If you expand any of the route maps (click on the “View full route” link at the top of the embedded map), then look on the right hand side under “Export” you will see options for exporting the route in a format that you can use with a GPS.
Below are details of the main types of GPS unit that you could use and my advice is to give serious thought to seeing if one of them can work for you as it really does make the ride experience easier. My preference is for a Garmin Edge 800 mounted on my handlebars, showing the route at all times, but even just having the route on your mobile phone in your pocket could be really useful if you get lost.
There are lots of “how to” guides at the bottom of the “Export” section on the map site and I recommend you get a good feel for riding with your GPS before the event (e.g. use it on a couple of training rides). Creating an account on ridewithgps.com (same mapping site as I’ve used) is free and it’s very easy to create a basic route.
Any questions, leave a comment at the bottom of the page and I’ll try and help.
GPS enabled cycle computer (e.g. Garmin Edge)
As already mentioned I now ride with a Garmin Edge 800 and whilst not perfect, it’s a very impressive piece of kit and I wouldn’t want to do a long distance ride without it. See here for instructions on how I use mine or here for more information from RideWithGPS.com.
The slightly older Edge 605 and 705 units are also very good – see comments section and here for more information from RideWithGPS.com.
The even older Garmin Edge 205 and 305 computers can be picked up pretty cheap (eBay) these days and whilst they don’t show a map, they can be used for this type of ride. Click here for more information from RideWithGPS.com.
I don’t believe an Edge 500 will work as it cannot show a pre-planned route.
A Garmin Forerunner 205/305 should also work and you can buy a bike mount for these.
Other GPS
Any GPS capable of showing your current position as well as a pre-planned (GPX) route will work. It does not need to be able to show a map as you’re just following the route.
iPhone
There’s an app called The Map that will show you a map, your current position and the route (the recce was completed using The Map on an iPad with great success). Whilst out-of-the-box The Map only supports the UK, the app’s author has very kindly created a special O2E map. For detailed instructions click here.
Other phones
If you have a GPS enabled smartphone then you just need an app that can show your current position as well as pre-planned (GPX) route. Unfortunately I can’t recommend an app, but will happily update this page if someone can.
Battery life
If you intend to use a mobile phone as your navigation aid, you might find battery life is a problem and therefore may want to consider an external battery pack.
The one I use is a 5000mAh PortaPow one from ebay which is a huge capacity (the internal battery on my iPhone is only 1420mAh so this gives over 4 times the battery life). There are other smaller capacity ones on ebay which would do just fine & are cheaper. Maplin etc. also sell similar packs.
Rafe – great job on the site! I’m interested in using my Android phone’s GPS (too tight to but a proper GPS) so if anyone hears of a good App for Androids – I’d interested. Likewise if I find one – I’ll post.
Roger (Northern Boy) Teagle
Hi Roger,
Glad you like the site.
One option I’ve heard about but not ever tried… If you’ve an Android phone with built-in maps then can’t it access any routes you save via Google Maps? Roughly speaking you’d do something like create an account on Google, export the routes from here as KML (Google Earth), import them into Google Maps under your account (My Maps I think it’s called) and then view on your phone?
If not the terms to search for are GPX (the file format that most apps use) and/or OSM (open street map – the free map library). Here’s one I found after a very quick look:
http://shop.viewranger.com/products.php?category_id=27
Never used it but it looks just the job.
Hope that helps.
Rafe
p.s. thought it might be worth re-iterating that having a map isn’t absolutely necessary. My old GPS never had maps – just showed my current position & my pre-planned route as a line. I cycled hundreds of miles using that system – current position roughly on the line = fine, off the line = oops! You might find that View Ranger will work just fine without a base map.
When will “The Map” be updated for the iPhone? Will the existing app be updated or will it be a new app?
Thanks
Alan
Hi Alan,
You can buy “The Map” from the AppStore now as it’s the right version. I will post instructions in the next week about how you “update” it for our use.
Rafe
Rafe,
Great work on the routes for Calais – Cologne.
Have just received the new Edge 800. When exporting the routes, they dont appear under Courses on the Unit, although they do appear in the folder when looking at the Garmin files when connected to the Laptop.
Any ideas for a PC-Idiot such as myself.
Cheers,
JC.
Hi JC,
You need to put the files into the “NewFiles” folder, not the courses folder. Then disconnect/restart the Edge 800 and it will import them from the “NewFiles” folder for you.
I will update this website with notes on how to best configure the Edge 800 & use the course in the next week.
Rafe
Rafe,
I can confirm I am an IT idiot, but I managed to get this to work, will try out tonight. Thanks.
Another question, how do you get a GPS tracker so people can follow your progress?
Is it related to the Garmin or something seperate?
Cheers.
I’ve provided a GPS tracker every O2E ride, so people can follow my progress at least. These days I use my iPhone to do it via an app called InstaMapper GPS Tracker. Only problem is that it kills the battery so I have to use a battery extender. It also runs up your overseas data usage bill!
It is not possible to use the Garmin.
Hi Rafe or anyone else who may know
After getting lost several times last year, I am borrowing a Garmin 605, to get turn by turn with your directions, will the route that you have mapped once downloaded give me turn by turn, or will I have to download the Garmin European Map to the device as well?
Thanks
Richard
Hi Richard,
Getting lost sucks & not really knowing where you are is stressful – a GPS is very much the way to go!
The Garmin 605 will be fine. I’ve not had one of those for a while so am a bit rusty, but from memory…
Download the three routes from RideWithGPS site as TCX files and copy them onto the device in the Courses folder. Then you have two choices, you can either just select a course and say “View on Map” which will just give you a line to follow or you can “Do Course” which will bleep at each junction and say “Left”, “Right” etc. as well as bleep and say “Off Course” if you stray off the line. Note that the “Left” “Right” etc. are as the route was meant to be followed, so if you take a wrong turn and had to back up on yourself, it might bleep and say “Left” when actually it’s really a right now, if you follow!
I strongly recommend creating a short test route near your house using RideWithGPS and having a play as it’s not always the most intuitive thing. But once you’ve mastered it, you’ll never want to do a long bike ride without something like the Garmin!
A map is handy but not essential. If you’ve not already got the European maps then I wouldn’t bother.
There are more instructions on using the 605/705 here:
http://ridewithgps.com/edge_705
Thanks, thats a great help