Used a Garmin Edge 800 for about 5 years. Its been on 99% of my bike rides. I rate it as the most reliable and best value piece of technology I've bought, not just for biking. Its been excellent and as a MTB Guide its also been a critical piece of kit.
#GMBN I have had an Edge 130 for about two years now. Works great for all things bike. Strava live, navigation and push notifications all work perfect. I’ve found the other units too bulky for MTB. Get the 130 and you will be happy.
That’s my thoughts initialy too. I really just want something that can be used to gather more accurate data than my iPhone and is as minimal as possible. Don’t see why an MTB rider wants a huge device sticking off their cockpit. Unless they ride blind and don’t want to take their phone out of their pocket to check the map.
Going to get one tomorrow. I was planning on getting the 520 plus, but seeing the 130 that's all i need and being cheaper. £99 from Halfords atm. So am I right in saying my routes i record on the 130 will upload to my strava account once paired obvs? I don't have any premium strava accounts, don't do that live segment stuff, just want to record my strava from the 130 other than my expensive phone in my bike bag on rides. I want to leave my phone at home, record from the 130 on my rides, add the strava? Can this be done?
I used to use Garmin, went to Wahoo and liked it a lot, but back to Garmin now with the 1030 and the Fenix 5+. Garmin is much better for navigation and with Di2, while I like Wahoo's for workouts and how it connects to other services. But in general, if I had to choose to stay with only one it'd be Garmin.
As an example of how waterproof these computers are, after my last ride I noticed the battery was low so placed it in my pocket. Completely forgot about it and it ended up in the washing machine and tumble dryer, I'm happy to report that it survived. :P
Honestly, I am more surprised with the dryer survival. Most devices are pretty good at water proof-ness (is that a word, lol) the extreme heat is by far the worse enemy to electrical gadgets. Congrats on your success story. Truly impressive!
I've had the week off work and discovered your channel on Monday, I'm addicted and have spent the week watching your vids,n not much else! I Love them, Thank you!
In case of a crash I prefer not having my watch (fenix 5 plus) on my wrist, but on the bars. I've had my wrist broken on 3 places, just because of a watch. I've never had a broken gps when falling with the bike, even though I've had a couple of direct hits on the gps in those cases (garmin geko 201, garmin gpsmap 60csx, garmin gpsmap 62st). No specific bike options, but I use them for geocaching/walking as wel, so I need a versatile one. When my shoulder is ok again, I will be using the fenix 5 plus in combination with speed/cadance sensor and heartrate monitor with the watch placed on the handle bars with the holder.
You are definitely correct about using Strava on your mobile phone compared to a dedicated GPS unit like these Garmin units. I've sworn I've ridden a trail faster than my PB but Strava said it was a few seconds slower. Definitely not consistent.
I use a 520plus and love it. All the info I need and easy to read on the fly. A quick stop with some brake shudder had set off the incident detection though.
For training, smartwatch/Fitbit/etc and the smaller the better, less of a target for crashes. If you plan a multiple-day ride off-road, an old Garmin etrex (any version: 20, 30, etc) is fine; it uses AA batteries that last for days, and compared to these new GPS units with touch screens, an old etrex is much more durable. I've had an etrex fly off my bike and tumble down a mountain cliff with barely a scratch and worked for three days on the lowest battery setting, while my friend's newer touchscreen GPS died the first day of our month-long trip. And good luck trying to get a touchscreen working after a crash.
I have both a 130 and a 520. I use the 520 on my road bikes. When I got into mountain biking, I tried the 520 on the mountain and fatbike but it was just a bit to large and fell off a couple times while racing. The 130 has been great. Yeah it isn't as robust with info but it is perfect for riding offroad plus it controls my bluetooth headlight and taillight. Now only if GMBN and Garmin were giving one away as I'm in the market for a 520 Plus. My current 520's battery only lasts for around 6 hours (it's 4 years old). I'm fully ingrained in the Garmin ecosystem. I also own a Forerunner 230 and 920xt for running and Duathlons.
You guys should do a ride with the watch, bar mount and phone in the back pocket to see the difference in ride distance, elevation etc... Would be cool to see a comparison.
One thing you missed, the price. For example, that edge 1030 is about the price of a new bike for me, so the budget also plays a big role in buying a GPS device.
Wahoo Elemnt Bolt crushes Garmin. Battery life, customizable pages, notifications, 2tone display is so easy to see... I gave my garmin away to a kid on the trail
How does Wahoo Element do with off road/MTB trails (such as Trail forks app)? It looks like the Wahoo web page is very geared toward road cycling. I don't ride on pavement much.
Michiel Nooren the garmin edge 130, which was designed for a similar purpose with a similar feature suite, is $50 cheaper than the bolt. Not saying it’s better or worth it or whatever, but it is something to keep in mind.
