GPX Files

[Flip]

Hi Everybody,

With the mix of available technology for navigation these days and a four or five bike European trip being planned for later this year I need some help getting a variety of Sat Navs and phones etc. to all give the same directions.

For example I use a Garmin Zumo and a mate I often ride with uses the Tom Tom equivalent but for whatever reason, they can both be set with the same preferences (no Toll Roads, no Motorways etc.) and they will come up with different routes initially, even if we put 'way points' into the routes.

Obviously the sat-navs will re-calculate en-route while following the lead bike but this isn't ideal and as the group is larger this year it would be nice if we could all be on the same route from the start.

The sat-nav's themselves will take a memory card on which a GPX File can be located but can somebody please tell me the best way of doing this?

Or alternatively I may be missing something obvious to the more techy here and so a better idea so that we can all use the variety of devices and follow the same route?

Thanks

You are over complicating life. Just have one bike with the GPS set as a route and follow that bike.
For even more fun switch it off and ride following road signs, it is great fun.

[Blah blah]

Wanders away after being enticed by 'GPX' in the title but not finding pictures of any old Kawasakis...

[Ron1000]

Sorry no help on the actual thread topic. But I do a fair bit touring and it’s always just a case of follow the lead guy…no satnav…, mostly it works perfect. But if worst case we get lost then so be it, it’s a tour so not on any time scale.…except that time we nearly missed the ferry home in Holland.

[Doggy]

I think for a Garmin you can use a piece of software called Basecamp? This converts your route into a GPX file to put on a card to go in the satnav . I've never done it myself though ! .
In the recent ride magazine Europe routes book it mentions about down loading their routes into GPX files . Get the mag as its worth the six quid or so .

[Grumpy]

My main use of a sat nav is for traveling in europe. It's an aid to maps....
When I use the nav, it's settings are no motorways, no tolls, no duel carrageways. This way you see places otherwise by passed by the trunk roads. The journey may take longer, but it's more fun.

[Doggy]

I've used sat navs in europe several times . I think they work best if left off for most of the day, but are invaluable for the last 5 miles trying to find the hotel !.
Saying the above though, A friend has a new Garmin with curvy routes built in . We've used this option a couple of times and it has been bloody brilliant all day .

[slob]

https://www.gpsbabel.org/

[Moley1]

I use https://ridewithgps.com which is geared towards cycling, but will create either a gpx or tcx file which you can download to an SD card. Just create your route then you can choose which format you want to download it in...

[Nickj]

bu tt monkey will make shareable routes

[Flip]

Thanks for the replies chaps.

Totally agree about maps- I love them- they show where you are and what's around as opposed to just how to get somewhere.

Our Euro jaunts are always 'one town- one night' (usually five nights away) so when getting from one to another it is nice to have a route of known time/distance should the weather turn rubbish to minimise riding in it for example.

This then allows us to take much preferred and the longer twisty routes (typically making it 200+ mile days) either when we see nice roads or by setting my Garmin to the 'twisty' option, stopping as and when we want in little towns or places of interest while the weather is nice but still making sure we're able to arrive in time to freshen up (totally agree they are a Godsend for actually finding the Hotels) before going to find a nice place to eat for the evening.

As the bikes in our group have a variety of fuel ranges being able to sync a route would mean anyone of us could lead giving who was a break, while also making sure no one misses an all important fuel stop as they could take the lead when getting near fill up time.

So thanks again, I will check out all those programs and have a play to see if it's possible- if not, no worries- it'll still be Monster fun!

[Flip]

Originally Posted by Blah blah

Wanders away after being enticed by 'GPX' in the title but not finding pictures of any old Kawasakis...

Just for you, although like Kawasaki who had also lost their way at the time (Mmmm 'leatherette' tank sides- what were they thinking?), I'm not sure one of these would help me .