Recommend me a GPS bike computer

[trailgumby]

My Garmin 705 carked it today. Battery is gone I think. I'm guessing the flight in the baggage hold back from Rotorua did it in - loss of external pressure caused it to vent or something. Or possibly a connection - it dropped out a few times on the trip. Anyway, it works OK hooked up to the charger but won't start up otherwise.

So ... the missus was asking what I wanted for Christmas.

Requirements:
1: Reliability! The 705 has been pretty much rock solid for the last few years up until now.
2: Power meter, cadence/wheel sensor and HRM recording.
3: GPS recordng
4: Waterproof
5: Mapping would be good to have - currently have with 705, although not very usable.
6: Usable with gloved fingers.

Don't need to have any of the add-on bits as I already have the ANT+ Garmin bits - 2 x HRM straps, PMs, multiple speed and cadence sensors so I just need the head unit.

What do people recommend?

[rheicel]

Garmin 1000. Current firmware is stable already.
Included out front mount is beefy and strong, great for MTB and road use.
AUNZ map is included. Turn by turn navigation is the same as what you will see on the car and phone GPS.
You can display 10 data on one single screen page. Screen is also BIG.
Battery is not as good as other GPS, but do you normally ride beyond 13 hours?
Some grief so far on my unit:
1. Does not auto upload rides at my office WiFi (billion router). Home WiFi is working great, and iPhone WiFi is also working fine.
2. Shorter battery life compared to my previous 810 and 510
3. Fewer 3rd party mounts due to it's size

Hope its helps

[biker jk]

How about a Garmin 800? Since it's the superseded model they are quite inexpensive. Just buy the unit with no maps since you can get the maps free from OpenStreetMap. It's pretty much bug free compared to the newer models. Moreover, do you need Wi-Fi, etc?

[wombatK]

So ... the missus was asking what I wanted for Christmas.

Requirements:
1: Reliability! The 705 has been pretty much rock solid for the last few years up until now.

So like anything with a lithium-ion battery, the battery has reached end of life.

Have you thought about getting a replacement battery off ebay ? There's youtube
tutorials on how to install ... might need to buy a soldering iron, and/or some torx screwdriver
bits, but that's a lot less money than a new Garmin.

Might be worth it just to keep it as a backup

[denwol]

iphone 5 etc with wahoo bluetooth sensors or an android phone with ANT+ enabled if your power meter only has that. You can also get a ANT+ adaptor for your iphone. I carry my phone with me anyway so why wouldnt I use it to do all my cycling bits as well. I use Wahoo fitness which does all that you mention and is free. This syncs with strava at a press of the button at the end of the ride.

[flashpixx]

with this topic being discussed many may times on this forum perhaps search is your friend

[simonn]

How about a Garmin 800? Since it's the superseded model they are quite inexpensive. Just buy the unit with no maps since you can get the maps free from OpenStreetMap. It's pretty much bug free compared to the newer models. Moreover, do you need Wi-Fi, etc?

+1. The only features offered by the 810 and 1000s are social media type stuff. Nothing to do with cycling really. Is it really an issue to have to plug the gps into a computer (or phone) using USB to upload?

I've got a NSW OSM map which fits in the internal memory too. No need for an external card.

[jasonc]

The only features offered by the 810 and 1000s are social media type stuff.

The 810 and 510 also have new (beta) firmware available that will display Di2 related information (gear selection, battery status)

[Crawf]

From a 1000 user - dont get it, the additional features you're paying for like BluetoothSmart dont even work!
Get a 810 if you want live tracking, if not get the 800.
None of the above are as reliable and rock solid as the 705 unfort, it's all downhill in that respect.

[davidk]

As an owner of a 705, 810 & 1000, Id suggest the 810. I feel that the 1000 firmware still has a lot to improve and the 810 has been the most reliable Garmin device for me by far.

[AndrewCowley]

Can anyone say how good the Garmin 500 and 510 are at getting a GPS signal in a CBD area? My Magellan 105 is driving me insane in this regard. I work in Sydney, near Circular Quay, and it's damn near impossible to get a GPS signal when I start my commute home. Am thinking of switching to Garmin but I don't know if it would be any better. Could try the Strava app on my iPhone I suppose.

[trailgumby]

My 705 was often slow to get an initial lock amongst the concrete canyons of the Sydney CBD, but once it had a lock it only lost it upon entering a underground carpark. it was excellent.

Ivé elected to go with the 810 with the topo navigation package, on discount from Pushys.com.au. I'll flog off the extras - don't need HRM strap or speed and cadence sensors, already have plenty of the older ones which perform solidly.

