Black Friday Garmon and Wahoo GPS devices.

[Deleted member 26715]

To throw another spanner in the works, I have a Garmin 800 only time I have problems is when I allow the SD card to get too full, it has tripped out on me twice when I've done that. However the issue I have is the maps, they are unreadable when riding, but that might be my eyes & not the fault of the unit, but the colours are not clear enough to navigate for me

 

[vickster]

To throw another spanner in the works, I have a Garmin 810 only time I have problems is when I allow the SD card to get too full, it has tripped out on me twice when I've done that. However the issue I have is the maps, they are unreadable when riding, but that might be my eyes & not the fault of the unit, but the colours are not clear enough to navigate for me

She’s 19 with young eyes though

 

[DCLane]

Long distance cycling GPS.

Do you need colour maps? If so a Garmin 200/500 isn't for you.
Do you need a large screen? Or detailed mapping? Or audio directions?

I'm happy to make a 'best guess' so the 200 model's fine. Others want much more detailed directions as per @vickster 's link above. My system works for me, but occasionally it goes wrong; I spent an hour on LEL heading to Eskdalemuir because I stared at the 'Welcome to Scotland' sign at 11pm and missed the line going left as well as straight on

You can also use a USB stick to charge up if needed; at 400km and above mine's charged via a lead to a USB power stick in my top tube bag.

 

[Deleted member 26715]

She’s 19 with young eyes though

You know more than I in this matter clearly, but it maybe they have updated the software,

This is the screen of the 800

This is the screen of the Edge

Looks vastly improved

 

[oreo_muncher]

@oreo_muncher its my Garmin that is for sale. There is a little wiggle room on price, what sort of price were you looking for? @Fintious does have dibs on it but has bought a Garmin Edge 705 so might be available soon if all works out.

Well if it's used the price should be a bit lower. But I'm terrible at haggling.

 

[matticus]

Long distance cycling GPS.

If you look at Audaxers, the eTrex range start to look very popular. This is because with AA cells you can ride across Europe without having to get into on-the-bike charging etc.
And they're very reliable - certainly more so than "day-ride" Garmins. If I compare them with the WooHoos I'll need a flame-proof coat ... :P

 

[CanucksTraveller]

I have the Wahoo Elemnt Bolt.

On the upside:

• It's good for selecting following pre loaded routes once they're stored (I've downloaded from Strava and RidewithGPS).
• The functionality is good and it's easy to use.
• It looks nice.
• The battery is good, 2 full days of touring without further charging.

Downside:

• It's just a dumb head unit with all the clever stuff being on your app, i.e. it's using the computing power of your phone. So the unit itself is not good for route finding "on the fly", you have to find a route on Strava on your phone and then sync it again (see below).
• The tracking application (where, supposedly, someone can watch your progress - this was important to me when i bought it) just doesn't work. Helpdesk have been unable to help (save for the usual "switch it off and on again / delete everything / restart the unit, which didn't solve it). It'll show my wife I've been stopped in Royston for 2 hours, when actually I'm already in Cambridge.
• It hates syncing with Strava and doesn't do it as seamlessly as you'd expect, adding to routing on the fly woes.
• You spend almost as much time faffing with the damn thing as you do riding.

I think overall it's been a poor buy. But then when I was researching I heard bad things about Garmin too. I'm not sure there's a fabulous product out there yet.

 

[bikingdad90]

I’ve dropped you a PM which explains where my figures come from.

 

[oreo_muncher]

Do you need colour maps? If so a Garmin 200/500 isn't for you.
Do you need a large screen? Or detailed mapping? Or audio directions?

I'm happy to make a 'best guess' so the 200 model's fine. Others want much more detailed directions as per @vickster 's link above. My system works for me, but occasionally it goes wrong; I spent an hour on LEL heading to Eskdalemuir because I stared at the 'Welcome to Scotland' sign at 11pm and missed the line going left as well as straight on

You can also use a USB stick to charge up if needed; at 400km and above mine's charged via a lead to a USB power stick in my top tube bag.

I need detailed mapping, don't mind if colour or not. Audio directions would be great but I follow strava maps by following the dot on the map. The screen has to be decent sized because I need to be able to see it properly to not miss a turn by accident when I'm in busy traffic. So what would you recommend based on that?

 

[oreo_muncher]

For years I had a love hate relationship with my Garmins. After some very trying times we divorced and life has been so much better.
I met Lezyne a few years ago and once accustomed to her ways we are in love even upgraded to the Mega last year who’s staying power is beyond belief and her reliability beyond question.
Hope that throws a spanner into the, so far, two horse race.

Tell me more about lezyne. What type of cyclist is it suitable for?

 

[oreo_muncher]

I have the Wahoo Elemnt Bolt.

On the upside:

• It's good for selecting following pre loaded routes once they're stored (I've downloaded from Strava and RidewithGPS).
• The functionality is good and it's easy to use.
• It looks nice.
• The battery is good, 2 full days of touring without further charging.

Downside:

• It's just a dumb head unit with all the clever stuff being on your app, i.e. it's using the computing power of your phone. So the unit itself is not good for route finding "on the fly", you have to find a route on Strava on your phone and then sync it again (see below).
• The tracking application (where, supposedly, someone can watch your progress - this was important to me when i bought it) just doesn't work. Helpdesk have been unable to help (save for the usual "switch it off and on again / delete everything / restart the unit, which didn't solve it). It'll show my wife I've been stopped in Royston for 2 hours, when actually I'm already in Cambridge.
• It hates syncing with Strava and doesn't do it as seamlessly as you'd expect, adding to routing on the fly woes.
• You spend almost as much time faffing with the damn thing as you do riding.

I think overall it's been a poor buy. But then when I was researching I heard bad things about Garmin too. I'm not sure there's a fabulous product out there yet.

I need to be able to sync to strava and pre upload routes from it and other GPSx files. Is the element roam any better, do you know by any chance?

 

[Tripster]

Google DC Rainmaker, does video reviews, in depth, of all the GPS, watches, etc etc old and new. Not just review in a room but takes them out and uses them with comparisons, long term test

 

[Tripster]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.dcrainmaker.com/amp

Youtube channel too

 

[Spiderweb]

@oreo_muncher I have owned a Garmin Edge 1000 for the last 4+ years and it has been faultless, I have no experience of Wahoo. I think I read in one of your other posts that you were apprehensive about riding new routes, getting lost etc.
I would look for a Garmin with the ‘round trip routing’ feature, you can input the distance you want to ride on your device and Garmin will select 3 different round trip routes, pick one and ride, dead easy. I bought it specifically for a holiday in France where I was completely unfamiliar with the area, each ride was like a magical mystery tour!

 

[Tripster]

@oreo_muncher I have owned a Garmin Edge 1000 for the last 4+ years and it has been faultless, I have no experience of Wahoo. I think I read in one of your other posts that you were apprehensive about riding new routes, getting lost etc.
I would look for a Garmin with the ‘round trip routing’ feature, you can input the distance you want to ride on your device and Garmin will select 3 different round trip routes, pick one and ride, dead easy. I bought it specifically for a holiday in France where I was completely unfamiliar with the area, each ride was like a magical mystery tour!

My Garmin will do this but if I pre plan in the app using same deal it often says ‘no routes available in this area’
Round trip road planning on the unit itself is good though.