Garmin reveal Edge 810 and 510 GPS computers +video

I have recently bought an Edge 500 and am enjoying it immensely. Not sure the extra bits would warrant shelling out more for the new item but it should bring the price of the outgoing Edges down nicely.

As I've only just got an Edge 200 I'm really glad that haven't brought out a new version of that! The 510 looks brilliant. Not convinced by the mapping on the 800/810: when did you last go anywhere without looking at a map first?

And one more thing. The Bluetooth connectivity means that the Garmin can use the smartphone's data connection to broadcast location etc... so far so modern. However, if you want to do that, why not just have the mobile app using the smartphone's GPS, like Endomondo, Strava, etc etc?

Would it be possible for Road.cc to do a comparative review of the 810 against the Mio 305?

Father Christmas brought me an Edge 200 (actually I received the cash, and bought the Edge) as well. I wouldn't rule out an updated 200 being announced hot on the heels of this to be honest. Boo hiss.

My first impressions are that for uploading to Strava and reviewing the ride afterwards, the smartphone is better, simply because it's all done and dusted with a few button presses and I don't have to switch the laptop on to get the data off the device. However, I do like having the speed etc visible in real-time, as well as not having to bother with magnets/sensors etc.

Re the mapping, I think it would be great to see a nice-looking route, download the file, and simply follow the directions. However, I'm not keen on the size of the device, the cost or needing to constantly look away from the road to see where the next turning is.

Bring on a lightweight augmented-reality heads-up display that projects turn arrows onto the road ahead, and now we're talking! Nice integration into my Bolle specs, and my credit card will be trembling in it's boots...

@Gizmo, the difference is the battery life compared to mobile phones - I'm not sure what the figures are for the 510 and 810, but I've had my Edge 200 (the basement model) running constantly on a 9 hour ride and it was only just below 50% charge at the end.

Running something like Strava or Endomondo on iPhone, the phone is dead after a couple of hours.

The live tracking is more useful than it would seem at first; this is something I'd thought would be a really good idea to build in - it would be useful for family/friends who want to come and watch you in an event, saving them hanging round for ages as they can see exactly when you're getting near.

I wonder if a similar Edge 210 will be released at some point with these features - the colour touchscreen is overkill for me, and I'd be quite happy with a black and white screen with buttons if it was still half the price.

"a larger form factor" - does that mean it's bigger ? Getting in an early entry for the Plain English prize perhaps.

More seriously, do they still have the same mounting system. Because on my Edge 500 the plastic tabs which hold it into the mount have snapped off. And on the Garmin forums there are a lot of people saying they have the same problem at about two years.

It appears to be a design flaw. And I find it particularly annoying that it is a flaw in 50p's worth of plastic that ruins a 200 quid device.

Garmin have offered to replace it but at a reduced cost, not free, which seems to be the general story on the forums too.

Does this mean that the Edge 800 will be coming down in price shortly?

Anyone want to buy a 1 month old 800 - VGC

We don't normally do comparative reviews, but it might be an idea to do some sort of round-up, to give people an idea of what's out there and how they all compare.

This update seems essentially a software one at least on the 810. I was hoping for an improvement in the screen and the same kind of ease of use that you get with a smartphone app allied to the Garmins internals. Bluetooth is welcome but is still a bit clunky and this seems an opportunity wasted unless of course another device is planned.

Great timing Garmin, you really know how to piss off all those people who got an 800 for Christmas !

So I'm out riding, its windy from the SE and warmish. I push a button on my GPS-enabled £350 mega-device and it tells me it's windy from the SE and warmish?

On another subject, please get in touch if you are interested in the old rope I'm trying to sell

Put your phone into aeroplane mode and it'll *greatly* increase the battery life (easily 2 or 4 × more)

Does the GPS tracking work in aeroplane mode? If not then the extra battery life would be a bit pointless!

I love that video, makes me

@mikeprytherch - getting an 800 for xmas - I wish!

Do WADA know about this?

