Recommend a GPS?

CantGetNoSleep

As I get into longer spins I'm going to buy a GPS for tracking activity but also maybe knowing where to go - I'm now going up to 50km away from my hometown so don't necessarily know my way around - and sometimes I change my mind on what way I go back depending on how I'm feeling.

At the moment I'm using my phone to track rides, this works ok but has cut out a few times, and for maps I need to stop and figure out where to go.

I'm looking at a Garmin Edge 820, 1000 or something like a MioCyclo 505. A Garmin Edge Touring would probably do much of what I want right now, but I'd also like to be able to have HR, cadence etc in the near future, and maybe power meter at some point down the line.

Anyone have any suggestions on where to go? Particularly on whether using a GPS for maps is actually any good (otherwise I could just get a Garmin edge 20 or 25 for 50€ in Aldi sometime). Any models you would suggest looking at?

jamesd

Use a 1000 and find it excellent.

seanin4711

Bryton rider 530
160 bucks on bike24.
Does everything and big display.
Does all the usual stuff WiFi ant and Bluetooth.
Power and di2 even.
Coming from Garmin 310xt delighted with it.

Does point to point navigation.
Preset up and stored on unit.
Catalogue of sorts.
Brilliant unit,really impressed bang per Buck.

over 30hours battery life!!!

CantGetNoSleep

seanin4711 wrote: »

Bryton rider 530
160 bucks on bike24.
Does everything and big display.
Does all the usual stuff WiFi ant and Bluetooth.
Power and di2 even.
Coming from Garmin 310xt delighted with it.

Does point to point navigation.
Preset up and stored on unit.
Catalogue of sorts.
Brilliant unit,really impressed bang per Buck.
Subjective cyclist on YouTube has a great review.

Thanks, looks like it could do everything I want apart from navigation / full maps.

Could use the phone for this but still begs the question what is the advantage over something like a Garmin Edge 500 that you might pick up for 100€ max

Cee-Jay-Cee

CantGetNoSleep wrote: »

Thanks, looks like it could do everything I want apart from navigation / full maps.

Could use the phone for this but still begs the question what is the advantage over something like a Garmin Edge 500 that you might pick up for 100€ max

The 500 has no wifi or Bluetooth other than that there's not a huge difference in them but I would pay the additional to have the wifi/bluetooth. I find the phone connectivity brilliant, caller ID and text messages displayed on the unit without having to remove the phone from your pocket and auto upload to Garmin Connect/Strava when your finished your ride are big plus points for me.

CantGetNoSleep

jamesd wrote: »

Use a 1000 and find it excellent.

Certainly considering that - just a question of do I get something equivalent with the functions I need for half the price or so

jamesd

CantGetNoSleep wrote: »

Certainly considering that - just a question of do I get something equivalent with the functions I need for half the price or so

I had a 500, then a 510, 810 then the 1000 and for me the 1000 screen size is excellent for maps if you use them and I like all the bells and whistles on it. An 820 is also worth a look as very new and good screen/maps

Weepsie

Bryton Rider 60 is a good alternative to the Edge 820-1000. It sits somewhere between them I'd say. Better comeback with the Edge however, and much better software for post ride stuff. The Bluetooth on the Bryton is only for uploading tracks to phone too and it's a faff. Bryton have a new range as pointed out above, so they may not be supporting it so much any more which is a shame as it's an excellent unit.

I use a Garmin 500 and Bryton 60. The 60 for the maps and bells and whistles stuff that is wasted on me to be honest and the Garmin for the simplicity and it just works.

Someone I know has a Miio and was happy with that too. Like Bryton it suffers from less simplicity when doing uploads etc.

PPC

I've been looking at the Wahoo Elemnt Bolt recently, looks like great value for money.
Good review of it on https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2017/03/wahoo-elemnt-bolt-in-depth-review.html

RacoonQueen

I use a polar V650 - I love it. Can program in a route and have a full colour map so if you go off course/get lost (happens to me all the time) you can easily find your way back to a point where you knew where you where. Even if you don't programme in a map you can put up the map view so if you get lose wandering around you can, again, easily find your way back to a point where you did know where you were.

I use polar V800 for run and swim, so for ease it made sense for me to go with polar on the bike but I like their units. Do everything I need them to do.

n1ey

Lezyne Super GPS. Reasonable price. Does all and have 20 hours of battery life. Avoid newer Garmins. My old Garmin 500 does better on battery life. I wouldn't buy a GPS that could not sustain 7 hours of runtime. Several club members ran out of juice during the ride, yesterday.

2 weeks ago one of the fellows started charging his garmin from an aux. battery. Really?

Lenzyne - 20 hours.

Bill O'Hara

CantGetNoSleep

Thanks for all the replies so far - I'm going to go with the Wahoo Elemnt Bolt assuming I can find it at a reasonable price, and keep my phone in my pocket in case I need to look at maps on a colour screen. Back up option is the Lezyne Super GPS.

Assuming it is better to go with the bundle version (with HR strap etc?)

seanin4711

read beteen the lines in what durian rider says.
even he sees the merit in bryton over garmin.

smacl

jamesd wrote: »

Use a 1000 and find it excellent.

Have the 810 myself and while I find it great I'd be tempted to move to a 1000 purely for the larger screen size. Was on navigation duty yesterday with a small crew and missed a couple of turns largely down to my crap eyesight, although to be fair the Garmin does beep when you go off course. Was out for over 10 hours and battery still had 40% remaining on return.

