New gps

[LateStarter]

A question to Garmin 530 owners.

My 520 is on its last legs, been a great device, I would look at the 530 but understand it has aspirations of being a smarter device and comes with routeable maps and does its own on device route calculation. If so how does this fit with an Audax mandatory route? Is there a 530 setting which just says "follow the exact route in the TCX/GPX etc". If I turn off any on device Turn by Turn (as I do on the 520) will it still display the "course point" entries in the TCX file?

I note the exceptional battery life experiences above although some Garmin 530 forums still have bad battery life stories. I used to get 20 hours on the 520 (no backlight, couple of sensors, no phone BT connection) and anything better on the 530 would be great

thanks

[fuaran]

Yebbut given it's been discontinued, that's not much help to anyone in the market for a new gps is it?

It has been replaced by the Etrex 32x, which is pretty much the same thing, and still a current model.

[JonB]

A question to Garmin 530 owners.

My 520 is on its last legs, been a great device, I would look at the 530 but understand it has aspirations of being a smarter device and comes with routeable maps and does its own on device route calculation. If so how does this fit with an Audax mandatory route? Is there a 530 setting which just says "follow the exact route in the TCX/GPX etc". If I turn off any on device Turn by Turn (as I do on the 520) will it still display the "course point" entries in the TCX file?

I note the exceptional battery life experiences above although some Garmin 530 forums still have bad battery life stories. I used to get 20 hours on the 520 (no backlight, couple of sensors, no phone BT connection) and anything better on the 530 would be great

thanks

As noted above I have the Edge 530 and I'm new to this type of GPS having previously used an etrex. My experience to date is that the the unit follow's the uploaded GPX exactly and (mostly) provides turn directions for it. The on route calculations seem to come into play when you go off route and aren't very good (I've turned that function off). Not tried it with turn by turn off so can't comment on that.
The battery life is good but I'm not getting the kind of performance that some have reported in this thread but I haven't used any of the battery saver functions. I seem to be finishing a 200 with about 35% power left.

[toontra]

Glad I read this thread.  I moved to Wahoo after years of battery woes (amongst other issues) with Garmins, but it looks as though Garmin have got their shit together with the Edge 530.

FFS, which Garmins and what woes? I have had no 'battery woes'  with my eTrex 30.

When I was looking to replace my aged etrex 4 years ago, none of the Garmin built-in battery range offered 15 hours battery life which is one of the reasons I went with the Bolt - FFS.

[L CC]

A question to Garmin 530 owners.

My 520 is on its last legs, been a great device, I would look at the 530 but understand it has aspirations of being a smarter device and comes with routeable maps and does its own on device route calculation. If so how does this fit with an Audax mandatory route? Is there a 530 setting which just says "follow the exact route in the TCX/GPX etc". If I turn off any on device Turn by Turn (as I do on the 520) will it still display the "course point" entries in the TCX file?

I note the exceptional battery life experiences above although some Garmin 530 forums still have bad battery life stories. I used to get 20 hours on the 520 (no backlight, couple of sensors, no phone BT connection) and anything better on the 530 would be great

thanks

On the strength of a whole 4 rides, 2 of which were free range

Mandatory route with TBT - Just works. If you go off route (which may be taking a corner very wide/ tightly) it likes to re-route you to the exact point you left the track. You can tell it not to do this by default or by occurrence.
Battery life is great- the 520 was OK but the 520+ was shit.
I (almost always) use TBT routing from a self-provided TCX and it appears that the course point limit on the 530 is better than either the 520 or the 520+. I like a countdown to the turn, and would rather spend 8 km looking forward to leaving a road in the fens only to disappointedly find it's merely a change of name, than miss a turn because it didn't tell me.
I did have an unrequested re-start on Sunday. I have no idea why and it re-found the route instantly. Could well have been a wet-ware issue.
So far, I'm loving it.

I really wouldn't bother. The 520 isn't heavily enough discounted, the map limitations are incredibly restrictive and the processor is pants. The 520+ solved the map issue, but the 530 is streets (moors, fields, lanes, all of them) better.

Thanks, good to know.

I think it has already been observed that Garmin have a habit of frequently getting it spectacularly wrong but occasionally get it just right. Based on my experience with the 510, that was a case of them getting it just right, and part of the reason I stuck with it for so long was hearing the horror stories of supposedly superior models.

