Map not syncing

and when do you start to ride....? next year?

i've got a better solution :

write to Garmin

tell them they've got a Huge bug there

ask them to fix the frigging thing

I've only ever used a base 130, not the Plus, but it was always successful in transferring the course to the 130 using Garmin Connect website and a USB cord.  I never went to the extremes 120CCPM has.  That said, his post has value for those that want that level of control.  Conversely, I'm like you, I want to keep it easy, but transferring via the GC web page was as easy as it gets, I'm just not bothered by a USB cord.  (No Bluetooth on the base 130, that is the way courses are designed to be transferred.)

That said, it is important to not store too much on any of these head units.  They start getting funky with too many past rides stored, or if you reach the course limit.  There's generally no need to keep a bunch of past rides on the device, empty the "Activities Folder" often.  Again, easiest to do will plugged into a laptop.  Garmin Connect (app and website) will continue to keep those old rides after they are deleted from the head unit.

I've moved on to the 530, but the 130 is still chugging along for my wife.  I just "keep it light" as 120CCPM advises, and use Garmin Connect web with USB cord to transfer all courses.

I don’t really understand your reply (“and when do you start to ride, next year?”) but certainly it doesn’t add much to the conversation, does it? If you’re referring to the process I use to create courses, it’s actually much faster than it sounds. I organize rides for a group of friends and we often go to places we’re never been, where we rely entirely on the accuracy of my courses (and on the ability of the 130 to navigate them). I like to have precise GPX tracks, and until now the process I highlighted has never failed me, we never took as much as a wrong turn. I’m not advocating for everyone to follow the same steps, but if your tracks fail to load, those instructions could help.

As for your suggestion to contact Garmin about the “huge bug” and “ask them to fix the frigging thing”, you should probably direct this invaluable recommendation to the OP, not to me. I have no issues with uploading courses to the 130, it works like a charm.

The thing is crap...it's the cheapest garmin thing and for the obvious reason. Among various glitches : a GPS navigation off by ....30m...(tried different settings with the satellites network, didn't solve the issue). There is a village in my area which is maze of narrow streets....you've got a street corner every 10m...try to "navigate" through this village with a GPS with a 30m accuracy...good luck...

I guess you"ve perfectly got my point when I wrote : "and when do you start to ride, next year...?"  and yes, my comment, definitely "adds much to the conversation" by being spot on.

As for your "invaluable" opinion (about my own comment), which certainely doesn't add much to the conversation, can you please stick it deep enough so it doesn't pollute this forum...?

So after setting up a procedure worth a Nasa lauching, you can boast here that, "you don't have any issue whatsoever with the garmin edge 130 plus....kuddos.... I'm happy for you, but...

There is a procedure SET UP BY GARMIN CIE (and not some  IT nerd with time to lose) to correctly sync and transfer courses and maps...This procedure DOES NOT work with the garmin edge 130 plus. FULL STOP. 

My Edge 130 plus software has been updated to the most recent update, the thing is brand new, and this "sync process" doesn't work. Maps are not synced, the only thing which is synced is the name of the course.

After having restarted my computer, my phone, and reset the Edge, and now, the app detects it, but it just doesn't want to pair anymore with my phone. Despite several times, turning devices on and off, etc...("pairing failed" it says...)

Among other glitches of the edge 130 plus : it stops indicating direction changes during a specific course....why....? mystery....

I set the brightness on "high", it worked like this for a while, then it went back to "medium"....why...? mystery....

I deleted some courses from the edge 130 plus, but at the next sync, they appeared again on the list of courses...why...? mystery...

Two courses iniitially have been correctly transfered (with data and maps), but the latest i tried to transfer just got their names transfered...why...? mystery... (and no, I havent' transfered huge amounts of date, only 4 courses each between 30 and 60 km long...no big deal, in my view), and my history lists 5 rides.

Shall I mention that I've also got the most recent garmin instinct 2 and a... ten years old! garmin edge 200 which both work flawlessly with garmin connect? (In case some people may think that I'm some village idiot not able to use these gadgets or the associated software...)

In my opinion, the thing is poorly designed and developed. Fortunately I bought it online, and can send it back to get a refund. It shouldn't be called "Garmin edge 130  plus", but rather "Garmin Crap 000 minus".

Maybe you got a bad one, and maybe it needs to be replaced on warranty.  And perhaps if you want accuracy through a maze of narrow streets you need a more advanced unit like a 530 with base maps.  But there's no reason to be snarky and unpleasant to people here on the forum that are just trying to be helpful.  

hum, maybe....but when a company sells a product which fails after a few hours of working, it's a been worrying.

ps : I'm not "snarky", just a fair reaction to people being sacarstic, judgemental or condescending. (which you haven't noticed obviously, check the thread)

I will let others judge the tone of your posts and I will stick to the facts: the 130 Plus works well for a lot of people (myself included) and the vast majority of the reviews are positive. It doesn't cost a fortune and it's quite capable for the size. I use it extensively for mountain biking and it allowed me to navigate complex trail systems that I have never seen before, with excellent precision. If you see actual positioning errors in the 30m range (and by "actual " I mean you compare it to other GPS devices or known coordinates), then you have a bad unit and I would not hesitate one second to return it.

When it comes to Bluetooth connections, the 130 Plus does not shine, there are several threads here with people complaining about it. My own experience has been OK: it pairs reliably with my iPhone, but it's definitely slow and I've had the occasional glitch. Not really a problem for me as I trace courses on a Windows PC and connect the 130 via USB, but I can understand the frustration of those who want/need to rely only on mobile devices.

All in all, you seem very unhappy about it, I would return it and probably look for a higher-end model, like a 530 or 830.