HRM/GPS/CyclingComputer
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RiotMTB
Posts: 91 Member
I am looking for a new single all-in-one combination of the above; but there are so many options with thier own pros and cons.
Does anyone out there have experience to make a good recommendation?
Does anyone out there have experience to make a good recommendation?
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Replies
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Garmin 800 if you want turn by turn navigation or mapping out in the wilds. Garmin 500 if you want something smaller, lighter and more focused on "training" or collecting ride and race stats.
I've just swapped to the 800, after 3 years or so of using the old 705, and wouldn't be without it - the calorie recording is far less hopelessly optimistic, and even closer still when coupled with a powermeter - it even works well with the PowerCal pseudo HRM/Powermeter (maybe a 3% difference to a PowerTap rear wheel over 4 days of testing it - not exact by any means, but close enough for me - especially on "steady state" efforts rather than "intervals" and "sprint repeats")0 -
Garmin 800 if you want turn by turn navigation or mapping out in the wilds.
When funds allow, I would like an 800! Should get one in around 30 years at this rate :sad: :laugh: :laugh:0 -
Hi mate,
I use my iphone and a Garmin 500 which doesnt have turn by turn but is excellent non-the less.
I use the iphone with multimap for direction finding if needed and the Garmin Edge 500 for HRM, speed, cadence and breadcrumb navigation. It is a lot more cost effective than the 800 (half the price) and does pretty much everything except the detailed mapping (which I already have with the iphone!). On my return from a ride I upload the data to Garmin connect, runtastic and strava with the touch of a button!0 -
I was using the PowerTap Joule for a long time and I just switched to the Garmin 800 last month. I love the GPS tracking and mapping functions and that the screen is completely customizable with up to 10 fields of data (plus multiple screens are available).
The Virtual Partner lets you compete against your own previous times on a course, which also kind of neat.0 -
Garmin 800 if you want turn by turn navigation or mapping out in the wilds. Garmin 500 if you want something smaller, lighter and more focused on "training" or collecting ride and race stats.
I've just swapped to the 800, after 3 years or so of using the old 705, and wouldn't be without it
Another vote for the Garmin 800 - best £250 I ever spent - love it. Getting a cadence sensor to go with it for my birthday in 6 weeks :-)0 -
Garmin 800 if you want turn by turn navigation or mapping out in the wilds.
When funds allow, I would like an 800! Should get one in around 30 years at this rate :sad: :laugh: :laugh:
If the barometric altimeter bit wasn't on the fritz, I'd offer you my old 705 mate - but I'm morally opposed to selling anything that I know has problems... so, the 705 gets to go on the MTB and get covered in mud and rubbish, keeping the 800's touch screen in better nick!
Biggest benefit though, of the garmins, is the battery life - we had quite a few people with "issues" recording a decent length ride on iPhone/Smartphone Strava et al. because the GPS in additon to all the other smartphone doohikeys just killed the battery within 3 hours or so - so needing either extra batteries, or a piggy-back add-on battery just to record the sunday club run.
Contrast this with my Garmin 800 - after a 4.5 hour ride, the battery is at something like 85% when I come to d/l the .fit files to my computer - by the time I've entered the ride in Garmin Connect, Strava, and on here, the battery's recharged to 100% and I can unplug it, switch off, and know it's ready to rock and roll the next day.0 -
Biggest benefit though, of the garmins, is the battery life - we had quite a few people with "issues" recording a decent length ride on iPhone/Smartphone Strava et al. because the GPS in additon to all the other smartphone doohikeys just killed the battery within 3 hours or so - so needing either extra batteries, or a piggy-back add-on battery just to record the sunday club run.
Contrast this with my Garmin 800 - after a 4.5 hour ride, the battery is at something like 85% when I come to d/l the .fit files to my computer - by the time I've entered the ride in Garmin Connect, Strava, and on here, the battery's recharged to 100% and I can unplug it, switch off, and know it's ready to rock and roll the next day.
