Garmin Edge. 800

[Matt2matt2002]

I am thinking of treating myself to a Garmin Edge 800.

Anyone here use one?
Or have an opinion?

I hope to cycle from UK to Italy next year.
And don't want to get lost!

Matt

[Slammin Sammy]

Hi Matt,

I've used it for several years. It's been upgraded to an 810, and now there's something called an Edge 1000, and a touring one too (probably lacks some of the lap timers, etc).

I use it in conjunction with my iPhone running the CycleMeter app (and thence to Strava), with the Edge's Ant+ speed and cadence sensor (and sometimes a HR monitor) bridged to Bluetooth for the iPhone using a Wahoo RFLKT+. To be honest, I don't really need the Edge, and if I bought a Bluetooth speed/cadence unit, would probably eliminate it from my setup. I like the RFLKT+ as a readout for my phone (which stays in its pouch), as it is LCD and so can be read with my polarised shades even in bright sunlight.

What I like about the Edge: Navigation and maps, altimeter, thermometer and compass.

What I dislike: Short battery life (no way is it 15 hours), small screen not suited to these old eyes, no Bluetooth or other connectivity.

I have also toyed with upgrading to an 810, so there you go! 

[Danneaux]

Matt,

I can only answer your question obliquely, but it might still prove useful:

I chose against a cycling-specific GPS and instead went with a Garmin 600T, generally regarded as a hiking compass. Filled with open-source maps (like those from OpenStreetMaps), it is a nice complement to my GPS-equipped smartphone, also filled with open-source maps. I will sometimes download maps to my phone, then transfer them to the GPS by updating the micro-SD card in my OTG smartphone reader/dock. In this way, I don't need a computer for the task.

I chose a hiking GPS because so much my cycling time here in the States is spent off-road, cross-country, or on Forest Service and  Bureau of Land Management lands. It still works fine on roads. This GPS' predecessor, a 400T, gave good service on my double crossing of Europe last summer, but failed on my return through Romania the second of three times when the plastic switch cover herniated and split, rendering the unit no longer waterproof and inoperable except when prodded by a sharp stick. The 400T is considered obsolete by Garmin (their products seem to have an effective support and service life of no more than five years) and no parts or repairs are available. The button cover is molded as part of the case upper half, and only available as a salvaged item from a same-age unit, so any replacements are unlikely to be in good shape now. I can effect a workable fix myself, but it could be unreliable in an emergency, so that unit is now retired, replaced by the 600T which I use for hiking and all back-country adventures. It has the same basic design, so I expect it to also die similarly after exposure to playa sun and alkali. 

The 600T will also work with an available Ant+ cadence sensor if desired. The sliding rail mount works nicely on handlebar, stem, or top tube. I do get an honest 16 hours' use on Eneloop XX batteries, which I recharge using my TTTP2+ and SON28 dynohub with an Eneloop AA/AAA charger. I can also power it directly, sometimes with the lights running, depending on my speed.

Materials degradation is something to keep in mind with all GPS units by pretty much all makers. Use and weather exposure (particularly to UV) can eventually kill them in simple but fatal ways, so it is best to consider them an interim rather than permanent purchase, even if the maker promises free map updates for life. Often, that can mean only for the effective life of the product (doesn't matter to me, as I use the open source ones and Russian ones, as mickeg does).

All the best,

Dan.

[John Saxby]

Matt, on my 3-week trip last year in Denmark, Sweden & northern Germany, I used a Garmin e-Trex 20, onto which I loaded maps from velomap.org  I got the e-Trex because was simple and compact, & runs on AA batts, so is rechargeable from my SON28 hub on the Raven.  (AA Eneloop batts gave me about 20-plus hours, say 2 days' use.)

Friends here have had hardware and software problems with their higher-end Garmins, so I was cautious about spending more than the CAD 180 +/- than the e-Trex cost.

I found it helpful in dealing with the dense network of cycling paths in Northern Germany; it was less necessary in either Denmark or Sweden.  I found the small screen a bother, as switching scales always seemed to leave me somewhere in the North Sea or the Baltic; but I had in any case bought a road map (Marco Polo series) with enough detail to give me the larger picture I needed. In fact, the paper map proved very helpful when I was riding from the Mecklenburg Lakes in northern Germany, to the Brandenburg area just N and W of Berlin -- it let me plot my overall route quite closely, and I used the velomap bike maps for additional detail.

I found the e-Trex variably helpful in getting me through big-gish cities like Rostock and Göteborg; that task was made easier by the fact that the signage for bike paths was generally pretty good in the parts of Northern Europe I  visited.