I'd like to see some in-depth videos showing how to use these for navigation, from finding/ creating/ loading routes to using them out in the mud and rain, while wearing gloves etc - I really don't care about the other features! FWIW I currently use a phone with Locus Map pro which works pretty well, but would prefer a purpose built device, with longer battery life, tactile buttons etc.
I'm a bit of a Garmin geek I'm afraid, I have the 1030 on my road bike with the vario radar and Vector 3 pedals, I use my Fenix 5 on the mountain bike and I also have the front light which I switch between both bikes.The light is really good when used with the computer as it adjusts brightness based on speed. I might need help 😂
Why is it that when a company becomes a partner of a well liked RUclips channel they stop all testing and reviews of competitors? Garmin is a monopoly and they buy market share with sponsorship! Very disappointed GMBN!
Is it possible to see the heart rate of your watch on the gps computer? When you have both and you start an activity on the gps, will everything be synced in the garmin connect app?
You keep saying Fenix 5 - but the box says Fenix 5 PLUS - its two difference watches with a big difference in features. Garmin Fenix 5 does not have music/spotify/wifi/wallet/maps - The PLUS version does :)
I use a Garmin edge 130 MIP display...no others gps has that resolution (303 x 230)I don’t care if it is black and white...any can’t match day or night visibility.
Consider it the rally car driving of the biking world. Expert races are 3-6 stages (essentially dh races from 3-15 minutes), with liaisons of 2000+/- meters of climbing, 30-50 km distance.
Neil u said garmin edge 1030 is the most expencive, but the fenix 5 plus is more expencive product there. I use a garmin fenix 5 for mtb and garmin edge 1000 on road bike, both are very good
FYI at beta firmware 4.19 the pop up turn notification is not working.....the distance to the turn will not change. I've missed a few turns on my rides because i thought the turn was still far away.
What are the maps like? I use O.S. maps to plot routes and the 25,000 have lots of detail, tracks, paths, bridleways etc. Can this unit use OS mapping? Is the screen transflective? Visible in bright sun? Can gpx format files be loaded into it and not only by bluetooth but also directly via usb?
I've got tom tom watch with heartrate monitor and gps, that works well for tracking my rides and a basic route map. I pull out my phone with komoot if i need a more detailed map
I have a Garmin Edge 705 which I have had for years. The TOPO map that came with it isn't particular good and the small screen size doesn't help either. The original battery only lasted 3 years but I bought a new one off the internet and fitted it myself. That's been going for 5 years without a problem. The unit is extremely tough - has survived multiple crashes and two washes in a washing machine (still had to dry it out though). The 'get me back to my start point' feature has been useful on more than one occasion. Didn't find it so good for navigating but very good for recording all my trips and heart rate monitoring. Living in the the Czech Republic I now use Mapy.cz on my Samsung phone. Excellent maps (free) and pretty good for navigation. However not good in a crash (broken screen can testify to that) and have to hide it in inclement weather. As I use the phone and Garmin nav in tandem I don't feel inclined towards anything new. Strava et al has no interest for me. I just want to ride.
@Ikreisrond As I have got older my eyesiht has got worse and find the Garmin screen too small. I prefer to use my phone for the maps and the Garmin for recording the trip.
Neil can you save routes you've followed with those devices and then upload them online so we can download them as GPX files and follow the routes ourselves?
Started with the Garmin 820. Difficult to see map as I need reading glasses. Incident report doesn’t work if no cell service. Lasted a year and had to send back They sent me a refurbished and said it was covered for the remaining warranty. Unfortunately warranty was up at a year. Have a Garmin watch now and use it all the time. Pretty accurate. Garmin Forerunner 935. Just got a Garmin mini in reach. I ride in areas where there is no cell service so this works by satellite. So good for emergencies. It is very small and keep in my pocket. Can send preset texts. Can send other texts but like the old cell phones you have to scroll through and takes awhile. They do make bigger ones with maps if you are really going into the wilderness. Of course you have to pay extra for satellite service for these devices but worth it if you ride remotely.Love tech stuff.
I had a Garmin Edge 800 but it got stolen while I was in Chatel, replaced it with an Edge 810 with the insurance money and it's been great. Done a few 80 mile + epics with it, even have a cable to connect it to my Exposure lights and use them as a battery pack. I've also got a really old Edge 200 that I use for commuting and that refuses to die, must be over 5 years old now and the only way you'd know is the battery doesn't last as long as it used to. My friends have had a few of the newer Garmin GPS units and they've had a few issue with them, mainly random crashing mid-ride and the touchscreens not working in the wet. Most have now switched to Wahoo and I most probably will when I decide to upgrade (or the 800 dies). Sadly Garmin have a habit of having one good product cycle followed by a bad one and I think this current one is a bad one.
