Seeking Bike Computer Recommendations - Budget $400

[wakemalcolm]

The Coros Dura is in your price range but is a bit of an enigma. They botched the launch so much that the first buyers (& tech reviewers) were effectively beta testers. I'm told that the firmware has had a pretty thorough makeover since.

It's standing out feature is the battery life which is difficult to pin down as it has a pretty big solar panel built in; some people have said in day to day reality as long as you don't store it in the dark it's infinite.

As I've also got a Garmin watch and don't want to pay for a further data aggregator, I went Explore 2. It doesn't understand British roundabouts and the re-routing can sometimes be a bit over enthusiastic but I think it's a decent piece of kit and hasn't come close to running out of juice on a day ride.

I live in Scotland so can't comment on the bright sunlight requirement.

 

[nogoodnamesleft]

People's experiences differ but my first bike GPS was a Wahoo and a few weeks into a European tour (when device still fairly new) bugs and failures and it let mo down really badly. https://nogoodnamesleft.net/wahoo-elemnt-navigation-review/. And in addition their back office systems failed and went offline for several days making it impossible to load routes.

So I won't touch Wahoo again.

As I was mid tour I needed something so went to nearest decent outdoor activity shop (in Belgium) and could only chose from what they had in stock and ended up with Garmin 1030. More training oriented than I was needing but got to love the larger screen, it worked well, the capability to create routes locally on the device was a great backup if out of Wi-Fi/mobile data (routes were not up to https://cycle.travel but were fine for riding). Since then I've been through several upgrades to newer Garmin devices. I dislike Garmin as a company, dislike their back office systems and regularly promise myself my next update will not be a Garmin but they mostly work once you get used to them even despite the very irritating poor features.

For example, when Garmin make a software update it's difficult to stop your device from updating and Garmin have made very bug ridden releases that have "bricked" lots of devices.

 

[De Sisti]

People's experiences differ .........

For example, when Garmin make a software update it's difficult to stop your device from updating and Garmin have made very bug ridden releases that have "bricked" lots of devices.

I have been using Garmin devices (currently have a 1030 Plus since 2020) and have not had the experiences you talk about.

 

[ianrauk]

I went Explore 2. It doesn't understand British roundabouts

Can honestly say I've never experienced this problem with my Explore 2.

 

[nogoodnamesleft]

I have been using Garmin devices (currently have a 1030 Plus since 2020) and have not had the experiences you talk about.

I was last year and the 1050 release that was bricking a lot of devices. People pleading with Garmin to allow a downgrade to the previous version (that worked). Garmin acknowledged the "duff" release but wouldn't provide downgrade, they just asked users for their e-mails to ask them questions about their "bricking".

Imaging that happening mid-cycle tour!

 

[wakemalcolm]

Can honestly say I've never experienced this problem with my Explore 2.

Not sure if it's been upgraded out and I stopped looking for it once I realised it was nonsense but the circle symbol pointed to the right exit but invited me to go anticlockwise.

 

[ianrauk]

Not sure if it's been upgraded out and I stopped looking for it once I realised it was nonsense but the circle symbol pointed to the right exit but invited me to go anticlockwise.

Was that from a map you sent to the device or a map the device worked out for you?

 

[wakemalcolm]

Was that from a map you sent to the device or a map the device worked out for you?

Honestly, can't remember but I'm a keen user of cycle.travel. Hopefully Richard has better things to do with his time to agree with/correct me.

 

[PaulSB]

People's experiences differ but my first bike GPS was a Wahoo and a few weeks into a European tour (when device still fairly new) bugs and failures and it let mo down really badly. https://nogoodnamesleft.net/wahoo-elemnt-navigation-review/. And in addition their back office systems failed and went offline for several days making it impossible to load routes.

So I won't touch Wahoo again.

As I was mid tour I needed something so went to nearest decent outdoor activity shop (in Belgium) and could only chose from what they had in stock and ended up with Garmin 1030. More training oriented than I was needing but got to love the larger screen, it worked well, the capability to create routes locally on the device was a great backup if out of Wi-Fi/mobile data (routes were not up to https://cycle.travel but were fine for riding). Since then I've been through several upgrades to newer Garmin devices. I dislike Garmin as a company, dislike their back office systems and regularly promise myself my next update will not be a Garmin but they mostly work once you get used to them even despite the very irritating poor features.

For example, when Garmin make a software update it's difficult to stop your device from updating and Garmin have made very bug ridden releases that have "bricked" lots of devices.

As you rightly say people have different experiences. I owned two of the Garmin 810 Edge (I think that was the model). Regardless of the model it was the flagship, top of the range at the time. I experienced numerous issues with daily use and always struggled to get them set up correctly.

I bought a Wahoo Elemnt and now have a Roam. The Elemnt was smashed in an RTC. Both have been flawless until this week. Indoors on Monday and yesterday I booted up, connected my HR strap and powered down. Half an hour later I mounted the Wahoo on the bike, switched on and it froze during boot up. I did a forced restart indoors and it started immediately. I can only assume it was temperature related. I've been fiddling with Settings today, switching on/off with no issues. I'm pretty convinced about temperature.

Incidentally after warning him I sold a friend my 810. He gave me £50. A few weeks later I saw him with a Wahoo and offered his money back. He refused having decided the Garmin was awful and selling it on eBay!!

 

[ianrauk]

Honestly, can't remember but I'm a keen user of cycle.travel. Hopefully Richard has better things to do with his time to agree with/correct me.

In that case it may be worth trying a different map routing site. RideWithGps is the one I usually use and the routes perform flawlessly.

 

[roubaixtuesday]

In that case it may be worth trying a different map routing site. RideWithGps is the one I usually use and the routes perform flawlessly.

I use cycle.travel extensively, with a wahoo device, never had a roundabout issue.

 

[wakemalcolm]

In that case it may be worth trying a different map routing site. RideWithGps is the one I usually use and the routes perform flawlessly.

I like cycle.travel for the gravel routes it plots up here rather than any minor display glitches with the occasional roundabouts I take in, so I'll stick with it (if that's ok with you).

 

[ianrauk]

(if that's ok with you).

Wow, loving the sarcasm to trying to help you.

 

[wakemalcolm]

Wow, loving the sarcasm to trying to help you.

You're welcome: it comes free with every piece of unsolicited advice received.

Seriously, I haven't used my Garmin for routing for a few months due to it being winter but, for me, the benefits of the cycle.travel routing far outweigh any anomalies (that may or may not be caused by it) with a roundabout symbol; think I can trust myself to know which way to go round one.

Have a good weekend.

 

[Gwylan]

Look at the Beeline Velo2.
Simple on the bars, App runs off your phone via Bluetooth.
Shows you progress, speed etc. I've never bothered about climb
Records trips, on the App in your phone
Works with Strava, I'm told. Does work with Komoot or you can create routes in the App.

Comes in about £150 ($200) for the package.
Battery life about 10 hours, can be powered and run from a battery pack.