Garmin Edge 800 GPS-Enabled Cycling Computer (Includes Heart Rate Monitor and Speed/Cadence Sensor)

As a basis for my review: I'm someone who owns a 305, 705, 500 and 800 (and has the Cyclemeter iPhone app). I've ridden thousands of miles with all of them (well, not the iphone app and 800- yet). I've owned polar watches in the past too. My current set-ups include bikes with a powertap and Quarq. My training rides during the winter include 5+ hour road rides- although this is nothing compared to what the rondo folks do. I'm also a Cat 2 road racer with experience in many many many races. (also race MTB and cyclocross- no track this year)

At first I was a little hesitant about the touchscreen having been so used to my iphone. Is it sensitive? Can I use it with gloves on? I will say for a fact that the touchscreen changes your entire interaction with the device. It does work with gloves- and surprisingly well at that. Have you ever tried to enter data into the 705 using the little thumbstick? Hunt, click, hunt, click. It's a frustrating experience. With the touchscreen it's a snap. Tap, tap, tap. Done. Don't expect iPhone/Android phone screen quality- if you did, you'd be paying a couple hundred more for it (and probably wouldn't be able to use gloves with it)

Benefits over the iphone: screen works with gloves on. Don't need to worry about it getting wet. If I drop it, I don't need to worry about it as much. I still have navigational capability and maps if I'm out of cell range (happens a lot if I'm in the Cascades or the Oregon coastal range).

Another bonus over the 705- the sheer number of screens and discrete informational elements. 3 data screens with a possible 10 fields per each. Plus more available data fields on the map, courses and workout pages. A bike geek's dream. If you want to change one of the data fields- for example, instead of power, you figure you need to see 3 second power, you hold your finger on the field and poof, you can select the field you'd like to change it to. Changing all the fields on the 800 is a much easier process too, and if you don't want a screen, you can turn it off. (most of them at least)

Another big improvement- writing speed compared to the 705. I plug the 705 in and if I have a lot of activities, it takes forever to mount- if you have the 705, you know what I mean- that stinking green bar. The 800 mounts much quicker and the files are much smaller as .fit.

Compared to the 500- it's a completely different unit made for different purposes. The 500 I use in race situations for data collection and I only have a few data fields shown. Distance, power, heart rate and time. I rarely look at it but it's nice to be able to know why I am about to blow at certain points. The 800 on the other hand is great for training- the ability to change fields on the fly, the maps are quite handy to see where roads go and having the navigational ability is handy too. 500 takes more steps to change fields too so I rarely like to change them. Other fields that are available on the 800 but not on the 705, temperature (is at freezing- kinda important to know), watts/kg.

There's still some elements that need to be improved but given Garmin's track record for providing excellent updates, those should be fixed. For example- during workouts, using instantaneous power for narrow band workouts is not the best. If you're trying to work at threshold, instantaneous power tends to bounce around, and it really should have 3 second power as the basis. Otherwise the outside of zone alarm keeps on going off. The other piece I wish for is the ability to custom tailor fields to each bike. (So I choose my cross bike, it shows the appropriate screens since I don't have a power unit on that).

The other improvement over the 705 is the mounting system. It has the twist lock like the 500 instead of the 705 mount with the flimsy push down flap that breaks.

My summary? I for one love the 800- and the linchpin is the touchscreen. It makes the unit much easier to work with over past units. I was a little jaded and didn't expect much from touchscreen but now that I've used it, it has made a world of difference. I would say this is a large step improvement, not incremental.

How would I compare these?

705- 2nd generation, good evolution from 305, data entry a chore, good navigation capabilities, limited screens
500- minimalist, lightweight- great for those who don't need to navigate but want enough info to train with.
800- 3rd generation, UI greatly improved, data entry a breeze, plenty of information available, flexible with potential for more improvements

Is it worth it? Yeah, in my opinion it is. For the amount of time I spend on the road, absolutely.