Will these versions work with a Mac? I have a terrible time with uploading data from my 800.

The mobile link sounds great. But will it work with an iPhone!

Sorry. My little grumble since the after sales service and support I've received since my purchase was lousy.

'Live weather'? Don't you experience this for free when you are out on your bike? I look at the forecast before I go out, but once I've left I'm going to get wet if it rains, aren't I?

Like the update to the 510 but the 810? Im not convinced at all by - it appears a bit desperate.

The mapping on the 800 and 810 is a right mess - first thing you need to do is go and download a different map...why? you shell out all that cash only to find the main reason you bought it (maps) are rubbish.

Ultimately these devices need to compete with mobiles and not many products survive in that space - the future is clearly some kind of front end dum device that extracts and displays data from your mobile in your pocket...

I'm sure JV sits in a darkened control room in front of multiple screens. All he needs is a white cat to be a bond villain!

Any chance of doing a long term review, maybe reader input based, since I find that these devices are all very well when shiny and new, but a few months later, when the battery life is vanishing, the mount has broken, a button has failed or the device crashes regularly mid ride then you really regret buying X, Y or Z model as you struggle with customer services. Maybe do a survey?

I've been using a 705 for years and the navigation/mapping is handy but I could live without it. The live tracking is pretty good as the wife does worry when I go out on those cold dark nights....despite the fact I'm a mobile advert for exposure lights.

I gotta admit to being a techie/gadget addict and yet i find myself trying to balance the cost Vs function designs of these Vs mobiles.

I havent used any Garmins and currently use 2 devices to track my rides/performance; Polar CD800Cad and a iPhone4s with Strava and a spreadsheet.

Polar does speed, cadence, time and HR well, logs about 15 rides and clears the oldest to leave room for new rides. Wire free but loads of cable ties and 2 big sensors. Display is great and HR works well.

Communication is via my fingers and a spreadsheet as I dont use a PC anymore, smartphone only.

Strava we all know, it also tracks distance, always different from the bikes actual, logs my route for others to see and gives me some additional performance stats like segments and gradients that can be broken down easily enough.

I dont have issues with my iPhones battery though I dont often do rides over 4 hours. I do use Airplane mode when I do club runs as they tend to be longer times rides and Strava hasnt has an issue as yet but I have lost one short ride doing the same, just one though.

Non of the Garmins do everything either but the 510 looks to do things much better albeit with a cadence sensor being required.

The communication via bluetooth looks excellent against having to addon an adapter to a smartphone or plug it into a pc physically, still not foolproof as BT is problematic at best but the link to a smartphone is the main key for me in this scenario.

Id not have to take a mobile and bike computer on myrides anymroe...except I always would as I like to have emergency backup of a phone and I use the camera loads. The iPhone also has great mapping options for review rather than direction in my case and the battery will never be in doubt if using a Garmin.

This will be on my list, as will testing one at a sportive that rents them for the day.

Best start saving for a 510 then...

Hi,

"when did you last go anywhere without looking at a map first?"

Well it worked brilliantly for my 11 day LEJOG. I rode with the OS Map displayed with the route on it. Made it very easy despite using many tiny roads and off road sections. Far too many junctions to remember them. Didn't need to carry a map.

@Pauldmorgan: Yes, GPS works in aeroplane mode, at least with Android generally.

@Colin Peyresourde: my 800 works perfectly fine with my MBA (Mountain Lion).

No problems connecting Strava or My Garmin. BaseCamp unfortunately is a dumbed-down version of Mapsource and hopeless for creating bike-specific routes easily. Also, it is way too much hassle to export routes from Google Maps to the 800. Garmin, get your act together!

Given that the 810 adds little useful functionality to that of my 800 (I have no interest in bike-specific displays, I know what I want to have displayed - the display has been configured to my requirements - and I want that to see on all my bikes), I see no need to upgrade until Garmin improve the route creation process, either in BaseCamp or with a connection to Google Maps.

