CTC South East Group - route planning resource

STOP PRESS ! John Steer would like to change the meeting point at Wickford, to the market cafe across the road behind the building work. It is under cover and it is open on Sundays.

This resource has two purposes, to help people with Garmin Cycle GPS units and to support the Sunday tours for the SEG CTC group. Over time these routes are edited to remove busy road sections and optimised for slow and faster groups. The updated routes are saved back to this site.

As well as indicating the up and coming routes for the SEG group, it provides route files too, for use with Garmin GPS units, as well as reviews, hints and tips for using Foretrex and Edge Series GPS bike computers.

Over the last few months, the maturity of on-line mapping resources and the successful introduction of the Edge 605/705 units has changed the nature of the beast.

I store the route files in TrackLogs format. If you want to use other programs, you will need to use TrackLogs to convert into GPX files through their save-as option.

Runs List

A snapshot of the forthcoming runs is shown below, along with some potential routes. For consistency most routes start at Wickford and end at Rettendon Turnpike, though we will often split up before then. In some cases a route proposal is made for the full day route too.

The route database is grouped according to general geographical destination and then identified with the cafe stop, a reference number and the distance in (miles). Please feel free to suggest improvements and download, alter and email me suggestions at chris.woodhouse@zetnet.co.uk

Remember, all published routes are for guidance only and are used at the cyclists own risk. Care must be exercised at all times when navigating on roads and making turning decisions.

CTC Essex District Association

TCX file converter by DDAAXX

Tracklogs - Digital OS mapping

Bikeroutetoaster - route visualiser and converter

Motion Based - GPS mapping, Garmin Forums

LoadmyTracks - comTCX file converter by DDAAXX

GPSBabel conversion software

GPSIES - route generation, visualiser, ride sharer and converter

Bikely - share routes, visualiser and converter

Garmin Foretrex, Edge and Mapping Review NEW!

I have owned a Foretrex 201, Edge 305 and Edge 705, and used them for route planning and all-day touring. This Acrobat file reviews, compares and give tips on these devices.

Since many on-line mapping programs have become available since in the last few years, I try to round up their features, conversion options and issues.

NEWS - Tracklogs now supports 605/705 GPX and TCX files in beta version - not without a few gremlins though.

The underlined links below are in GPX and TCX format - GPX can be loaded into Tracklogs, Bikeroute toaster, Motionbased and other on line mapping programs. TCX can be dropped in the Edge's courses folder or imported into Garmin Training Centre.

Note: I think the Garmin Foretrex is limited to 500 trackpoints, - longer Audax routes may have to be split in two.

chris.woodhouse@zetnet.co.uk