Best way to create routes for a group?

[travisza]

Hi all,

 

I need to create some routes for a group I'm cycling with. Would like to be able to create something online and then distribute the course/routes to everyone so that they can upload to their device of choice.

 

Whats the best way to do this? Create routes in strava and then export gpx files?

[bertusras]

STRAVA! (If it's road, or very well defined routes)

[Spirog]

Map my ride works really well. And it gives you lots of info like the category of the climbs and the metres to climb. Great bit of software.

[BigDL]

I downloaded an app a couple of weeks ago called footpath. It is quite incredible. If you use it in draw mode, you just draw a very rough route and it snaps it on to tracks, roads etc as soon as you are done, with immediate profile, distance etc. You can also export the route. It took me five minutes to plan a 100k route, export it and then load it on to my garmin.

 

The app costs a few pounds, but I am really pleased with it after all the time spent with other apps going corner by corner

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[BigDL]

FYI, I just did this route in about 5 seconds as an example.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[PrismKDog]

Check out cyclesynapse.com You can upload a gpx of your route and organise your ride / invite your friends.

[travisza]

Check out cyclesynapse.com You can upload a gpx of your route and organise your ride / invite your friends.

thanks will check it out

[tombeej]

Some good ones here, thanks

[-Az-]

www.plotaroute.com

[travisza]

Ok so I'm looking for some more advice here on how it actually works following the course.

 

I'm using an Edge 500 which has breadcrumb trail only.

 

Assuming I manage to actually get the gpx file onto my Garmin (been a challenge so far). does it matter if I start the course in a slightly different place than its start on the map?

 

And if I leave the course and then join it again further on will it be able to work out that I've resumed the course later??

[fanievb]

Ok so I'm looking for some more advice here on how it actually works following the course.

 

I'm using an Edge 500 which has breadcrumb trail only.

 

Assuming I manage to actually get the gpx file onto my Garmin (been a challenge so far). does it matter if I start the course in a slightly different place than its start on the map?

 

And if I leave the course and then join it again further on will it be able to work out that I've resumed the course later??

 

Garmin 500 only imports tcx files for courses 

 

 

 

 

How to transfer the route to your device

1. Save the TCX file to your computer.
2. Plug the Edge 500/510/520 in to your computer. Once connected, it is recognized as a USB drive.
3. Open the "Garmin" folder in that drive.
4. Find the folder labeled, "NewFiles" (If it doesn't exist, you can create it.). Save the route to this folder.
5. Once the file has transferred, you can disconnect your Garmin.
6. Now turn on your Garmin 500/510/520. The route should be available under Courses.

 

Once uploaded the garmin will have an arrow pointing in the general direction of the course and as soon as you are on route the line to follow will appear

[travisza]

Garmin 500 only imports tcx files for courses 

 

 

 

Once uploaded the garmin will have an arrow pointing in the general direction of the course and as soon as you are on route the line to follow will appear

Thanks - realised the tcx thing now.

 

So regarding following the route, it doesnt matter if I join the route after the "start"?. For example if the actual course runs from a friends house and I'll only be joining him 2kms into the ride will the garmin allow me to continue following the course on my device if I only join the route 2kms in? 

 

Not sure if that question makes sense.

[fanievb]

Thanks - realised the tcx thing now.

 

So regarding following the route, it doesnt matter if I join the route after the "start"?. For example if the actual course runs from a friends house and I'll only be joining him 2kms into the ride will the garmin allow me to continue following the course on my device if I only join the route 2kms in? 

 

Not sure if that question makes sense.

 

your device will show off course until you reach the "dotted line" which in your case won't be from the start of your ride

[tombeej]

Thanks - realised the tcx thing now.

 

So regarding following the route, it doesnt matter if I join the route after the "start"?. For example if the actual course runs from a friends house and I'll only be joining him 2kms into the ride will the garmin allow me to continue following the course on my device if I only join the route 2kms in? 

 

Not sure if that question makes sense.

 

Yes you can just join the course. When you arrive on the breadcrumb trail it will say "Course found" and then you continue on your way. But of course that will only happen if you loaded the course before you started your ride. Up to that point when you join the course, as fanievb says, you'll be getting an "Off course" message until you join the trail. It doesn't have any effect on your ride stats (total distance, ave. speed, etc.) so no need to worry about that.

[travisza]

Awesome. thanks guys

[travisza]

I have a follow up question to this.

 

I've managed to load the routes onto my Edge 500 and use it but unfortunately it continually loses and then finds the route during a course of a ride. Not an issue on the weekend when I was riding a route I knew but next week I'll need it when I'm riding unfamiliar roads.

 

I'd like to have my iphone as a backup with the routes on it in case I need to take it out instead of Edge 500. Whats the best app for this? Will strava allow me to view the routes while cycling?