Garmin Edge 520 plus? advice sought

[trogladytes]

I'm looking at getting the Garmin Edge 520 plus for navigation on and off road, and my question is... is there anything better for the price? (currently £159)

Also do Garmins become obsolete quickly? or assuming it's not broken will it still operate for a few years.
I've never had one before.

I need something that is rechargeable, relatively easy to use and gives turn by turn directions, records rides and preferably displays all the usual info re speed, elevation, distance.

I have looked at some of the other gps threads and saw that some people prefer the Wahoo Bolt, does the b&w mapping make it difficult to use if you need reading glasses?
One of the main reasons i want one is so i don't have to keep stopping to check which way to go on my phone app, and to save the phone battery.

[sean_iow]

Not used a 520 but to answer the question of obsolescence, unlike a phone or a computer they don't have a separate operating system and software, do you don't end up in the position where you can't install the software update as your hardware isn't supported... rant about phones over

I've got an Edge 500 I bought in 2015 maybe? Definitely before 2016 as I had it when I moved house. It works as well still as the day I bought it. I used it today in fact. I have no plans to replace it.

Does the 520 have mapping? I did try using my 500 to follow a breadcrumb trail but it was hard to be sure I was on the right track if there were several options close together at a junction.

[pistonbroke]

If you want to focus on navigation then the Edge Explore is a better bet, shopping around will get you one for not much more. I bought one for £125 mid last year. It's got a bigger screeen, works wirelessly to transfer routes from a smart phone via Komoot, Wikiloc and Strava and has a decent battery life which is an issue with the 520. As with all Garmin products though, I'd not consider it a keeper. Recent Garmin are terrible for built in obsolescence, their software updates usually do more harm than good, they are constantly changing their model line up to add features you think you need but in reality are just toys whilst failing to support their older models. That said, for providing the features you specify, it's hard to see past them, just don't expect to keep it forever. Oh and look after the micro USB charging port, they are very fragile.

[trogladytes]

unlike a phone or a computer they don't have a separate operating system and software, do you don't end up in the position where you can't install the software update as your hardware isn't supported... rant about phones over

This is exactly what I meant!

The 520+ comes with Garmin's maps of Europe preloaded, but I don't think it can be used to out a destination in and get a route, like you might with Google maps when driving.

[trogladytes]

If you want to focus on navigation then the Edge Explore is a better bet, shopping around will get you one for not much more. I bought one for £125 mid last year. It's got a bigger screeen, works wirelessly to transfer routes from a smart phone via Komoot, Wikiloc and Strava and has a decent battery life which is an issue with the 520. As with all Garmin products though, I'd not consider it a keeper. Recent Garmin are terrible for built in obsolescence, their software updates usually do more harm than good, they are constantly changing their model line up to add features you think you need but in reality are just toys whilst failing to support their older models. That said, for providing the features you specify, it's hard to see past them, just don't expect to keep it forever. Oh and look after the micro USB charging port, they are very fragile.

That does sound good, except for the software update issue, I had a look at the explore and it looks more like what I want, thanks

[whitestone]

I've the 520 (not the plus version).

It does the usual recording of data that pretty well all these units do. Connects to the usual ANT+ sensors - speed, cadence, power, HR.

The supplied maps are, err, weird, but you can load your own. In a way. The only maps you can load on the 520 are from Garmin basecamp and you are limited in how big an area you can load - something like the north of England for example. The 520+ lets you load a much bigger area, at least the whole of the UK. Also getting the map isn't a case of picking one from a list, it's more like picking pieces from a jigsaw puzzle, you say what you want, Garmin create that particular map and email you a link to download.

You can't zoom or scroll the maps, they are at a fixed scale with your location in the centre of the screen. If you load a TCX file rather than a GPX then you'll get turn by turn instructions* but if you miss a turn and go back you still get the "turn left" instruction when it should be "turn right", the 520+ does this properly I believe. The 520+ apparently does navigation to a named point/point of interest but entering such data might take you as long to do as to ride there as text entry is via cursor keys around a virtual keyboard!

