Tell me about bike computers

[Nomadski]

+1 for the Hammerhead Karoo 2. It does feel like a work in progress with the amount of updates and changes that goes on, but for navigating it's hands down the best bike computer I've used.

The 830 Edge is very solid as well, IMO the best of Garmins attempts, and for data recording (which I guess is what most people want them for) it is excellent, but the mapping and navigation is second tier vs the Hammerhead.

 

[Dogtrousers]

+1 for the Hammerhead Karoo 2. It does feel like a work in progress with the amount of updates and changes that goes on, but for navigating it's hands down the best bike computer I've used.

The 830 Edge is very solid as well, IMO the best of Garmins attempts, and for data recording (which I guess is what most people want them for) it is excellent, but the mapping and navigation is second tier vs the Hammerhead.

Just out of interest, what are the good features about the Hammerhead re mapping and navigation?

I find with Garmin navigation everything's fine while it's going well and I am doing what I'm told and turning left and right as appropriate.

My bugbears start as soon as I miss a turn or get forced onto a detour I need to get out my phone and figure out what to do. The map on the Garmin is too small and fiddly to zoom to really figure things out. Also, as soon as you go off course it starts telling you to "make a U turn". It says this for something to say. actually it's embarrassed because it's lost. It doesn't really have a clue whether a U turn is appropriate or not.

 

[gcogger]

Just out of interest, what are the good features about the Hammerhead re mapping and navigation?

I find with Garmin navigation everything's fine while it's going well and I am doing what I'm told and turning left and right as appropriate.

My bugbears start as soon as I miss a turn or get forced onto a detour I need to get out my phone and figure out what to do. The map on the Garmin is too small and fiddly to zoom to really figure things out. Also, as soon as you go off course it starts telling you to "make a U turn". It says this for something to say. actually it's embarrassed because it's lost. It doesn't really have a clue whether a U turn is appropriate or not.

Is that one of the older Garmin units? That sort of thing used to really annoy me on my Edge Explore, but it's a lot better now I've upgraded to a 1030 plus.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Is that one of the older Garmin units? That sort of thing used to really annoy me on my Edge Explore, but it's a lot better now I've upgraded to a 1030 plus.

No, not old. 530. It's really not great at recovering from going off course. But I forgive it because that's a really challenging thing to do. Should it backtrack to where it lost the course and resume there? Or should it look ahead down the route for the best place to rejoin? It does the former because it's a machine. I want to do the latter because I'm a person.

 

[JtB]

I still don't understand how anyone can use a Garmin sat nav whilst actually riding, the screens are far too small, or my glasses aren't good enough, or I need new eyes,

This is the one reason why I need to use varifocal glasses while riding.
What I don’t understand though is why my Garmin Edge 1000 bothers to bleep because I don’t hear a thing.

 

[Alex321]

No, not old. 530. It's really not great at recovering from going off course. But I forgive it because that's a really challenging thing to do. Should it backtrack to where it lost the course and resume there? Or should it look ahead down the route for the best place to rejoin? It does the former because it's a machine. I want to do the latter because I'm a person.

My Wahoo Roam tends to do more the latter IME. It only seems to try and backtrack if there isn't any reasonable way ahead to get back to the route.

 

[si_c]

My Wahoo Roam tends to do more the latter IME. It only seems to try and backtrack if there isn't any reasonable way ahead to get back to the route.

The 1030 plus does this too, if you stray from the course you have a couple of options, either pause (if you know you're going off course, say to a shop) or to reroute where one of the options is the shortest route back to the course.

 

[gcogger]

No, not old. 530. It's really not great at recovering from going off course. But I forgive it because that's a really challenging thing to do. Should it backtrack to where it lost the course and resume there? Or should it look ahead down the route for the best place to rejoin? It does the former because it's a machine. I want to do the latter because I'm a person.

Ah, sorry, I thought all the new ones ran the same software, but it appears not. My 1030+ gives me sensible options in those cases.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Ah, sorry, I thought all the new ones ran the same software, but it appears not. My 1030+ gives me sensible options in those cases.

It could also be down to the way I design my routes. I tend to have a lot of waypoints.

 

[Mike_P]

Do you have to accept a U turn instruction on a 530 because once on the right route it is still asking for a U turn. Had some weird directions; showing straight on along with second exit text when right then left at adjacent roundabouts was required and a staggered, right then left, straight on when a left turn was needed.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Do you have to accept a U turn instruction on a 530 because once on the right route it is still asking for a U turn. Had some weird directions; showing straight on along with second exit text when right then left at adjacent roundabouts was required and a staggered, right then left, straight on when a left turn was needed.

You don't have to accept anything.
What I do under these circs is figure out what to do (maybe stop and use phone) when I eventually get back on route it will say "route found".

Once on route all is well as long as I do what I'm told.

 

[Nomadski]

Just out of interest, what are the good features about the Hammerhead re mapping and navigation?

I find with Garmin navigation everything's fine while it's going well and I am doing what I'm told and turning left and right as appropriate.

My bugbears start as soon as I miss a turn or get forced onto a detour I need to get out my phone and figure out what to do. The map on the Garmin is too small and fiddly to zoom to really figure things out. Also, as soon as you go off course it starts telling you to "make a U turn". It says this for something to say. actually it's embarrassed because it's lost. It doesn't really have a clue whether a U turn is appropriate or not.

Funnily enough, your gripes are where the Karoo 2 shines. Big display, very clear map, quick routing and very easy to follow while you ride.

It reroutes far quicker than the 830 did (I’m talking about 2 seconds from going past your junction it has a visible reroute on screen) and clearly distinguishes the rerouted line from the original line of navigation.

Speed of map, clarity of route and map and very fast accurate rerouting.