Garmin 1030 Plus or Edge Explore 2? Just touring ...
 

Some help please selecting between the 1030 Plus and the Explore 2. I've never used a cycling computer before. My major goal is to get my phone off my handlebars. I ride locally and tour in Europe alone and with family most summers.

Would like to use Komoot to make my routes, have rerouting in computer, control music/media from the head unit, quality easy to see touch screen, upload completed rides to Strava. Hill profile would be nice too.

1030 Plus $506 all in new (used "like new" $440 Amazon)
Explore 2 $330 all in

How much better is the bigger screen on the 1030 plus? In terms of touch performance? In visibility for aging eyes?

Is the user interface significantly different between these models?

Does the navigation work the same or is one better than the other?

Thank you for advice - I'm feeling like springing for the bigger screen might be worth it but don't want to waste money either.

My son has a 1030 plus. The speed of map refreshing when you pan it around and the speed at which it uploads a finished ride to Garmin Connect is much better than my Edge 530 or even my son's Edge 820 that he had previously. So I think the processor in it must be much better. He also says the touch screen works better than his other touch screen Garmin's. Especially when wet from rain or sweat.

I'm new to nicer bike computers too but can speak to a positive experience with the EE2 so far.

Screen is good size but more could certainly be an advantage if you can tolerate the size. The touch performance of the screen seems very good, including with gloves.

Not sure about uploading to Strava on EE2.

I almost pulled the trigger on the Explore 2, since it does everything I need it to do (I don't care about controlling music, though). Then I thought, I only need it as a backup in case my 1030 screen loses its sensing capability like my old 800 did, maybe I just need to make sure I don't drop the 1030. So I'm $300 richer. For now.

Maybe download the manual for the Explore 2 and verify it will control music. The EX2 is a more recent model so might have a slightly updated OS, but the 1030 has a lot of performance/training features that is often what they update and is of no use to you. Navigation is going to be the same, screen size is pretty close and the difference won't really matter. For what you are doing I would say the Explore 2 is ideal.

I don't think the on the 1030+ means that things are necessarily bigger. For the map, it just displays more of the map at the same size.

https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2022/07/...th-review.html

https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2020/06/...th-review.html

Explore 2: https://www.garmin.com/en-US/p/802162#specs

1030+: https://www.garmin.com/en-US/p/704417

For what you want, I don't think you'd go wrong with the Explore 2.

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Note that the 1030+ has 32 GB (big enough to hold detailed world-wide map) and the Explore 2 has 16 GB (not enough to hold all of the maps) of memory.

This means that, with the Explore 2, if you are travelling to another continent, you'd have to delete a map to make enough room for the other map. This generally shouldn't be a big deal (but it's not nothing).

The Explore 2 might only give you maps for a particular region. The 1030+ gives includes all the maps (you don't have to pay for other maps).

Alternatively, one can create custom maps for just the region you need. (People travelling to Europe/whatever often don't need a map for the whole continent).

Custom maps would be smaller and avoid needing to remove other maps to make space. These maps are very equivalent to the Garmin maps but look a bit different.

If your option from Garmin is to buy maps, then definitely use the free option instead.

https://extract.bbbike.org/ (make sure to pick a "Latin" version; Unicode doesn't work on the Edges.)

Thanks to all, some helpful information here!

Still on the fence. I have some time ao will sleep in it for a week .,..

Can confirm EE2 will control music. Just tested and it worked fine.

I love my garmin 1030+ for pre planned routes. I still have a quadlock for my phone as backup gps maps. There's been so many times the route has changed or just want to go to the nearest place to eat, bathroom etc.. having a phone with internet access is great.

At my age and eye sight I like the larger screen of the 1030+. If garmin comes out with a bigger bike computer close to the size of new smart phones I would probably buy it even though the 1030+ has been flawless.

You can have my 1030 when you can pry it out of my cold, dead fingers -- or when it dies, whichever comes first.

But a bigger screen? At what point are we going to have to use a pushcart both to hold the monster and to make room for a solar array to power the thing?

It’s great the 1030 is working for you (the 1030+ is even better).

The 1040 solar isn’t any larger than the 1030.

At least for me I really like the size of the iphone 13 ( not the max ) with quadlock for gps functions. it eats batteries too much in gps mode to use full time so I only use it when I am deviating from the pre planned route on the 1030+

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...ce61e25852.png

Just adding that after more time with the EE2 I am enjoying it alot. Can fit and read lots of info on screen and when I added the Garmin remote it is very easy to control the computer without taking hands off the bars.

Also have it powered by my dyno hub so it never needs to come off the bike to charge but will unplug if riding on very adverse weather.

That data screen that is up is my more training oriented screen.
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...e9a9ae46df.jpg

If you're potentially willing to pay $506 for a 1030+, you should consider the 1040 for $600. A relatively small additional cost for the latest hardware.

Quick follow up, I bought both from Amazon, tried both, and returned the 1030 plus.

The 1030 plus was nice enough, but a few things could be better.
1) the interface is older than the EE2, which uses the newest interface along with the 1040.
2) when I transferred in routes from Komoot (which is wonderfully easy, accurate route creation for Europe - it is much better than others at actually picking the best and safest riding route over there, probably because so many users) the elevation profile page wasn't smooth but rough 90 degree steps. Okay with other mapping apps, but basically useless elevation info with Komoot.
3) no media control. The skip and/or back no big deal as one can tap the earbud, but from EE2 you can also change volume easily.

EE2 was significantly cheaper, so went with it. I will say that the 1030 plus is much easier in some way because it has direct wifi. EE2 adds a layer of complication and potential problem having to mediate everything through Bluetooth through the phone.

1030 plus is a little easier to see too - not just a little bigger screen, but deeper and richer color that makes the following the map a bit closer to the experience in a modern car. The EE2 is fine but definitely feels more "bike computer."

Not sure about 1030 plus, but the EE2 motion alarm is an absolute joke! You can barely hear it in a quiet indoor space. It beeps as loud as whispered speech.

All in all though the EE2 is pretty darn nice, WAY better than a phone on the handlebar. I rode some really complex gravel routes that mixed all sorts of terrain in and out of Bend Oregon last weekend, and only had to pull out my phone to look at the bigger better map twice (again, really complex, so many trails and roads close together). It was really nice not to have to burn through my phone battery. The way the Garmin EE2 guides seems more designed for you to keep your head up and take cues (and then be warned if you are off route), not stare at the mapping screen. It feels safer on a bike than using a phone - more heads up and naturally like cycling. I'm stoked to tour with it for a month in Europe this summer.

thanks for the input folks