GPS cycle computer for navigation - recommendations?

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PaulSB

Squire
Thanks for all the useful input. I've finally stopped procrastinating and have purchased a Bryton 650 (E), which I managed to find for £119 inc delivery. I appreciate there's a significant number of 'better' units out there but for what I want it for - essentially an ability to import routes planned in Komoot and clear navigation thereafter - I'm hopeful it will fit the bill, and at a very reasonable price compared to others. Fingers crossed!
Excellent. Good to hear you've found the contributions helpful. Enjoy.
 

oxoman

Über Member
Nothing wrong with Bryton, ive got the 750. Yes its a bit clunky but its been bombproof compared to previous garmins I've had. I've been able to import gpx files from several places with no issues, your not limited to komoot. My club sends out routes via garmin which I download via bryton active app on phone. Battery lasts ages as well.
 

Mike_P

Legendary Member
Location
Harrogate
Do any beyond Garmin ones give clear Varia warnings plus separate direction warnings? As an example my Elemnt Bolt 1 uses the same warning display for a rear approaching vehicle as for a missed turn.
 

PaulSB

Squire
Do any beyond Garmin ones give clear Varia warnings plus separate direction warnings? As an example my Elemnt Bolt 1 uses the same warning display for a rear approaching vehicle as for a missed turn.
I only have experience with my Wahoo Roam and the Varia. On the Roam I have a coloured panel the full length of right side of the screen, this is optional left/right and off/on. I think a warning beep is available but I've switched this off. I can't remember, I try to avoid irritating friends with loads of beeps. The panel is green when the road is clear or a vehicle is travelling at the same speed as me, orange when a vehicle approaches at a relatively low speed or red when a vehicle approaches at high speed. The number of vehicles is also displayed, up to four I think. Across the top of the Wahoo the lights show green, orange or red as appropriate and off when the road is clear.

I find the Varia very effective. Everyone I know who runs one feels naked without it. For me the device is very similar to glancing in a rear view mirror, it's not intrusive.
 

Mike_P

Legendary Member
Location
Harrogate
I only have experience with my Wahoo Roam and the Varia. On the Roam I have a coloured panel the full length of right side of the screen, this is optional left/right and off/on. I think a warning beep is available but I've switched this off. I can't remember, I try to avoid irritating friends with loads of beeps. The panel is green when the road is clear or a vehicle is travelling at the same speed as me, orange when a vehicle approaches at a relatively low speed or red when a vehicle approaches at high speed. The number of vehicles is also displayed, up to four I think. Across the top of the Wahoo the lights show green, orange or red as appropriate and off when the road is clear.

I find the Varia very effective. Everyone I know who runs one feels naked without it. For me the device is very similar to glancing in a rear view mirror, it's not intrusive.

Thanks. Yes I found a YouTube review of Roam showing that. When you say lights across the top I presume you are talking of the Bolt (1 at least) which is the confusion as the red is used to warn of a turning having been missed.
 

PaulSB

Squire
Thanks. Yes I found a YouTube review of Roam showing that. When you say lights across the top I presume you are talking of the Bolt (1 at least) which is the confusion as the red is used to warn of a turning having been missed.

No, re the red light I'm thinking of the Elemnt Roam. Agreed re the missed turn red light warning. I "think" it's also for a fast vehicle approaching which could lead to a lot of confusion.

I'm out tomorrow and will keep an eye on it. I take all my cues from the side panel. I'll report back.
 

Mike_P

Legendary Member
Location
Harrogate
U
No, re the red light I'm thinking of the Elemnt Roam. Agreed re the missed turn red light warning. I "think" it's also for a fast vehicle approaching which could lead to a lot of confusion.

I'm out tomorrow and will keep an eye on it. I take all my cues from the side panel. I'll report back.

The Youtibe video I watched referred to a radar setting which would turn the side LEDs on so presumably the conflict can be avoided if any on the Roam 3. Is yours an earlier one?
 
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Ming the Merciless

There is no mercy
Photo Winner
Location
Inside my skull
cheap units like Coospoo

Sounds like a shoot unit
 

sevenfourate

Devotee of OCD
Thanks for all the useful input. I've finally stopped procrastinating and have purchased a Bryton 650 (E), which I managed to find for £119 inc delivery. I appreciate there's a significant number of 'better' units out there but for what I want it for - essentially an ability to import routes planned in Komoot and clear navigation thereafter - I'm hopeful it will fit the bill, and at a very reasonable price compared to others. Fingers crossed!

Congrats 😁

I too would be really interested to hear your honest feedback after a few trials……
 

Mike_P

Legendary Member
Location
Harrogate
Been advised on a Wahoo Facebook group the Bolt v2 and Roam v2 both fixed the confuision of the v1s
Both have 64-color screens where radar vehicles are displayed in a dedicated colored sidebar on the screen itself (amber/red), while off-route alerts show up as a separate top-screen banner. The Roam v2 also adds a second side LED strip to keep radar and navigation visuals completely separate.
 

Dogtrousers

Lefty tighty. Get it righty.
Thanks for all the useful input. I've finally stopped procrastinating and have purchased a Bryton 650 (E), which I managed to find for £119 inc delivery. I appreciate there's a significant number of 'better' units out there but for what I want it for - essentially an ability to import routes planned in Komoot and clear navigation thereafter - I'm hopeful it will fit the bill, and at a very reasonable price compared to others. Fingers crossed!

Good luck with it. :smile:

My general opinion, from following the likes of DC Rainmaker, is that the quality of the units on the market these days is such that you will not be disappointed whatever you buy. Provided, that is, that you've checked that it meets your "must have" needs. Battery capacity and processing power have come on in leaps and bounds over the past few years.

Please come back and let us know how you get on with it.
 

Dadam

Über Member
Location
SW Leeds
I haven't tried units from another manufacturers than Garmin so this is not an unbiased opinion.

I find the Edge Explore 2 excellent. The UI is much improved from the 530 I had, however it can still be unintuitive at times. Generally though if you spend some time going through the menus and trying different options it becomes clearer. It's also worth playing with the device in your hand as if you're on a ride to get used to how to do things. For example knowing how to switch map modes into pan and zoom will save you time and swearing if roads are closed but the unit still insists on trying to route you down them.

Operating it on the bike though is pretty good. Bottom right button to start and stop/pause ride. Swipe down from the top to access sensors, e.g turn on and off lights or change modes, and to access stored routes. Swipe left and right to change between data screens (or leave it on map).

I like to have speed on screen at all times, so have added it as a field to the map screen. If the screen is on another data screen it will swap to a simple map screen when approaching a turn, then switch back to the original screen.

The touch screen is obviously challenging in gloves unless you have touch screen compatible ones. My winter gloves seem to work ok on it. Above about 8-9C ambient I wear fingerless mitts so it's fine.

Integration is good with the Garmin Connect app. Routes planned on Connect can be sent to the device with one click, other software can be integrated easily via Connect. I mostly plan routes on Cycle.travel and send it Connect one click.
 
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blackrat

Über Member
Does anyone else have problems using the 'buttons' on the Beeline Velo 2? I press and hold but often get nothing. Very frustrating. My opinion of the Velo 2 is that it is a beta version rushed into production without adequate user input or testing so it became the production model. It's going into the not needed box. I have a brand new Garmin Edge, I'll just use that instead.
With the Velo 2 I'm riding along hitting the screen on the edges to get it to start recording the ride while dodging oncoming trucks. And yes, I do do all of that before the ride but since I get nothing I think, I'll just start riding and then see if I can get it to behave.
My Wahoo before it died was easy as pie to use.
 
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