I should probably have thought more before slating these as we do now have at least one retired model we could have flogged 

[SoreTween]

Useful stuff in this thread.  I'd pretty much settled on replacing my Edge 500 with a 130 plus.  However, this has put me off:

* downsampling of courses (longer than 100km courses can be tricky to follow)
* courses that go over itself need to be divided into several, as turn-by-turn doesn't always work

Hmmm.  Next a Wahoo Bolt looks good but does it really not have Virtual Partner capability?  DC Rainmaker says no but his review is 3 years old.
I primarily use cycle.travel for route planning one reason being it sets the virtual partner to 15kph.  As a full value Audaxer I find it very handy to have at a glance how far (distance & time) ahead/behind I am.

[perpetual dan]

Yes, this has been really useful. I've got myself an Edge 530. I suspect there's still some setting up to do, but it recorded a run for me at the weekend just fine - I haven't actually used it to navigate anywhere yet 

[Karla]

Useful stuff in this thread.  I'd pretty much settled on replacing my Edge 500 with a 130 plus.  However, this has put me off:

* downsampling of courses (longer than 100km courses can be tricky to follow)
* courses that go over itself need to be divided into several, as turn-by-turn doesn't always work

Hmmm.  Next a Wahoo Bolt looks good but does it really not have Virtual Partner capability?  DC Rainmaker says no but his review is 3 years old.
I primarily use cycle.travel for route planning one reason being it sets the virtual partner to 15kph.  As a full value Audaxer I find it very handy to have at a glance how far (distance & time) ahead/behind I am.

The Wahoo Bolt is the same model as it always was.  I use one and I haven't found a virtual partner feature on it yet.  If you want one of those, I think VP is a Garmin thing

[simonp]

I know two people who, on ultracycling events, have gone the wrong direction after a stop, back the way they came, for several hours. I don't know how they have their systems set up but can't imagine that type of major error could occur with North at the top!

That's a UI design issue though. My app draws a much thicker line in the direction you're meant to be going* and a track of where you've been**. Solving it with north as up seems brute force, but maybe it works for you.

Version 1.0 of my app was north up only and I could never get my head around junctions when travelling south.

* on iOS, never made it work on Android
** Well it would if I ever released the new version.

I don't display the map, I have the various data fields I want instead. One of these is distance to destination. When I approach a turn, the map appears.

[SoreTween]

The Wahoo Bolt is the same model as it always was.  I use one and I haven't found a virtual partner feature on it yet.  If you want one of those, I think VP is a Garmin thing

Thank you 
(I mentioned the review being 3 years old because DCR updated his Bolt review 12 months after it was originally published and concluded the software updates in that time transformed it from an also-ran to a real market contender.)

[Karla]

Right.  Well I've had an Element/Bolt since late 2018 and while they've gone through a couple of software updates since then, they haven't changed anything noticeable.

[citoyen]

I'm stuck. Really need to replace my dead 510 but can't decide what to get. Shortlist* is:
Bolt
Edge 130 Plus
Edge Explore
Edge 530

The 530 is the top choice but it's a lot more expensive than the others, which are all around the same price. Buying any bike computer feels like a bit of an extravagance at the moment but it would be genuinely life enhancing.

The Explore I'm considering simply because it has a larger screen. I don't need many features - my main interest is being able to follow a GPX route and record my ride. Does anyone know how the battery life compares to the 530?

Or should I just hold out a bit longer and get the 530 when I can afford it?

Lately, I've been using a combination of my phone (for route following with Komoot) and Forerunner watch (for recording) and it has confirmed my view that I'd much rather have a dedicated bike-specific device.


*based largely on comments in this thread - I've pretty much ruled out any other options eg Etrex unless someone really wants to try to persuade me...

[quixoticgeek]

I'm stuck. Really need to replace my dead 510 but can't decide what to get. Shortlist* is:
Bolt

For what you describe, a Bolt would be ideal. I do love mine. I do recommend it.

J

[citoyen]

For what you describe, a Bolt would be ideal. I do love mine. I do recommend it.

I knew you would say that!

Seriously, it's largely your regular recommendations that are leading me to seriously consider the Bolt. It's almost exactly the same screen size as the 510, so I know it would be perfectly useable. The larger, colour screen of the Explore is very tempting though... aarrrrgh! Why can't I make a decision?

I think, tbh, I've pretty much ruled out the 130 - either the Bolt or the Explore seem like significantly better options for not much more money.

