Gps

[noise_is_life]

Does anybody have any recommendations on a good GPS to use for Mountain Biking.

I will be headed out to New Mexico and Colorado this fall and will be doing some biking. I will probably go with a guided ride around Sante Fe, but I will be spending most of my time in Chaffee County, Colorado (In the vicinity of the collegiate peaks).

If I want to ride at all I will probably be forced to go solo. So, for safety sake I would like a GPS for riding around in the big scary mountains.

I have access to a Meridian Platinum which I may use, but I am interested in hearing what people's experiences have been from a MTB point of view.

[Brick]

Originally posted by noise_is_life
Does anybody have any recommendations on a good GPS to use for Mountain Biking.



I use the Magellan Sport Track--The bar mounting bracket is solid, although it's a bit big. Garmin has a bike bar bracket for the E-trex series as well. Both the e-trex and magellan are rugged and weather-proof.....so ymmv. Go with what you know.

[gopherhockey]

I use an e-trex, but don't count on good reception when you are back in the woods. I can't even walk and GPS a trail at Lebanon until very very late fall when the leaves fall. Maybe others have had better luck, but the thing is basically useless to me during regular riding months.

[martini]

For a summer in western colorado(near Gunnision, but in the mountains), I used an Etrex to map ATV trails. It gave me no isues out there. Reception was fairly good. Average resolution was 8m to 15m. Sometimes, I'd get better, but it definately gave you an idea of where you were. Hone up your map reading skills as well. DON'T just rely on the GPS to get you unlost, cause you'll probably get yourself loster yet! As far as GPS here in Minn., I don't think ANY of them would work well with the canopy of trees we've got here in the summer. Winter, fall and spring are the times to map here.

[Sumo]

I used the e-Trex Vista on a recent trip to Keystone, CO. Had no problems with reception at all. I continually picked up 8-12 satellites while in CO. in Mpls i usually get about 5 satellites. The Vista sports an altimeter and a trip computer which is way cool. An optional bike bracket can be purchased to mount on your bike. I clipped it on my camelbak...worked fine for me.
I'm having serious Colorado withdrawals...can I go with you?!!!
Have a great time!
Susan

[Don Youngdahl]

I have a Garmin III+, and it sucks. Even in areas of good reception, it automatically shuts off (which it's supposed to due if a good signal is lost for more than a minute or two) frequently for no apparent reason, when carried on a bicyle, dirt bike or backpack.

Useful to find out where you are, but useless for generating a map or coherent track of where you've been.

Don Youngdahl

[jitterjepp]

If you do get lost don't go around in a circle. On the rescue shows and in books people who get lost go around in circles and they get scared because they wern't getting unlost. Then they noticed they were going around in a circle and got really scared and started crying and saying they didn't want to die. Then they died and some hunters found them in the spring.

Actually I just read this thing in a book on why people go in circles when the get lost. The reason is that we humans feel the need to go left or right. So we keep going to the left and next thing you know you are back where you started. Like in you car keep going left at the next turn and you are back at turn one. The book said its best to find a fixed point straight ahead in the distance and travel that direction until you get there then find another point straight ahead and do the same thing.
That way you are always going the same direction relative to a compas.

[TML]

Shawn gets the schwag!

Ya know how in BIKE magazine the editors usually send some goodies out to whoever wrote the craziest/most inspriring or most off the wall letter that month-- I had to laugh when I read Shawns post, it would be the winner.

I have a Garmin 12 from about 6 years ago. It's not the smallest thing and it doesnt have a built in map but it does perform all the functions that a GPS should, very reliably. They(GPS) will never replace map reading skills, compass and a good topo, but they sure are a great supplement.