• GPS Unit of choice?

Posted: **Mon Sep 25, 2023 6:20 am**

Hi all.

Just out-of curiosity, what's the current mid range - top end, GPS unit of choice these days? Looking for a visual "line on a map" unit, as opposed to turn by turn / audio prompts, please.

Thank you

Posted: **Mon Sep 25, 2023 6:42 am**

https://www.teamcycles.com/accessories/ ... 3b3b7ffc10

This one IMO. It'll do more or less the same as it's bulkier brother (ROAM v2) but in a £100 cheaper with less bulk package. I have mine set to breadcrumb mapping but the turn by turn is also excellent.

Posted: **Mon Sep 25, 2023 6:43 am**

Garmin Edge 830.

Takes the most beating of any GPS I ever came to toss around multiple times (there have been a few), screen not too big to drain battery quick, intelligent tools (eg battery save mode which works fantastic), stellar connectivity, route planning on the go dead easy.
List would go on. Despite my experiences with other units, this is the only GPS I've kept.

Posted: **Mon Sep 25, 2023 8:15 am**

Don't foeget that the 540/840 now also come in solar versions. Price, a bit restrictive but...

https://www.bikeradar.com/news/garmin-edge-840-solar/

Posted: **Mon Sep 25, 2023 10:24 am**

I’ve got the 530 and it’s basically the same as the 830 but without the touch screen and the screen is slightly smaller.

Claims a 20hr battery life but I’ve not tried it for that long. Being road oriented there’s a lot of bells and whistles that you might not need.

It’s much better than the previous version- you can load maps of the full country rather than just bits of it. I’ve got the UK obviously but I also have an “Ireland” activity profile which has the Ireland map loaded and associated with it.

I also have the Oregon, I think it’s discontinued now. Takes AA batteries so a bit better to sort out if needed. I’ve had 20hrs usage on a BB200 from a set of Eneloop batteries so pretty good for such a big unit

Posted: **Mon Sep 25, 2023 11:45 am**

I bought the Edge 1040 for the battery life, which is unquestionably fantastic... but dear god do I hate the unit. It's slow, and the interface choices are a complete mystery to me.

I loved my Edge 1000, so this is especially annoying to me.

Posted: **Mon Sep 25, 2023 12:20 pm**

Claims a 20hr battery life but I’ve not tried it for that long/quote]

Mine managed it but that was with screen off except for turns and when i wanted a look-it was a fairly straight course with limited turns

Posted: **Mon Sep 25, 2023 1:49 pm**

Richard G wrote: ↑Mon Sep 25, 2023 11:45 am I bought the Edge 1040 for the battery life, which is unquestionably fantastic... but dear god do I hate the unit. It's slow, and the interface choices are a complete mystery to me.

I loved my Edge 1000, so this is especially annoying to me.

Before the Roam2 I tried the Garmin 530 briefly. Due to being used to the easy interface of Wahoo and away from any sort of Edge since the BOLT launched, I just couldn't live with it. So many choices and that annoying screen-off thing. Probably my dyslexia (which I love) but it was 2 or 3 weeks of really anxiety causing rides. Tried my best to adapt but then sold and bought the ROAM (v2 again).

Owned the BOLT v2 just before it andy next unit will be another v2 BOLT. Rich, that stress you presume to (sorry, can't think of the correct word), I thought it was just me. I still remember doing that island of specialist scientific interest (The Gower) - such a beautiful ride but all I recall really is the frustration at my gps unit

Posted: **Mon Sep 25, 2023 4:30 pm**

I've got an 830, not sure what you mean by 'annoying screen off thing'?

Posted: **Mon Sep 25, 2023 5:18 pm**

rudedog wrote: ↑Mon Sep 25, 2023 4:30 pm I've got an 830, not sure what you mean by 'annoying screen off thing'?

Same my 530 doesn’t do this? It’s the best Garmin unit I’ve ever had.

Posted: **Mon Sep 25, 2023 5:28 pm**

Dave Barter wrote: ↑Mon Sep 25, 2023 5:18 pm
rudedog wrote: ↑Mon Sep 25, 2023 4:30 pm I've got an 830, not sure what you mean by 'annoying screen off thing'?
Same my 530 doesn’t do this? It’s the best Garmin unit I’ve ever had.

