I like the EDGE 830 however when cycling alone or with my bike group we tend to do the same routes or very similiar ones so as far as mapping new routes or riding via GPS and returning to the starting point I really don't have experience to guide you either way concering that aspect. I am stepping up from my EDGE 705 which finally stopped working after 12 long hard riding years. I use to turn my 705 off at certain times when stopping for short or long periods of time and then forgetting to turn it back on once I continued riding for "X" amount of miles. I no longer do that with my 830. I set it to automatically stop recording when I stop and I find that not only more efficient but I also don't have to remember to turn it back on. It also gives me a lot more information feedback as far as calories consumed, fluid consumed,exercise load, training benefit,respiration rate, outdoor temperature, total pedal strokes and more but at 59 years of age I'm more interested in total mileage and overall time but thats not to say that your not interested in all that information so there's plenty of information at your finger tips. I definitely like the the touch screen for easier navigation but I only touch it before I start to ride and again after I finish so I can't say how it would be riding and swiping. I am very happy with the overall functionality of the unit but I do have one gripe. Each time I get ready to ride I have to make sure that my speed, cadence and Heart rate sensors are connected. I have ridden over 65 times since I got my 830 and it has never automatically recognized all 3 sensors so I have to connect which ever one or two needs to be connected before I head out. It only takes a few seconds but I never had that problem with my 705!! I absolutely recommend the 830 just beware of the sensor connection issue that I experience on a daily basis but maybe that won't be an issue at all for you??? The sensor issue is why I rate it 4 stars instead of 5 so there is some room for improvement. Whatever you decide to get just remember you alway have an EDGE with GARMIN :-)
I cross-shopped the 830 with the new Hammerhead Karoo 2, which is lauded for its super bright, high resolution display. As gorgeous as the K2 screen is, however, I felt it had too many flaws in the everyday functionality to make it worth the investment. The Garmin 830, by comparison, has proven performance that just works. It's smaller, lighter and has an incredibly long last battery. Strava integration is seamless, and you can dial in and customize all of your data screens for different bikes and riding styles.
Many reviewers felt the 830s screen is pixelated and feels dated. While it's no iPhone, I was pleasantly surprised by the sharpness of the screen. It's plenty crisp and clear to read, especially for something I'm only glancing at during a ride. It's bright, too. In full sun I have no problem seeing the display. Virtually no glare. The touch screen is very responsive, even with my gloves on and with some light rain. And the battery is fantastic! I rode a century last weekend. The effort took around 8 hours, and the screen was on the entire time. At the end of the ride, I had more than 50% battery left. Not bad!
Gripes? Well, the menu system is a little confusing. I'm still learning all the functions, many of which are buried in sub-menus or tied to the iPhone apps in hard-to-understand ways. So don't expect to figure it out for the first time during a ride, and don't expect to fiddle with it 15 minutes before a big ride or you'll be frustrated. Be patient with it when you're not rushed and it'll start to make sense.
Overall, I'm very happy with this unit. The bundle is an excellent value. The speed, cadence and heart rate senors sync up flawlessly. And the bundle comes with three mounts (inlcuding the awesome "out front" mount), so I can use this on any of my three bikes. Garmin packed a lot into this featherweight unit.
I bought this as a gift but am also the buyer of an Edge 830. Touch screen works better than my old 820. I don't notice a significant increase in processing speed but that has never been a problem. Setup is easy and quick. The 830 gives additional road information such as sharp curve ahead. Battery life is great! I have not used climbing information yet as my rides are not generally planned.
It's been 10 years since I upgraded our bike computers. Our purchase of the 830 started with a separate purchase of the Varia taillight, which works with it's own sensor or pairs with the 830 and other Garmin devices. The radar capabilities of the taillight led us to the 830. The features of the 830 are awesome, and the ability to swipe between fields is super easy. It's pricey but well worth it. It has all of the features we'll need for many years to come!
