This discussion has been locked.
You can no longer post new replies to this discussion. If you have a question you can start a new discussion

plan courses for road bike on GC: how to stay off paths/gravel roads?

Former Member
Former Member
When planning a course on Garmin Connect: is there a way to force route extrapolation (between two points) onto roads suitable for road bikes? My first course planning exercise is rather frustrating: instead of connecting two points 0.5km apart on a main road, GC would rather have me backtrack on a 2km detour via a gravel road (which would be fine and even more enjoyable with a MTB but definitely not suitable for a road bike). Note I am not talking about e.g. using a major freeway/Autobahn but simply an intercity road (for the German reader: "Bundesstrasse") which bicyclists us all the time. Thanks for any help & support - your time is much appreciated.
  • Former Member
    0 Former Member over 11 years ago
    No answer from Garmin

    When planning a course on Garmin Connect: is there a way to force route extrapolation (between two points) onto roads suitable for road bikes? My first course planning exercise is rather frustrating: instead of connecting two points 0.5km apart on a main road, GC would rather have me backtrack on a 2km detour via a gravel road (which would be fine and even more enjoyable with a MTB but definitely not suitable for a road bike). Note I am not talking about e.g. using a major freeway/Autobahn but simply an intercity road (for the German reader: "Bundesstrasse") which bicyclists us all the time. Thanks for any help & support - your time is much appreciated.


    This is so irritating!!!! When you plan a course there is a "Stay on roads" checkbox. Even though I have this checked it still takes me along gravel paths which my carbon rims do nor appreciate!!!!!
  • Former Member
    0 Former Member over 11 years ago
    Found the answer!!!! When constructing a course switch from Google to Openstreet map and zoom in. Then gravel paths are shown as trails!! Why couldn't Garmin tell me that?
  • Well the maps aren't Garmins so why blame them? FYI 'stay on roads' simply tells your GPS/Basecamp/Connect to follow any route that a particular map has in its database as 'routeable'. For some maps these will be paths/trails as well as paved roads. For other maps nothing may be 'routeable' and so all you'll get is straight lines between waypoints.
  • I blame Garmin because bikeroutetoaster.com works perfectly with the same maps!

    I tried to switch to openstreetmap, zooming in and out but still planning a route with GarminConnetc drives me on paths! While planning exactly the same course with bikeroutetoaster (choosing the same points on map) drives me on roads. Unfortunately planning with the last one force you to connect your garmin device to the pc since the sync via mobile phone is not possible because I cannot find a way to upload a .gpx file or a .tcx file.

    This is another thing I really don't like. I have lots of old courses .gpx that I'd like to import but i don't know how to do that and i'm afraid I will have to connect my garmin and use bikeroutetoaster to import them directly into the device. Hoping it will work... otherwise I have to recreate them from zero.

    Garmin is great from the devices point of view but they still has a lot of job to do regarding sharing and syncing. Connecting something to the pc via cable is last century style!!!
  • I'm with you. Garmin devices are ok, not great as the have lots of bugs in the firmware but garmin connect is horrible. Routing you off road when you have said only use roads renders the planning useless. Then it not knowing which side of the road we cycle on is just amateur. When mobile phones get better battery life garmin will cease to exist unless they up their game.
  • 2022 and this still isn't fixed?  Seriously?  Great tip on the Openstreet ... but even that does not work all the time.  Strava doesn't seem to have any issue here - what is Garmin's problem?

  • I still need to add waypoint and drag the course on proper roads when Garmin Connect creates a course using gravel rods or tracks.

    Maybe maps have not infos on road surfaces but Garmin Connect could easily check if activities on that roads are MTB or road cycling!