GPS Navigation: Smartphone or Garmin?
We use GPS Routing to make your cycling experience the very best. It allows better routing on smaller lanes and unsigned paths. No more fumbling with route sheets, trying to find and interpret roadsigns, getting lost or riding extra miles. With a quick glance at your GPS unit or Smartphone and you’ll know exactly where you are.
Santana Adventures uses RideWithGPS for our cycling routes and turn-by-turn navigation. Using this app, it’s easy to transfer the routes to your Garmin and even easier to use directly. If you’ve ever used Google Maps for navigation, it will feel familiar.
Our Recommendation: Use Your Smartphone
For most participants, the easiest and best way to navigate our routes is with the RideWithGPS app on your smartphone. Modern Smartphones have excellent GPS capability, increasingly strong battery life and water resistance, and larger, easier-to-read screens than most dedicated cycling GPS units.
If you’re considering buying new equipment for your Santana Adventure, we recommend putting that money toward a smartphone setup rather than purchasing a new Garmin or other dedicated cycling GPS. A good handlebar mount and a small external battery are usually a better investment.
At each morning’s breakfast you’ll get a very basic map (which is more of an illustration than a navigation device) charting the day’s cycling routes and recommended stops. During a brief route talk you’ll hear about each route’s attractions. After the route talk each morning, you’ll be able to select that day’s Short, Medium, or Long rides and cycle at your own pace. If you want to ride with friends, great! Want to stop for a croissant and coffee? Go for it! Through use of GPS, you’re the leader of your own ride.
Already have a Garmin? Keep Using It!
If you already own a Garmin and are comfortable using it, we won’t make you change that. Many longtime Santana cyclists have used their Garmin for years, and our RideWithGPS routes can still be transferred to compatible Garmin devices.
The important distinction is that we don’t recommend buying a new Garmin solely for a Santana trip. For someone joining their first Santana Adventure, a smartphone running RideWithGPS is generally simpler, more versatile, and easier to support.
What You’ll Need
For the best smartphone navigation experience, we recommend:
- A current iPhone or Android smartphone
- The RideWithGPS app — you don’t need the subscription
- A bicycle handlebar mount — a better one is worth the extra cost.
- A fully charged phone each morning
- An external battery
- International Data connection (required for both navigation and SOS calls)
The week of embark, we’ll provide instructions for accessing the route files and preparing your smartphone (or Garmin) for each day’s ride.
