When turn by turn notifications pop up they take up the whole screen and display a clear picture of what direction you need to take at a junction. If you like to create routes on the fly then I've been having a good experience with Komoot, which has the added benefit of integrating with Garmin's software.įortunately, flicking between screens on the fly is no longer hazardous as the one-touch responsiveness from the device means you don't have to take your eyes off the road. The on device map is easy to read and follow, although grabbing and moving it is quite difficult and I don't think it'll ever be smoother than grabbing your phone out of your back pocket.
Garmin stock download#
Plot the route on Strava (or your chosen ride planner) download the GPX/TCX and then load it into the folder inexplicably named 'new files'. If, like me, you don't mind riding on busy roads but need guidance if riding in a new area or further afield than normal then uploading a course is still the best option. Setting up a route on-device is still a little clunky, it involves typing in address or choosing points of interest (again, much easier on the improved touch screen) but the route it chooses is informed by Garmin's rider data so it prioritises popular cycle routes, which tend to be a little quieter and more cycle friendly, which is smart. The Garmin Edge 830 boasts sophisticated mapping and actually, one of the main reasons I'd buy one is for its ability to keep me on course. The latter two provide uncreased performance at a greater drain on battery life so factor that in to the type of riding that you do. It was speedy at getting a GPS fix (much faster than the smaller Garmin Edge 130) and it uses three different types of GPS standard, GPS Galileo and GPS GLONASS. But if you're into your numbers, it'll handle it.
Just as the Edge 820 before it, the 830 is designed to be a training tool, and now more than ever it can give you granular details including Vo2 Max, FTP, your recovery, training load, heat and altitude acclimation, nutrition, hydration the list goes on but you get the picture.Īs I've mentioned in both my Garmin Edge 1030 and Garmin Edge 130 reviews, I don't need all of this information so personally I'd save the cash and go for the smaller unit. Usability is easy and I found it to be quick in picking up sensors (it connected to my heart rate monitor no problem as well as my Garmin Varia lights). Garmin Edge 830 functionality: Mapping, GPS, battery life It's now easier to setup than a device with buttons - it was markedly quicker for me to setup my 830 for example than it was the Edge 530 thanks to the 830's touchscreen – which is the way it should always have been – it just took a while to get there. Most importantly, with the improved touchscreen the on-device setup process is the most intuitive that it has been. While mine are still set to 'road', 'indoor' and 'mountain' you can have them setup in anyway you like, so conceivably there could be one for your race bike, one for your training bike and one for when you're riding indoors.Īlternatively, you can change data screens on the fly by pressing and holding the data profile box when riding along. It's a neat system because it's completely customisable. To setup a data screen you press through 'activity profiles', then data screens. It would have been good to see the bumper buttons have a more tactile feel and be put on top of the device rather than on the bottom where they can be difficult to reach between the bar and the base of the device. In my opinion it's a better size that the Garmin Edge 1030, the brand's top end computer. It's a good size, making it easy to dissect the jumble of information I have on one screen, preferring to lump all the information I want immediately to hand on one screen. They also have the same crisp and easy to read screen and layout design that I rated so highly on the smaller device. The two latest devices - the Edge 830 and 530 - are nye on identical, and they have the same black edging and bezel as the smaller Garmin Edge 130.
Garmin are now coalescing around a distinctively 'Garmin' design. Then there's the better equipped sensor bundle which comes with all the same mounts but a heart rate monitor, cadence sensor and speed sensor to boot. The Garmin is available in two bundles: the device only model we're reviewing here, which comes with an out front mount and a standard mount stem one (plus the elastic bands to attach it with).