Main reason for going 810 was the extra screen real estate compared to the 510, to minimise the need to flick between screens. 1000 was *too* big, especially for the bars on my Scalpel 29r. It comes with multiple mounts, and by the time I added an out-front mount for the roadie the difference in price between head unit only and the full package was minimal. Full package was more economic. Topo maps will be handy.

Not a fan of using mobile phones for ride tracking. I regard a phone with a good charge as essential safety gear, especially where i ride the mountain bike in the national parks on Sydney's northern edge. My rides can run to 4-5hours plus depending on length and whether others have mechanicals (we operate on a "no rider left behind" basis), so having my phone run out of juice at 3 hours because the GPS has burned all the available charge is not really acceptable. YMMV.

[OldBloke]

AndrewCowley, my wife's iPhone 4 GPS is not very good, it can jump all over the place around tall buildings. The GPS in my Samsung Windows Phone seems to be much more reliable. Our older HTC Android phone was hopeless, it would zigzag all over the place and record double the kms. I find that the GPS doesn't use much battery on my WP. So, I'm sticking with my phone for the time being and not forking out for a dedicated GPS. Note that I'm retired and just ride for recreation and fitness.

ob

[Farmer Elvis]

Can anyone say how good the Garmin 500 and 510 are at getting a GPS signal in a CBD area? My Magellan 105 is driving me insane in this regard. I work in Sydney, near Circular Quay, and it's damn near impossible to get a GPS signal when I start my commute home. Am thinking of switching to Garmin but I don't know if it would be any better. Could try the Strava app on my iPhone I suppose.

GPS and heavily built up areas aren't compatible when you are first locking on to the signal, it has a lot to do with where the satellites are in the sky as well as a bit to do with your gps device. Some days you'll lock on quicker than others, once locked on you should be right.

[kb]

The only features offered by the 810 and 1000s are social media type stuff.

The 810 and 510 also have new (beta) firmware available that will display Di2 related information (gear selection, battery status)

And if you have Vectors, time standing and sitting, how centred on the pedal you are, pedal smoothness and torque effectiveness. (Of course, these could be available on the 800 if Garmin wanted...)

[kb]

Can anyone say how good the Garmin 500 and 510 are at getting a GPS signal in a CBD area?

No direct experience but I believe the 510 should be best here as it uses GLONASS as well as GPS

[michael_w]

Can anyone say how good the Garmin 500 and 510 are at getting a GPS signal in a CBD area?

No direct experience but I believe the 510 should be best here as it uses GLONASS as well as GPS

^ this. I have a510 and in my experience, regardless of where I am I get a lock very quickly in comparison to friends and colleagues with earlier models

[liamw]

I can only compare the 510 and 500, but the 510 will get a GPS fix very quickly. Generally, once it is on, it will get the HR monitor, speed/cadence, phone and GPS events pop up one after the other. I would say it gets a GPS fix within 30 seconds of you powering it on (if not quicker), but I haven't actually timed it.

[AndrewCowley]

Great feedback on the Garmin 510. Thanks all.

[trailgumby]

My 810 arrived yesterday. Very fast to get a satellite lock, and like Ox I much prefer the way you can set up bike profiles. Touch screen is neat.

I'll be spending a lot of time learning this new contraption!

For some reason it's not recognising my old HR strap, but it picked up the PMs and speed/cadence sensors on each bike no problem.

Ah, a question.

It came with an out-front mount from Garmin that I assumed was machined alloy. It ain;t. It's plastic, albeit robust-looking.

Will this crack and fail like Go Pro mounts are wont to do?

[Baalzamon]

My 810 picks up my non premium heart strap.
Best one I know is the Sram garmin front. Wiggle sells those.

[CKinnard]

My 510 has been very reliable. Apart from bluetooth connect to android phone. I have to restart 510 after tjrning on btooth to connect.

Id try ant+ android if buying today and pack an external usb battery for longer rides.

[wombatK]

Will this crack and fail like Go Pro mounts are wont to do?

It's the same kind of mount on the 500/510/800, so it may well fail just like those do

From a recent post on BNA, even alternatives like the K-edge can fail.

Might be worth seeing if you can use some sugru or araldite to stick a catch-chain or similar to the back to keep the edge with
you if the mount fails.

[trailgumby]

The 810 doesn't have one. I'll Shoo Goo (sugru without the chinglish accent?) a loop on to the base for use with a lanyard for some extra insurance as this unit will be used with the mtb as ell as the roadie. It's interesting tat most failure reports are coming from roadie - skinny high pressure tyres and no suspension to absorb road shocks?

Thanks for the link wombatk

I've resolved the HR strap issue, telling the unit too look for one was in a different sub-menu unrelated to the bike profiles, which makes sense as you are unlikely to swap to different HR straps for different bikes, unlike PMs, cadence and speed sensors.