone downloaded it and automatically saves it on phone and opens via GAIA..real user friendly. Don’t need cell service to use maps since it’s saved. Siri voice activated, "Siri nearest titty bar" if you need to make a detour etc. all the stuff a phone does. I use an iPad mini in the Jeep.


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I’m old skool. I believe in maps. Next up old skool is gps. To me a phone is a phone. I was using one one the first gps’s back in the day (military) it was the size of a phone book . I generally never follow a gps. But it seems all rides/trails etc are a gps download, so I gotta catch up.
That being said, I have saved routes etc in google maps, downloaded maps, etc and I could use my phone if I needed to. I also carry a compass

Updated the unit. Downloaded base camp to laptop, but is it supposed to go to the gps also. I did get the kat stuff showing up on the gps. I know it will need updated, I just wanted something to test.

Just messing with you Bruce. I hear you man, I’ve purchased my share of Garmin units.
I know you got a hell of deal on your Unit, but I was looking at the latest prices on the Zumos, at that point I would purchase a Sat. Phone
Good you you got it figured out



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