Support road.cc

Like this site? Help us to make it better.

K-Edge Garmin Race Mount

6
£54.99

VERDICT:

6
10
A great bit of kit, but a very marginal gain suited to those with cash to burn
Weight: 
33g

At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.

What the road.cc scores mean

Good scores are more common than bad, because fortunately good products are more common than bad.

  • Exceptional
  • Excellent
  • Very Good
  • Good
  • Quite good
  • Average
  • Not so good
  • Poor
  • Bad
  • Appalling

The K-Edge Garmin Race Mount is a super-lightweight unit for holding newer versions of the Garmin family flush to your handlebar. It's robust and has a secure mounting mechanism, but it's also super-expensive.

In the world of marginal gains and weight weeniness, people often look for savings in the frameset and wheels. Maybe after that, the stem, bar and bottle cages. Somewhere even lower down the league table of components you may consider for weight saving is the Garmin mount. K-Edge, the US company making a range of mounts and chain catchers, has hit this brief perfectly. At a weeny 32g, the mount is 33% lighter than the standard K-Edge mount – a saving of a whole 16g. That's at least one sip from your drinks bottle.

> Find your nearest dealer here

The mount is designed for the newer and smaller members in the Garmin stable, namely the 820, 520, 510, 500, 25, and 20. This is a result of the brand's desire to bring the unit, when mounted, as close to your bar as possible, reducing any drag and making as seemless a connection as possible. If you have the Edge 1000, though, you're out of luck, as the length of the unit will prevent it fitting effectively. It's worth bearing in mind that this is not a combi mount – you're not going to be able to get anything underneath, be it a Go-Pro or similar video system.

The main benefit of the mount is that it sits the unit flush with rather than above the line of your bar and stem, which, well, just ain't pro. Having it flush makes it easier to use, looks better, and must save you at least 0.5 watt through the aero benefit.

K-Edge Garmin Pro Race Mount.jpg

The actual mounting mechanism requires, as always, the unit to be twisted into place, and you know when it's there as there's a firm and reassuring snapping feel as it clicks into position. Once it's there, the unit feels super-stable and secure, and any fears of it jumping out are cast aside. Similarly, the unmounting process is quick and simple, and there's no faff or fiddle in getting your Garmin off.

At the other end of the mount, the securing mechanism is solid and effective. You simply unhinge the mechanism, get it into place, and tighten it down with a hex key. The mount is designed for 31.8mm bars, so if you have anything smaller you're going to need to craft a shim of some sort.

> Buyer's Guide: 10 of the best GPS cycling units

There are four colourways, none of which are one plain colour – for example, that pictured, or black and white, red and white, or blue and white. This may divide opinion, but if you've got the frame colour scheme to work with it, it adds a nice touch to an oft-overlooked part of your bike.

Now for the most contentious issue... at £54.99 you're paying a lot. Although it's not exactly comparing like with like, as a 1000 is not compatible with the Race Mount, the K-Edge XL mount designed specifically for 1000s is £44.99, while a 520-optimised K-Edge mount is £49.99. Considering out-front Garmin mounts from Lifeline and Bar Fly are around £20, you're paying a huge amount for a very minor saving.

All in, the price of the product is prohibitive. Sure, the mount works brilliantly, but at £54.99 I think your money is better spent elsewhere.

Verdict

A great bit of kit, but a very marginal gain suited to those with cash to burn

If you're thinking of buying this product using a cashback deal why not use the road.cc Top Cashback page and get some top cashback while helping to support your favourite independent cycling website

road.cc test report

Make and model: K-Edge Garmin Race Mount

Size tested: Bar diameter 31.8mm

Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

The K-Edge Garmin Race Mount holds your Garmin in an aero position in front of your bar, and flush with the line of your stem – meaning that it's as low and stealthy as Mikael Kwiatowski in a breakaway. The mount is super-lightweight, at 33% lighter than the standard K-Edge mount, and so is aimed at those for which every gram, and every second counts. As the manufacturer says, it's for 'when your bike deserves Pro Tour race quality'.

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

K-Edge says:

The mount is compatible with Garmin EDGE 820, 520, 510, 500, 25, and 20.

It fits bars of diameter size 31.8MM

The mount is not combo compatible.

At 32 Grams the Race Mount is 33% lighter than our 'standard' Garmin Mount.

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
8/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10

The mount is solid and secure, and once you've attached your Garmin, you know it won't budge. The mount holds your Garmin very neatly flush to the handlebar.

Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10
Rate the product for weight (if applicable)
 
9/10

You won't really get any lighter than the measly 32g of this mount.

Rate the product for value:
 
4/10

£54.99 is a huge amount to pay for a computer mount, and is more than that of competitors.

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

Excellently. The mount held my Garmin exactly where required.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

You can tell it's a quality product every time you use it. It is stable on your bar and never moves, and the Garmin is held securely. The action for locking or unlocking your computer from the attachment is very easy and very positive.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Given the popularity of the Edge 1000, and the number of riders who use them, I find it a little baffling that the mount is not long enough to hold one. And the price is somewhat prohibitive.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? No

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes – if they had a lot of dosh, and if they had the right unit.

Use this box to explain your score

The mount is very secure, very light, and very aero. It is also very expensive. As far as marginal gains go, I think that you could save a few pennies by looking to save weight, or gain watts, elsewhere. It's a great item, but it's just too much money to score more than 6.

Overall rating: 6/10

About the tester

Age: 31  Height: 6ft 1in  Weight: 61kg

I usually ride: Giant TCR / Cannondale Supersix  My best bike is: Giant TCR

I've been riding for: Under 5 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: road racing, club rides, sportives, general fitness riding

Add new comment

6 comments

Avatar
Roadrider323 | 3 years ago
0 likes

.

Avatar
LastBoyScout | 6 years ago
0 likes

I've got K-Edge camera mount, as it was about the only decent-looking one with a conventional 1/4" screw fitting - otherwise you're hard pressed to find anything that isn't a GoPro mount.

They are very well made, but outrageously expensive for what they are - think I paid around £27, but it was birthday money, so not too bad.

Avatar
SingleSpeed | 6 years ago
1 like

I've got a couple of K-Edge mounts, they're just another excuse for some anodised bling.

Avatar
Toast | 6 years ago
0 likes

That Barfly you link to comes in at 22g, according to their description.

Avatar
wycombewheeler | 6 years ago
0 likes

how does it compare on weight to the basic garmin plastic and elastic mounting that is free?

Avatar
Filliny | 6 years ago
0 likes

55? kidding?  peace of alu and plastic ....  https://goo.gl/LQoczu

Latest Comments