You’d think once you have put the GPX/TCX file on your Garmin, you could just ride it right? Wrong. Unless you change a few settings, navigation is a bit sketchy, trying to route you random ways, down footpaths, all sorts of rubbish.
What you need to set depends on your device. If you have a device that supports maps, but only have the basemap and not the expensive Navigation Bundle. You can get free, legal, fantastic maps. See my post on free maps.
Garmin 605/705
- Turn off recalculate route, with this on it will shortcut you home. Which is the start. Which is a short ride as you’re already there!
- Turn on Settings -> Map -> Lock on Road to keep you on road.
Took me some time to crack that. I had fun for a while, but with that everything is fantastic.
Garmin 800/810
- Routing => Bicycle
- Guidance Method => On Road
- Lock on Road => No
- Recalculate => Off or Prompted
I don’t have an 800/810, so I am not 100% sure of this. So if you know better, let me know.
Garmin 1000
- Click the Settings Icon at the bottom of the home screen
- Select Activity Profiles then select your preferred profile
- Select Navigation, then select Routing
- Set Routing Mode to Road Cycling
- Set Calculation Method to Minimize Distance (though Minimize Time shouldn’t be too different)
- Ensure Lock On Road is set to On
- Select Avoidance Setup and make sure all options are disabled. Since we are loading pre-planned routes onto the Edge, we don’t want it recalculating the route on us if it thinks there may be a toll, highway etc.
- Set Recalculation to Disabled.
Garmin Touring
Don’t know, sorry 🙂
Garmin 500
It doesn’t do fancy navigation and maps, it just points an arrow. No further setup required.