Works great!
- Familiarity: I've put it through the wringer
This bike computer is easy to set up and use and mostly seems to have accurate tracking on speed, miles, and vert. You can get notifications about your text messages on the screen as well.
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Select optionsThis bike computer is easy to set up and use and mostly seems to have accurate tracking on speed, miles, and vert. You can get notifications about your text messages on the screen as well.
I don't understand the negative reviews of this cycling computer. Okay, it takes a little more time to scroll through screens/menus to set it up to your personal preferences, but it not that big of a deal. Of course, I'm old enough to remember a time when you had to actually get out of your armchair to change a station. The advantage of having top notch navigation outweighs the few extra minutes to set it up to your liking. If the buttons confuse you/you cannot get the hang of each button function then you probably shouldn't be riding a bike on the road anyhow. The only drawback I could find is it can take several minutes for the device to restart after loading a large amount of .tcx files into it. I was getting ready to contact Garmin when it finally loaded all the files (about a dozen). I thought the device had frozen up/became unresponsive. Just find something else to do for a little while and come back to it. Should be fine. You would think it would reboot and load files faster though.
This is a really advanced cycling computer. It is not a functioning GPS unit!
Do you race? buy this, great for training and race day.
Do you Strava? Buy this. great to race strava live segments.
But, if you are looking for a GPS unit that displays your position over a map, run away. Get the larger 1000 series unit. You can't easily zoom in or out of the map to see where you are on your course. It really isn't designed for navigation of unfamiliar areas. I bought is specifically because it integrates with the Trail Forks mountain bike app. It is really convoluted to make that process work. Just a lot easier to use the trail forks app on your phone and leave this unit in the ride bag. Same goes for road bike use and navigation. Just way more functional to pull out your phone and check the map.
This is a really niche product. It is a very expensive bike computer and a very poorly designed compact GPS unit.
Because you didn't research and buy the correct model, you give this a bad rating?
I am a Garmin loyalist. I have been using the 820 since 2016 and the 810 before that, and both units have generally worked very well. But the screen on my 820 is beginning to fail, so I decided to get a new second unit. I thought I would save some $ and get the new 520 Plus - which is billed as more or less an 820 without the touch screen. I have a PhD, but honestly I could not for the life of me figure out how to use those 7 buttons. Sure, maybe it is just me. But I am returning it unused and getting another 820. I think this is why so many folks have switched over to the Wahoos. The 820 with touchscreen is reasonably intuitive, but I would suggest thinking twice about the 520 plus. Given the amount of functionality on the unit, IMHO touch screen is far better.
there is a learning curve to the antiquated push button menu navigation. Also the Navigation has let me down on several occasions. I'm looking forward to Garmin getting their act together or I'm switching to another option.
I've never used a garmin before and in the process of researching. Can you tell me some reasons to get a navi unit vs just using my phone? thanks
Thanks much for the review. I have had the 800 since 2012 and am afraid to change because it was so hard to set up. I was looking at the 520 Plus because it has color maps but your review makes me pause. The Wahoos are black and white and would require new mounts on each of my bikes so not as attractive to me.