how to create new course preferably on a laptop, then send it to the Edge

Ok, so I always was under the impression that the navigation experience was different depending on whether you put a GPX Track, GPX Route or FIT Course file on the device, but after a quick test on my Edge 1040 it showed this is not the case and the different types of files result in the same functional experience. So thanks for pointing that out!

JungleJim said:

GPX Track, GPX Route or FIT Course file on the device

The Edges (*) cannot use "GPX Route" files. "GPX Route" files (the ones that RWGPS produces) are waypoint files (not track files). 

The Edges can read these files but they end-up being processed as straight lines connecting the waypoints, which isn't useful.)

(Part of the confusion is that "route" is applied to different things.

The way the Edges were used originally was to navigate with activity (recorded ride) files. Somebody figured out that one could fake these "activities".

"Course points" were created so that units that did not have maps could provide turn instructions.

What matters to the Edges is having track data.

It doesn't matter what format the track data is in. The Edges convert GPX, TCX, and FIT to FIT "course" files (there isn't much "conversion" going on using FIT files as the source).

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* Some Garmin GPS devices (not Edges) can use "route" (waypoint) files. It's vaguely possible that Garmin added this functionality to the 1040 but none of the earlier Edges can use these files. But I seriously doubt the 1040 can use waypoint files.

Ah I see. The GPX Route I tested was one created with Basecamp and calculated with activity Bicycling. This adds GPX extension elements to the GPX Route that contain the track data (in the schema it is called an "autoroute point"). This additional data apparently allows the Edge 1040 (and probably other Edges) to convert it to a FIT Course file.

When a GPX Route file contains waypoints (wpt elements) these end up in the Navigation > Saved Locations list on the Edge 1040 by the way, just verified this on my unit.

JungleJim said:

When a GPX Route file contains waypoints (wpt elements) these end up in the Navigation > Saved Locations list on the Edge 1040 by the way, just verified this on my unit.

There would have to be quite a lot of them to work well. That is, you should not expect that to work well. BaseCamp has a "Create Track" option. One should use that (and export the track item explicitly).

Real tracks (activities) have points every second. When the synthetic tracks are created, they will have a lot less points for straight runs and more for curves and turns.

(I could imagine that the "GPX route" file you created in BaseCamp came close to being a reasonably complete track file but it won't always.)

(I knew about the wpt items going to locations. That's generally not very useful. The GPX Route files from RWGPS don't work the same way. You get wacky "tracks" from them.)

What matters to the Edges is having track data (enough points to accurately trace the curves and turns of the path you want to follow).

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Note that, in the 1040 Boot Up you recently contributed to, someone imputed magic pixie dust to GPX files.

JungleJim said:

alternatives that allow you to create routes and have them wirelessly synced to your Edge

Wireless syncing is useful but the downside with all of them is that the chain always includes Garmin Connect which strips out all Course Points in the original course both turn and custom. When you use Garmin Connect to plan the course it does not create course points for the turns because it assumes everyone will use on device turn guidance but only allows insertion of custom points.

Wireless transfer of courses from RWGPS via CIQ apps like the one by dpawlyk are an alternate which does not change the original course. PS apps.garmin.com/.../f03dbbbc-c4b8-4da8-af9c-f262af8c2d0e

Why not just use Turn Guidance you ask? I find it unreliable , unfortunately especially on the 1040, it takes your course as only a suggestion and will route you differently if it finds some issue with your planned route, even if planned with OSM base map. I see many reports of crashes, reboots, restarts etc while “navigating” (with Turn Guidance) , never seen one blamed on using course points for course following. In addition to those I find Turn Guidance generates 2 or 3 times the number of notification alerts than the number of moderately curated course points needed. For example you get 2 notifications, (at about 200m & again 20m),  for every mini roundabout even if it is essentially a “just continue straight ahead”, in a course point based course I would delete anything that did not include an actual turn. It does my head in with constant beeping for no reason, hard to catch up with my sleeping while riding! Somewhere on the forum I have documented an average ride with almost 200 alerts for turn guidance in a 200km ride with something like 80 alerts being for these mini straight ahead roundabouts (40x2) and another 30 other unnecessary alerts.

LINYBob said:

I hope it is not too expensive. I have access to some level of RWGPS from my bike club but it I guess I can't edit/create with that access

As I said in my first reply you can create/edit with a free account although some useful advanced editing functions and custom cues are only available to paid members. Also look into your club account access, for my club ALL users get premium course downloading access to the club repository courses (including the useful early notification of course points), and ride organisers  / leaders get premium creation / editing access (again only for club rides located in the club repository )

I haven’t had your issues with turn guidance on other units (800, 1030, 1030+).

Being able to move the course points earlier make them more useful (since they would announce before the turn). That’s something RWGPS only provides with a paid subscription.

I often get the course points to announce after the turn. So, they aren’t perfect either.

Roundabouts are more of an issue.

More power to you if course points work for you!  I like the course point stuff too. But I think they can be confusing for new users.

Yes, routes in a club RWGPS account work like you are paying (but your club is). Our club also has a RWGPS account.

The 520 behavior sounds nice.

Sounds like the 1040 software needs some work.

I look at the map regularly too. Often, I know about turns before they get announced.

Even the way RWGPS describes roundabouts in course points isn’t all that useful. Their standard text is “At the roundabout take Exit 3 onto Beach Rd” and it gets truncated to something like “At the roundabout” when displayed.

I quite often download the course TCX file and edit the text to something like “Exit 3 Beach Rd” and change the point type from Straight to Right or Left if it’s appropriate. (I know not everyone will want to do that).

Distance to Next field is also handy as an early warning of the distance to go a turn and minimizes the need to look at the map.