Velomap.org is set up to feed its maps into your computer (with Garmin Basecamp software) and from there into Garmin devices. I found the transfer from my Mac to my e-Trex to be far from straightforward, but a friend here who uses the e-Trex for hiking, and has a Mac like mine, was able to help me.

Hope that's helpful, Matt, and not just another distracting possibility.

Good luck,  John

[jags]

if it doesn't come with a wind up handle im not buying it.
the etrek vista is good easy to use colour screen runs on batterys  sd card .why the hell i ever gave mine away i'll never know.

[Matt2matt2002]

Thanks folks.
Lots of good opinions here - as usual.

I'll let you know if I splash the cash.

Matt

[Huernie]

I have used a Garmin Oregon 450T for the past few years and can highly recommend it. It has a sizeable touch screen that responds even through waterproof gloves. The unit is solidly made and has survived a few drops. It also takes 2 AA batteries which I think is essential. It's simple to use and easily navigated me across Asia, the U.S. and a couple of European crossings.

[David Simpson]

I also have the Oregon 450 (can't remember if it's the T model or not), and I like it for what I use it for. I think that is an important question to ask yourself. How do you expect to use the GPS?

Do you want to use it for training, and tracking your time (and "best time") around a given circuit?
Do you want to use it for exploring?
Do you want to use it for tracking your routes, to share with others or just to remember where you have gone?
Do you want to be able to load your own maps or satellite images into the GPS?
Do you want to use the GPS for non-bike activities?

I found that most of the GPS units sold for bike usage were most useful for training, but personally I have no interest in that aspect. I like to go exploring, track my routes, and choose what maps to load. I found the Oregon models more applicable for my use.

The Oregon 450 (and other Oregon models) accepts an SD card, and I have loaded detailed maps of my area, as well as Google satellite images (which took a bit of work). I have been very happy with it, but like I said, it fits with what I want to do.

- Dave

[geocycle]

I have an garmin edge touring which is similar to the 800 without the performance bits. It's ok but not much more. The maps are basic and the free OSM maps you can download are better but not perfect. I'd advise never to use it as a route planner as the algorithm is flawed and you can end up doing some really odd routes. It does work ok if you plan a route on the computer and then just follow it on the map and buying OS maps might make it better in the UK.  The hardware is excellent, battery life is about 8-10h, screen is ok and it maintains a fix easily. It seems weatherproof and the mounting is great.

[leftpoole]

Hi,
Im uncertain what the Garmin does, but I have recently purchased a Lezyne Mini GPS.
It looks lovely and works but is in kilometers which I do not like.
It is a bit fiddly to operate which I do not like.
I do not like or dislike it but I should have just purchased another Sigm computer which I do understand!
Go on have a laugh on me!
Regards,
John

[in4]

I think there is/was a Garmin for sale in Aldi at around £80 this/last week. I've yet to buy one, or something similar. I use Strava on my dinosaurphone but can see the advantages of a dedicated device; perhaps the data generated might have a smaller margin of error for example.

[jags]

Hi,
Im uncertain what the Garmin does, but I have recently purchased a Lezyne Mini GPS.
It looks lovely and works but is in kilometers which I do not like.
It is a bit fiddly to operate which I do not like.
I do not like or dislike it but I should have just purchased another Sigm computer which I do understand!
Go on have a laugh on me!
Regards,
John

what were u thinking if it doesn't have  a win up handle stay well away.Aldi had a great del on the 500 last week probably gone by now.

[leftpoole]

Hi,
Im uncertain what the Garmin does, but I have recently purchased a Lezyne Mini GPS.
It looks lovely and works but is in kilometers which I do not like.
It is a bit fiddly to operate which I do not like.
I do not like or dislike it but I should have just purchased another Sigm computer which I do understand!
Go on have a laugh on me!
Regards,
John

what were u thinking if it doesn't have  a win up handle stay well away.Aldi had a great del on the 500 last week probably gone by now.

Actually there was an elastic band in the box!
 

[jags]

  thats the one now don't loose it .
did you get camping this week.
i got 25 miles yesterday 20 today 50 in the morning hope my back doesnt cave in.

ooops sorry im rambling again
what was i saying  oh yeah don't go buying stuff until u run it by me first.

[phopwood]

I use a Garmin 810 it is a little quirky (or perhaps it just thinks different to me) and as already said I would never rely on it to plan a route, always plan in advance.  It is great and I also like the Garmin connect website for looking at the details of my rides.  I had tried a number of apps on my android phone and some were great, but I wanted a dedicated waterproof unit.

I also have a Germin Viviofit to count my steps, which motivates me to walk more than I used too.

Peter