Garmin from EU in the US?

[makoti]

Anyone bought a Garmin from the EU to use in the US (or vice versa, I guess)? I'm wondering if the maps are already on it, or if you need to load them, or if it even matters? I'm looking at a 520. Slane has them on sale, and it brings them to around $250.

[phcollard]

Unless I am mistaken the 520 does not have maps (it does have very basic maps but they are pretty useless for cycling).

You can however load maps from OSM with this procedure :
http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2013/05/download-garmin-705800810.html#part-ii-edge-520-specific-instructions

Cheers,

Ph.

[R3awak3n]

Yep, you load your own maps so it does not matter on the 520

[EPIC! Stratton]

Load your own. Works well enough. Also recommend a good GPS app for iPhone where you can DL the map data. "Here" is pretty good. Used it w/ my US iPhone in Canada (Airplane mode doesn't turn off the GPS antenna fwiw). Essentially it knows where the phone is, but can't pull map data on Apple Maps or Google Maps. With an app where you download the map content (by state/province for Here) it can tell you both.

[makoti]

Thanks! Now I guess my follow-up question would be is the 520 worth the upgrade? My 500's are getting long in the tooth (one has a button that is stuck & it'd cost $99 to get it fixed, I think) & I'd like a brighter, easier to read screen and being able to still load routes with turns & have it either give me turn by turn (like the 500 will, sort of) or a decent bread crumb trail THAT WORKS. The 500 version drops every 1/4 mile it seems. I'm always off course, even on straight roads with no turns for miles.

[ajhapps]

Thanks! Now I guess my follow-up question would be is the 520 worth the upgrade? My 500's are getting long in the tooth (one has a button that is stuck & it'd cost $99 to get it fixed, I think) & I'd like a brighter, easier to read screen and being able to still load routes with turns & have it either give me turn by turn (like the 500 will, sort of) or a decent bread crumb trail THAT WORKS. The 500 version drops every 1/4 mile it seems. I'm always off course, even on straight roads with no turns for miles.

When it was time to upgrade, I went from a 500 to an 810... the maps are soooo worth it if you're anything like me (completely unable to navigate through intuition or better sense).

[phcollard]

Thanks! Now I guess my follow-up question would be is the 520 worth the upgrade? My 500's are getting long in the tooth (one has a button that is stuck & it'd cost $99 to get it fixed, I think) & I'd like a brighter, easier to read screen and being able to still load routes with turns & have it either give me turn by turn (like the 500 will, sort of) or a decent bread crumb trail THAT WORKS. The 500 version drops every 1/4 mile it seems. I'm always off course, even on straight roads with no turns for miles.

I have a friend who upgraded from the 500 to the 520. Screen is definitely harder to read so if you think of upgrading for visibility you will not like it. But it has a ton of features that the 500 does not have. Learning curve was a bit steep for my friend, he said it's not intuitive, and after several weeks he is still a bit disappointed with his purchase.

If it was me I would go straight to this :)
http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=188790

[makoti]

I have a friend who upgraded from the 500 to the 520. Screen is definitely harder to read so if you think of upgrading for visibility you will not like it. But it has a ton of features that the 500 does not have. Learning curve was a bit steep for my friend, he said it's not intuitive, and after several weeks he is still a bit disappointed with his purchase.

If it was me I would go straight to this :)
http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=188790

HARDER to read? That's not good. Lots of times I struggle to make out the display, now. I do like the features & the size.
Yeah, that's on the list. I've heard a lot about it dropping signal from powermeters. Not sure if it's just when using BLE or if the same problem exists with ANT+.

[phcollard]

HARDER to read? That's not good. Lots of times I struggle to make out the display, now. I do like the features & the size.
Yeah, that's on the list. I've heard a lot about it dropping signal from powermeters. Not sure if it's just when using BLE or if the same problem exists with ANT+.

That is correct, harder to read indeed. I saw it too when I tried the 520... I thought meh, better luck next time. I saved $300. Note that the 510 was even harder to read :D