best value cycle computer

[Alex321]

Wahoo elemnt Roam is c£180 for the previous version & would get my money if upgrading. I've been using the Bolt V1 for 5 years & it's been very good. The wahoo companion app is very good for setting up on a bigger touch screen enviroment of your phone.

Yes, that is the one I have. Been using it for a little over two years now (bought August 2021, when I bought my current bike), and have ridden almost 10K miles using it.

If your budget is up to £200, that is available for less. Currently £170 in startfitness https://startfitness.co.uk/products...VHwACSKTOD1jZ9ckH6itwlgxYjSX2d7RoCr5wQAvD_BwE

Or 180 from Evans https://www.evanscycles.com/wahoo-r...8AFDJs3KthZP9OBoCCWYQAvD_BwE#colcode=91522401

 

[steveindenmark]

Have both, definitely the Wahoo is easier to use. The Garmin's user interface is plainly written by a computer geek without any thought to making it easy to use.

I agree with this. I have had lots of Garmins and find them complicated. The Wahoo Bolt v1 is simple and excellent. The Karoo2 is nice. Not as complicated as Garmin. Maybe just a touch more complicated than Wahoo. But a better looking device and screen.

I always seem to pick the Wahoo because it is simple and does not go wrong.

 

[HobbesOnTour]

Value is a subjective thing.
Saving a load of money on a unit is no good if the unit doesn't work the way you want it to.
The usual problems that I have seen mentioned in relation to units are:

1. The screen's not big enough to see properly
2. The maps have too much or too little detail.
3. The unit won't reroute or plan a route or the rerouting capability is poor.
4. The interface is too complicated.
5. Battery life
6. Touch screen issues, or too much button pushing.
7. Syncing. Routes and completed rides.

To anyone thinking of dipping toes in the world of gps I'd suggest to have a good think about how you want to use it before looking at what's out there.
How will you plan routes? At home on a computer or on the road on a phone? Use someone else's? (A good planner to pair with a unit is strongly advised).
Do you go off course? If so, do you expect the unit to get you back on track?
Do you need more information other than a map? eg nearest café, bike shop etc.

Personally, I'd always consider after sales service as an important factor.

I saw this earlier. is this the entry level elemnt? it does look like it will have the features that I'll need.

The Elemnt is an excellent bike computer but it has no capability to reroute or plan routes. (Not a problem with a smartphone).
It does not have a colour screen (not something that has bothered me).
It's mapping is basic. (Perfectly good enough for me).
It does not need a computer for anything - everything is done through the companion app.

However, it is no longer sold by Wahoo so if I was going down that road I'd get it set up and then disable all future updates for it and the accompanying app. (You'd still be able to download maps etc. - realistically, not something you'd be doing regularly).

There's no shortage of previous discussions if you want to do a search.

Good luck!

 

[Mike_P]

However, it is no longer sold by Wahoo so if I was going down that road I'd get it set up and then disable all future updates for it and the accompanying app.

Why? Not being sold does not mean any updates issued will not be appropriate or are you expecting they will try to brick the thing?

 

[HobbesOnTour]

Why? Not being sold does not mean any updates issued will not be appropriate or are you expecting they will try to brick the thing?

I didn't say any of that.

There are two sides to the updating thing - the app and the unit.

I think it's reasonable to assume that updates will, over time, be less applicable to older, non-supported units.
It's probably good practise to hold off on any updates until we're sure that they won't harm our unit.

There is a risk that an update will change the functionality of the older unit (or app) in a way that we might not appreciate which has not been anticipated by the designers/developers who are focused on the newer models.

I rate Wahoo very highly for customer service based on my own experiences. Somehow, I don't think they are the kind of company to deliberately "brick" things. However, as a customer, having bought an older model from a third party seller, I wouldn't be expecting to jump to the top of the queue in the event that my unit lost some functionality. It's something I would include in my decision making.

 

[Mike_P]

I didn't say any of that.

There are two sides to the updating thing - the app and the unit.

I think it's reasonable to assume that updates will, over time, be less applicable to older, non-supported units.
It's probably good practise to hold off on any updates until we're sure that they won't harm our unit.

There is a risk that an update will change the functionality of the older unit (or app) in a way that we might not appreciate which has not been anticipated by the designers/developers who are focused on the newer models.

