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The latest advances in bicycle GPS have elevated the cycling activity to a whole new level - making it more fun and safe. Many biking enthusiasts are also tapping into the latest cycling GPS systems to monitor their progress, all without taking away the pleasure of the ride.

If you are about to start another one of your bicycling tours - as soon as you leave the comfort of city limits and road signs, a cycling GPS for your bike just might make the difference before getting back to the pub for an evening pint, and perhaps, enduring an unexpected camping trip in no man's land.

Benefits of Bicycle GPS

So what can a cycling GPS unit do for you? Here is some information on the great benefits of having a GPS while cycling:

Wilderness Rider Or Off-Roader

If you are fond of going on a cycling adventure with either no obvious paths or too many paths, and you constantly contend with poor visibility and little landmarks to help you out, then a GPS unit is a must. By setting a fixed destination, the bicycle GPS will be able to point you in the right direction.

Long Distance Rider

With the availability of removable SD cards, you can be able to condense and load up different maps of large areas and even an entire country to enjoy street-level GPS wherever you want to go.

Performance Cyclist

There are several bicycling GPS available today that combines other performance tools such as cadence measuring or heart monitor device. You can combine all information in training software to fully assess your performance over some time.

Town Rider

If you find yourself riding in an unfamiliar city, you can load up street-level mapping on your cycling GPS unit. Among the most popular and highly recommended software to use for this type of thing is the Navman's SmartST or the Komoot, which allows you to plan and download a pre-planned cycling route that you can easily follow.

What Features To Look For

With so many different models and brands available today, it can be confusing to choose which one best works for you. Here are some factors that you should consider:

Sensitivity

If you are planning to cycle under thick tree canopies or around tall buildings, you will want to choose a high-sensitivity bicycle GPS chipset. Among the most common ones is the SiRF-III, although there are equally capable types. Choose one with at least 12 channel receivers.

Mapping Capability

Your bicycle GPS should be capable of loading street maps and topo maps to make navigating around unfamiliar areas and terrains easier.

External Memory Card

If you plan to explore different places with your bicycle, choose a GPS that comes with an external memory card slot to store your maps. This will allow you to load topo maps to your GPS unit. There are also some GPS that come with built-in memory.

Voice Prompts

With your eyes on the road, a GPS with a voice prompt can be very convenient in guiding you to your route. Most GPS only provides on-screen direction and directs you only with a beep as you are about to approach a turn.

Bike Mount

You need to make sure that your GPS is specifically designed with a bike mount to ensure secure fit even when navigating across rough terrains.

Waterproof

Any outdoor activity will require you to deal with changing weather conditions. Choosing a waterproof GPS is highly ideal for biking to ensure total peace of mind.

Big Screen

Choose a screen that is big and easy enough to read, with the backlight brightness. You should consider one that will be able to provide you with clear information even under the sun's glare.

Internal Compass And An Altitude Sensor

In general, a basic bicycle GPS unit is only designed to show directions when you are on the move. A built-in electronic compass will be able to provide you with direction even when you are in a stationary position. Also, choose one with a barometric sensor, as it is known to provide more accurate monitoring of altitude.

Battery Life

The battery life can greatly vary from one model to another. If you enjoy long rides and weekend adventures, you need to consider battery life and the number of spare batteries you need to pack with you.

What do you Really Need?

With a myriad of cycling GPS systems to choose from, it can be hard to find just the right system for you. However, there is only one question you need to ask yourself - will a bicycle GPS unit benefit my ride and help me find my way out of trouble, or merely provide me with an expensive distraction?

No worries! I have done all the research for you, and have selected several dependable systems with just the features to suit your needs.

I Just Want to Find My Way Around...

A basic bicycle GPS unit like the Garmin eTrex 30 has some handy positioning features that will show you where you've been on a map, and where you're going to. These features include:

• Track log: system remembers your route in case you need to back track
• Mark location: mark and save up to 100 locations
• Find location: look up and navigate to stored locations

I Like to Explore Brave New Worlds...

My recommendation (it is my nature to choose an item that is in the middle of the price scale...). Buy yourself an affordable unit that will provide you with some basic mapping and navigation features. Some of the many features these bicycle GPS units have include:

• Barometric altimeter
• Mark location: store routes for another day
• Find location: look up and navigate to stored locations
• Track log (when you're lost and need to backtrack)
• Sunrise/sunset times
• Micro SD card slot for loading maps, storing workouts, etc

I Want It All!

Besides basic positioning features, bicycle GPS like the Garmin Edge 810 GPS-Enabled Cycling Computer is overflowing with many features you'd also expect to find on a cycling computer - current speed, kilometers or miles traveled, and average speed.

If you're traveling in a relatively straight line to a known point the Garmin Edge can even estimate how long it will take until you reach your destination! And when you're huffing and puffing your way up a hill that seems like it will never end, the GPS will illustrate on an elevation map how much further until you reach the top!

Where to Buy a Bicycle GPS?

If you are interested in buying a bicycle GPS you can buy it at one of these trusted online stores:

Buying a Bicycle GPS Online

	NEW Garmin EDGE 1040 Solar Cycling Smart Computer Bicycle Bike GPS Navigation (New - 1045 USD)
	Garmin EDGE 1040 BUNDLE Cycling Computer Bicycle Bike GPS Navigation 2Y Warranty (New - 938 USD)
	Bike Computer GPS Cycling Wireless Speedometer Smart Climb Plan Bicycle Odometer (New - 598.13 USD)
	Garmin EDGE 1040 Cycling Smart Computer Bicycle Bike GPS Navigation 2Y Warranty (New - 795 USD)

The Final Word on Cycling GPS Systems

If you like city biking, or in off-road areas with clearly marked trails, you can probably enjoy the best that cycling has to offer without excess gadgetry. However, if you are the adventurous kind of rider who likes cross-country bicycling and who actively seeks the unblazed trail, a bicycle GPS unit might be just what you need to make the ride safer, and to make the unknown a little more known.

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