Garmin is one of the biggest names when it comes to bike-mounted GPS devices and has become synonymous with route planning and navigation via Garmin Connect, or specifically Course Creator. To begin using Course Creator, start a free account at Garmin Connect, if you don’t already have one. Menus let you specify whether you want to stay on roads or use cycle paths (or off-road trails for mountain biking), it can display cycling points of interest, and there are the usual navigate to a point and return home options.
8 of the best bicycle computers
The Course Creator tool does a good job of tracking roads when you have the “stay on roads” box checked in the menu. If you wish to plan an out-and-back course, simply create your point A to point B route, and then select the “out-and-back” option to automatically back-track your route from your mid point back to the start, including calculating total mileage. You may also select a “loop to start” option, which will automatically create a loop route back to the starting point. You may modify a route at any time by clicking and dragging intermediate points. Below the map is an elevation graph so you can see how hilly the route will be, and it’s easy to share the route with friends or download it to a bike satnav.
Buying Guide: Bicycle Computers
You will make the best use of Garmin Connect and Course Creator if you also own a Garmin sports GPS device, but you don’t need one to create and share courses online.
