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Updated: GPS bike computer to launch at sub-£70

i-gotU computer offers sensor-free ride info that you can download to your PC

We’ve just been sent details of a new GPS bike computer called the i-gotU (yes, the i-gotU) GT-820 that seems to offer a whole lot for just £69.99.

Essentially, for any latecomers, you have yer GPS computers that offer mapping, similar to a car satnav, such as the new Garmin Edge 810. And then you have yer GPS computers that don’t provide mapping but measure your speed, distance travelled and so on via satellite technology, such as Cateye’s soon-to-be-released Stealth 10. The i-gotU GT-820 falls into the latter category.

So, here’s what you get…

• Speed
• Distance
• Time
• Pace
• Calorie consumption
• Slope meter (gradient)

The Pro version comes with a digital compass, barometric altimeter for £89.99 while the GT-820Pro HRM – with a heart rate monitor – is £109.99. The GT-820Pro-Deluxe comes with the HRM strap and a cadence sensor (prices include VAT). These use Bluetooth LE to communicate with the head unit.

The GT-820 measures 65 x 42 x 17.3mm and the screen is 1.4in. We’re told that it’s waterproof enough to handle being submerged a metre down for 30mins. It uses a rechargeable Li-ion battery, the manufacturer saying that the battery life is 24hrs with the backlight on, or 40hrs with it off.

You can download all your ride info via the USB port on your PC. That allows you to log your numbers and check everything out via the i-GotU software that comes as part of the package. This shows you where you have ridden and allows you to chart your performance.

The manufacturer tells us that the data can be exported as GPX and TCX files through their software although there's no Strava integration within the software itself.

The GT-820 will be available soon via the manufacturer’s website or through Maplin in the UK. 

We’ve not got our hands on one of these yet but we’ll try to get one in for review on road.cc.

Mat has been in cycling media since 1996, on titles including BikeRadar, Total Bike, Total Mountain Bike, What Mountain Bike and Mountain Biking UK, and he has been editor of 220 Triathlon and Cycling Plus. Mat has been road.cc technical editor for over a decade, testing bikes, fettling the latest kit, and trying out the most up-to-the-minute clothing. We send him off around the world to get all the news from launches and shows too. He has won his category in Ironman UK 70.3 and finished on the podium in both marathons he has run. Mat is a Cambridge graduate who did a post-grad in magazine journalism, and he is a winner of the Cycling Media Award for Specialist Online Writer. Now over 50, he's riding road and gravel bikes most days for fun and fitness rather than training for competitions.

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39 comments

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davebinks | 11 years ago
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Does it make actually riding the bike any easier?

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matthewn5 | 11 years ago
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I got my Garmin 500 on Ebay for £112 shipped free from Taiwan (buy it now). They're cheap since the 510 came out.

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jimc101 | 11 years ago
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Looks like a bad copy cosmetically of a Garmin 200, reminds me of cheap Chinese copy products, rather than a quality Chinese one, but given who it's being sold by, that's not a surprise.

Being as you can pick up a 200 on promo every so often for £80ish, would hold out, and get one of them (I did this) rather than a bad imitation.

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Cheesyclimber replied to Birdoman | 11 years ago
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Windows 7 "or above" is a nice way of saying it'll work with Windows 8, but doesn't have the necessary Microsoft certification.

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Mostyn | 11 years ago
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Garmin 200. at about £90.00 cannot fault it; and for the Strava guys - it's compatible!

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torquerulesok | 11 years ago
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No Strava + no Mac compatibility = no sale.

Poor market research on account of the manufacturer. Fail.

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pmr | 11 years ago
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Strava are missing a trick not getting involved in the market really.
They are most concerned with Garmin though, I use Strava and Garmin Connect. Strava having the social element whilst connect has better analysis features.
Planning to go to power next year and will probably use another service again to analyse that.

My advise is if you want to train seriously start using Strava or Garmin connect (strava if you're competitive!)
Dont bother with the cheap units, get the best, a garmin 800, it'll do everything you could possibly need (mapping, cadence, HRM, power etc etc) and you can get a good deal, particularly on ebay. Mine was £220 over a year ago but with the 810 out as someone has said you can get cheaper now.
Any issues or questions you have are easily resolved with a quick online search since so many have them.
Well worth the extra dosh IMO.

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FJM1002 | 9 years ago
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Seen the pro version (hrm not included) of this on ebay for £40. This is £10 cheaper than a new sensor for my current computer (doesn't do gps or HR). Think it seems worth it, you ?

What I have noticed through a quick Google search is that the overall unit is roughly the same size as an edge 500 but the screen is much smaller

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ZeCycle | 8 years ago
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I've got this device (gt-820 pro+ cs) for about 50€ and soon i will buy hr for 20€. Device is nice, i have almost all functions like garmin 500. You can upload gps-gpx to Strava by uploading file, but there is some bad things. Strava won't take altitude from device(barometric one) and won't take speed from speed sensor but from GPS, not a big deal. Sometimes it can search for satelites up to 5 minutes and you have to turn it off and on so it can start recording. USB dust cover rubber is realy bad.. It will peel after some time and it can be hard to open it to upload your workout. I don't like holder, it's big and uggly, it would be nice if it's like garmin one. Battery life is awesome, recorded for 1.5 day and it didn't spend even 1 bar. Overall, it's pretty good device its price will take of any cons this device has.

 

Pros:

Realy cheap

Nice functions

easy to operate

battery life- maybe 5 days with cs and hr

nice PC software

POI info display

 

Cons:

big body- small display

sometimes, long satelite search

USB cover

big and ugly holder

 

I didn't regret with gt-820.

My english is bad, hope you understand.

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