Cyclist0084

When my tax return money comes in, I'm thinking of buying either an Edge 20 or Edge 25 to replace my aging Edge 800 which likes to freeze up way too often. Since I've never used the mapping functions on the 800, the 20 or 25 should suit my needs just fine.

One thing I've noticed online, thus my question, is that it appears the battery life is roughly 8 hours for either unit. I guess I'm just wondering if anyone has gotten more than 8 hours before having to recharge the unit? Eight hours will be more than enough for my normal rides, but I'll be doing a ride later on this coming summer that may find me on the bike up to, and maybe even surpassing, 8 hours on one of the days depending on slow I'm moving and how long I take at rest stops.

Thanks in advance for any information / comments provided.

Canker

You could also just ditch garmin all together and get a Lezyne something or other. They have a couple version right around $100. There is a Lezyne Macro GPS Cycling Computer on Amazon for $100 right now that has 22 hours of battery life and a lot of other features the 20/25 don't have. There is also the Bryton Rider 530 which has a claimed 33 hours of battery life for $140.

Cyclist0108

I have the 25 and battery life is 5 to 6 hours in reality.

bikefriday

I also have a Garmin 25...and agree with wgscott...battery life is about 5 - 6 hours. Great little unit though...very solid, and lots of data available.

Iride01 

I don't care for maps on my bike computer either. That's why my Garmin 500 still does the job for me.

One thing to be careful with when selecting your Garmin is to be sure it's going to work with any sensors you might use now or in the future. If things like cadence, power, speed from wheel sensor are important, then don't assume every edge will provide for that.

You'll also loose compatibility to Virb and Varia and other garmin products that can be integrated with the more expensive Garmins. Some units have varying degrees of integration so some of their features might not be able to be used with some models of the edge.

But as others said, Lezyne and Wahoo make some decent GPS cycle computers too.

TimothyH

The Edge 25 at $160 and the Edge 20 at $100 are some of the worst values in cycling computers today.

I say this as someone who purchased an Edge 25 at full retail.

It worked fine, not problems whatsoever but there are simply better machines for lot less money.

A Polar V650 for example, has a gorgeous color screen, full maps and can be purchased on the street for $159. This is just an example.

Cyclist0084

Thanks for replies and the alternative choices.

I'll have to look up those other units and see how they would possibly fit my needs.

Iride01 

IMO, This guy makes some pretty good and thorough reviews of bike gadgets and other stuff..... https://www.dcrainmaker.com/product-reviews

TimothyH

DC Rainmaker can sometimes sugar coat major flaws.

The need to shut off a screen because of sub par battery life is called a "nifty battery save feature" and so forth.


-Tim-

Iride01 

I doubt there is any reviewer that anyone can't find some issue with. After all, it's just opinions. His needs for riding aren't the same as mine so I don't see eye-to-eye on all of his recommendations either. But for a given product, I can count on getting a pretty good idea of how it works and it's limitations.

What unit can you turn the screen off?

TimothyH

Edge 820.

Battery life seems to have been improved significantly via firmware updates and reports are that the entire personality of the device is different now.


-Tim-

Cyclist0084

I always check with his site when I'm contemplating a cycling accessory purchase. His very in depth review of the Hero4 Session was what tipped the scales in its favor when I was trying to decide between a few different action cams a couple of years ago.

drewguy

My experience as well.

Regardless of your choice, if you're planning a longer ride bring a power tank/battery charger/Anker and charge up during a rest stop.

Alligator

I have a 25, and I got about 5 hours during the summer. I took it on a winter ride the other day, about 10 degrees F outside, and I got 15 minutes - even after coming from a warm house. That made me mad enough that I stopped using it entirely and just rely on Strava on my phone now. Keep the phone in a pocket and I’m trying to live without a GPS on my bars.

Cyclist0084

I kind of like what I've been reading about the Elemnt Mini. Might have to give some serious thought to one of those.

Iride01 

I think you lose the ability to display and log power if you ever decide you want to add a power meter to your bike. I'd hate to lose that ability when you can pay a little more for something like a lezyne and be more future proof.

Cyclist0084

Probably not. I'm slower than a herd of turtles stampeding thru peanut butter and a 60W incandescent light bulb would probably put out more power than I do. LOL!!

I just want the basic info; my speed (or lack thereof LOL), distance, time and the ability to see what route I took once I upload the info to MapMyRide.

Cyclist0084

Well, the state of Indiana is diverting my federal return to cover (so they say) state taxes I failed to pay last year. I have all the paperwork proving I did and the whole thing is just one huge mess at the moment. So, until I can get everything straightened out, it looks like I'm going to continue to use my Edge 800. It's been behaving itself of late, but I always wonder when it will next freeze up or shut itself off. If worse comes to worse, I do have a two year old "spare" smart phone I could use in conjunction with Map My Ride or maybe Strava. I'll see how the 800 continues to do over the next few weeks and take it from there.

ad18

I have a Garmin Edge 20 and have had zero issues with it. Both battery wise and functionally. I never ride in excess of 2-3 hours though and charge after each use. I briefly had a Leyzne unit and it was garbage right out of the box.