So, late last night, bored, surfing the interwebs for cycle gadgets, I come across the Edge 810, latest and most complicated Mapping GPS, Cycling computer, TV set device for cockpit. Looked around at US sellers, lots of $500+ guys and more for kits with maps and sensors, a few in the $450-$475 region.

Best price I found was here, Cycle Sports UK: https://www.cyclesportsuk.co.uk/produ...ducts_id=12788 $405.84 No tax, free shipping. No affiliation, just a good price I wanted to pass along. REI is charging full $500 (but you will get $50 back with membership distribution).

I know there is lots of controversy over this model, but I am already so invested in Garmin GPS devices on two motorcycles (Zumo's) and two cycles (Dakota 20 (nice)), that I have lots of map products that I can use on this one....so here we go. From my reading, must of the troubles seems to be user misunderstanding of how the mapping functions work, and there is a huge learning curve for this that I have already climbed. As to overall reliability, I have found Garmin to be slow but steady in releasing updates to software. As to hardware, I have sent back some units for replacement under warranty.

Will report arrival and usage.

Check the official Garmin users' forum for helpful info: https://forums.garmin.com/forumdisplay.php?362-Edge-810

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Response:

I'm not endorsing or in any way suggesting anyone buy an 810. I am simply pointing out a place to get one for a good price. That said, I find that most forums tend to concentrate the bad news regarding any device, and that people rarely report their happiness. If I believed everything I read on the web I would kill myself.

I like the apps on my phone..phone goes in jersey pocket on my back..apps for phones have all the bells and whistles and those are the free apps..im sure the ones you buy have even more features..and its $500 BUCKS that im not spending on something that my smartphone is doing already..lots of things to spend 500 bucks on

I agree, and I am a great fan of iPhone and Android smartphone apps. I use my smartphones (Android and iPhone) for navigation, weather, entertainment (music), finding and booking rooms, etc. I use some dedicated, paid apps like Navigon for navigation and love it. I have tried some bicycle computer type apps and didn't really like any of them very much, they all work to some extent, but a dedicated cycle computer is still a good thing to have for my type of riding. I also like the 810's ability to sync with my smartphone and send live tracking and other social media information as I ride, it just makes it more fun for those back home watching me. I like this stuff. I like to ride, and I like lots of gadgets, so the large outlay of $$ is acceptable to me, Your mileage may vary.

I also like the convergence that is happening with ANT/bluetooth peripherals like heart rate monitoring, cadence and power meters on my smartphone.

I will point out that anyone planning to use their smartphone as heavily as I do for these types of applications have a source of power onboard, as all these do drain the battery. I have a dynamo hub that charges a battery pack and/or my phone direct. It works.

Again, I am not saying the Edge 800 series are worth the money, or better or worse than a smartphone with lots of apps.....What I am saying is that I found a place to buy one for $400 instead of $500, that's all. I am not interested in a religious war thread on the two alternatives. They both have their place and I will have both in my cockpit this year.