I had an Edge 530 for several years before getting this, and I loved it. Upgraded to the 840 because it was a good price and waiting to spend $200+ more on the 850 didn't seem worth it. This is definitely a good bike computer--it does everything you could ever want and lots of things you'll never want, or even be aware it can do. That said, I knocked a star compared to the simplicity of the 530 because this thing is beeping at me and throwing up ClimbPro screens constantly, and it had a run where it wouldn't wake up without me hard restarting it several times (that seems to have gone away for now). You can change the settings to make it beep less and turn off ClimbPro, yes, but it's so excessive out of the box that I have to point it out. And I liked ClimbPro a lot on the 530, but this thing considers EVERYTHING a climb. Literally, any incline it seems. I actually got lost on a long ride because the computer kept throwing up ClimbPro and the new hazard pop-ups over my navigation as I was going 20+ mph and I had to stop, figure out how to exit back to my nav, turn around, try to figure out where I was going in advance (because when I went back the screen popped back up again), etc. If you can't tell, it got in my head a little. BUT, with all that behind me, this thing is a darn good computer.
Upgraded from my 530 after 4+ years. I'm pretty much purely a fitness and training user and rarely use the maps. It has been a welcome upgrade for a number of small reasons. The screen is brighter, easier to read, and more responsive. USB-C charging seems faster and is definitely easier to use. And there are several features for power, climbing, and stamina that are either new, or were so buried on the 530 that I never found them. Transferring my sensors via Garmin Connect was automatic, and wi-fi connectivity is exponentially improved. Bottom line is that this is a much more polished platform than the 530 and for me it was well worth the upgrade.
I never owned a Garmin before, but I'm getting back into cycling after a few years off. I plan to use GPX files to participate in cycling events and train for a century ride at the end of the season.
After using my Garmin 530 for a few months, I can't imagine riding without it. The navigation works great, and I appreciate being able to track my heart rate, cadence, and other metrics.
I prefer the button interface over a touchscreen, as I can't stand having fingerprints on the display. There is a bit of a learning curve, but it's manageable and straightforward.
I would definitely recommend this device to anyone serious about cycling; it's a must-have.
When I saw the price drop, I decided to finally take the plunge and buy this. I have mine paired with my Edge 1040 and I am honestly amazed at how well this works. You can easily see when cars are behind you, how many there are, and also get a sense of how close they are. As soon as it senses a car, you get a beep and a red gradient overlay appears on the sides of my Edge, along with dots on the right side showing how many cars, relative spacing between them, and how close they are to you. If the car turns off before it passes you, the red gradient overlay turns green and then fades away. It's a very simple, intuitive and effective interface, that really doesn't take anything away from your normal display. I really regret not buying this a couple of years ago! Highly recommended.
