Originally Posted by
Drew Eckhardt
I'd like a GPS bike computer with a readable screen which actually works for training and navigation. Not integrated because I'll replace it when it wears out (I only got 20,000 miles out of my Edge 500 before the buttons failed which wouldn't be two years at my current monthly mileage) and am not going to get rid of a $1000+ frame because I want to upgrade the computer.
My six year old Garmin Edge 500 (final firmware version) doesn't do maps or give next way point name and distance as main screen data fields. The power connector is on the back where it can fall out when charging while riding which is essential for long rides. The bugs I see are getting stuck on the power meter calibration screen, not not displaying the route after a departure into a store, and being sluggish indicating passing a way point. Otherwise it's fine.
The brand new Wahoo ELEMNT does maps, has a readable screen, and the UI is good but it wasn't accurately reporting or recording data, doesn't do courses, lacks street names on the maps, won't pan the map (which is a big deal because roads good for cycling are invisible when zoomed out), and doesn't navigate. I sent mine back and bought a Garmin Edge 810. The USB connector is also on the bottom not the back.
The Garmin Edge 800/810 screen isn't very readable in sunlight but they do courses, maps, and navigation. Their USB/power connector is on the bottom.
The 3-year old 810 (they're being closed-out so it's close to as good as the software will get) has spontaneous power-downs, sometimes crashes navigating/following courses, will only display the name of the next GPS guided turn not the way point, tries to navigate backwards on out-and-back courses although the waypoint cue sheet is correctly ordered, and has a horrid menu structure - I need to poke the touch screen a dozen times to calibrate my power meter before each ride. I'm going to send it back to replace it with a refurbished Edge 800 released 6 years ago for better reliability.
Numerous companies make GPS computers which don't do maps so they're not useful for long distance rides.
Something is really wrong with technology products when alternatives 1-2 generations older work better.
Agreed; the cyclocomputer market is pretty lousy right now. I really don't get why phones do a better job of navigating than dedicated nav systems! Seriously, we have both Garmin and TomTom units at work, and they are so clumsy to use, usually I just pull out my iPhone and use that, either native Maps, or Waze, choosing one or the other depending on whether I want to get conditions alerts or not. Either is vastly superior to the dedicated units from a UI perspective.
The Garmin 520 appears to be at the top of the heap right now, although I was hoping ELEMNT would deliver, but it doesn't. How, or why, they would release it without any nav is beyond me.