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Edge 530 maps

Ryan Dale
over 3 years ago

Hi, I've just got a edge 530 mtb bundle and the basemap is useless.....no contours or tracks. I'm prepared to buy a better map but without a PC/laptop I can't download Garmin Express....is there a alternative way of achieving this please?

  • 0 over 3 years ago

    The basemap doesn't have details like tracks on it.  You need to make sure the Garmin cyclemaps are enabled.  Do this first to make sure the maps the unit comes with are working.  You will need to plug the unit into a computer to update the maps.

    If you want to use other maps you will need a computer to plug the unit into so you can download the maps and copy them to the unit.

    You probably could download third party maps using an Android mobile phone/tablet and use a OTG cable to connect the Garmin unit and copy the maps across.

  • 0 over 3 years ago

    You don’t need to buy it, but I guess you still need a pc:

    Check openfietsmap.nl 

  • 0 over 3 years ago

    [Profile name eg. MTB]> Navigation> Map> Draw Contours = On.

  • 0 over 3 years ago

    Ryan, the Garmins are not the most intuitive device ever built and do need a bit of learning to understand and configure. The device "should" have come with maps for the home region preloaded. If you bought it online then the "home region" might not be your region and thus the low detail "base map" would then display as it uses the GPS position to display a map, You can buy the maps for your home region from Garmin or load free maps for other regions from download sites like extract.bbbike.org .

    Determine if you have detailed maps on the device by looking in the device \GARMIN directory for files with img extensions, they will have names like gmapprom.img and will be very large, hundreds or thousands of mbs, hard to miss.

    If these are there than determine what areas they cover by using the Device menus "Menu>Settings>Activity Profiles>Profile name>Navigation>Map>Map Information" and the names of the installed maps will display, by default most should be "enabled" but you can enable/disable them as required by selecting the map name.

    Even when you have done this there is still some configuration possible that will determine the level of detail you see. Pay attention to the zoom level on the map screen , as you zoom in and out the detail level changes, Also the "MAP Theme" ( "Menu>Settings>Activity Profiles>Profile name>Navigation>Map>Theme") will change what you see and the colors thereof, Highlight, Classic & Mountain Bike Themes are available, determine which you prefer

    GPLAMA did a recent excellent video on this Garmin EDGE Cycling GPS Map Detail Level Options Explained - YouTube

    There is other stuff but master the above first.

    Hope it works out for you, they can be frustrating but generally work ok

    PS And sorry but some of this does require a PC / Mac although I believe there are Android phone apps what will allow viewing of the Garmin as a file system (I am not an android user though) but the on device stuff might still help.