The Garmin Edge 830 is perfect for me. I use this on my road, track and my tandem bikes. The display is bright and simple to use and the data is seamless with the download of the GarminConnect app on my smart phone. Getting the bundle was also a money saving bonus too. I highly recommend.
This Garmin cycling computer is a must for every cyclist. I have only been cycling for 5 months. As a new cyclist I didn't know lots of important information such as the right cadence. It wasn't till I purchased the Garmin that I was able to understand where my cadence should be so that I could become more efficient. This computer will give you all the information you need to know and more to improve in cycling.
I have been using my Garmin Edge 820 for about six weeks, including a trip in the Canadian Rockies. I have found the Edge 820 to be very accurate in the data that it provides (speed, distance, heart rate, elapse time, course, altitude), and very reliable. The battery life is better than my Edge 800. I do not usually answer my phone or respond to messages while I am riding, but the blue tooth connection to my smart phone is very convenient in telling me who is messaging or calling me, thus allowing me to answer or respond if I need to.
I use the Edge 820 mostly for pure navigation, with little concern for training metrics.
After a rough start, I learned from fellow 820 users that when using a course developed in RideWithGPS, best to download as a TCX file, and never accept the Navigate To Start? prompt. Following these two tips, I have enjoyed a series of flawless navigation performances, including course types that used to trip up my Edge Touring, like heavy greenway content, out-n-backs and lollypop loops.
Well, the navigation has a mind of it's own. You know how to get from A to B but I guarantee that this navigation will take you to C and D first. One you realize you have to be smarter than the device you learn to accept its flaws....it's a tiny brain. My only recent gripe is that it's supposed to keep a list of your addresses you go to as Recent Finds. Since the 11.2 upgrade, my device no longer does that. Garmin support has not been too helpful so far. Another little annoyance is that it often will not remember to connect with cadence sensor and I have to do so manually. Like I said, tiny brain.
Horrible battery life compared to other models, even with most features disabled.
Touchscreen can be problematic to operate, esp. when there is precipitation.
The amount of features are amazing but after a while you start to ask yourself just how many you actually need. I found myself disabling most either out of the need for simplicity andor improving the battery.
Latest firmware upgrades corrupted the sync process (11.0 fixed finally).
In doing some research, the 500 series seems to be a better fit for me and will deliver much better battery life, i.e. it will survive 75-100 miles for a ride with juice to spare.
Sorry, Garmin, this unit was a bit underwhelming for what I paid.
I may have reviewed this already but I don't see it and now I have been using it for about a month. I agree with people that say the touch screen is not something for Garmin to be proud of. It can take several taps to get it to respond. It, therefore, is not up to date in this technology. That said, it otherwise works extremely well. I am not sure it is worth the upgrade to a so-so touchpad from the button 520 model, but it is very good. The one thing to note is that the beeper (if you are using a Garmin Varia with it) is quite faint. Use the included handlebar mount and I can't hear it at all. However, use it with a 3rd party mount that is metal and open in the back and I can hear the beep every time. Another minor problem is how long it takes for the incline percent to measure correctly. Not that important but it should respond better. Overall, despite that, very happy with it. Also, there are many display options to make it better set up for you.
I absolutely love my new Garmin 820. The pinpoint accuracy, all the available readings, the ease of setting it up and moving from one bike to the other, the Bluetooth and the map is great... just need to get used to a small map.
Moving up from my Garmin 500 to the Garmin 820 is night and day, I only have more pros than cons since I only had it only 2 months in use, but its definitely technology in the right direction.
If you're as tied into Garmin for your training needs like I am, then this is a great addition. The data and its integration with Garmin Connect and other sites is great. The only downside is the touchscreen is not that great. The 800 was better but the 800 doesn't integrate with Varia Vision
I had a 510 that worked fine but I wanted to upgrade. The upgrades were the color touch screen, improved maps, and a few minor software things. The display is good, but essentially the same size as what I had. IMHO the 1000 is too big and the 510 is too small. The 800 seemed to be Goldilocks, but for some reason Garmin didn't stick with it.
