Which bike computer...?
35dollars
Posts: 832 Member
So, which bike computer(s) are you folks using and what do you like/dislike about it?
I currently have a Garmin Edge 200, which is decent but a bit basic. I've been trying to figure out how to fix my phone and the Garmin (and 2 lights) to my bars and decided that this is just daft and I'd be better off just buying a better computer. Therefore, I though this bit of shameless market research
I currently have a Garmin Edge 200, which is decent but a bit basic. I've been trying to figure out how to fix my phone and the Garmin (and 2 lights) to my bars and decided that this is just daft and I'd be better off just buying a better computer. Therefore, I though this bit of shameless market research
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garmin 520
after using
cheap analog "magnet counter" speedo
Polar C200 HR bike computer with cadence @ speed sensor
Garmin 705 (good but wildly inaccurate on calories, battery died in just over 2 years use)
Garmin 800 (brilliant, still in use as "backup" device or if I'm going on a route that I need Turn-By_Turn navigation - battery is on its way now though, gets around 6 hours on a full charge, down from 10h when new)
Garmin 810 (donated to me, potentially great, but my version had overheating issues which cooked the battery in pretty short order. Generally, it's much the same as the 800, but with a few additions (mainly bluetooth synching of ride data - should do 8-10h of riding between charges, but as I say, mine was a POS and barely got 2.5hours - and that on a brand new replacement battery)
i'm now on a 520. It's great, the only thing I dislike about it really is that it's not touchscreen - and having used a touchscreen 800 and 810 beforehand, I get annoyed that it looks the same, but operates in a different way...
nothing to touch it for the price though.
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Garmin 520 here also. It's a great device with lots of features, but it can be as basic or as complicated as you want it to be. Very compact, lots of aftermarket mounts available for it, saves/uploads your rides to Garmin Connect (and you can upload to Strava, MFP, etc. from there). It can be as simple as putting it on your bike and pressing 'Ride', or you can design your own workouts, pair it with power meters, speed/cadence sensors, HRM, etc. and be a rolling bike laboratory.
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I'm using a Garmin Edge 800. I've had it for about 5.5 years now. It works very well and does just about everything I need from a bike computer. I have mine mounted on the stem to save room on the bars.0
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Garmin 520 here as well. I started with my phone and various apps (this was about 5 years ago) but after losing my ride data for about the fifth time I switched to a cheap Cateye speed/distance computer. It didn't take long before I decided heart rate was a necessity, as well as cadence, so I upgraded to a Edge 500 and never looked back. Got a 510 when they came out, then upgraded to a 520 last fall. I've been very happy with all my Garmin devices (I also have a Fenix3 adventure/triathalon watch that's my "daily driver" step and activity tracker, occasional running watch, gym timer, alarm clock, and back-up bike computer) but the 520 is the best cycling computer yet. It took a bit to get used to not having a touch screen again but now I don't miss it. I like the size better than the 510, plus while I didn't have a lot of problems with my 510 the 520 definitely seems more stable. I also really like the "sensor pool" concept that Garmin has adopted, i.e. no more remembering to switch bike profiles before rides. You just link up every sensor for every bike and the computer figures out what it needs to link to. You just press start, select the Activity Profile you want, and start pedaling.1
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A question for the 520 owners: I've been reading up on the specs and I'm a bit vague about what the phone call connectivity actually is - does it act as a headset for the phone, or does it just tell you your phone is receiving a call?0
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- Phone Calls
- Text Messages
- Weather
It doesn't pull all notifications, just those three.0 -
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I have a Garmin 1000. As someone who likes to go out and explore on my bike, but has no sense of direction, I really like the round trip routing option (though it does take an age to find a route)0
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- Phone Calls
- Text Messages
- Weather
It doesn't pull all notifications, just those three.
^^ This.
Now if they'd just add a "white list" for phone calls and text messages that would be perfect. I'd love to be able to limit notifications to just a certain subset of people. Frankly, when I'm on a ride unless it's my wife, brother, or parents I don't really want to know about it. Still it's great functionality.0 -
^^ This.
Now if they'd just add a "white list" for phone calls and text messages that would be perfect. I'd love to be able to limit notifications to just a certain subset of people. Frankly, when I'm on a ride unless it's my wife, brother, or parents I don't really want to know about it. Still it's great functionality.
You got my mind wondering. On my Android phone I have certain people set to Priority status. I wonder if I silence my phone if only those those people will pop up.0 -
- Phone Calls
- Text Messages
- Weather
It doesn't pull all notifications, just those three.