I bought myself a Garmin Edge Explore some time ago...and I'm absolutely NOT happy with it. I didn't know anything about navigation...didn't know that the Explore only uses the GPS satellites...not Glonass, not Beidou, not Galileo etc... resulting in the fact that I'm loosing the signal regularly in the woods. Currently swapped to using my phone (Xiaomi Mi 8). What a relief. This phone supports "Dual frequency GNSS" and GLONAS, BEIDOU,GALILEO,QZSS .Signal is much much better,and I'm not loosing signal anymore. I'm quiet surprised that a company that is specialized in navigation sells such rubbish.
I had been using an edge 820 but unfortunately I lost the bloody thing! So disappointed. Got to try and save for a new one now. Just need to decide what to do. Computer or watch!
If you record your ride on the watch to get your heart rate etc, and use the computer to direct you on the same ride, Q1) will the two recordings show up separately on Garmin Connect? Q2) If they do, are you able to sync them together if you wanted?
A1) yes A2) no A better course of action would be to check your watch's options for 'broadcasting HR', so your computer can record the HR data directly from the watch. That said, optical wrist HR sensors usually perform pretty poorly when it comes to MTB, so using a chest strap HRM would be better again.
Hey! I need help. I don't care about train parameters, i just want a first GPS no navigate maps, import GPX tracks, good screen size and go for trails in my MTB. What was your advice? Edge 520 Plus, Edge 530 or Edge Explore? I'm just a weekend rider. Many thanks
With the ability of today's smartphones I don't see any need for GPS device. I use Sports Tracker and Ride With GPS apps with OpenStreetMap Cycling map and it's perfect. If you are on unfamiliar terrain you just the draw the route at home and follow it. Ride With GPS has amazing Plan tool where you can draw routes. You can even download routes offline if you are going somewhere there's no internet signal. I have Quad Lock to put the phone on the bar, works magical
I can't argue that a smartphone is very capable, my concern with replacing my computer with a phone is that in the event of a bad crash I don't want my phone exposed on the bars. I had a moto crash with my phone on the bars, it was ejected thirty feet, luckily it was on a fire road and it survived. If I am hurt I want my phone protected as much as possible to be used to summon emergency services. Also on longer rides the battery life is loads longer compared to a phone if both are set to keep the screen on. If you are concerned with sensors (cadence, HR, power, etc) most phones will not work with ANT+ and you will need BTLE sensors which frankly aren't as stable in my experience. Lastly, if I bin it I will cry less over a $150 cycling computer vs. my flagship smartphone. The case could be made for an older cheaper phone being re-purposed as a cycling computer though.
Those are all valid points, but I'm an XC rider, I don't do crazy things so I never crash. If sometimes terrain is bit more risky I put it away in the backpack or somewhere, so I never broke my phone riding. Yes, you never know but chance is so small I'm willing to risk. You can also break GPS device the same way if it is anywhere on the bike, but yeah it is cheaper loss. Also I don't record cadence, HR and stuff like that, I need it for navigation and track recording. What I like with smartphones is beautiful big screen which is great for displaying maps and its responsiveness, and having everything smartphone offers in front of me all the time. And not having GPS device is one less device to carry and one battery less to think about. My phone battery lasts the entire day of track recording and I always have power bank with me anyway, so I'm fine with that.
Do not buy any of these devices for navigation. These are old smartphones repackaged with custom software. It would not be half as bad, if the used hardware was not 5+ years old and on-device reroute calculations would take literally ages. Buy a cheap smartphone, attach it and use one of the many good navigation apps. You will save a lot of money and at the same time you will have way better performance than even Garmin's high-end model.
We're not too sure about that, FlyTurtle. A cheap smartphone will have significantly less battery life, a weaker overall structure, and isn't built for purpose. There are some hacks around getting a dedicated nav/fitness device, but they will never fully replace the purpose built item.
.I wanted to use this medium to alert the bike community about MAGELLAN / MIO CYCLO in its entire line, if they buy that device and leave outside the area of their map, they CANNOT follow a track, nor use STRAVA LIVE even paying for example in SOUTH AMERICA where there are no maps, the device is locked to follow a WIKILOC track for example, which they do not clarify anywhere, they even cheat saying they use OpenStreetMaps use it but no one but them can use those maps that are in the public domain . Already exhausted all means and it seems that they are not willing to solve the problem. Regards, Mario Camps
We used to try to get lost on the trail years ago and couldn't. With you on a map and compass though, can't go wrong if you can read it. Times change I guess and the younger crew are bought up on looking at a screen for the answer.
Thanks for the video. I'm happy with recording rides on my Vivoactive 3 music, but would like to have a screen on my handlebar for checking my cadence and for navigation to get flow on trails rather than pulling out my phone. Been considering the new Garmin Edge Explore (smaller than the Edge 1030), the Edge 520 plus and the Wahoo elemnt bolt. I don't need to Strava live segments, power meter compatibility or even turn by navigation (does that even work on forest trails?) I do half-day explorations on mtb or gravel bike, and commute with several different route options. Which would you recommend and why?
