Hello Guys,

I want to buy a cyclo-comp to measure HR & Cadence mainly, but I have no experience with these gadgets. I currently have a Giant cyclo-comp that measures speed, time & distance.

I'm not sure if there are other good options other than Garmin or VDO. VDO gadgets are available in my country, while I could order a Garmin online.

Any tips on which would be better & why?

Thanks!

Lots of inexpensive cyclometers will measure speed, distance, cadence and HR as well as read out averages after a ride. Garmin and others with GPS will record your track and these numbers as a function of time and distance along the track. The activity files recorded by these devices are uploaded to various websites that will display your track on map and graph your speed, HR, and cadence as function of distance or time along the track. Elevation information is also available either via barometric sensors in the device, GPS, or map data on the sites that you upload to. Garmin and some other GPS cyclometers have the capacity to use wheel sensors which improve accuracy in distance and instantaneous speed by making up for noise and uncertainty in GPS position.

Edit: I should add that some of the higher-end bike GPS devices add maps and navigation. The Garmin 510 offers a bread-crumb track to follow whereas the 810 has maps and will provide navigation.

If you have an iphone you can use a Wahoo RFLKT+ which is $100.

I have a Garmin Edge 510 and it is a piece of crap that hasn't worked since day one. It shuts off mid ride (sometimes in less than a mile) without warning much too frequently and then is difficult to start back up.

Every time I contact Garmin they tell me to reformat it, download this, reset etc. Everything but taking responsibility for the defect and making it right.

I'd stay away from Garmin if I were you.

The VDO M6 is a cycling computer that can measure HR and cadence if you get the additional sensors required. The base M6 without the sensors appears to be available now at under US$ 100.

The Garmin Edge 500 adds GPS capabilities. You can view where you've been and analyze each meter of the ride independently. This is best done by transferring the ride data file to a PC or Mac. You can load GPS courses onto the 500 and follow the trail. These are capabilities that a basic cycling computer does not have. The 500 also has heart rate and cadence capabilities via additional sensors not included with the base 500. The 500 by itself is available for under US$ 200 and on sale as low as $150.

Most people find the 500 to be highly reliable.

In all cases of which I'm aware, if following their instruction didn't fix the issue, they issued an RMA for return and exchange of the unit if under warranty and exchange of the unit for a fee if past warranty. That will fix a hardware problem. If the issue is the way the firmware works, choices are trying other firmware, either newer or older, none of which may resolve the issue.

All cases? How many is that? If a lot, then it supports my contention to avoid them. It costs way too much to go through such a hassle.

3 times myself and many dozens by other people on the Garmin user's forums. You do have to jump through their hoops. It's up to you if that's too much trouble or not.

From everything I've heard, Garmin is very good about warranty and out-of-warranty replacements. I think they need to be for the prices they charge; people see it as an investment and expect many years out of their toy. One way or another Garmin has to meet that expectation to stay in business.

So I think the numbers you state indicate that Garmin does not produce a dependable product, which is my contention. Jumping through the hoops just adds insult to injury, IMO. I say, buyer beware.

Good theory. And I hope you are right. I'm about to find out when I send off the Garbage Edge 510 to them today.

I have a Garmin 500. It is solid. Never a problem.

Just recently bought one myself. Really like it. I have no knowledge/experience of the other device you're looking at though.

I,too have the Edge 500. Works excellent, tho I do not use an HRM.