Laurido92

I've both Garmin Edge (510, 810, 520, and 530) and had the Wahoo ELEMNT Roam and although I had no issues with the Roam I ended up selling it and getting the 530. The only thing that I wasn't crazy about the Roam and I didn't like the fact that it didn't sync with Garmin Connect. Other than that they both do the exact same thing. The 530 has new features especially if you're a MTB rider you will definitely like the 530.

WorldIRC

Basically my thoughts, and understandable that it wouldn't integrate.

RJM

Just watched this video. It is pretty much everything you need to learn between the two units.

The more I use the Wahoo, the more I like it.

jnesss

sorry for the highjack, I've been lookin at Garmins and Wahoo's lately.

correct me if I'm wrong:

•Garmin 830 has turn by turn Navi with no additional cost? just import a Strava route and done?
•Wahoo Bolt / Roam only has turn by turn Navi via an uploaded route from another piece of software and you need to pay a subscription fee for that software?

njkayaker

Both provide it free. Both let you load routes from various sources (like RWGPS).

Steve B.

They both do TBT. Garmins can uses “courses” (sometimes known as Routes by other software), created in Strava, RideWithGPS, Kamoots and Garmin Connect. Wahoo can pretty much do the same (not sure about Kamoots). Those routes can be courses/routes created by others or one you create. Wahoo let’s you create on the phone app, Garmin as well. Both allow easy downloads of these courses via BT from the phone or via WiFi. Wahoo does not have a web based course creation tool. All this is free though Strava is starting to charge for stuff, RWGPS has some limits as well, but is worth a subscription. Lots of easy ways to get courses/routes onto the devices, it’s mostly pain free.

sfrider 

Just received my 530 - it just took 12 days to get here... REI took 6 days to ship it, then it seems to have gotten misrouted by UPS.

Don't use Garmin Express. I couldn't get it to work, it just kept telling me it can't connect to the backend services. Their support KB suggested this is because it's already installed, but not in my case. It just didn't work. Use the app; it will sync, update firmware, connect the computer to your account, etc. I mention this because DC Rainmaker has a setup video where he uses Garmin Express. It seems completely obsolete.

They removed the bike profiles compared to my old 510. I don't think this will pose a hard problem; I've set the 530 to use ANT+ while my laptop uses BT. But with bike profiles I could have created an indoor profile with only the PM pedals (Favero Assiomo Duo) and left everything else to Rouvy, making the sensor assignments explicit. It'll be interesting to see if my HRM behaves with both BT and ANT+ masters. Although I can always stop using the pedals in Rouvy and rely on the Kickr Core trainer (but then I also need to add a cadence sensor for indoor use; although the Core reports cadence, it has no idea which gear I'm in and is mostly guessing wrong). For multiple physical bikes, just add All The Sensors. This does have the possibility of misdetection though, it could easily detect an ANT+ sensor on a nearby bike, other than the one you're about to ride on. Then, as you ride off it loses it and will need to stop a block away for manual intervention.

The screen is okay, but nothing like the Wahoo Elemnt. Should be workable though. The button feel is excellent, better than the Wahoo.

Edit: I suspect the devices (sensors) only have one ISM band RF transceiver, and are going to either operate using BT or ANT+, but won't be able to do both simultaneously... I wonder who will win: first to connect or last to connect?

BluFalconActual

I’m the same as a lot of guys. I had an Elemnt Bolt and even though it worked perfectly, it didnt tie in with Garmin Connect which was a deal breaker because I use my Fenix 6 watch for all my other fitness stuff besides cycling.

Seattle Forrest

I haven't used Express in years and get everything I want out of mine. You might need it to update the maps, but I think it can do that over wifi?

sfrider 

Not sure... it will do software updates, sync activities, and install ConnectIQ apps (and data fields?) over Wifi. Not sure if the software updates include maps however...

Maybe if there's a map update and it doesn't auto update to it, I'll have to install GE on a Win10 PC (I only tried it on a MacBook Pro) - and use that. That's okay for once-in-a-blue-moon stuff...

surak

I don't use Garmin Connect for much, but it's pretty easy to use Golden Cheetah as an intermediary between Strava and it. Sync (download) activities from Strava, batch export them as .fit files, import them into GC. Extra steps, sure, but worth it for me to use my Bolt instead of Edge 520.