We were quite clear that Garmin is a new partner to the channel, and that we were using their products as examples when deciding which GPS unit you should buy.
@@gmbn Ok, I understand what you mean but the title is misleading IMHO. A better one would have been "What To Consider When Buying A GARMIN GPS Device For Mountain Biking". In any case I'm an happy owner of a eTrex 30 but I'm always looking for new brands and new models. Competions is always a win-win options for everybody
After my second Garmin Edge 520 died unexpectedly I decided to try something different - the Wahoo ELEMNT Bolt instead of the Garmin 530. Boy! I'm glad I did. ruclips.net/user/postUgkxXZCtB-wGdHVTBSz8RswePK5vllHNi06N The display on the Wahoo Bolt is much easier to read. I like the configuration of the display more (up to 7 items visible on page 1 without scrolling and the first item chosen is larger characters than the next 3 rows that have pairs of items (still very readable). I also like the configurable item selections. The Bolt synced with my Garmin ANT+ Speed sensors on both bikes easily so no additional investment was required there. While the rated battery life is a couple hours less than the Garmin 520/530, I easily get a weeks worth of 1+ hour rides before recharging (and it's never really low on charge). At the end of a ride syncing to the Wahoo app, Strava, and Apple Health app is painless.
Do you have a recommendation for a really accurate GPS for mapping trails? I spend waaaaay more time building than riding and getting accurate trail maps for the Forestry and TrailForks alike would be really useful.
#askgmbn I’m always up for a mtb ride up the local but all my mates will think of some excuse as to why not to go, do u have any ways to persuade them to ride more often
Don't crack the glass they're none repairable & warranty won't cover so they try to flog you a replacement for nearly cost of new one, won't buy anything Garmin again use Polar now, better brackets & easier to use
Do you ride with a bike computer? Or would you prefer a using a smart watch? Let us know in the comments below 👇
No, I just use my phone
I ride with a giant axact 9w
Used a Garmin Edge 800 for about 5 years. Its been on 99% of my bike rides. I rate it as the most reliable and best value piece of technology I've bought, not just for biking. Its been excellent and as a MTB Guide its also been a critical piece of kit.
@@th_js if that works for you, great. Phones lose their signal way before a GPS, and using your phone as GPS kills the battery too fast!..
I use a garmin 5x saphire the Ebike mode is bullshit btw
Wahoo all the way. The backlight and clear numbers wins for me.
#GMBN I have had an Edge 130 for about two years now. Works great for all things bike. Strava live, navigation and push notifications all work perfect. I’ve found the other units too bulky for MTB. Get the 130 and you will be happy.
That’s my thoughts initialy too. I really just want something that can be used to gather more accurate data than my iPhone and is as minimal as possible. Don’t see why an MTB rider wants a huge device sticking off their cockpit. Unless they ride blind and don’t want to take their phone out of their pocket to check the map.
And how is track logging of the 130? I find my phone is not accurate enough in the forest, is the 130 much better?
Going to get one tomorrow. I was planning on getting the 520 plus, but seeing the 130 that's all i need and being cheaper. £99 from Halfords atm. So am I right in saying my routes i record on the 130 will upload to my strava account once paired obvs? I don't have any premium strava accounts, don't do that live segment stuff, just want to record my strava from the 130 other than my expensive phone in my bike bag on rides. I want to leave my phone at home, record from the 130 on my rides, add the strava? Can this be done?
I was a Garmin fan for a long time but this summer I decided to give the wahoo element bolt a try. I'm converted.
I used to use Garmin, went to Wahoo and liked it a lot, but back to Garmin now with the 1030 and the Fenix 5+. Garmin is much better for navigation and with Di2, while I like Wahoo's for workouts and how it connects to other services. But in general, if I had to choose to stay with only one it'd be Garmin.
As an example of how waterproof these computers are, after my last ride I noticed the battery was low so placed it in my pocket. Completely forgot about it and it ended up in the washing machine and tumble dryer, I'm happy to report that it survived. :P
Honestly, I am more surprised with the dryer survival. Most devices are pretty good at water proof-ness (is that a word, lol) the extreme heat is by far the worse enemy to electrical gadgets. Congrats on your success story. Truly impressive!
@@Wklambert Most bike gear is usually dried on low and does not take long, still very impressive though!
I've had the week off work and discovered your channel on Monday, I'm addicted and have spent the week watching your vids,n not much else! I Love them, Thank you!
Welcome! Happy you're enjoying our content!!
Stacey kilcoyne SNAP
I have the garmin edge 1000 and a 735xt and really happy to have them. Thanks to my edge 1000 i never get lost. Really nice equipement for the riders
I chose the wahoo elemnt. No complaints about it! I'm sure garmin is awesome though
In case of a crash I prefer not having my watch (fenix 5 plus) on my wrist, but on the bars. I've had my wrist broken on 3 places, just because of a watch. I've never had a broken gps when falling with the bike, even though I've had a couple of direct hits on the gps in those cases (garmin geko 201, garmin gpsmap 60csx, garmin gpsmap 62st). No specific bike options, but I use them for geocaching/walking as wel, so I need a versatile one.