*This does depend on the mapping used by the program used to generate the TCX file - not all do so.

[substandard]

I have a 520Plus and for the money it’s hard to beat, used it for the 2019 gbduro event and it didn’t miss a beat for the 2000km route. Just saved a file off at the end of each day.

Also used it for last years dales divide and did the event without saving it.

The 520 series can also be charged off a usb power bank mid ride, it’s very quick to charge and uses minimal power from the bank. Only had 2x10,000mah batteries for gbduro and that did fine, I did recharge one at the midway checkpoint but had more than I needed left at the end

[trogladytes]

I have a 520Plus and for the money it’s hard to beat, used it for the 2019 gbduro event and it didn’t miss a beat for the 2000km route. Just saved a file off at the end of each day.

Also used it for last years dales divide and did the event without saving it.

The 520 series can also be charged off a usb power bank mid ride, it’s very quick to charge and uses minimal power from the bank. Only had 2x10,000mah batteries for gbduro and that did fine, I did recharge one at the midway checkpoint but had more than I needed left at the end

That's really useful, thanks. When you say 'saved a file off It at the end of each day' do you mean saved it to your phone, or will it store your rides for a few days?

[substandard]

Saved the ride at the end of each day into the device memory, it also auto uploaded via Bluetooth to my phone each day so people could follow progress on Strava.

The device has a 10gb memory so you can save loads of routes, activities, maps, poi etc

The old 520 only had around 150mb memory!

[substandard]

I think I’ve got every ride I’ve done since 2019 still stored on mine

[trogladytes]

Thanks substandard, really helpful info

[Alpinum]

As with all Garmin products though, I'd not consider it a keeper. Recent Garmin are terrible for built in obsolescence, their software updates usually do more harm than good, they are constantly changing their model line up to add features you think you need but in reality are just toys whilst failing to support their older models. That said, for providing the features you specify, it's hard to see past them, just don't expect to keep it forever. Oh and look after the micro USB charging port, they are very fragile.

Quite the opposite experience in my case with various Garmin products, mainly the Edge 820 (no experience with the 520, but can't imagine the build quality etc. to be so different).

[BordersSteve]

One thing to note as you mentioned reading glasses, the 500 series screens are pretty small. Readability is great with the backlight whacked up but on auto sometimes I find myself squinting at it when navigating. The 800 series is a significantly bigger screen but also a significantly higher price tag...

Disclaimer that this is could well just be me and my dreadful eyesight and reluctance to wear glasses. I would try and have a play with one in a shop or from a mate if you can though.

[Alpinum]

[...]The 800 series is a significantly bigger screen but also a significantly higher price tag...

Disclaimer that this is could well just be me and my dreadful eyesight and reluctance to wear glasses.[...]

Indeed. You might want to put on glasses and look again, 520+ has the same screen size as the 820 has.
You might be thinking of the 1000 series? Those have a bigger screen

And the other hand and as a general rule of thumb, the smaller the screen, the less battery draining the device is. A friend of mine used a 1020, but despite its benefits, the battery run time brought him back to the smaller screen.

The 820 has a superb sleep mode (gps running but no black screen) and in routing mode it automatically awakens to indicate a change in direction. I like to use this function when riding in the dark, which often comes with being somewhat tired and likely to miss a turn.
I guess the 520+ can do this too..?

[BordersSteve]

Yep it is indeed the 1000 series I meant! Not sure I can blame that one on the eyes, more of a brain problem...

[lune ranger]

Yep it is indeed the 1000 series I meant! Not sure I can blame that one on the eyes, more of a brain problem...

To be fair, the original edge 800 was somewhat bigger than the 500, prior to mapping being a feature of the 500.

[rudedog]

As mentioned earlier in the thread, the edge explore has a much bigger screen than the 520 so if you are primarily interested in mapping, it might be a better bet.

DC rainmaker did a good in depth review and also includes a photo to show the devices side by side

https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2018/07/gar ... eview.html

[Charliecres]

I’ve an Edge Explore and would recommend that for what the OP’s described. It’s much more navigation-focused than the 520.

