Which GPS?

[benb]

As it's Christmas coming up, and my trusty old Garmin Edge 605 is on its way out, I am looking for a new GPS unit.

It has to be able to display a map, and transfer created courses from the PC onto it to display a line to follow.

First thoughts are towards the Garmin 800 (Any reason to go for the 810?) but are there any other good ones I should be considering?

Thanks.

 

[Keith Oates]

I've got the 800 and it was excellent for just over a year and then it started to play up so it now sits in a drawer. It's a lot of money for such a limited life span IMO.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[HLaB]

AFAIA compared to the 800 the 810 just does bluetooth so you can upload the ride on route to a phone, enabling live tracking. I'd rather folk didn't know where I am however, so IMO the 810 is not worth the extra compared to the 800.

 

[Deleted member 26715]

Find 2 more friends & get down to Halfords they are doing 3 for 2 along with your British Cycling voucher you can get the 800 trail for about £190ish or the full blown one with HR for £220ish

Alan...

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

I've got the 800 and it was excellent for just over a year and then it started to play up so it now sits in a drawer. It's a lot of money for such a limited life span IMO.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Keith Keith Keith. That is but one example of a faulty unit, perhaps try to avoid the scaremongering that happens on every single garmin thread? There's a good chap.

ps:No real reason to go for the 810. 800 is still a top unit

 

[uclown2002]

I've got the 800 and it was excellent for just over a year and then it started to play up so it now sits in a drawer. It's a lot of money for such a limited life span IMO.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Garmin have terrific customer service; what did they say about it?

 

[ianrauk]

I've got the 800 and it was excellent for just over a year and then it started to play up so it now sits in a drawer. It's a lot of money for such a limited life span IMO.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Get on to Garmin Keith, there customer service is very good.

 

[Rob3rt]

If you have a problem with a Garmin device, contact Garmin, there is no other company I have ever dealt with that has provided as great after sales service (in terms of hardware).

AFAIA compared to the 800 the 810 just does bluetooth so you can upload the ride on route to a phone, enabling live tracking. I'd rather folk didn't know where I am however, so IMO the 810 is not worth the extra compared to the 800.

The UI on the 810 is vastly superior for people with more than one bike, or who like different data for different kinds of riding. The bluetooth features are junkers though!

 

[HLaB]

If you have a problem with a Garmin device, contact Garmin, there is no other company I have ever dealt with that has provided as great after sales service (in terms of hardware).



The UI on the 810 is vastly superior for people with more than one bike, or who like different data for different kinds of riding. The bluetooth features are junkers though!

The multiple bikes UI on the 800 originally were pants originally (IIRC limited to 3 bikes and the data would reset when you changed bikes and often it reset to default 'Bike 1, 2 & 3'. Garmin updated it so now it handles 5 bikes and holds the data. Still relies on human switching however, is the 810 more automatic ?

 

[Rob3rt]

The multiple bikes UI on the 800 originally were pants originally (IIRC limited to 3 bikes and the data would reset when you changed bikes and often it reset to default 'Bike 1, 2 & 3'. Garmin updated it so now it handles 5 bikes and holds the data. Still relies on human switching however, is the 810 more automatic ?

When you are in the home screen on the 810 you have a choice of bike at the top, choice of activity type at the bottom and a "Ride" button in the middle. You select what bike and what you are doing and hit ride, and the data screens you set up for that combination will come up.

 

[benb]

When you are in the home screen on the 810 you have a choice of bike at the top, choice of activity type at the bottom and a "Ride" button in the middle. You select what bike and what you are doing and hit ride, and the data screens you set up for that combination will come up.

And how does that differ from the 800? Can someone with the latest firmware comment?

 

[Rob3rt]

And how does that differ from the 800? Can someone with the latest firmware comment?

The 800 requires you to navigate through a few menu's (?) unless it can detect which bike automatically by the sensors it is paired with?

However regardless of this, you won't get a choice of activity types, so if you do different kinds of riding and want different data for those activities, then you have to manually re-arrange the data screens every time you do something different to the previous ride. Not a problem for some people, but for me, it is tedious. This feature is pretty much the only feature I really appreciate over my previous Garmin device tbh.

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

The 800 requires you to navigate through a few menu's (?) unless it can detect which bike automatically by the sensors it is paired with?

However regardless of this, you won't get a choice of activity types, so if you do different kinds of riding and want different data for those activities, then you have to manually re-arrange the data screens every time you do something different to the previous ride. Not a problem for some people, but for me, it is tedious. This feature is pretty much the only feature I really appreciate over my previous Garmin device tbh.

Bike profiles,brightness and screen locking can be done with a single press of the power button. Sensors do absolutely zero until you manually select the profile they are stored under.

 

[benb]

Hmm, now I can't decide between the 800 and the 810.
TBH, I'm not sure how much I'd want different screens for different bikes.

 

[Rob3rt]

Yes it is one of those things where the feature is a very nice addition, or it is of no real use. For me, I love it because I like different data for time trials, hill climbs, road training, stationary training and leisure rides.