When my shoulder is ok again, I will be using the fenix 5 plus in combination with speed/cadance sensor and heartrate monitor with the watch placed on the handle bars with the holder.
Great product!!! Would buy again.
Just bought the Garmin edge 520. I'm a MTB rider. Loving the review. Not so much the 80s porno music in background though.
For those hard core bike packers, the Garmin InReach or Spot are essential piecees of kit. And they aren't even mentioned!
You are definitely correct about using Strava on your mobile phone compared to a dedicated GPS unit like these Garmin units. I've sworn I've ridden a trail faster than my PB but Strava said it was a few seconds slower. Definitely not consistent.
Works great just as it should
I use a 520plus and love it. All the info I need and easy to read on the fly. A quick stop with some brake shudder had set off the incident detection though.
Wasted a lot of time with garmin devices in the past, now a happy wahoo user for about 2 years...touchscreens are useless in mud when wearing gloves
I use a Garmin vioactive 3. I love it because it’s small and works every time .
For training, smartwatch/Fitbit/etc and the smaller the better, less of a target for crashes. If you plan a multiple-day ride off-road, an old Garmin etrex (any version: 20, 30, etc) is fine; it uses AA batteries that last for days, and compared to these new GPS units with touch screens, an old etrex is much more durable. I've had an etrex fly off my bike and tumble down a mountain cliff with barely a scratch and worked for three days on the lowest battery setting, while my friend's newer touchscreen GPS died the first day of our month-long trip. And good luck trying to get a touchscreen working after a crash.
@Ikreisrond oh I meant all the etrex line! 20, 30, etc.
I have both a 130 and a 520. I use the 520 on my road bikes. When I got into mountain biking, I tried the 520 on the mountain and fatbike but it was just a bit to large and fell off a couple times while racing. The 130 has been great. Yeah it isn't as robust with info but it is perfect for riding offroad plus it controls my bluetooth headlight and taillight. Now only if GMBN and Garmin were giving one away as I'm in the market for a 520 Plus. My current 520's battery only lasts for around 6 hours (it's 4 years old). I'm fully ingrained in the Garmin ecosystem. I also own a Forerunner 230 and 920xt for running and Duathlons.
Runtastic Mountainbike Pro on my phone with a bluetooth heart rate monitor strap. The open cycle map (OCM) is great for MTB riding.
can download that map for free on garmins too. the colour comes in useful as that map is colour coded.
You guys should do a ride with the watch, bar mount and phone in the back pocket to see the difference in ride distance, elevation etc... Would be cool to see a comparison.
One thing you missed, the price. For example, that edge 1030 is about the price of a new bike for me, so the budget also plays a big role in buying a GPS device.
This is useful, if you’re considering more in the premium end worth checking out dcrainmaker comparison of 520 820 and 1030.
Wahoo Elemnt Bolt crushes Garmin. Battery life, customizable pages, notifications, 2tone display is so easy to see... I gave my garmin away to a kid on the trail
Not to mention the price difference!
@@michielnooren2076 Yes!
How does Wahoo Element do with off road/MTB trails (such as Trail forks app)? It looks like the Wahoo web page is very geared toward road cycling. I don't ride on pavement much.
Navigation with good maps/turn by turn?
Michiel Nooren the garmin edge 130, which was designed for a similar purpose with a similar feature suite, is $50 cheaper than the bolt. Not saying it’s better or worth it or whatever, but it is something to keep in mind.
I'd like to see some in-depth videos showing how to use these for navigation, from finding/ creating/ loading routes to using them out in the mud and rain, while wearing gloves etc - I really don't care about the other features! FWIW I currently use a phone with Locus Map pro which works pretty well, but would prefer a purpose built device, with longer battery life, tactile buttons etc.
I've recently bought a Garmin edge 520 plus and I absolutely love it!
Great to hear!
Or if you haven’t got much money go for a Bryton 450. I use one, good purchase, super accurate, more battery than Garmin, and has BLE.
Loved my Garmin 520, but after it got stolen I switched over to Wahoo, and would never go back to Garmin ever again.
I just use my phone running strava- no distractions while on the trail but all the stats when looking back on it later!
I'm a bit of a Garmin geek I'm afraid, I have the 1030 on my road bike with the vario radar and Vector 3 pedals, I use my Fenix 5 on the mountain bike and I also have the front light which I switch between both bikes.The light is really good when used with the computer as it adjusts brightness based on speed. I might need help 😂
Love my Fenix 3. It is bullet proof, accurate, and the battery life blows away the Apple Watch....which I also like, but just not for MTB.
