Garmin....worth the money?

[Welsh wheels]

I don't have a Garmin, but I am considering getting one at some point in the future. I am put off by their price tags though...it seems to me that a minimum of over £100 is a lot of money to spend considering I'd only use it to follow routes and keep track of basic things like average speed.

 

[Markymark]

I don't have a Garmin, but I am considering getting one at some point in the future. I am put off by their price tags though...it seems to me that a minimum of over £100 is a lot of money to spend considering I'd only use it to follow routes and keep track of basic things like average speed.

iPhone (ymmv), charging case and quadlock. Sorted.

 

[Sharky]

If you have more than one bike, it comes into its own. Easy to swap from bike to bike and no wires or special fitting kits and no changes to calibration for different tyre sizes. The garmin mounts are very cheap.

 

[mjr]

If you want the display on all the time, a Garmin probably makes sense because the display is a lot less hungry than the ones on phones. Drawback is it's another thing to keep charged and another thing to add/remove from the bike.

If it's just for occasional glances, you can get apps that turn the display on and off periodically or when events happen (such as approaching a turn), or that say your speeds every minute, and apps and a phone holder (whether quadlock, band, or a top-tube or bar bag with a clear top) is a lot cheaper than a Garmin.

 

[Welsh wheels]

iPhone (ymmv), charging case and quadlock. Sorted.

I have used my phone and a mounter to navigate before, and to be fair it worked well.

 

[screenman]

I know where I am going on every ride, I still have a Garmin though. Great little toy.

 

[Markymark]

I have used my phone and a mounter to navigate before, and to be fair it worked well.

Well there you go. My charging case gives me 8 hours with a full map navigation but in flight mode, just GPS on.

 

[vickster]

Just use phone with back up battery for all day rides?

 

[Markymark]

[QUOTE 4842187, member: 259"]Garmin. They're much more robust, and there's no farting about with a phone and worrying about it getting wet or falling off, the battery life is miles better, and the tracking's more accurate than with a phone as well, if you're bothered about having nice lines on maps. Which I am. [/QUOTE]
Nonsense. My garmin loved to crash. My phone is just as waterproof and I get 8 hours which is more than enough.

Then factor in the massively clearer screen and map.

 

[Crackle]

Garmins: They're as reliable as Markymark turning up to a thread about Garmins.


Actually, peoples experience seems to vary. I've had nothing but positives with mine. 10 hours, reliable directions, livetracking if you need people to follow you, compatible with all bikes and tracking programs, variety of mounts and accessories but if you get problems they can test your patience to sort and sometimes a phone with a subscription to rwgps might do or Google maps. Google is not 100% reliable with routing though, mrs C mostly uses her phone with a case but occasionally borrows my Garmin as it gives better directions.

 

[Markymark]

Garmins: They're as reliable as Markymark turning up to a thread about Garmins.


Actually, peoples experience seems to vary. I've had nothing but positives with mine. 10 hours, reliable directions, livetracking if you need people to follow you, compatible with all bikes and tracking programs, variety of mounts and accessories but if you get problems they can test your patience to sort and sometimes a phone with a subscription to rwgps might do or Google maps. Google is not 100% reliable with routing though, mrs C mostly uses her phone with a case but occasionally borrows my Garmin as it gives better directions.

Whereas my garmin has crashed as many times as crackle has since taking his stabilisers off earlier this year.

 

[Crackle]

Whereas my garmin has crashed as many times as crackle has since taking his stabilisers off earlier this year.

They're still on.

 

[ColinJ]

The very old simple Garmin models are extremely reliable and are available on eBay for well under £50 if you bid wisely. You might have to pay an extra £10 for a bar mount if one did not come with the GPS. I have navigated tens of thousands of kms with my old Etrex H and the only times that I have gone off course are when I have been distracted by talking to other CycleChatters and forgotten to look at the GPS screen. (My model doesn't beep when turns are coming up, though some models do.)

These old devices last about 24 hours on one pair of AA NiMH batteries.

 

[Welsh wheels]

The very old simple Garmin models are extremely reliable and are available on eBay for well under £50 if you bid wisely. You might have to pay an extra £10 for a bar mount if one did not come with the GPS. I have navigated tens of thousands of kms with my old Etrex H and the only times that I have gone off course is when I have been distracted by talking to other CycleChatters and forgotten to look at the GPS screen. (My model doesn't beep when turns are coming up, though some models do.)

These old devices last about 24 hours on one pair off AA NiMH batteries.

Thanks!

 

[GrumpyGregry]

I don't have a Garmin, but I am considering getting one at some point in the future. I am put off by their price tags though...it seems to me that a minimum of over £100 is a lot of money to spend considering I'd only use it to follow routes and keep track of basic things like average speed.

Etrex 20. Pre-loved.