Even on the tandem we need a GPS each for DIY by GPS and it's time for us to buy a better 2nd GPS with a barometric altimeter. We also need another cadence sensor (we are currently using a Garmin GSC 10 Speed/Cadence Sensor which only reports cadence with the etrex30). I've recently been having reliability problems with cycle computers so I'm planning to mount both GPS's on the handlebars and use one for navigation and the other for stats. One limitation of the Etrex30 is that it has buttons on the side so extra space is required when mounting next to other devices on the handlebars (I want to mount both gps's and a IXON IQ front light on the handlebars).
GPSMAP 64s / 64st ?
I'm tempted by a GPSMAP 64s or GPSMAP 64st as they take AA batteries and will charge them from USB power. Compared to the Etrex30 are there any limitations, missing features or advantages?
Edge 810 / 1000 ?
The main reason I'm considering an Edge series as I think they support a greater range of cadence sensors. Is the usb connection waterproof (i.e. can they be charged whilst riding in the rain)? Can the track data be copied by USB mass storage from an Edge series device? Compared to the Etrex30 are there any limitations, missing features or advantages?
Etrex30x ?
Has anyone tried the new model yet? Aside from the screen resolution has anything else changed? Is the screen better in practice? Compared to the Etrex30 are there any limitations, missing features or advantages?
Something else ?
Thanks.
If we are spending £££ we want something at least equivalent to the Etrex30 or better. We want it to be capable of navigation, compatible with cadence sensors and have a barometric altimeter.
OK, colour me confused here.
If you need a GPS each for track logging purposes then what you need is a cheap unit that records a track and little else. If handlebar space is at a premium, go for something that you can leave in a bag or pocket and ignore until the end of the ride.
Why do you need another cadence sensor - if you're on a tandem aren't both sets of pedals moving with the same cadence? You don't need the speed sensor of the GSC10 on the eTrex because it can calculate your speed from GPS data.
If you want one for navigation and one for stats, can you tell the eTrex to follow a route and switch to the "computer" page (or whatever the eTrex calls it) so you can see a page of stats and let the eTrex then give you a beep and a warning of upcoming turns? What stats are you wanting to watch while riding, and do you really need them all even when navigating a junction? I can see why you might want things like speed, cadence, heart rate etc but if the screen beeps and switches to junction view I'm sure you can cope without them for the time it takes to navigate the junction and then put them back on-screen once you're back to just chewing up the road.
If you've decided you just want a new toy then don't let any of us stop you, it's just hard to figure out what to suggest when it seems what you need is a cheap device that sits in your pocket but what you want is something a little more, well, shiny and techie.
For what it's worth I've been pleased with my Garmin Montana. It's a honking great thing that is pretty chunky on the handlebars, but since I'm pretty chunky on the saddle I don't worry about it. It's got a nice big screen so you can have four data fields and still show enough map to be useful. It supports ANT heart rate monitors and I believe it will also work with cadence sensors but I've never tried it so can't say for sure. I don't think it supports external speed sensors, but then it doesn't need to because it calculates speed itself.
It takes its own custom battery, or three AA cells (yes, three, don't ask me why). With the map page active I've found the custom battery usually lasts me around 12 hours (you can probably squeeze more out of it with other screens, and obviously the backlight will drain it faster).
The Montana is a dated unit now, I bought mine in 2011, so you can probably find a newer unit with more shiny. The last new shiny thing I registered any interest in (not enough to buy one) from Garmin was the Monterra, which was kind of like the Montana but with more Android support, more toys, and a shape similar enough to the Montana to think they were the same but different enough that you'd have to buy new mounts to put it on your handlebars. With something like that you could probably find/write an app to do pretty much anything you wanted, but I don't know what the battery life of the Monterra was like.
As a general rule I wouldn't buy anything made by Garmin until they've had chance to shake out the firmware bugs that seem to plague their new releases.