This, along with GPS dropouts was the main reason I upgraded to a Garmin. I went for a new (old) Edge 305 as I don't need maps or turn by turn instructions. It came bundled with HRM and Cadence sensors and it all works fab! In May this year I completed my longest ride of 112 miles which took nearly 8 hours and the battery still had two out of five bars remaining! I am sure there are other manufacturers out there but Garmin sure are the most popular! :-)0 -
Another tip - if you DO go for the EDGE 800 don't buy the mapping software bundles - open streetmap stuff is perfectly good for most road-riding - there's loads of different FREE mapping as opposed to the hideously expensive, tied mapping from Garmin. Can't give recommendations for everywhere in the world - but for the UK, I've found that the "british isles+contours-routable-OS50tt" package has been pretty darned good so far...0
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Another vote for the 800 here. Does everything it's supposed to well. OK, for me the screen is small for viewing the maps but I think of it as a training tool with maps rather than the other way round. The virtual partner is addictive as you can race your previous best time over a course :-) I've got a screen protector for mine as well as the rubber case - the case is OK but could be better. Used it a lot off road and it's survived so far. Depending on the settings (e.g. brightness / navigating a course) then I've got @ 15 hours out of mine but I have an external battery if I do longer rides. I'd look at the costs of the mapping bundle as they can be bought quite cheaply though I've also got mapping I've created myself.0
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I use my iPhone with an i-Power add on battery (£7.50 on Ebay) and good for about 10 hours.
I have the CycleMeter app which is excellent (about £3.50) from the AppStore. Cycle meter support a lot of wireless HRMs etc but I dont have one.
But I have asked Santa for a Garmin 800 with the 1:25 maps!0 -
I am opting for the 500 as I do not need mapping. I carry my iphone if I need directions.0
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I use my iPhone with an i-Power add on battery (£7.50 on Ebay) and good for about 10 hours.
I have the CycleMeter app which is excellent (about £3.50) from the AppStore. Cycle meter support a lot of wireless HRMs etc but I dont have one.
But I have asked Santa for a Garmin 800 with the 1:25 maps!
I use Cyclemeter too Les; good bit of kit IMHO!0 -
...just to add...a few time in the wilds of Essex I lost 3G so CycleMeter on my iPhone would not show maps.
So I purchased the Outdoors GB and National Parks app from the app store. Its very good and more detailed (e.g. 1:25) maps can be purchased and seamlessly added if required. I purchased the 1:25 for Essex and the detail is terrific.
As these maps are then stored on the Iphone its a good fallback if you lose mobile signal. I also use it for walking in places like the Lake District and it works very well.0 -
Another vote for the 800 here. Does everything it's supposed to well. OK, for me the screen is small for viewing the maps but I think of it as a training tool with maps rather than the other way round. The virtual partner is addictive as you can race your previous best time over a course :-) I've got a screen protector for mine as well as the rubber case - the case is OK but could be better. Used it a lot off road and it's survived so far. Depending on the settings (e.g. brightness / navigating a course) then I've got @ 15 hours out of mine but I have an external battery if I do longer rides. I'd look at the costs of the mapping bundle as they can be bought quite cheaply though I've also got mapping I've created myself.
Where did you get the rubber case from - do they do waterproof ones - as I've read a few horror stories of peoples' Edge 800 being rendered unusable after heavy rain?0 -
Like many above would love an 800 but I'm not part of the 1%
so it gets to wait. Now I just use a generic cyclometer with my Android phone, running Strava. Nice thing is that I can download maps of the area I'm going to be in so when I lose Edge (no 3G even here) I can still see where I am.
Even after a full day at work, running Strava, maps as I got lost/mis-directed a couple of times and music I still had plenty of juice left at the end of the ride. I guess YMMV but this has been working great for me. It's not HRM compatible, nor is it a hard core training tool, but it works and it's pretty cheap. My training methods are unscientific at best...0 -
Where did you get the rubber case from - do they do waterproof ones - as I've read a few horror stories of peoples' Edge 800 being rendered unusable after heavy rain?
The Garmin own brand rubber case is just a outer skin, more to stop rubbing etc than anything else - it's certainly not going to help waterproofing in the critical USB port area, as there's a bloody great hole where the ports are. That said, with a stick on screen protector, and the rubber case, it's a bit more rugged and able to cope with grit and rubbish from the road I guess...
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/garmin-edge-800-silicone-protective-case/
Dunno if there's a better third-party case of course.0 -
Where did you get the rubber case from - do they do waterproof ones - as I've read a few horror stories of peoples' Edge 800 being rendered unusable after heavy rain?
Yes, it's the Garmin rubber case and as above it has holes where you don't want them over the ports. It's better than nothing though and is less than £10. I've used the 800 off road in mud, grit and heavy rain and it's not gone wrong yet. Though IMO it's more suited for the road than off road. I'll try and find a review of one and post later.
If you want a rugged GPS then http://www.satmap.co.uk/ is very good but I don't think it does the HRM bit etc.0 -
Thanks both. Ah that's not really what I'm looking for then. It seems to be moisture getting in the USB port which causes the meltdown! I've got the cover flap thing right in but it's not the tightest fit and I was hoping for something a bit more robust....may have a look on eBay, just in case!0