Garmin Edge 800
I have never owned a bicycle GPS, but have tested many basic bike computers. The Garmin 800 is accurate, fast, easy to use and most of all fun.

My main reasons for purchasing the device were to have a bike computer to use on my road bike that would provide various kinds of data in addition to speed and distance (heart rate, time to destination...), and to be able to go for long rides without worrying about getting lost, allowing me to concentrate on cycling and exploring new places instead. I was looking for a product that would give me the information I wanted but without distracting me.

The basic data are very accurate and data fields are easy to read while riding, as long as you do not cram too many fields into a single page. (Screens are customizable and you can flip through data/map pages.) I use two data pages: one with basic information, and the other with data such as average speed or temperature which I do not need to consult constantly.

The screen is easy to read, even in direct sunlight, and it lights up automatically if it is dark outside.

The touch-screen interface makes the device very user-friendly and can easily be operated with sweaty fingers. I have not tested it with gloves yet but other users have said that they are not a problem.

The maps are accurate and easy to read, though I do recommend getting the city extension which is sold separately. Otherwise only main roads are displayed. I use this for road biking so I was not interested in having topographical maps.

The map can be programmed to avoid highways. However, on one or two occasions my GPS device led me to major roads that were not suitable for cycling. Since they were technically not highways, they were not blocked. Obviously the GPS does not replace your brain or your eyes. That might sound silly but I was surprised how easy it is to follow the device blindly. Just keep your eyes open. If you do not follow the GPS instructions it will recalculate a route based on the direction you take. The device is not intrusive or aggressive like some car GPS devices. It will not yell at you or display large warnings if you miss a turn. Instead, it will adapt.

I was not intentionally interested in uploading my rides to my computer but I have started using Garmin Connect to analyse basic data and track my progress from ride to ride. It's also neat to see your ride on a map and to be able to download other people's rides.

I was also not planning on using the heart rate monitor regularly but I think I will start. It seems to work pretty well.

The price for this device is very high in my opinion. Of course, this is the top-of-the-line model from Garmin. Yet compared to car GPS models it still seemed like a lot. I don't regret the purchase, and I do not regret having bought a cheaper model because I would probably have ended up buying this one afterwords anyway.

The Garmin Edge 800 has more features than anyone could possibly want. But it is very fun to use. If you are considering cheaper models but are drooling over this one, then buy it. No, you do not need it. But you do not need to get up at 5:00 AM on a Sunday to go for a bike ride wearing Lycra tights either. You do it because it's fun. (Riding, not wearing tights.) If you can spare the cash, buy this.

EDIT: My impressions after 250 miles using the product
-Heart rate monitor is accurate, useful and sensor is comfortable to wear. I thought it would get on my nerves but it turns out I like it
-Battery life is more or less as advertised, but obviously depends on factors such as whether or not you use the backlight, etc.
-Charging time is very fast!
-Today, the step-by-step navigation lead me into some guy's backyard claiming it was a road. According to him, there was one there... three years ago! He says people using GPS devices end up there all the time because Garmin apparently hasn't updated that part of the map... Not a big deal, only happened once but funny story.

From a feature/function perspective, the edge 800 is a fantastic device....WHEN IT WORKS! Some of the problems I've had multiple times include (but definitely not limited too)...

Speed going to Zero randomly, then the device will auto-pause causing loss of data.

Last 3 rides the device encountered a waypoint error in which it suddenly showed I traveled 1000's of miles completely throwing off all my data fields including average speed, distance, elevation, etc. I've had average speed reach 15,000mph.

Corrupt fit files on the device that prevented me from uploading data to Garmin connect.

In short, I would not purchase this item until Garmin fixes all the software bugs with a new version firmware. If and when they do, I will rate the product at 4-5 stars as it is a great GPS when working. (at the time of this post, current firmware version is 2.1)

UPDATE - All technical issues have been resolved by Garmin via software updates. Hopefully Garmin will stop using their customers as software testers.

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