What is the current favourite GPS?

[TimC]

I’ve not had a problem with the Edge 1030 screen in the wet, but then I don’t do a lot of playing with the device while on the bike. I don’t need the distraction; I have only the map on display and rely on decent route construction with cues (by RWGPS) to provide me with the info I need when I need it.

The OP’s issue was with Strava crashing on a phone. Buying a dedicated GPS seems an expensive way to tackle that; I would have thought that trying other apps first might be sensible.

[Bernster]

The OP’s issue was with Strava crashing on a phone. Buying a dedicated GPS seems an expensive way to tackle that; I would have thought that trying other apps first might be sensible.

I've found the Wahoo Android app to be pretty reliable for recording after I got frustrated with the Strava app (I use it as a backup recorder to my eTrex for Audaxes). I've had to disable battery saving for the app to stop it from being shut down by the OS, and have used it to record pretty much all my rides over several years now, including quite a few multi day rides, and it's yet to crash on me. You can also set it up to auto synch rides with Strava if you want to.

[chrisbainbridge]

I’ve not had a problem with the Edge 1030 screen in the wet, but then I don’t do a lot of playing with the device while on the bike. I don’t need the distraction; I have only the map on display and rely on decent route construction with cues (by RWGPS) to provide me with the info I need when I need it.

The OP’s issue was with Strava crashing on a phone. Buying a dedicated GPS seems an expensive way to tackle that; I would have thought that trying other apps first might be sensible.

The screen does become unresponsive in the wet I find.  I solved the problem by upgrading my bike to one with the new Di2 buttons on the hoods which swap screen on the garmin.  Very first world!

[chrisbainbridge]

How does it decide what's a summit?

I presume it draws data from pre-planned routes (I use RWGPS). Very accurate on the couple of times I've tried it so far, although it does miss very short/sharp variations.

I believe they analyze the ascent data in the file and then use an algorithm to work out what is or is not an ascent.  It can be very annoying as it will miss multiple 20% climbs that are not long enough to count but state that a gentle 4-6% incline for 2 km is the only hill on the route!

[toontra]

It can be very annoying as it will miss multiple 20% climbs that are not long enough to count but state that a gentle 4-6% incline for 2 km is the only hill on the route!

It only seems to miss climbs of around 50 metres (distance, not ascent) or less.  Yes, you can get caught out with a sudden leg-breaker, but you know it will only be short!  Anything longer shows up accurately and is well colour-coded.

[chrisbainbridge]

It can be very annoying as it will miss multiple 20% climbs that are not long enough to count but state that a gentle 4-6% incline for 2 km is the only hill on the route!

It only seems to miss climbs of around 50 metres (distance, not ascent) or less.  Yes, you can get caught out with a sudden leg-breaker, but you know it will only be short!  Anything longer shows up accurately and is well colour-coded.

Being a weakling, I hate sudden steep sections.  I have been caught out a few times with the Garmin equivalent which has said 4 climbs and then has another 6-7 short very steep climbs, grhhh.

[Kim]

Being a weakling, I hate sudden steep sections.  I have been caught out a few times with the Garmin equivalent which has said 4 climbs and then has another 6-7 short very steep climbs, grhhh.

Nyquist can be a right bastard at times.

[ransos]

I've got an Edge Explore. Haven't had it very long. Not really made friends with it. I think it can do techy things that are beyond my comprehension. There's a thread about it somewhere.

I have one of those - it was great at first but is becoming less and less reliable. I would summarise as follows:

Pros
Big and clear screen
Generally reliable navigation
Relatively cheap

Cons
Battery save mode frequently causes it to crash
Battery indicator shows 100% when it's not full and 0% when it's not empty
Battery life (as far as I can tell, noting the above) is quite poor and it's slow to charge from a powerbank
Routes 300km+ seem to upset it.

For day rides and touring it's pretty good, but was exceptionally frustrating on longer audaxes this year. On the Bryan Chapman, it sent me in completely the wrong direction, in the middle of the night. Then it crashed, leaving me to navigate by phone and routesheet.

[neilrj]

I've got an Edge Explore. Haven't had it very long. Not really made friends with it. I think it can do techy things that are beyond my comprehension. There's a thread about it somewhere.