Just brought my first Gps unit Garmin Edge 605
I'm using a Lezyne Micro GPS.Been quite happy with it, it also survived going through the washing machine on one occasion :p
Why is it that when a company becomes a partner of a well liked RUclips channel they stop all testing and reviews of competitors? Garmin is a monopoly and they buy market share with sponsorship! Very disappointed GMBN!
Iv'e gone from the Garmin 520, to the Wahoo Elemnt Bolt, I liked the Garmin but the menu functionality was clunky and frustrating.
You cannot use the 1030 with gloves
Is it possible to see the heart rate of your watch on the gps computer? When you have both and you start an activity on the gps, will everything be synced in the garmin connect app?
Neil .....you’re still “THE DON” to me!!
You keep saying Fenix 5 - but the box says Fenix 5 PLUS - its two difference watches with a big difference in features. Garmin Fenix 5 does not have music/spotify/wifi/wallet/maps - The PLUS version does :)
Thanks for the clarification!
I use a Garmin edge 130 MIP display...no others gps has that resolution (303 x 230)I don’t care if it is black and white...any can’t match day or night visibility.
Get a Garmin! I've got the Vivo Active 3 and love it! Also the Virb camera G-Metrics are fun to show in my videos too!
garmin 920xt. love it.
Would love to see a step by step procese to activate a 520 live tracking. I'm battling with getting it to work.
Awesome breakdown!
great video I know you did the video ages ago but what would you recommend to buy for a new rider
Good video. Them Garmin computers are sick 🤟🏻
MTB Trail Life I like the watches bro
Very good tips, thanks for this.
Question from a roadie:
What is Enduro?
Consider it the rally car driving of the biking world. Expert races are 3-6 stages (essentially dh races from 3-15 minutes), with liaisons of 2000+/- meters of climbing, 30-50 km distance.
Uhhhhhhhh.................. I use Polar..................................
I got a v650 which is great.
Garmin user for YEARS, now a Hammerhead Karoo user.
Planning on getting the 520 plus this year
Neil u said garmin edge 1030 is the most expencive, but the fenix 5 plus is more expencive product there. I use a garmin fenix 5 for mtb and garmin edge 1000 on road bike, both are very good
FYI at beta firmware 4.19 the pop up turn notification is not working.....the distance to the turn will not change. I've missed a few turns on my rides because i thought the turn was still far away.
What are the maps like? I use O.S. maps to plot routes and the 25,000 have lots of detail, tracks, paths, bridleways etc. Can this unit use OS mapping? Is the screen transflective? Visible in bright sun? Can gpx format files be loaded into it and not only by bluetooth but also directly via usb?
Wahoo is the absolute best.
I've got tom tom watch with heartrate monitor and gps, that works well for tracking my rides and a basic route map. I pull out my phone with komoot if i need a more detailed map
I have a Garmin Edge 705 which I have had for years. The TOPO map that came with it isn't particular good and the small screen size doesn't help either. The original battery only lasted 3 years but I bought a new one off the internet and fitted it myself. That's been going for 5 years without a problem. The unit is extremely tough - has survived multiple crashes and two washes in a washing machine (still had to dry it out though). The 'get me back to my start point' feature has been useful on more than one occasion. Didn't find it so good for navigating but very good for recording all my trips and heart rate monitoring. Living in the the Czech Republic I now use Mapy.cz on my Samsung phone. Excellent maps (free) and pretty good for navigation. However not good in a crash (broken screen can testify to that) and have to hide it in inclement weather. As I use the phone and Garmin nav in tandem I don't feel inclined towards anything new. Strava et al has no interest for me. I just want to ride.
@Ikreisrond As I have got older my eyesiht has got worse and find the Garmin screen too small. I prefer to use my phone for the maps and the Garmin for recording the trip.
Smart watch
So far I've had only my phone, but receiving a garmin fenix 5x plus today actually. Talk about coincidences.
Thanks
Neil can you save routes you've followed with those devices and then upload them online so we can download them as GPX files and follow the routes ourselves?
Started with the Garmin 820. Difficult to see map as I need reading glasses. Incident report doesn’t work if no cell service. Lasted a year and had to send back They sent me a refurbished and said it was covered for the remaining warranty. Unfortunately warranty was up at a year.
Have a Garmin watch now and use it all the time. Pretty accurate. Garmin Forerunner 935.
Just got a Garmin mini in reach. I ride in areas where there is no cell service so this works by satellite. So good for emergencies. It is very small and keep in my pocket. Can send preset texts. Can send other texts but like the old cell phones you have to scroll through and takes awhile. They do make bigger ones with maps if you are really going into the wilderness. Of course you have to pay extra for satellite service for these devices but worth it if you ride remotely.Love tech stuff.