ETA: one other thing in favour of the Explore is that I already have loads of Garmin mounts so swapping it between bikes would be easier.

[Lightning Phil]

I'm stuck. Really need to replace my dead 510 but can't decide what to get. Shortlist* is:
Bolt
Edge 130 Plus
Edge Explore
Edge 530

The 530 is the top choice but it's a lot more expensive than the others, which are all around the same price. Buying any bike computer feels like a bit of an extravagance at the moment but it would be genuinely life enhancing.

The Explore I'm considering simply because it has a larger screen. I don't need many features - my main interest is being able to follow a GPX route and record my ride. Does anyone know how the battery life compares to the 530?

Or should I just hold out a bit longer and get the 530 when I can afford it?

Lately, I've been using a combination of my phone (for route following with Komoot) and Forerunner watch (for recording) and it has confirmed my view that I'd much rather have a dedicated bike-specific device.


*based largely on comments in this thread - I've pretty much ruled out any other options eg Etrex unless someone really wants to try to persuade me...

Would you consider a second hand Edge 500?

[citoyen]

Would you consider a second hand Edge 500?

Hmmm. I probably should consider it as a sensible option but... no.

[Karla]

The Explore is 180 and the 530 is 230 on Wiggle.  Keep using your phone to record rides for a bit longer and save up those pennies?

[citoyen]

The Explore is 180 and the 530 is 230 on Wiggle.  Keep using your phone to record rides for a bit longer and save up those pennies?

It's not so much whether or not I have the pennies in the kitty, it's being able to justify (to myself) spending that extra £50 for features that I can live without...

Does anyone have anything bad to say about the 530* to help me definitively talk myself out of wanting one? 



*apart from "it's a Garmin"

[perpetual dan]

I’ve found my Edge to be a bit beepy and clunky for recording when running, especially if it’s a route I can find my way round without help. On the bike, I’m pleased.

[L CC]

It's very easy to turn all the beeps off on the 530. That's always the first thing I do with a new (or new to me) device.
I love mine. It it by far and away the best cycling GPS I've used.

[citoyen]

I love mine. It it by far and away the best cycling GPS I've used.

That's not helpful. 

[JonB]

I commented upthread on the 530 not too long after I'd got it - the only thing I'd add (or reinforce) is that the battery life is very good. I did a 200 yesterday and it still had 40% power left (I don't bother taking a battery pack with me on 200s). I recently did a 600 and it got around on one overnight charge at a travelodge and a minor top up on the first day with a battery pack. Think I've sorted out the settings now so that it's doing what I want it to do.
Things it's not very good at - rerouting when off route (I've turned this off now as it was so poor). I've still got to get my head around using the map to get back on route.

[quixoticgeek]

I commented upthread on the 530 not too long after I'd got it - the only thing I'd add (or reinforce) is that the battery life is very good. I did a 200 yesterday and it still had 40% power left (I don't bother taking a battery pack with me on 200s). I recently did a 600 and it got around on one overnight charge at a travelodge and a minor top up on the first day with a battery pack. Think I've sorted out the settings now so that it's doing what I want it to do.
Things it's not very good at - rerouting when off route (I've turned this off now as it was so poor). I've still got to get my head around using the map to get back on route.

Without knowing your finish time, we can't easily judge the battery life. It could be anywhere from 6:45, to 13:30. Which is a significant variance...

J

[jimmea]

It's very easy to turn all the beeps off on the 530. That's always the first thing I do with a new (or new to me) device.
I love mine. It it by far and away the best cycling GPS I've used.

Second that.

[JonB]

I commented upthread on the 530 not too long after I'd got it - the only thing I'd add (or reinforce) is that the battery life is very good. I did a 200 yesterday and it still had 40% power left (I don't bother taking a battery pack with me on 200s). I recently did a 600 and it got around on one overnight charge at a travelodge and a minor top up on the first day with a battery pack. Think I've sorted out the settings now so that it's doing what I want it to do.
Things it's not very good at - rerouting when off route (I've turned this off now as it was so poor). I've still got to get my head around using the map to get back on route.

Without knowing your finish time, we can't easily judge the battery life. It could be anywhere from 6:45, to 13:30. Which is a significant variance...

J

Yes, sorry - yesterday's 200 was 10 hours and the 600 mentioned was 38 hours (top up from battery pack at 250km and 2 hours charge at the Travelodge at 370km)