I have one of those - it was great at first but is becoming less and less reliable. I would summarise as follows:

Pros
Big and clear screen
Generally reliable navigation
Relatively cheap

Cons
Battery save mode frequently causes it to crash - Not had this

Battery indicator shows 100% when it's not full and 0% when it's not empty - Dunno about (un)full but mine runs for 2+ hrs on empty, can be reset to indicate better but unless on a mega ride (100m+) I wouldn't bother again

Battery life (as far as I can tell, noting the above) is quite poor - 10hrs still at 3 years old (or 8hr to 0% and 2hr until ride finished)

and it's slow to charge from a powerbank - not had this with my powerbanks, one a credit card size, another a big Anker brick.

Routes 300km+ seem to upset it. - I've heard this before so I split even a small 160km route into an out and back on a loop, or into 2 x 100km for the one 200km I rode.

For day rides and touring it's pretty good, but was exceptionally frustrating on longer audaxes this year. On the Bryan Chapman, it sent me in completely the wrong direction, in the middle of the night. Then it crashed, leaving me to navigate by phone and routesheet. - Touches wood

Mucked up quoting, sorry

[ransos]

^ Experiences will vary of course but the problems I've had with it do seem to be quite common.

[ElyDave]

It can be very annoying as it will miss multiple 20% climbs that are not long enough to count but state that a gentle 4-6% incline for 2 km is the only hill on the route!

It only seems to miss climbs of around 50 metres (distance, not ascent) or less.  Yes, you can get caught out with a sudden leg-breaker, but you know it will only be short!  Anything longer shows up accurately and is well colour-coded.

Being a weakling, I hate sudden steep sections.  I have been caught out a few times with the Garmin equivalent which has said 4 climbs and then has another 6-7 short very steep climbs, grhhh.

Oh, how I long for a long steady climb!

The short and steep ba$tards are all you get around here.  Unless you want hill simulation by riding a ten mile long arrow straight road into the wind.

[LateStarter]

I have had a Garmin 530 for a couple of years but my eyesight has definitely been pointing me towards a bigger screen and I was reluctantly (due to the outrageous price) considering the new 1040 or a now superseded and therefore discounted 1030+.

But Garmin has in the last few days released an Explore 2 which seems to be a slightly down-scaled 1040 but without all the performance stuff I would never use. DC Rainmaker says I could expect 30 hours+ from the battery, not the 70+ of the 1040 but also only half the price and I always carry a spare powerbank anyway.

Seems speced for Audax riders? https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2022/07/garmin-edge-explore-2-in-depth-review.html

Not available in my region for a month or two so interested in reports from the field.

[drossall]

Oh that's interesting. I'm still using an Edge Touring Plus. I like it, but it's a bit slow locking on to satellites, doesn't link to all sensors, and could do with the capability to charge from external batteries. In theory you can, but the silly design feature that turns it off when external power is disconnected means that any even slightly loose connection can keep trying to turn the thing off in mid-ride. So hopefully that one has been designed out!

[yoav]

Last week, I replaced my ageing and broken Edge 810 with the 830. Then yesterday I received the email from Garmin informing me of the Explore 2 - aaargh! Given that I don’t use the training features (much) the Explore would have been a better buy. Never mind.
However, with the 830, I can report 2 things;
- The battery life is amazing. I have just ridden 100km and the battery level went from 100% to 93% after nearly 5 hours of riding (without USB power)
- The unit doesn’t power off if disconnected from power - I connected it to the dynamo powered USB port and went for a ride. Every time I stopped, it told me power was disconnected, but, most importantly, didn’t start the switch off countdown like the 810 did.

[drossall]

I was looking at a 530 (which I think is similar to the 830 except for not having a touch screen) that was offered for sale here. Maybe I should have looked harder! (It's sold now.)

[Russell]

Having been outbid on a cheap (turned out to be not so cheap) Mio 505 I've looking around and come across the Mio Cyclo 210.  An Ebay seller has NOS for a resonable price.  Reviews seem favourable and the unit comes across as a no bells or whistles device that sounds like the thing we are after.  My only concern is, although the reviews state the ability to upload gpx to the device, no-one comments on following them without using the navigation function.  I think upthread someone commented on this but I am looking for reassurance.

Thanks

R