doubravsky 

Doing a double century in a few months, and I know with my Garmin Edge 1000 I can only get about 6 hours run time on a charge if I'm using routes for navigation. Has anyone used this? Thoughts about mounting? Is this better than just taping up a battery pack and using a cable to charge the Edge?

thanks!

njkayaker

Presumably, you are talking about the "Garmin Charge™ Power Pack"), which is about $130.

If you use this with the 1000, you will need a cable to connect the battery to the device.

The mount that comes with the 1000 won't hold this battery. So, you will have to buy the mount (on top of $130 for the battery). Or treat it like any other external battery.

You can get an external battery for $12.

There doesn't seem to be a compelling reason to spend $130+.






So, you have to use

doubravsky 

Ok... I saw the stuff about the flush out front mount and didn't realize it would only work for the Edge 1030. That helps. thanks!

znomit

I was looking at this for my 530. Is there no mounting solution apart from the out in front mount?

njkayaker

No, nothing special outside of the out-in-front mount.

Steve B.

The $120 out front mounted battery pack that Garmin sells is specific to just the 1030. That device as well uses a specific mount that has 4 contact pins that the batter pack engages in order to provide extra power to the 1030. No other Garmin device uses this system and even older Garmin out front mounts that do not have the battery engagement system or pins will not enable this battery to be use as Garmin intended, which is mounted to the bottom of the mount.

But as NJKayaker stated, a $12 battery and appropriate cable works as well, you just need to cobble up a way to store the stick, or whatever USB battery you choose to use. A top tube pack works well. And as note that the 1000 will function with an external USB battery providing power, it essentially is charging the device while the 1000 is on.

njkayaker

You could get the special mount and use a cable from the battery to 1000 (which would fit on the top of the special mount). Would it be worth doing that for $130? Probably not.

https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/p/571552#devices

Steve B.

Note if you choose to go the external cheap battery stick/pack route (which works well), you need to find a specific USB cable with a Micro USB angled connector, I think it’s right angle or something. If memory serves you can only insert the charging connector on the unit if using an out front mount as the port is on the bottom of the unit and will not allow a cable to be inserted if using the basic stem/bar mount that uses the rubber bands as it sits right on top of the stem. Might work with that mount on an H-bar. The unit also sits pretty tight to the stem with the out front mount as well, thus the need for an angled micro connector to clear the stem. I had to order from Amazon as could not find one local and ordered the incorrect version the first time (they cost like $6). Just heads up

znomit

The 530 has those pins too.

unterhausen

So does the 830. I thought the battery would mount to the regular Garmin mount, why would it need a special mount? on edit: okay, I see now, its a goofy design. Pretty typical for garmin.

I have been using cables hooked to a pack in my front bag, but the Garmin battery is tempting. I know someone that has a 1030 that uses the Garmin battery. IIRC, he says it lasts him through a 1200km ride (4 days)

njkayaker

?

You think it's "goofy" but you don't say what would be better.

I suppose it could have been set up to that the battery fit into the top of the mount and the Edge would have fit into a mount on top of the battery. That would mean the position of the screen would change depending on whether the battery was being used or not. That doesn't seem so great. Or one could use two mounts, one for the battery and one for the Edge?

Riveting

I use a cheap top tube bag to hold a large battery pack with a wire going to a Garmin 520 on an out front mount. Lasted me through a 525km ride, and I also used that same battery pack to charge a spare headlight, and a cell phone (though both of those were charged in my jersey pocket, since the top tube bag was not large/long enough to hold both the battery and the device).

Koyote

Just fyi: they are not as sexy and full featured as the Garmins, but Lezyne makes some gps computers that will easily run 20+ hrs on a single charge.

They cost much less than Garmins, too.

Seattle Forrest

This thread could use some pictures.

44.5mph

A less than $2 Power Bank and an 18650 battery plus cable will provide double the 1100mah of the Garmin battery.

billridesbikes

I use a small power bank from GoalZero, a top tube bag, and a USB cable to keep my Garmin 1000 and iPhone charged for a double century or longer. Bonus, the top tube bag still had room for some cookies and extra GoPro battery. My USB power bank is a little bigger, and more expensive than 44.5mph, 7800mAh, to support the iPhone and recharge headlights if needed.

doubravsky 

Here’s what I put together- garmin mount on aero bars- glued a garmin mount to battery.

znomit

Yesterday I rode a 300k in 18hrs with my 530 on battery saver mode. Only used 31% of the battery so I don't think I need a charge pack after all!

unterhausen

that's great, I should try my 830 and see how long it lasts that way

znomit

I liked having the screen off most of the time too. It would be nice if it stayed on for longer when I needed it though, 15 seconds is too short, especially when on the map screen.

unterhausen

my big complaint is if I want to see the screen, it puts up a nag screen that I'm wasting battery. No ****, you morons are too by showing this nag.

rifraf

I like your work.

SethAZ 

If you're doing a double century then will you have a goodie bag attached to your top tube behind the top of the steerer tube? If so, just put a battery pack in the goodie bag. Also, will you really need navigation running the whole time? There's literally no long stretch or majority of this ride that you can get by without it? Turning navigation on only as necessary, or even bringing a paper strip map along with you showing the route would be obvious ways of prolonging the battery life. That being said, there are some pretty tiny external USB chargers for dirt cheap that you could just tape to your top tube or behind the steerer top or something.

njkayaker

Using a charger is cheap and easy to do. People have been using them for years.

The effort of planning work-arounds like strip maps probably isn't worth it. It's a lot more fussy work and you lose the benefits of the device navigation.

I've done these long rides and wouldn't recommend that approach.

unterhausen

On the 800, displaying anything other than the maps really increased battery life. Haven't had an opportunity to check that on the 830