I had a Garmin Edge 800 but it got stolen while I was in Chatel, replaced it with an Edge 810 with the insurance money and it's been great. Done a few 80 mile + epics with it, even have a cable to connect it to my Exposure lights and use them as a battery pack. I've also got a really old Edge 200 that I use for commuting and that refuses to die, must be over 5 years old now and the only way you'd know is the battery doesn't last as long as it used to. My friends have had a few of the newer Garmin GPS units and they've had a few issue with them, mainly random crashing mid-ride and the touchscreens not working in the wet. Most have now switched to Wahoo and I most probably will when I decide to upgrade (or the 800 dies). Sadly Garmin have a habit of having one good product cycle followed by a bad one and I think this current one is a bad one.
do bike navigation devices work without any intrnet connection or phone pairing wherever you are?
I bought myself a Garmin Edge Explore some time ago...and I'm absolutely NOT happy with it. I didn't know anything about navigation...didn't know that the Explore only uses the GPS satellites...not Glonass, not Beidou, not Galileo etc... resulting in the fact that I'm loosing the signal regularly in the woods. Currently swapped to using my phone (Xiaomi Mi 8). What a relief. This phone supports "Dual frequency GNSS" and GLONAS, BEIDOU,GALILEO,QZSS .Signal is much much better,and I'm not loosing signal anymore. I'm quiet surprised that a company that is specialized in navigation sells such rubbish.
I had been using an edge 820 but unfortunately I lost the bloody thing! So disappointed. Got to try and save for a new one now. Just need to decide what to do. Computer or watch!
Any updates to the video?
Does the 130 come with the MTB mount?
Great info but what’s going on with that background Muzak?
If you record your ride on the watch to get your heart rate etc, and use the computer to direct you on the same ride,
Q1) will the two recordings show up separately on Garmin Connect?
Q2) If they do, are you able to sync them together if you wanted?
A1) yes
A2) no
A better course of action would be to check your watch's options for 'broadcasting HR', so your computer can record the HR data directly from the watch. That said, optical wrist HR sensors usually perform pretty poorly when it comes to MTB, so using a chest strap HRM would be better again.
I have a garmin 130 hr bundle and a garmin watch vivomove hr
Hey! I need help. I don't care about train parameters, i just want a first GPS no navigate maps, import GPX tracks, good screen size and go for trails in my MTB. What was your advice? Edge 520 Plus, Edge 530 or Edge Explore? I'm just a weekend rider. Many thanks
just follow the trail blazes??
LOL .What trail blazes?
Is the gps of a smartwatch even good as a bike computer?
With the ability of today's smartphones I don't see any need for GPS device. I use Sports Tracker and Ride With GPS apps with OpenStreetMap Cycling map and it's perfect. If you are on unfamiliar terrain you just the draw the route at home and follow it. Ride With GPS has amazing Plan tool where you can draw routes. You can even download routes offline if you are going somewhere there's no internet signal. I have Quad Lock to put the phone on the bar, works magical
I can't argue that a smartphone is very capable, my concern with replacing my computer with a phone is that in the event of a bad crash I don't want my phone exposed on the bars. I had a moto crash with my phone on the bars, it was ejected thirty feet, luckily it was on a fire road and it survived. If I am hurt I want my phone protected as much as possible to be used to summon emergency services. Also on longer rides the battery life is loads longer compared to a phone if both are set to keep the screen on. If you are concerned with sensors (cadence, HR, power, etc) most phones will not work with ANT+ and you will need BTLE sensors which frankly aren't as stable in my experience. Lastly, if I bin it I will cry less over a $150 cycling computer vs. my flagship smartphone. The case could be made for an older cheaper phone being re-purposed as a cycling computer though.
Those are all valid points, but I'm an XC rider, I don't do crazy things so I never crash. If sometimes terrain is bit more risky I put it away in the backpack or somewhere, so I never broke my phone riding. Yes, you never know but chance is so small I'm willing to risk. You can also break GPS device the same way if it is anywhere on the bike, but yeah it is cheaper loss. Also I don't record cadence, HR and stuff like that, I need it for navigation and track recording. What I like with smartphones is beautiful big screen which is great for displaying maps and its responsiveness, and having everything smartphone offers in front of me all the time. And not having GPS device is one less device to carry and one battery less to think about. My phone battery lasts the entire day of track recording and I always have power bank with me anyway, so I'm fine with that.
I ride in heavily wooded rain forest where my cell phone GPS won't receive. Is there a wheel sensor or something to provide distance & speed data?
Just when I bought a Wahoo Ahah it's amazing BTW
Do not buy any of these devices for navigation. These are old smartphones repackaged with custom software. It would not be half as bad, if the used hardware was not 5+ years old and on-device reroute calculations would take literally ages. Buy a cheap smartphone, attach it and use one of the many good navigation apps. You will save a lot of money and at the same time you will have way better performance than even Garmin's high-end model.
We're not too sure about that, FlyTurtle. A cheap smartphone will have significantly less battery life, a weaker overall structure, and isn't built for purpose. There are some hacks around getting a dedicated nav/fitness device, but they will never fully replace the purpose built item.