07Lapierre

my Wife recently bought the Garmin 520. Excellent piece of kit.

The one thing i don't like about it is the number of buttons on it and the fact that the garmin mount that comes with it, places the unit higher than the handlebars (it has to be as you wouldn't be able to press the lap or Start/stop buttons).

I have an 810, and the touch screen is really handy.

Have an 810 and have the free openstreet maps installed as per :
https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2013/05/download-garmin-705800810.html

Happy with it.

Weepsie

smacl wrote: »

Have the 810 myself and while I find it great I'd be tempted to move to a 1000 purely for the larger screen size. Was on navigation duty yesterday with a small crew and missed a couple of turns largely down to my crap eyesight, although to be fair the Garmin does beep when you go off course. Was out for over 10 hours and battery still had 40% remaining on return.

Can it be set to beep before a turn? I'd consider that a design flaw. The Bryton certainly does beep in advance of any turns

07Lapierre

Weepsie wrote: »

Can it be set to beep before a turn? I'd consider that a design flaw. The Bryton certainly does beep in advance of any turns

yes it beeps a few meters before the turn.

lissard

seanin4711 wrote: »

read beteen the lines in what durian rider says.
even he sees the merit in bryton over garmin.

I'd take everything that conman says with a large pinch of salt.

smacl

Weepsie wrote: »

Can it be set to beep before a turn? I'd consider that a design flaw. The Bryton certainly does beep in advance of any turns

Does both, a beep before the turn and flips you back to map screen if you're not already there, also counts you down to the turn. A loader squawk when you miss the turn and a message that you're off course. What's nice is that that if you do decide on a detour (as we did a few times yesterday) it lets you know when you're back on course.

smacl

lissard wrote: »

I'd take everything that conman says with a large pinch of salt.

Why so, does he have a vested interest in the product?

lissard

smacl wrote: »

Why so, does he have a vested interest in the product?

The Bryton he is singing the praises of is probably an ok product and I don't know if he has a vested interest. He just lacks credibility in my eyes.

http://anthonycolpo.com/the-ugly-truth-about-harley-durianrider-johnstone/

seanin4711

lissard wrote: »

I'd take everything that conman says with a large pinch of salt.

surprised that he would "endorse" a lesser known product.
i know he has split opinions -i am not a fan, but he does have a large youtube following nonetheless.
I have a 530 and think its super!
just my two cents.

seanin4711

CantGetNoSleep wrote: »

Thanks for all the replies so far - I'm going to go with the Wahoo Elemnt Bolt assuming I can find it at a reasonable price, and keep my phone in my pocket in case I need to look at maps on a colour screen. Back up option is the Lezyne Super GPS.

Assuming it is better to go with the bundle version (with HR strap etc?)

I would have went for that but couldnt justify the extra 100 bucks.
good choice!

or wait for this one:August 2017

looks like the dogs nuts!!!

CantGetNoSleep

seanin4711 wrote: »

I would have went for that but couldnt justify the extra 100 bucks.
good choice!

or wait for this one:August 2017

looks like the dogs nuts!!!

Can imagine more units being based on Android in the future alright.

You can get a very decent Xiaomi phone these days for 100€ - a couple of software apps, a bit sturdier, a bigger battery (could have a thicker unit than a phone) and a clip on the back - you could have something very good to compete with Garmin etc

danwhite88

Could anyone suggest a gps for less than €200 that could be purchased in a shop in Dublin this evening? Need for a birthday present tomorrow.

I know very little about cycling so when looking at these I'm completely lost. It's for the brother and I was told he uses an app called strava and some gps are compatible with that app and others aren't.

If there is something slightly higher than €200 will consider it if can be bought this evening. Thanks for help

Weepsie

You can get a Garmin 25 in Aldi Santry for 89.99. They had one left the other day. Basic but does the job. Halford have the 520 for 240.

Cee-Jay-Cee

Weepsie wrote: »

You can get a Garmin 25 in Aldi Santry for 89.99. They had one left the other day. Basic but does the job. Halford have the 520 for 240.

I'd go for the 520 from Halfords if you can stretch to that amount. Excellent piece of kit and more than enough functions for even the most hardcore cyclist.

creativedrinker

I've been looking myself to get a fancy gps computer like the OP, does anyone have any experience with the Wahoo element, Ive seen good reviews on youtube and a lot of reviewers say it beats that garmin hands down?

Also do you need the speed/cadance/HRM when using these computers? currently I just have a bog standard speedo.

CantGetNoSleep

creativedrinker wrote: »

I've been looking myself to get a fancy gps computer like the OP, does anyone have any experience with the Wahoo element, Ive seen good reviews on youtube and a lot of reviewers say it beats that garmin hands down?

Also do you need the speed/cadance/HRM when using these computers? currently I just have a bog standard speedo.

You can buy them in a bundle with all the sensors included.

I'm going to buy a Wahoo Elemnt Bolt bundle once I find a good deal, or alternatively buy the sensors separately.

mick121

I'd be interested in what the views are on the elemnt vs bolt.I am drawn towards the elemnt myself as it seems to be on a par with the bolt only bigger.my old eyes are getting on and something bigger than my edge 500 may be needed.