Affordable trail mapping software/hardware

[Mojoman]

Well most cheap phones got some sort of GPS these days, so you can consider buying another one, but do research their respective battery lives. You can always get a spare battery pack for the phone, or ride with a these solar chargers (like a mini solar panel the size of a credit card) that can charge a cellphone.

 

Alternative, and its my personal preference too, get a Garmin GPS watch (much easier to handle while you are riding) . You can get them for like R2000 these days. My watch lasts about 8 hours when the GPS is active (weeks if it's not)

 

Like these (Garmin ForeRunner 110 or 210) : http://shop.fittrack...runner 110.aspx

 

So with that, you just upload your activity to either Garmin's own website or Endomondo/Strava and voila you got it on top of a map.

 

Otherwise can consider cycle mounted garmins like the EDGE series, however in my case i don't only ride , i run too, so the watch has more uses.

I didnt want to buy a new battery as the phone is a couple of years old now and I should be thinking of replacing it but I like that idea of the solar charger (been talking about slowly weaning ourselves away from Eskom over the next 5 years).

 

I do currently use Endomondo but have found that sometimes it doesnt map the whole route or somehow I have managed to touch a button and the application has shut down. It gets pretty frustrating!

[Cois]

I found this by google... Runs on my iPhone and Strava.....

 

http://www.jonathanokeeffe.com/strava/map.php

[nickcza]

Not quite sure on the definition of cheapest...

 

Garmin eTrex 10 uses AA batteries and has a battery life of 25 hours Retail around R1000, can try second hand market.

Very accurate, can also get handlebar mount for it.

 

Bryton 20+ cycle computer with GPS, never tried one, retail around R1000. Try second hand.

[RocknRolla]

cant go wrong withg a dedicated garmin gps, made for track recording. You can then uplaod the tracks to mapsource, and edit, trim and join the tracks for a rideble route. This route ccan then be imported to google earth for printing maps.

 

You can also create a google drive folder with the tracks to be downloadable for use by other gps users.