Greatest Garmin bike computer systems

Bike computer systems are extremely helpful instruments for monitoring and guiding your bike rides, whether or not you follow pavement or journey on the paths. Garmin gives a full vary of bike computers, however fortunately, there are fewer choices than you may discover in Garmin’s watch and fitness tracker lineup. Nonetheless, there are many selections for a spread of budgets and wishes, so you may make certain to search out the Garmin bike pc that is finest for you.

All of Garmin’s head items present at the very least primary journey and efficiency information, together with mapping and navigation instruments. Nevertheless, relying in your chosen mannequin, the show sort, dimension, specific features, and value will, naturally, differ.

Greatest Garmin bike pc general

Garmin’s newest bike pc is a critically spectacular system with a protracted record of options, making it my favorite bike computer throughout any model. To start out, Garmin lastly addressed one of the vital widespread complaints about Garmin bike computer systems: the outdated show expertise. The newest Garmin bike pc encompasses a vibrant and vibrant liquid crystal show that appears rather more trendy. The touchscreen may be very snappy and responsive, making it really feel somewhat like a smartphone.

Past seems, the Edge 1050 can also be filled with helpful options. It gives a built-in speaker that features as a loud bell and notifies you of hazards on the highway due to crowdsourced info, very like Waze does. There’s additionally an Incident Detection characteristic and the flexibility to be notified if a member of your group journey has an incident.

The Edge 1050 gives extremely correct multi-band GNSS for exact location, mapping, pace, and distance information throughout your rides. The massive show makes it straightforward to make use of for navigation, with turn-by-turn instructions and quick access to routes.

The one draw back is the intense show does impression battery life, nevertheless it nonetheless offers 20 hours of battery life in demanding conditions (Multi-GNSS Multi-Band, all of the sensors, LiveTrack enabled, map web page on fixed show, and course following). At $700, it is an costly bike pc, nevertheless it’s arduous to beat for severe cyclists in search of a feature-rich, exact device.

Greatest Garmin bike pc for battery life

Garmin Edge 1040 Photo voltaic

Lengthy battery life with photo voltaic charging

The Garmin Edge 1040 Photo voltaic is a complicated bike pc with photo voltaic charging capabilities to increase battery life. It gives a strong record of options for navigation, efficiency, and security with an enormous show that makes it straightforward to see info throughout your rides.

Execs

• Glorious battery life with photo voltaic charging
• Comes with plenty of equipment
• Massive show is straightforward to learn in all situations
• Plenty of efficiency and navigation options

Cons

• Photo voltaic charging is simply useful in particular conditions
• Show seems a bit outdated

For some, prolonged battery life is extra vital than a vibrant, fancy show. The Edge 1040 Photo voltaic sits simply above the Edge 1050 when it comes to value however gives greater than double the battery life when utilized in sunny areas. The show is a transflective TFT touchscreen constructed with Garmin’s Energy Glass. Together with two photo voltaic panels above and under the show, the system will get roughly 40 hours of life in considerably demanding use circumstances with minimal photo voltaic charging. Sunny rides would fare even higher, promising as much as 50 hours of life.

Learn our evaluation

The Garmin Edge 1040 Photo voltaic offers intensive battery life with a protracted record of options, however the show is a letdown.

The Edge 1040 Photo voltaic gives helpful navigation instruments, together with turn-by-turn path and the flexibility to sync routes from Strava and different platforms simply. It additionally warns you in case you’re coming as much as a busy highway or tight flip, even in case you aren’t following a route. Just like the Edge 1050, it options multi-band GNSS for extremely correct location information and the flexibility to pair coronary heart price sensors and energy meters.

As anticipated from a top-tier Garmin bike pc, you may have entry to a strong record of efficiency and coaching instruments. That features stamina insights, so you will get an concept of what kind of tempo you possibly can keep in your route and coaching standing to assist gauge in case you are over or under-training. You’re going to get on-device day by day urged exercises and might even add an occasion to get adaptive coaching instruments. It is a dear device, nevertheless it’s value it for these severe about efficiency.