Save your money everyone! I have been using various garmin products now,poor quality,poor backup and service. edges are great as a cycle computor,lots of glitches though. satnav maps etc,are complete crap. Buy an Iphone and install cyclemeter app. I promise you wont look back! Invest in a good waterproof mount.its compatible with ANT+ and bluetooth heartrate straps,powermeters,cadence transmitters. (I was anti iphone til I borrowed a mates one with this app,I was very impressed!)

Sorry all,forgot to mention some of the better iphone holders for cycles have an additional battery built in to increase ride time!

If Endomondo makes your iPhone go flat in 'a couple of hours' you have a problem with your phone.
My year old iPhone 4 lasted the whole of the Dunwich Dynamo running Endomondo, though it was flat when I pressed 'stop' on the beach. That's 10 hours of continuous recording (yeah, I certainly wasn't the fastest out there).

Can you get those Garmin boys to schwag one or two !!!

Hi Farky,why don't you use your iphone only? cyclemeter app is excellent,can be used with bluetooth or ant+ cadence,speed,heartrate or power transmitters.there are wahoo waterproof h/bar holders with extra battery power too. you can use good mapping with it and you only need to carry one gadget! Having owned various garmin products that have been great when they work,but unreliable,glitchy,and worst thing of all poor support/backup.Having bought the edge 705,then the 800 I have given up,£800 on those two products alone,(god knows how much have spent on their car satnavs!!!)I always was against the apple iphone (I have android sony) But borrowed a mates iphone4,its excellent! you can view a ride and info on the phone at any stage,whereas the garmins have to be downloaded to a pc.(who carries one of those on a ride?...Exactly!)
Try the cyclemeter app (£2.99) It should pair up with your polar transmitters if they are ant+. You may have to check exactly what works with your model of iphone,if you go to cyclemeter site there should be a link to wahoo site to help you. if you dont like it,you have only lost £2.99,a lot less than the cost of a garmin edge510!!!

i wouldn't mount my phone to my bars, personally, having tried it on several occasions. I've yet to find a mount for a smartphone that really does the job, and phones aren't really designed for it. plus, any ride over about 3 hours is touch and go with my phone's GPS on and any kind of screen usage - you can't leave it on all the time or you'll get even less battery life. it's a faff to have to turn the phone on every time you want to see the map, and you have to wait for a GPS fix too.

if you just want to log your ride, phones can be good. but for more than that, i find a dedicated unit a *much* better option

i have tried cases with a built in battery, btw. although i've yet to try one i'd really recommend

I agree about poor quality mounts Dave A. Even dedicated cycle computor mounts fail in my experience.
The gps should still be live even though the screen is in blank mode. most phones just require a touch of the screen to light up.
Even my sony experia arc s works for an entire ride of 5hr+. There arn't any good bike mounts at all for this phone or battery boosters!
I made one out of a silicone cover,extra rubber underneath(to absorb road shocks) neatly cabletied to stem and bars. you have to prise phone in and out of it to remove and replace it everytime, being the only downside.
Another reason to go for an iphone...loads of acessories available for them!
Please have a look at the wahoo site, as its mounts are some of the best (although as an engineer,they also can be improved!) I have physically seen them and used one to test the iphone cyclemeter app on my bikes.

Connected Edges! Are they able to show me where my mates are going? That would be a killer feature for anyone who has ever been late from a group ride.

Re mounting phones on handlebars, and mounts not being up to it + smartphone screens being power-hungry and eating the batteries within hours....

Have a look at: http://www.wahoofitness.com/RFLKT/

It's a head-unit for smart-phones. Battery lasts ages. Communicates via bluetooth with your phone. At the moment, they only seem to have an app for iPhone, but perhaps the programming specs could be coaxed from them and/or they'll support Android at some point.

It's probably not a useful option right now, but definitely something worth keeping an eye on.

something we're going to see more and more, i think. wahoo are very much tied in with the iphone right now but no doubt they'll expand to android too.

devices like the pebble and sony's liveview are other options