In Garmin Connect Mobile, you can go into Settings, and choose what apps are allowed to send notifications to your device. (At least this works with their watches.) I also get calendar alerts, and some stuff from Google Now.Now if they'd just add a "white list" for phone calls and text messages that would be perfect. I'd love to be able to limit notifications to just a certain subset of people. Frankly, when I'm on a ride unless it's my wife, brother, or parents I don't really want to know about it. Still it's great functionality.
As far as I know the only way to do this is to auto reject from numbers you don't want to hear from, which is like the nuke for the ant hill.0 -
NorthCascades wrote: »
- Phone Calls
- Text Messages
- Weather
It doesn't pull all notifications, just those three.
In Garmin Connect Mobile, you can go into Settings, and choose what apps are allowed to send notifications to your device. (At least this works with their watches.) I also get calendar alerts, and some stuff from Google Now.
As far as I know the only way to do this is to auto reject from numbers you don't want to hear from, which is like the nuke for the ant hill.
My VivoSmart HR and my wife's Forerunner 15 that's exactly how it works. On my Edge 520 You cannot select more options. In fact since I've gotten my VivoSmart my Moto360 has been sitting at home. I don't use it that much anymore. The Edge 520 only picks up those three. And honestly my Forerunner 220 doesn't pull any notification.0 -
Interesting. Kind of disappointing. I've been doing a lot of calendar reminders because, well, it's easier than trying to remember things.
Hey, getting back to the original question, does anybody use the 520 for navigation? I read the DCR review and it sounds like it can work but it's somewhat limited. What's the verdict in actual use?0 -
NorthCascades wrote: »Hey, getting back to the original question, does anybody use the 520 for navigation? I read the DCR review and it sounds like it can work but it's somewhat limited. What's the verdict in actual use?
I use my 520 for navigation. It's done well. You have to pre-plan the trip. You cannot do on the fly. The closest way I've come to that is a Chromebook and Coffee-Shop Wi-Fi.
The only thing about it is if it's cloudy and you're your flying sometimes you will fly right by a turn. But it will remind you to turn around. Kind of a pain in the butt. But It's only done it two me twice this year. And it's a simple fix.0 -
After getting horribly lost yesterday, on what was supposedly a small detour on the way to work, I am now leaning towards something with on-the-fly navigation. It appears that the Garmin 820 is about to be announced, probably next month - I'm going to wait a few weeks to see if that does happen and either get the 820 or, if there's not much improvement over the 810, look for a discounted 810.0
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a word from an "Early Adopter" of garmin kit. Don't buy any of their Cycling head units until they're on at least the 3rd release of firmware... sign up to the garmin support forum, keep an eye on the "problems with..." threads for the head unit you're considering, and only buy when they seem to settle down a little.
(just an observation from someone who bought a 705 and 800 early and got burned 2x, then waited to upgrade to the 810 when they finally fixed it properly (which they never really have apparently... especially for turn-by-turn navigation - which seems to be your "key purchasing requirement" - and ended up with a 520 about a year after it's launch, as it now seems to have settled down (mostly))
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After getting horribly lost yesterday, on what was supposedly a small detour on the way to work, I am now leaning towards something with on-the-fly navigation. It appears that the Garmin 820 is about to be announced, probably next month - I'm going to wait a few weeks to see if that does happen and either get the 820 or, if there's not much improvement over the 810, look for a discounted 810.
Garmin has 820 videos on their Official YouTube Channel at the moment.0 -
a word from an "Early Adopter" of garmin kit. Don't buy any of their Cycling head units until they're on at least the 3rd release of firmware... sign up to the garmin support forum, keep an eye on the "problems with..." threads for the head unit you're considering, and only buy when they seem to settle down a little.
(just an observation from someone who bought a 705 and 800 early and got burned 2x, then waited to upgrade to the 810 when they finally fixed it properly (which they never really have apparently... especially for turn-by-turn navigation - which seems to be your "key purchasing requirement" - and ended up with a 520 about a year after it's launch, as it now seems to have settled down (mostly))
or their watches.0 -
I guess I will jump track of the the Garmin train, but I use the Cateye stealth 50. You can't beat price on it GPS, HR, cadence Ant+, sealed unit so it's water (proof)resistant, back light comes after dark and supposed to have about 9 hrs battery, I've used it for about 5.5 the longest are all I need, syncs with Strava, Training Peaks. It retails around $100. But you can find it on sale , I think I got it for $58.0
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