Bicycling - Road and Mountain

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Garmin Edge 200

anthophora
anthophora Posts: 74 Member
in Social Groups
Hello all,

I am interested in getting a new bike computer. I can't spend too much on it and was thinking of the Garmin Edge 200. I would use this primarily for mountain biking in forested areas. I am very open to other suggestions.

Thanks!

Replies

  • TheBigYin
    TheBigYin Posts: 5,686 Member
    No real experience of the 200 to be honest, but I've used a couple of it's big brothers - the 705, and latterly the 800 - by and large they're great, and I'd be very unwilling to return to a non-gps cycle computer after using one of them. The only real competition to the Garmin is the Bryton GPS units and smartphone apps. Again, I've not used the Bryton units but from what I can gather you appear to be a little tied to the Bryton Bridge software, whereas pretty much all the internet seems happy with directly pulling .FIT or .TCX files from the Garmin head units. As you mention riding under tree-cover, I can happily confirm that the GPS receiver in my 705 (2 generation old tech. from garmin now!) is WAY, WAY better than the GPS app. in my Android phone, and the battery life is in a different league altogether.

    Personally, I'd be sorely tempted to take the next step, and go for a Edge 500/510 - which has capablilties to link to a HR monitor, cadence/speed sensor (speed being particularly useful for static/indoor training) and, in extremis, even linking to a power meter!
  • djdube525
    djdube525 Posts: 69 Member
    EDIT 1: Deleted redundant info from the post above ^^^

    I do realize it's a bit more... but I love my Garmin 500... The 200 also does not have a barometric altimeter, or temperature sensor which the 500 has.

    Garmin Product Comparison between the 500 and 200:
    https://buy.garmin.com/shop/compare.do?cID=160&compareProduct=36728&compareProduct=90675

    DC Rainmaker Reviews:
    http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2009/12/garmin-edge-500-in-depth-review.html
    http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2011/08/garmin-edge-200-in-depth-review.html

    Amazon has the Garmin 500 Red package (includes premium heart rate monitor, speed and cadence sensors) for $333

    http://www.amazon.com/Garmin-Cycling-Computer-Monitor-Premium/dp/B005KGA2P2/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1360278699&sr=8-2&keywords=garmin+500

    I realize that's almost tripple what you were thinking of spending... but there's a lot of value there. Alternitively, you could buy the 500 Blue model which excludes the HRM, speed, and bike sensors... you could always buy those later... That'll run you about $250.

    Hope that helps...

    Dave

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