If you ever want to use your phone as a bike computer, try the Ipbike app. It has more stats than you’ll ever use and you can load and view .gpx routes.
I just got a Lezyne Mega C 2 weeks ago. Coming off a Garmin 510. Love the Lezyne so far. Very easy to use. download maps for offline use. Live tracker sent to designated email contacts as soon as you start a ride. Computer screen configurable from the app. No wifi. GPS very responsive on the map when riding. Alot less expensive too. Wahoo looks about the same but the Lezyne is half the price. Routing you can do on the map on the phone app. Touch a spot on the map, put in an address, download a tcx or gpx file, very simple.
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I have the Garmin Varia radar also, I really like the integration with Garmin Edge 1030. I like how it gives you a rough idea where traffic is but once you use it a few times, you get a pretty good idea how far back traffic is, and how many are coming. I chose the Garmin 1030 because of the size, just easier to see.
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+1 for Wahoo ELEMNT Bolt
+1 for the Bolt. My only issue with it is it’s ability to accumulate dirt as was evident after my first cross race with it.
Don’t buy anything else but Garmin. I bought my Garmin edge 510, 6 years ago and still works perfectly. If I was to buy a bike computer today, I would choose Garmin edge 520 or 520 plus
I am going to go left field but I really like my Bryton 530. Cheap and I get about 30hrs of battery life.
I’ve got the Lezyne SuperGPS from about a year ago (there are loads of different models, and there are some new ones out now too). I think it’s really good for the price - it picks up my power meter, speed sensors and heart rate belt OK, and syncs to Strava fine. The routing is OK, especially in breadcrumb mode, but I think you need your phone hooked up to it to do turn by turn, and the website route builder is a bit rubbish so you are better off importing tcx files from somewhere else (I think it has to be tcx to get turb by turn as well - some imported files definitely don’t let you do that). It was £110, whereas the Garmin 520 and Wahoo Bolt were £220 ish, so it’s considerably cheaper and uglier (and less aero), but it does the job.
+1 for wahoo.
just works, and lasts.
The Wahoo Bolt has been a fantastic computer for me. I’d recommend it over pretty much anything else I’ve ever seen.
Judging by Strava, a lot of members in our club sold their Garmin Edge 520 and switched to Wahoo Bolt. From what I’ve seen on rides, only a few are really using the one thing that sets it apart from Garmin - if you have trouble seeing computer during a ride, easily change # of fields down to 1 or 2 items (e.g. speed and power) so its easier to read.
The thing nobody mentions is that Strava routes on Wahoo give you no turn-by-turn, while on Edge 520 I get shaped based routing and turn-by-turn. And new 520plus, 820, and 1000/1030 all have true routing and turn-by-turn. Even on this old 520, I can sync routes via my phone which is supposedly another reason I’ve been told to sell my Garmin and buy Wahoo.
This one is going to be controversial, but I’m seeing just as many “Wahoo crapped out” posts on Strava as with Garmin. My local ride leader occasionally has weird speed data on Strava since buying Bolt. In my humble opinion (and never having any real issue with Garmin) is that ‘just works’ is pretty much a draw. But if you’ve struggled thru 820 growing pains then I can understand your frustration and why you tossed Garmin for Wahoo.
I’ve spent some time with the Bolt and Elemnt, and decided to save money and keep my Edge 520 for a couple reasons:
- only configured computer once or twice in 3 years
- at 56 yrs old I can still see 8 or 10 fields on Edge
- Wahoo refuses to support rear radar or light networks, two safety features I won’t give up
- when traveling to new areas I can sync a Strava route via phone and Edge 520 does shaped based turn-by-turn, with Wahoo you get nothing (both Garmin and Wahoo do turn-by-turn with RideWithGPS)
Without true turn-by-turn, I can’t call either my 3 year old Garmin Edge or Wahoo fantastic. But both are good computers.
I’m holding out for at least another generation, and my next computer is going to have true turn-by-turn and support radar/lights.
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I have been using the Garmin Fenix 3HR for awhile after my 820 failed and while the Garmin ecosphere is great at times, all my buddies have Wahoo and it really is worth a very hard look. Their interface is exceptionally clean and easy to navigate. I’ve been pining for Garmin to release an updated 830, but it hasn’t arrived.
It was mentioned that a wrist watch is a great way to go. But, it is hard to watch your power on your wrist. Also, I think I saw something about Wahoo coming out with a wrist watch too.
One thing to note about Garmin and Wahoo. I saw over at DC Rainmaker last month that Strava was going to start charging vendors for access to their segment data, except Garmin and Wahoo. I don’t know what the fallout has been since I saw that, but it was discussed in the thread about Strava’s new Summit conversion.
I keep hoping Garmin responds to Wahoo by doing an interface redesign on a new Edge unit. For all the Wahoo interface love, I don’t see anyone interacting with it much. Wahoo does make it easy to configure the first time, or the rare screen reconfigure. During a ride its drop dead easy to reduce # of fields to one or two, and pretty much everyone I’ve seen with a Wahoo has only 2 fields showing. My questions, and I’ve filed multiple support tickets with Wahoo on this, is when will Wahoo add a color display, true navigation, and support for safety?
Do the wahoo computers have a garmin connect iq equivalent?
No.
I use a Garmin Edge 500. I love it so much, I bought a spare (brand new condition, used twice) a few months ago.
Everything you want. Nothing you don’t. Just works.
Wahoo element bolt ftw. I love garmin stuff and a big fan but went with the bolt and it just works.
Thanks @DuncanM23. I have the garmin510 that is 6 years and still doing well. It is just missing a few features on new units and the screen is beat up from mountain biking
I have the 820. I agree the touch screen is a pain and prior to using D2 on my bike I would not have recommended it. However with the buttons on the hoods, I have set up commands (3 for each button) which controls the Garmin. Now controlling the Garmin is a thrill. No problem. The Wahoo is thus far not compatible with the D-Fly channels of D2.
The Garmin has access to custom screens which display data in a less conventional means. For example one is a speedometer with data packed on the sides. Another is designed for a power meter. There are literally a hundred user created interfaces available
Regarding battery life, I got my Garmin as a gift exactly 2 years ago and it has lasted me on multiple 100 mile rides this year. I always charge it prior but I would have done that with any device.
I agree with someone else who recommended the DC Rainmaker blog. I find his reviews honest and in depth.
Good luck on your choice.
+9000 for Elemnt Bolt.
I did the Mallorca 312 (about 12 hrs of recording HR and Power) and I only started with 90%!
Had it for about a year now and never encountered any sort of problems with it. Colour screens just seem to complicate things!