Ogsarg

I've had an Edge 530 since 2020. Initially the only sensor I had was the Wahoo speed/cadence sensor. At the beginning of a ride, it will usually connect automatically but not always, which means going into settings/sensors, etc. to connect it manually. I also see the GPS occasionally go to pause while riding, which I assume means that it is not picking up the sensor. This might last for just a few seconds or could be longer. Generally it reconnects within 0.1 miles although it's been as long as 0.2.

Then I added a Wahoo heart rate sensor. Same issue but the chances of it connecting on it's own is less. It fails to connect about 40% of the time. Generally it stays connected throughout the ride.

After that, I got a Bontrager flare RT tailight and this is a total crapshoot on whether it connects (50/50) and there is also about a 50/50 chance it will disconnect at some point during a ride. I also don't see a way to have it manually connect in the menu so just have to turn it on via the switch.

After that, I got the matching headlight and the odds of it connecting are about the same as the taillight. It also disconnects during rides regularly. The headlights disconnecting during a ride would not be a big deal to me except I got a notification at the bottom of the screen that says it disconnected and it stays there till I clear it or it reconnects, which is almost never. The notification blocks part of the display so is annoying. Since the main benefit to having the connection is so the light comes automatically and I don't have to worry about forgetting to turn it on, I figure I should just disable the connection and get used to turning them on/off manually. I generally only ride during the day so don't notice if they are not on.

If you add all this up, it means that I'm almost always having to connect something manually before I start a ride and having to deal with the stupid light network warning at multiple points during a ride. In the couple of years that I've had both sensors and both lights, I've had about 3-4 rides where everything connected on it's own and stayed connected for the entire ride.

Is this normal behavior?

Iride01 

My son has a bunch of light systems on his bike he can control from his Garmin Edge 1030plus and previously with a Edge 820. Sometimes he'd have issues similar to yours but not all the time. Frequently they seemed to either be after a software update or when he hadn't ridden the bike in several weeks. For times he rode 3 or 4 times a week it usually wasn't a issue.

However out of all the issues one can have with their Garmin, this seems to be the one that remains a issue for many. Though it has been a while since someone here has brought it up.

Yan 

I run a no name brand random Amazon speed/cadence combo sensor, as well as a Scosche Rhythm R+2.0 heart rate sensor. I've not had a problem, both always auto connect with my Garmin Edge Explore 2 within a few seconds.

The Scosche HR sensor is extremely cheap nowadays. Maybe buy that and try. Mine has auto connected 100% of the time, so if it doesn't work well for you, at least you know it's the Garmin and not the accessory that's the problem.

Troul 

it must be the encoding of the sensor.
cheap brands tend to not be as secure, making it easier for a computer to hijack its signal.

PeteHski

Not in my experience. My edge 530 connects to all my sensors automatically 99% of the time. I have a power meter, HRM, rear light/radar and electronic gears.

Have you updated the firmware?

Ogsarg

I have the Garmin set to auto update and the Wahoo sensors are up to date. I don't know if there is a way to update the firmware in the lights.

Forgot to mention in my original post that I also have the Di2 wifly unit, which I got last summer. So far it has connected on its own twice since I've had it. I don't mind that so much since I don't really use it while riding other than to perhaps check the battery.

fooferdoggie 

I founds lights always always cased more issues connecting and disconnecting. and Garmin did not like if if you forgot a light when you went on a ride. I think because the light is more of a 2 way connection.

Iride01 

I don't know if it's required or not, but do you make certain that all your stuff is activated and connected before starting the activity timer?

You can just look for the little icons at the top of the page and brief messages that pop up. Di2 with the d-fly is one of the things that if it doesn't connect before I start the timer, then I have to end the activity to get it to connect while out. Soon after getting my bike out and waking up my Garmin, I push the button under the top of each STI to see the page change on my Garmin and then I know the Di2 is awake and will connect.

You seem to be having so many issues connecting all the time. So possibly you are doing something not quite right. If you call Garmin Support, they'll walk you through it step by step and maybe you'll realize what's been missed or else they'll realize that there is a issue with your device and offer a solution.

NumbersGuy

Yes, Garmin continues to have some pretty poor firmware and software, which can cause connection issues as you describe. I thought maybe getting an all Garmin setup with an Edge 1030, Varia Radar/Tailight & Headlight, speed, cadence and HR sensors would give me better consistency but despite keeping all updated all the time, I have somewhat regular cases where it will fail to connect to 1 or more sensors and require a shut down and reboot (sometimes more than one) for everything to be recognized. I’d say it’s probably 9 times out 10 that it all connects, but that is pretty awful in my book. At least the issue I have had in the past of the 1030 just bricking mid-ride seems to be fully resolved for a good year and a half now. I do notice on just about every ride though that sometimes if I freewheel, it somehow thinks I’ve stopped, as if it’s using the cadence sensor as a primary driver for speed, instead of the speed sensor and/or gps. Makes no sense and usually resolves itself within a couple seconds but displays 0mph while it’s confused that I’m still moving at a good rate of speed. The competition finally seems to be getting better and I think Wahoo will get my money when I need to replace the 1030 since Garmin always seems focused on marketable features rather than making the basics more reliable.

fooferdoggie 

I usually get most of the time but to my phone. but the biggest trick I kind is to fully turn it off not just put it to sleep. that will help connection issues a lot.

PeteHski

My 530 also used to occasionally brick itself mid-ride in the first few months I used it (think it happened maybe 2 or 3 times). But they must have fixed it in an update because it hasn’t done it since and that was over 2 years ago now.

Auto sensor connection has been pretty reliable for me. It does occasionally miss a sensor, but in that case a manual connection always works for me. It sounds like the 1030 is a bit more fussy.

With the OP having so many issues with the 530 I can’t help thinking he has a faulty unit. I’m not a big fan of Garmin software, but it’s not that bad.

Ogsarg

Thanks for all the responses. To fill in more details, I do typically power down the unit between uses not just put it to sleep. When I first started doing that I thought it seemed more reliable and perhaps it is but there again it's a crap shoot. I've had times after powering it up where nothing connected.

When I first got the garmin, I had an issue where it would say an s/w update was ready and basically pause in the middle of a ride. No way to get it to start up again other than save the ride and start a new one. I contacted Garmin about that and they had nothing to offer other than to say it shouldn't do that. Turning on the auto update was the only way I could get rid of that issue.

Lastly, today I did a 35 mile ride and everything connected and stayed connected the entire ride. Maybe someone at Garmin saw my post and fixed some bugs. Not likely but I can hope, right?

fooferdoggie 

I have the radar disconnect randomly and thats been three different ones on several garmins and a hammerhead.