.I wanted to use this medium to alert the bike community about MAGELLAN / MIO CYCLO in its entire line, if they buy that device and leave outside the area of their map, they CANNOT follow a track, nor use STRAVA LIVE even paying for example in SOUTH AMERICA where there are no maps, the device is locked to follow a WIKILOC track for example, which they do not clarify anywhere, they even cheat saying they use OpenStreetMaps use it but no one but them can use those maps that are in the public domain . Already exhausted all means and it seems that they are not willing to solve the problem.
Regards, Mario Camps
Hey Neal, what sat nav would you choose. I'm looking at buying one .
530 or 830 possibly, your thoughts or anyone else's would be cool.
Does either the 520/1030 have OS maps which allow you to set up routing over public rights of way such as bridleways and byways?
I MTB at least every weekend and have got king of the mountains on my riding Buddy's watch what do you recommend a compact computer or a watch?
Still rocking paper map, compass that works half the time and duct tape.
We used to try to get lost on the trail years ago and couldn't. With you on a map and compass though, can't go wrong if you can read it.
Times change I guess and the younger crew are bought up on looking at a screen for the answer.
@@affalaffaa Something positive about compulsory military service I guess :D
@@Pienimusta Hahaha, yeah I do sound like an old codger on a second look. Too be fair I'm well on my way there...
No computer I just plan it out if I'm going out some where, than my normal trail's. I live in Utah so I have a wide range of trails at my disposal.
Thanks for the video. I'm happy with recording rides on my Vivoactive 3 music, but would like to have a screen on my handlebar for checking my cadence and for navigation to get flow on trails rather than pulling out my phone.
Been considering the new Garmin Edge Explore (smaller than the Edge 1030), the Edge 520 plus and the Wahoo elemnt bolt.
I don't need to Strava live segments, power meter compatibility or even turn by navigation (does that even work on forest trails?)
I do half-day explorations on mtb or gravel bike, and commute with several different route options.
Which would you recommend and why?
Does the arm attachment come included with the Garmin 130/small computer?
Looking for essentially a SatNav for the bike (off road mainly). Don't really need all the power meter options etc. Is there anything out there?
update coming to feature garmin edge 530???
Can I export run info from garmin computers to some standard file (not some third party nonsence like strava) on linux?
There is not only Garmin! Why didn't you mention Lezyne, Wahoo, Polar, Bryton, Mio, Xplova, etc?
We were quite clear that Garmin is a new partner to the channel, and that we were using their products as examples when deciding which GPS unit you should buy.
@@gmbn Ok, I understand what you mean but the title is misleading IMHO. A better one would have been "What To Consider When Buying A GARMIN GPS Device For Mountain Biking". In any case I'm an happy owner of a eTrex 30 but I'm always looking for new brands and new models. Competions is always a win-win options for everybody
After my second Garmin Edge 520 died unexpectedly I decided to try something different - the Wahoo ELEMNT Bolt instead of the Garmin 530. Boy! I'm glad I did. ruclips.net/user/postUgkxXZCtB-wGdHVTBSz8RswePK5vllHNi06N The display on the Wahoo Bolt is much easier to read. I like the configuration of the display more (up to 7 items visible on page 1 without scrolling and the first item chosen is larger characters than the next 3 rows that have pairs of items (still very readable). I also like the configurable item selections. The Bolt synced with my Garmin ANT+ Speed sensors on both bikes easily so no additional investment was required there. While the rated battery life is a couple hours less than the Garmin 520/530, I easily get a weeks worth of 1+ hour rides before recharging (and it's never really low on charge). At the end of a ride syncing to the Wahoo app, Strava, and Apple Health app is painless.
I hope those boxes were empty or the computers inside got a good "workout" themselves while recording the video :-)
i like my samsung gear sport
Do you have a recommendation for a really accurate GPS for mapping trails? I spend waaaaay more time building than riding and getting accurate trail maps for the Forestry and TrailForks alike would be really useful.
@Ikreisrond thanks buddy, I will look into them. :)
#askgmbn I took my seatpost out recently and noticed mud in the seat tube, will it be ok to wash it out or would this get water into the bb
#askgmbn I’m always up for a mtb ride up the local but all my mates will think of some excuse as to why not to go, do u have any ways to persuade them to ride more often
#GMBN
Small question in which section can I upload Home/handmade trails?
Not famous for reliability, yet expensive as military spec, not liking this price bracket from any manufacturer
Consider one thing Not to buy Garmin 😉
Don't crack the glass they're none repairable & warranty won't cover so they try to flog you a replacement for nearly cost of new one, won't buy anything Garmin again use Polar now, better brackets & easier to use
@@Bungle2010 not concerned about warranty, break a screen on a phone you can pay to get repaired, break a screen on Garmin it's trash?