[Leerowe76]

I've owned a few Garminge's over the years 800, 810, 820 & 520 but after switching to Wahoo I wouldn't go back to a Garmin of any sort now. A Wahoo Roam would be a better choice of unit but this is just my own opinion

[ScotRoutes]

I've owned a few Garminge's over the years 800, 810, 820 & 520 but after switching to Wahoo I wouldn't go back to a Garmin of any sort now. A Wahoo Roam would be a better choice of unit but this is just my own opinion

Have you ever owned a non-Edge Garmin? I keep reading of issues with them but my Geko / Dakota / Oregon (600 and 700) usage has been great.

I also still use an Edge 705 which has been solid for the past 12 years. I did have to change the battery once as it was no longer taking a full charge. Cost me £15 and took about 10 minutes.

[Leerowe76]

I've owned a few Garminge's over the years 800, 810, 820 & 520 but after switching to Wahoo I wouldn't go back to a Garmin of any sort now. A Wahoo Roam would be a better choice of unit but this is just my own opinion

Have you ever owned a non-Edge Garmin? I keep reading of issues with them but my Geko / Dakota / Oregon (600 and 700) usage has been great.

I also still use an Edge 705 which has been solid for the past 12 years. I did have to change the battery once as it was no longer taking a full charge. Cost me £15 and took about 10 minutes.

Only ever had the ones mentioned tbf, the 800 was the best of the lot imo had all sorts of issues with the others, gremlins uploading poor battery life, crashing etc lots of messing around really. Switched to the Wahoo Bolt which has been faultless in the 2yrs of owning and used pretty much every day in all weathers and the battery life is damn good too and does everything required of it and all very simple to use as in loading a route to the unit, downloading to strava etc setting up all super easy. Would only change it for the Wahoo Roam which also has great reviews but again the Bolt does all I need right now

[ScotRoutes]

I've owned a few Garminge's over the years 800, 810, 820 & 520 but after switching to Wahoo I wouldn't go back to a Garmin of any sort now. A Wahoo Roam would be a better choice of unit but this is just my own opinion

Have you ever owned a non-Edge Garmin? I keep reading of issues with them but my Geko / Dakota / Oregon (600 and 700) usage has been great.

I also still use an Edge 705 which has been solid for the past 12 years. I did have to change the battery once as it was no longer taking a full charge. Cost me £15 and took about 10 minutes.

Only ever had the ones mentioned tbf, the 800 was the best of the lot imo had all sorts of issues with the others, gremlins uploading poor battery life, crashing etc lots of messing around really. Switched to the Wahoo Bolt which has been faultless in the 2yrs of owning and used pretty much every day in all weathers and the battery life is damn good too and does everything required of it and all very simple to use as in loading a route to the unit, downloading to strava etc setting up all super easy. Would only change it for the Wahoo Roam which also has great reviews but again the Bolt does all I need right now

That's a "no" then?

[Leerowe76]

I've owned a few Garminge's over the years 800, 810, 820 & 520 but after switching to Wahoo I wouldn't go back to a Garmin of any sort now. A Wahoo Roam would be a better choice of unit but this is just my own opinion

Have you ever owned a non-Edge Garmin? I keep reading of issues with them but my Geko / Dakota / Oregon (600 and 700) usage has been great.

I also still use an Edge 705 which has been solid for the past 12 years. I did have to change the battery once as it was no longer taking a full charge. Cost me £15 and took about 10 minutes.

Only ever had the ones mentioned tbf, the 800 was the best of the lot imo had all sorts of issues with the others, gremlins uploading poor battery life, crashing etc lots of messing around really. Switched to the Wahoo Bolt which has been faultless in the 2yrs of owning and used pretty much every day in all weathers and the battery life is damn good too and does everything required of it and all very simple to use as in loading a route to the unit, downloading to strava etc setting up all super easy. Would only change it for the Wahoo Roam which also has great reviews but again the Bolt does all I need right now

That's a "no" then?

Correct