Which 2nd hand bike computer?

[Rapideye]

Hello Folks,

I'm looking to buy my first bike computer but could do with advice on which would be best to go for and which one's are best to avoid. Budget-wise, I'm thinking £100...sound reasonable for a used bit of kit? I guess battery life, usability and reliability are the main considerations. Anything else I should be looking at? As this is my first unit, I'm thinking I don't need the latest, most-up-to-date models but at the same time it wants to be reasonable.

Any suggestions of make and models?

[redefined_cycles]

Try looking for a newer model Wahoo (IMO). The older ones, even if they do work flawlessly (which IME they do) might be in the knackered/well worn battery stakes now. I have a wahoo bolt (but previous model... ie eidtion one) that could be sold for £100

Battery life IME is good but I could do a battery test for ya!

[flyingpig]

Been thinking of upgrading to roam V2 myself, currently have original Elemnt which has been flawless and simple to use.

It lasts a good 200km road ride battery wise.

I'd be happy to sell so I can trade up

[redefined_cycles]

ROAM are brilliant. I also upgraded both the ROAM and BOLT. Both ace items (in both editions).

[Bearbonesnorm]

Are you looking for a bike computer or a gps to navigate with?

[Rapideye]

Yes, for navigation. Want to be able to put on routes to be able to follow easier than on the phone. Not concerned with avge speed etc but knowing distances travelled would be of help.

I know others do use a phone and I have used a second phone to add routes to but this was without data and was a bit of a pain having to cross-check location. I also don't want to risk damaging my main phone.

I'll have a look at both Bolt and Element mentioned.

[Lazarus]

That was my thought as well

Gpx garminor wahoo basically
Then it's decide if you want mapping (OS or other opem source mapping.IME youndont really need os on a device and acreen isnso smll its kften just clutter) , turn by turn directions , or a breadcrumb trail -line on a screen you follow- with or without mapping( works OK but mapping is better)

Power wise it's either an internal battery charged by a dynamo or power bank or AA batteries ( both have pros and cons) . My 530 lasts about 2 days ...screen mainly off informing me of turns etc

You can also have Bluetooth to connect to your phone to do on the fly routes or the gpx can plot for you if you pick a spot to go to good for road never tried off road but don't it works well
All above based on garmins

I also advise OS or memory map on your phone as the screens are pretty small and cannot really be used for on the fly routing ( old man eyes though)
Allow them will record distance times , elevation etc

[johnnystorm]

https://g.eu.factoryoutletstore.com/col ... overhauled

[fatbikephil]

Worth checking ebay for a Garmin dakota - I picked up two that had little use for £50 each (hopefully these will last me for the rest of my life!) etrexes are pricier. Meant for hill walking but easy to use, idiot proof and run off AA batteries.

[Specialist Hoprocker]

I recently picked up a Garmin Edge 810 for £50. It's been really good, but it is the first bike GPS that I've had so i have no comparison.

[Bearbonesnorm]

I second what Phil says about a Dakota. I generally tend to favour walking / outdoor gps as many (probably older models) seem less complex and glitchy than dedicated cycle devices.

Out of interest, I've started to use an old Garmin Edge 200 on my motorbike and it's proving to be very accurate ... prior to that I counted lampposts, 4 seconds between them = 30mph

[Cheeky Monkey]

Dakota and Etrex get my vote. Used for walking, paddling and biking. Bit clunky and fuzzy compared to a smartphone but if I go out phone tends to be off / airplane and used for specific things (internet access, camera, comm's) whilst the Garmins do the nav and map work.

I'm sure dedicated bike ones have their place but have no experience of them.

[Lazarus]

The advantage of a dedicated bike one 530 [ over an etrex which i also have] is basically a lot smaller and longer battery life and turn by turn [ you may be able to do that on the etrex now never tried]

Etrex is a much better/bigger screen more user friendly and would be my choice for walking .

Its then just down to whether you want batteries or internal power

[whitestone]

I've no experience of the Wahoo units so can't speak about the suitability of those.

I've had/have the Garmin 510, 520 and currently the 530 from the Edge series. In addition I've the Garmin Oregon 600 (next one up in the product line from the Dakota). My wife has had/has the 800 and 810 and also the Oregon 700 (just an update to the 600). The 530 is button operated, the 800 series and Oregon are touch screen.

As might be expected each increase in model number adds to the features with associated extra menu options and complexity. Whether you see that as a good thing is up to you! The Edge series are primarily aimed at road cyclists so have the ability to read, display and store properties such as cadence, power, heart rate and so on, providing you have the relevant bit of kit to provide those figures. The Etrex/Dakota/Oregon/Montana ranges are more general in their usage so have in-built apps for geocaching, marine features, etc. The Oregon allows for heart rate data and a temperature sensor (built-in on the Edge models) but not much else.

The other main difference between the Edge and "generic" models is power supply. The Edge series use an inbuilt battery while the Dakota/Oregon lot use AA batteries. There's the usual benefits/downsides of each but with current (sorry) battery technology I get about 20hrs life on both the Oregon and the Edge 530 before I need to replace/recharge the battery(ies). It is possible to change the batteries on the Edge series when you get to the point that they don't hold charge. No need for soldering, it's a case of unscrewing the case and replacing - you do need some micro-Torx screwdrivers though. The Oregon (but not the Dakota?) allow for in-device recharging if you have rechargeable batteries fitted.

With the later models (530 onward and Oregon 700 onward) you can install apps onto the unit. Garmin call these Connect IQ apps and they are simple extras that you might want. I've a "Drink!" app that beeps at me every 15mins for example to remind me to grab some water.

Maps. The Oregon has room for loads, I think I've the UK, Ireland, France and Finland loaded on mine (all OSM) plus the full UK OS maps. The only real limit is the size of the memory card. The Edge 520 could have one map and that was limited in size - you had to go onto Garmin's site, select the map tiles that you wanted, check that they were within the limit, then generate the resulting map, download it and then install on the device. Let's just say that even for a tech nerd it was a pain! The 530 is better as you can just download whole countries from the OSM site and load them on to it, again it's just limited by memory, I've the UK and Ireland loaded on mine.

In operation the two types are pretty similar, the main difference is when loading routes. When plugged into a computer they all appear as a drive so you can just drag and drop files onto them. On the Etrex/Dakota/Oregon units you just copy the file into the GPX folder. On the Edge units however you drop the file into the "New Files" folder and when the unit is next turned on it converts them into its internal format (FIT) so you can use them.

A lot of info but hopefully it gives an idea of the features and benefits/downsides of each. Not having looked at second hand prices I'd say get a minimum of the 530 from the cycling series or whatever is available from the walking side of things.

[dlovett]

I'd go Garmin. I have two and they also work nicely with other garmin accessories you might/might not have such as car sat navs, HR monitors, watches, trainers etc.

Touchscreens can sometimes be a pain in heavy rain but can be easier in the dry.

Bigger screens are easier to use/see but tend to use more battery power. Internal batteries can be easily be replaced when they are getting old and can recharged from a USB powerbank or dynamo power, but AAA/AA's can be bought in most village stores/petrol stations.

Whatever you get don't buy a set of maps, try out the free ones first such as openstreet map etc as they work pretty well and then see if you need to buy them.

[Rapideye]

Thanks very much for all the replies and suggestions. Certainly have helped explain the options. I'll do a bit of reading on whether to go bike specific or not and then start seriously looking. I'd like to get it sorted for a trip around Trossachs at the end of Sept. Cheers again.