gdb, GPX and importing routes

[paul08]

On another thread, Wapping is kindly creating and posting up routes for a "Diagonally across France" trip. I have downloaded the first three that he has posted and have the following comments:

(it might be relevant to say that I use an Apple Mac and Basecamp, rather than a PC and Mapsource)

a) The routes that Wapping has posted are ".gdb" files. I thought that Garmin friendly files were now ".gpx". Can someone tell me what the difference(s) are, if any?

b) When I then double-click the files I have downloaded, they open up in Basecamp (so they are clearly compatible). But I note that they open up as "car" routes, rather than "motorbike" routes. If I change the "activity" for the specific route to "motorbike", Basecamp recalculates the route. They still look okay, but do I need to tweak any/my settings before importing the routes? I already have the activity status for the overall Basecamp screen set to "motorbike", but they import as "car".

Thanks for any tips

 

[Bumpkin]

The different routing types were only bought in with the 660 and quite frankly it was a bad move on Garmin's part. I have, effectively, reverted my 660 to the old way of doing things as I like to decide my routes not have some small processor try and decide them for me.

See here.

 

[paul08]

The different routing types were only bought in with the 660 and quite frankly it was a bad move on Garmin's part. I have, effectively, reverted my 660 to the old way of doing things as I like to decide my routes not have some small processor try and decide them for me.

See here.

Yeah, I did that after watching the video and reading the post that contained it. And my Basecamp shows "motorbike" as the Activity in the top rh corner. But when I import the Wapping routes the small window that opens at the same time shows a car as the Activity for that route

 

[RedRick Esq.]

Yeah, I did that after watching the video and reading the post that contained it. And my Basecamp shows "motorbike" as the Activity in the top rh corner. But when I import the Wapping routes the small window that opens at the same time shows a car as the Activity for that route

The Car/Motorcycle option is a pain in the arse
Dont worry about it as i plan all my routes using car mode as it takes less way points to get it just right
if you leave it in M/Cycle and then let it do its own thing it trys to plot a stupid route

 

[Bumpkin]

if you leave it in M/Cycle and then let it do its own thing it trys to plot a stupid route

I suggest that you watch the video above.

Garmin were trying to be clever by pre-setting avoidances to give a greater bias towards 'back' roads with the motorcycling profile. Quite frankly it doesn't work well, I'd rather decide thank you very much.

Not sure why Wapping's routes are importing as car routes, doesn't matter if you've normalised Basecamp and your Zumo (if you have a 660). I would switch it to motorcycle and recalculate. Bear in mind that the 660 will automatically go into bike mode when on the motorcycle cradle.

 

[Bryn]

Bear in mind that the 660 will automatically go into bike mode when on the motorcycle cradle.

Mine always asks " do you want to switch to motorcycle mode?"

Got used to pressing "no". For the only reason car mode gives you a readable speed indicator in the bottom right corner to the left of the posted speed limit.. I can't read it when it turns red in bike mode

 

[paul08]

I will also take this opportunity for thanking Wapping for getting the routes on here for downloading. Very much appreciated (I would have posted this comment where he has posted the route files, but the thread is "closed"