Thats scary because I had nothing but issues with Garmin watches for 6 or 8 months and little to know technical support from them. I abandoned the platform and went to fitbit/polar.

I will likely go Wahoo on the bike computer, might consider garmin sensors...

The Wahoo sensors support ANT+ and Bluetooth. The Garmin sensors only support ANT+.

I had an edge 200 and it was solid, only once did it have trouble following a tcx file as a breadcrumb but it seemed fine after a reboot.

I wanted more data and got a used 500 and it is almost useless for following a tcx course, it often throws up "off course" arrows despite showing the marker directly over the line. Then the course will disappear from the screen and the next few cues also vanish from the cue sheet list. A search of the garmin forums shows this to be a fairly common issue and it doesn't seem to be something that was ever fixed. The 500 also can't be charged and used at the same time without a special cable... the 200 could at least get topped up while riding.

I think I am going to get a wahoo bolt next season, it seems to have the whole turn-by-turn directions thing down pat with RWGPS routes, which is more or less all I want a GPS for is to keep me on track during long rides.

I got a Bolt at REI 2 weeks ago, it does exactly what you describe. My G810 used to crap if I stopped a route midway. I can do this now with the Bolt and no issues. Painless to get the RWGPS routes off the website.

Is there any professional reviews of it?

"Professional " ?,

DCRainmaker reviews a lot of stuff and is mostly thorough.

https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2017/03/...th-review.html

Lots of stuff on YouTube as well.

Garmin is Huge in the maritime navigation business..

I got along fine on several international bike tours with out GPS on land.

I Now live in a Port Town.. with open ocean fisheries.





....

[QUOTE=clasher;19801677] The 500 also can't be charged and used at the same time without a special cable... the 200 could at least get topped up while riding. /QUOTE]

The "special cable" I think you're referring to is a cable that handles both data transfer and recharging. This you can purchase at Fry's or online. It doesn't have to be Garmin.

Nice review. I wonder how they get the samples to review.

My understanding is the companies send some early products for review, others and those intending on keeping for long term use, he purchases.

He's usually pretty clear of the terms when he does a review.

My only issues is he often reviews so much stuff that he can't do long term continual use reviews of a lot of it. The Garmin 520 seems to be one of the items he uses all the time, thus he's seemingly dead on with most of the quirks, high and low points. He doesn't always catch some quirks of some units, as example he does not typically do long distance self-supported bike tours, so really can't review a unit based on that perspective.

Garmin Edge 500 .... no probs whatsoever and long battery life .... I use it for commuting .... not so good when riding a route that you have never been on before (breadcrumb directions)

Garmin Edge 1000 .... a few problems initially but with the latest software works like a dream .... battery life with the Garmin heartstap, cadence sensor, speed sensor, Garmin Varia radar is approx 6 1/2 hrs but indefinate when charged with a powerbank whilst you cycle.... big screen, works like a car satnav, and has 'inelligence' (not like many that use breadcrumb trails, and if the road is closed, you are 'fooked'

I also have a Garmin Virb Ultra 30 video camera which will be connected to my Edge 1000 but cannot comment yet (only received the Virb late last week and still have to buy a card).... Virb Ultra 30 on the helmet, and I have a Cycliq fly 6 camera for the back (brilliant cheap camera with 6hrs battery life)

if my Edge 1000 packs up I will buy another, (never misses a beat), but saying that, rumour has it that the Edge 1030 (latest version) will be released next month

https://road.cc/content/tech-news/227...r-battery-1000

My Garmin 520 has worked great for me. No issues whatsoever. I use the Bluetooth tracking with my phone when I go for a long ride so my wife can tell if I am any trouble. I don't use navigation much so I can't comment much on it, but everything else works great.

Got a chance to test the Incident Detection feature last Friday when I got hit by a car. The crash detection system detected the accident and my wife got both an email and a text notification of the incident, including the location of where it occurred. She was on here way before I had my wits about me. When I had got my wits about me, I looked at my phone, which was asking if I was OK. I chose yes, but my wife didn't believe me (rightly so). But it worked. In a more severe accident I expect if the phone gets trashed, it won't be of much use. (I fared OK but my frame is trashed).

I had such a good experience with my Edge 500 I kept it after I purchased an Edge 810. I'm surprised there's not more love for the 500 as people I run across who use one are very happy and the online reviews are excellent.

500 took too long to acquire satellite for me. It also is not backlit and is hard to read when the sun is low.

Are you sure it's not backlit?

I haven't used mine in quite a while but remember that one of the options on the menu was always on then you use the power button to toggle it on/off

Screen was LCD. Light was not a backlight from my recollection.

See page 47 and 40

https://static.garmincdn.com/pumac/Edge_500_OM_EN.pdf

Do you think the free sample effect the reviewer's fairness?

It appears he gives away the free samples he gets.


Steve B.'s comments regarding dcrainmaker's reviews seems about right to me.

Dcrainmaker has particular interests (power meters, for example) that he looks at in more depth.

For other things, treat the reviews as more "first views" by some one who has a fair amount of experience looking at things.

No. I get the sense from his reviews that he's generally trying to be fair about the stuff he tests, and is honest when he's using a beta product. My take is he puts the same critical look into a beta as he does to a unit that's been on the market. He does somewhat ignore what I think is a good deal of internet postings that reflect users experiences with assorted products, including not commenting on a lot of the posts from other users on his site, about issues they experience with various products. Occasionally his only comment will be that he either has never experienced a particular problem, or doesn't use a product in such a way that he's experienced the same issues.

As Ive stated earlier, he reviews a LOT of gear and as result cannot always provide for long term tests and experiences. He's a triathlete, so would not have the experience of somebody using a Garmin 1000 on a tour of Switzerland, as example.

With the many other review sites and YouTube, DC's site becomes another useful tool for doing research.

It's just not really a backlit display like the 520 or other later models. It is like an old LCD with front light to reflect - the quality is not very good.

I almost loved my 705. It never gave me trouble but was large clunky and unrefined. I tolerated my 500 as it was basic and did what I needed it to, albeit with a speed sensor as it almost always lost signal while passing under a tree with more than 3 leaves. My newly acquired 520 is my first "loved" GPS. It does what Garmin says it should, no bugs, crashes, etc. my eTrex 20 that I use on multi day tours worked as a reliable navigator until the last software update. Now it always tries to recalculate courses that are based on the previous tracks as well as courses created and imported on Basecamp. It's all but useless to me now.

Was the context of 'bob: that a better result had come ---- if Th*mas Br*s was instead bought out?

How long ago was this? I wonder how much that buy-out has to do with the quality loss in Garmin customer service -Lack of detail from 1 rep; inconsistency overall of a few reps spoken to: given to an account, for a called-in tech problem.

Low light is a sacrifice you will make -- so to get such a [gps]computer to operate correct. This be nothing new. I'm going back to the old-style wireless bicycle computer. The low-cost Cateye. That says to have gps, as maps are the last priority for me. Accurate speed, Odometer, etc are going to be higher priority. The over-priced Garmins are not worth it.