I rate Wahoo very highly for customer service based on my own experiences. Somehow, I don't think they are the kind of company to deliberately "brick" things. However, as a customer, having bought an older model from a third party seller, I wouldn't be expecting to jump to the top of the queue in the event that my unit lost some functionality. It's something I would include in my decision making.

An update will be relevant to the device on question. Win 10 pcs do not get Win 11 updates for example.

 

[OldShep]

Hi all,
does any one have any recommendations for a decent cycle computer with navigation for less than £200?
Cheers

Lezyne Mega XL 48 hr battery life, robust easy to read. I’ve had this model for 5 yrs never missed a beat and never suffered from all the Garmin frustrations I’ve experienced and witnessed with them.
Downside , for some, is you do need a smartphone to pair with it.
https://ride.lezyne.com/products/mega-xl-gps

 

[Alex321]

An update will be relevant to the device on question. Win 10 pcs do not get Win 11 updates for example.

There are two separate things that can be updated with Wahoo - the device firmware, and the android/iOS App. Update to the device firmware should always be relevant to the device, as you say.

But updates to the app may inadvertently break something if they have only tested the updates with the newer devices. The app is not device spcific.

 

[HobbesOnTour]

An update will be relevant to the device on question. Win 10 pcs do not get Win 11 updates for example.

First of all, a gps is hardly a PC.

Second of all I did say....

There are two sides to the updating thing - the app and the unit.

Or better put...

There are two separate things that can be updated with Wahoo - the device firmware, and the android/iOS App. Update to the device firmware should always be relevant to the device, as you say.

But updates to the app may inadvertently break something if they have only tested the updates with the newer devices. The app is not device spcific.

None of this would put me off buying the unit - I've had one and it's great - but once it worked the way I wanted I, personally, wouldn't update it until I was sure that no harm was done.

 

[Mike_P]

First of all, a gps is hardly a PC.

Second of all I did say....


Or better put...


None of this would put me off buying the unit - I've had one and it's great - but once it worked the way I wanted I, personally, wouldn't update it until I was sure that no harm was done.

No device is going to download updates that are not meant for it and saying updates have to be turned off is the most luddite comment I have seen for ages.

 

[Alex321]

No device is going to download updates that are not meant for it and saying updates have to be turned off is the most luddite comment I have seen for ages.

Perhaps you could try actually reading what has been written, and responding to that, rather than to your agenda?

Nobody has suggested the device would download updates not meant for it. Nor that you should turn off device updates.

 

[Mburton1993]

Garmin Edge 800 is pretty good, I used one for a couple of years before recently changing to an 820.

Can last about 8 hours on the map screen, 12+ hours on a data screen, you can download routes on it, upload ride data to Garmin connect, and they go for about £50-£70 on eBay (2nd hand). It is an old model though and has the old bulky micro-usb port.

Only used the 820 a few times so far, it's smaller and lighter, interface is a little more complicated, battery life is similar to the 800 but the 820's got an emergency battery function I haven't tested yet.

 

[vickster]

Garmin Edge 800 is pretty good, I used one for a couple of years before recently changing to an 820.

Can last about 8 hours on the map screen, 12+ hours on a data screen, you can download routes on it, upload ride data to Garmin connect, and they go for about £50-£70 on eBay (2nd hand). It is an old model though and has the old bulky micro-usb port.

Only used the 820 a few times so far, it's smaller and lighter, interface is a little more complicated, battery life is similar to the 800 but the 820's got an emergency battery function I haven't tested yet.

No bluetooth uploads with the 800, have to do everything useful via a PC, the cables are unreliable imo (aftermarket ones especially so!🧿)

 

[cyberknight]

i think the 810 has bluetooth ?
you may have to factor in the cost of a replacement battery for it , easy enough to do if you get the tools with it .

 

[Mburton1993]

No bluetooth uploads with the 800, have to do everything useful via a PC, the cables are unreliable imo (aftermarket ones especially so!🧿)

Yes there's no bluetooth on the 800 and on the reliability of the cables, agreed, I was cycling round Wales this summer and it stopped charging on the go and because it's an old style cable I could not find anywhere that sold one.

One of the reasons I switched to an 820.