google maps directions > garmin device?

[AngryScientist]

If i map something using google maps "bike" feature - is there a quick way to convert that route to something i can use on my garmin?

it's a garmin edge touring if that matters.

[MikeD]

If i map something using google maps "bike" feature - is there a quick way to convert that route to something i can use on my garmin?



it's a garmin edge touring if that matters.



Use Ride With GPS instead.

[trener1]

I have thought about this as well, I wish Google had a download route feature, but as of yet I haven't figured out how to do it.

[PaMtbRider]

Use Ride With GPS instead.

This, it's free, easy, and appears to use the same mapset as google.

[AngryScientist]

yea, but ridewithgps does not route the same way as google maps, at least in the case i'm trying to put together.

example: i'm planning a point-to-point route, and google maps pops up three options, one of which i prefer to use. ridewithgps only routes one. i know i can tediously copy the route i want there, but it's not as convenient, unless i'm missing something, which is entirely possible.

[Jaybee]

I've found google maps bike directions to be remarkably good at avoiding busy no-shoulder roads, choosing trails and MUPs where appropriate, avoiding giant hills and generally being a really solid product, especially for transportation cycling.

RWGPS is nice, and I use it to log my rides, but the route feature usually picks the fastest/shortest way there regardless of whether it spends 8 miles on the shoulder of a 65mph divided highway.

[unterhausen]

there are apps that do this. Seems like the tourists all use komoot.

I have no idea how google chooses their bike routes, but the one time I used it they missed a pretty obvious route choice that would have saved me a couple hundred feet of very steep climbing. I knew there was a better route, but I didn't know how to get to it.

[wallymann]

try mapmyride.com -- you can manually adjust the route before saving/downloading/exporting.


yea, but ridewithgps does not route the same way as google maps, at least in the case i'm trying to put together.

example: i'm planning a point-to-point route, and google maps pops up three options, one of which i prefer to use. ridewithgps only routes one. i know i can tediously copy the route i want there, but it's not as convenient, unless i'm missing something, which is entirely possible.

[MikeD]

yea, but ridewithgps does not route the same way as google maps, at least in the case i'm trying to put together.



example: i'm planning a point-to-point route, and google maps pops up three options, one of which i prefer to use. ridewithgps only routes one. i know i can tediously copy the route i want there, but it's not as convenient, unless i'm missing something, which is entirely possible.


With RWGPS, you create your own route by mouse clicking on the streets/path you want to ride on. You can then save a TCX or GPX file to your Garmin which is used for turn by turn directions.

Personally, I wouldn't trust Google Maps to create a cycling route. It would probably take you on streets undesirable for cycling, at least that's my experience with it when I looked at it a few times to figure out a route. I guess it's better than nothing if you don't have any knowledge of the roads in question.

[marciero]

there are apps that do this. Seems like the tourists all use komoot...

I use route course, which allows me to simply "pin" routes in RWGPS for wireless download to the garmin unit.
That's not what Nick wants, BUT Route Course also has a google chrome widget/toolbar button that allows you to create a route in a range of online mapping sites and simply click the button to do the same thing. It's a button that appears in the corner of your browser when you use chrome. I never have cause to use this but I did try it when I first got route course and it did work with one or two non RWGPS mapping tools I tried. I cant recall if I tried it specifically with Google Maps. I am using a tablet without chrome or would check this out.

Unless you already use route course it may not be worth the trouble, as it is an app that you must load onto the garmin and onto your phone, or maybe just your phone.

[fkelly]

Just create the route "manually" in ride with gps (rwgps) clicking on each turn you want. I wouldn't rely on Google, Waze, or even rwgps to do my route for me.

Once you have the route and have verified it you can download it to a Garmin. There are also Android and IOS apps that you can use. Download into the Android rwgps app for instance and it will give you turn by turn instructions as you go. I've recently switched over from 8 years of using a Garmin 800 to using my Samsung cell phone.

[Spaghetti Legs]

Try tinkering around at this site. I used to use it years ago to figure out route distances. I see you can save routes - not sure about download.

https://www.gmap-pedometer.com

[harryschwartzma]

You can save the file as .kml file and the convert it to a .gpx file here: https://gpx2kml.com/

You then upload it to your garmin via basecamp. At least, thats how i did it. Works fine.

Google bicycle dirctions are awesome!

[unterhausen]

the problem with using RWGPS is they don't help with route creation. They have data from other users, like the strava heat maps. It would be nice if they would draw on that to help make a suggested route.

And also it would be nice if they would update their help to reflect their current app. I'm just reporting every instance where that is true. I was really annoyed on my last ride when the app didn't work the way the help said, gotta go report that now.

[marciero]

I use route course, which allows me to simply "pin" routes in RWGPS for wireless download to the garmin unit.
That's not what Nick wants, BUT Route Course also has a google chrome widget/toolbar button that allows you to create a route in a range of online mapping sites and simply click the button to do the same thing. It's a button that appears in the corner of your browser when you use chrome. I never have cause to use this but I did try it when I first got route course and it did work with one or two non RWGPS mapping tools I tried. I cant recall if I tried it specifically with Google Maps. I am using a tablet without chrome or would check this out.

Unless you already use route course it may not be worth the trouble, as it is an app that you must load onto the garmin and onto your phone, or maybe just your phone.

So I tried this and it does work. I created a route in Google maps, clicked the toolbar button in the corner of my browser and it shows up in the cloud routes ready for wireless download on the garmin unit.

It turns out that there are about ten route mapping websites that Dynamic Watch supports (route course is part of the dynamic watch ecosystem that actually installs on the garmin unit)

I'll add that the whole point of the route course app for me was bluetooth wireless downloading of files created in RWGPS, for which Garmin Connect phone app does not have built-in capability. If you need to do that (wired download is SO aughts), you will need some kind of app to facilitate. So in that sense, installing route course may well be worth the trouble.

This page describes the chrome toolbar
https://dynamicwatch.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360007149332-Chrome-Toolbar-Save-Route-Button