what is best gps for biking

I believe Garmin has GPS specifically for bikes.

We've done 5 self guided trip in Italy and never needed a GPS. We've used several different companies, using their cue sheets and our bike computer to keep track of kilometers.

I don't know why you really need to spend an extra $300-600 for a GPS system, unless you are doing a self supported tour and need more info.

Even when we got lost, we found our way to the next town. getting lost was part of the fun!

Just my opinion, but a GPS is really not needed for a self guided tour. I'd rather spend the money on good food and wine, and perhaps a memento of the trip.

You don't need a GPS; it isn't as if you're in a car and need to decide NOW if you should take an exit or not. Pull over to the side in the shade and look at your map. You know what road you're one, when you hit an intersection you know where you are.

What you DO need is the detailed Michelin maps of the areas you are traveling, the 1/200,000 scale or even better the 1/150,000 if they are available for the areas you're going. We did a self-guided tour of the Alpes a few years back and were fine with these maps.

If you have the money to spend and want one, go ahead. Then you need to decide how you're going to use it. Do you want to program it with your destinations and use it like a car nav device? Otherwise you can get the cheapest model that will give you your current coordinates, then you can use your map to find out where you are.

Hi, Terry.

Garmin has some models. We found their maps to be pretty update (as of May). CompUSA will often sell refurbished ones at a great price!

In all honest, with EUrope's amount of side roads, and places without traditional address, they are not 100ppct, so due get the maps recommended above.

However, once you've been to a place, you can always get back, and always know where you are. Maps are only good if you know where you are, so a combination of the two is great! :)

Terry -

Ditto what Ellen said! Save your dollars and Euros for food, wine, pastries and other really necessary trip expenses!

I've cycled independently in Europe and on three other continents more than 20 times over the years and have always gotten around quite handily using Michelin 1:400,000 scale maps, which are ideal for biking. Other maps or scales may suffice as well, but these have long been my mainstays, especially in Europe.

Besides, cycle touring should be adventurous, and sometimes getting lost for a while adds flavor to the trip. If I may quote a mentor, "A trip without adversity is a trip without adventure!" So true. Go get yourself lost once in a while, and you may find some surprising treasures along the way. You'll then have stories with which to regale your children and grandkids!

Yes, use maps! Way more fun. "Look, we were there, and now we are here." I don't know much about GPS...I assume a biking friendly one would tell you about hills and rivers? Maps, of course, do so.

I used the IGN maps in a scale of 1-100,000 plus one of the whole region in 1-250,000,when I biked in Bourgogne a few years ago. You can order the new versions of these maps, in that scale, from Omni Maps. Omnimap.com

Alice

I am sure you appreciate everyone not answering your question. Go to the touring section of bikelist.org. You will get good answer there. This is a hard core touring site and many of them use GPS. This used to be the phred.org list.