Greatest Garmin bike pc for most individuals

Garmin Edge 540

A steadiness of options and value

The Garmin Edge 540 is a mid-tier bike pc with a shade show and button-only controls. It gives loads of navigation instruments, adaptive teaching, and multi-band GNSS for correct information in your rides. 

Execs

• Loads of navigation instruments
• Suitable with adaptive coaching
• Works with further sensors
• Correct location information

The Edge 540 sits roughly in the course of the Garmin bike pc lineup. It gives a steadiness of value and options that’s superb for many riders. It offers much more information than the smaller Edge 130 Plus, with full restoration and coaching load lined. You will have loads of metrics in your journey, together with energy compatibility and indoor bike coach management. It gives multi-band GNSS for correct location information, and the colour show helps navigation with turn-by-turn routing and re-routing.

The smartphone connectivity offers LiveTrack, cellphone notifications, and rather more, whereas connectivity consists of Wi-Fi for updates and syncing and not using a cellphone connection. Plus, there’s Bluetooth and ANT+ for connectivity to different sensors, including to the instruments you possibly can make the most of. It offers as much as 26 hours of battery life, which is lots lengthy for most individuals.

The most important draw back for some is that the Edge 540 would not have a touchscreen. It is button management solely, which is likely one of the massive variations between this unit and the costlier fashions. The two.6-inch show can also be smaller than the opposite choices, although it nonetheless gives sufficient actual property to simply see the map and your stats throughout rides.

Greatest funds Garmin bike pc

Garmin Edge 130 Plus

Primary however succesful

The Garmin Edge 130 Plus sits on the entry level to Garmin’s bike pc lineup. It’s compact and light-weight, with a monochrome MIP show. Although the options are paired down in comparison with costlier choices, it gives all the mandatory journey stats and coaching options for cyclists who do not want something fancy. 

Execs

• Compact and light-weight
• Navigation with flip prompts
• ClimbPro characteristic for hilly areas
• Loads of connectivity choices

Cons

• Monochrome, non-touchscreen show
• Restricted mapping instruments

The Garmin Edge 130 Plus is Garmin’s entry-level bike pc. It is a compact and light-weight unit that provides you the important particulars about your journey. It has a GPS and altimeter, so it gives route monitoring and a few navigation. Nevertheless, it is not multi-band, so it will not be fairly as exact as costlier fashions. Just like the Edge 540, the Edge 130 Plus is button-controlled solely, although it has a monochrome display screen.

There is no mapping on the system, so it is a breadcrumb path solely from imported routes, with notifications of when to show. It’ll route again to the beginning, however there is no re-routing provided once you enterprise off beam. The altimeter implies that ClimbPro is obtainable, exhibiting a visible graph of the hill you are climbing and the way a lot additional there may be to go.

The Edge 1030 Plus connects to your smartphone, enabling information syncing with Garmin Join, LiveTrack, and cellphone notifications. It is also suitable with a variety of sensors utilizing ANT+ or Bluetooth and helps indoor coach management. It is fairly paired down from Garmin’s different fashions however offers all of the fundamentals, making it a worthwhile device for all types of riders.

FAQ

Q: Does a biking pc want Bluetooth and ANT+ connectivity?

A motorcycle pc would not essentially want Bluetooth or ANT+ connectivity, however these options will let you pair further sensors like coronary heart price displays, cadence sensors, and energy meters. Moreover, Bluetooth connectivity will let you pair your cellphone with the system to sync your information and get cellphone notifications. When you can actually do with out these connectivity choices, they do add some good options and performance.

Q: What are the options to a motorcycle pc?

Not everybody needs or wants a standalone bike pc. If that is the case, you will get plenty of bike pc options in your cellphone. A cellphone mount and cycling app can supply navigation instruments, security options, and primary information assortment, although with out the accuracy of a standalone unit.