I think it's a setting for battery saving Dave. Could probably be turned off and it wasn't the only thing that wasn't working for me. Not a problem with the unit but me being used to the simpler interface of the ROAM.

Definitely gonna think about getting another (540 as it's without touch screen) when the prices are lower as they now have the solar versions which are reported as being very very batterytastic.

Posted: **Mon Sep 25, 2023 6:18 pm**

I swear by no touch screen these days. So much less faff for me as I tend to stick on the map screen with auto zoom

Posted: **Mon Sep 25, 2023 8:27 pm**

Another happy Garmin 530 user here, didn't want the touch screen but do use a Garmin remote so I have a 'return to map' button at my thumb at all times. Works with the old OS maps SD card file. Just done 84 hours of Paris Brest with it, charged it a couple of times for maybe 20 minutes each time, only turned it off when I went to sleep for a couple hours each night. Coped with a multiday single activity file no problem.

Still use my Etrex and Dakota from time to time but they are a bit worse for wear.

Didn't like my Wahoo Element Bolt black and white screen, or when it filled with water on the Fred Whitton.

Posted: **Mon Sep 25, 2023 9:31 pm**

Dyffers wrote: ↑Mon Sep 25, 2023 8:27 pm

Didn't like my Wahoo Element Bolt black and white screen, or when it filled with water on the Fred Whitton.

Did it get water into it whilst the seals were all covered. If you email them with your purchase details, they're very very good at after support. Might even be able to fix it for ya.

Posted: **Tue Sep 26, 2023 8:47 am**

Battery saver switches screen off to save battery life it reappears at turns ( though you do miss some and it then says u turn )

I found my touch screen to be annoying with rain which sometimes activated it and it often does not work with a glove.it an older model though sonperhaps they have improved this?

Posted: **Tue Sep 26, 2023 10:47 am**

Battery saver switches screen off to save battery life it reappears at turns ( though you do miss some and it then says u turn )

Yes, this really exacerbated my problems/stress with the device. Though I thought at the time it was GPS errors as I had similar with the v2 units of BOLT/ROAM which were rectified in subsequent updates.

Glad to see so many people are enjoying the 530 though. Means that hopefully after some getting used to I might be able to live with the 540 (solar).

Posted: **Tue Sep 26, 2023 10:56 am**

I have a Hammerhead Karoo. Never used Wahoo but it absolutely blows Garmin out of the water in all aspects other than battery life.

Posted: **Tue Sep 26, 2023 6:23 pm**

redefined_cycles wrote: ↑Mon Sep 25, 2023 9:31 pm Did it get water into it whilst the seals were all covered. If you email them with your purchase details, they're very very good at after support. Might even be able to fix it for ya.

They told me it was perfectly normal for them to let in moisture and steam up which is why they have vent holes, and asked if I'd been using it in a humid environment. I said I'd usually describe Cumbria as damp rather than humid …

I now just expect the display to mist up and clear at some point during a ride.

Oh, and re the OP, Wahoo ELEMNT or Garmin 32x depending on my mood, and whether I can be bothered faffing with old-school USB cables to get data on to or off the Garmin.

Posted: **Tue Sep 26, 2023 7:49 pm**

Roam for me now the last 3 yrs and it’s ace and simple to use I don’t find that I miss the detail of a os map on screen, if I do need that I just consult the smart phone which has a way better screen anyhow than any garmin. I guess it’s a personal thing though

Posted: **Tue Sep 26, 2023 8:12 pm**

Hyppy wrote: ↑Tue Sep 26, 2023 6:23 pm
redefined_cycles wrote: ↑Mon Sep 25, 2023 9:31 pm Did it get water into it whilst the seals were all covered. If you email them with your purchase details, they're very very good at after support. Might even be able to fix it for ya.
They told me it was perfectly normal for them to let in moisture and steam up which is why they have vent holes, and asked if I'd been using it in a humid environment. I said I'd usually describe Cumbria as damp rather than humid …

I now just expect the display to mist up and clear at some point during a ride.

Oh, and re the OP, Wahoo ELEMNT or Garmin 32x depending on my mood, and whether I can be bothered faffing with old-school USB cables to get data on to or off the Garmin.

Keep your receipt details Hyppy. This might be the reason why some units you see with so much 'humidity' in the screen that the display is hard to see. I've had one (second owner) which came with quart of the screen missing!

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