Tyagi

I started cycling a week ago but the thing I'm missing is that I can't track or record my data, so I thought of buying a GPS?

any suggestions?

NoWhammies

Garmin 530

Koyote

Or if you want something that is more likely to work properly, try a Wahoo Bolt or Roam.

biker128pedal

Just starting out? If you have a smart phone get and app to track your rides. Strava is one. It cost to unlock the fancy features but not for just tracking. Plus this gives time to decide on the Wahoo or Garmin bandwagon.

I’ve a Garmin Bontrager 1030. I have not used a Wahoo. But when I decided the Garmin had more features I wanted. The Wahoo is less and the they say easier to use.

Good luck.

fietsbob

Argue it out in this section, that's what it's for..https://www.bikeforums.net/electroni...hting-gadgets/

Wilbur76

Second the Wahoo. Lots of reviews comparing Wahoo vs Garmin with Wahoo winning on ease of use, less frustration, etc. Saving up for a Roam bundle around $480 that includes speed/cadence sensors and heart monitor.

shelbyfv

Earlier this year I bought a Garmin 530, didn't like it, got a Wahoo Bolt that I like much better. That said, free Strava on your phone will work very well. I wouldn't have bought a GPS at all had I known I wouldn't be riding in unfamiliar places this year.

Darth Lefty 

I use my phone and Apple Watch... my rides are short enough, I don’t keep it on my bars, I don’t have a power meter, I’m usually riding in familiar places. If I were seriously working out and/or doing hundreds of miles a week I’d have a GPS to watch speed or HR or power.

I tried Ride With GPS app and it just made me return to Strava

Steve B.

Dunno. I had Bolt, returned it. Couldn't read the TBT screen with sunglasses. Easier to setup, but the maps suck. DCRainmaker wasn't much impressed with the Roam. As well the current device complaint on the electronics forum is about a Bolt. https://www.bikeforums.net/electroni...er-issues.html

If the OP just wants a simpler device to give him speed and and tracking, then I'd agree with getting the Bolt, especially as it's selling for $230 currently vs. $300 for a Edge 530.

cyccommute 

For battery life, it’s hard to beat the Lezyne Mega XL. Mine is pretty close to the 48 hour time (after a slight break in period) Yes, the display is only black and white but it does have a large display that can be rotated to view in either landscape or portrait configurations (that would solve the problem of polarized glasses). It’s also relatively inexpensive at $200.

adalah

Garmin

Steve B.

As note, my sunglasses are not polarized. The trouble I had with the Bolt turn-by-turn screen is they do white text on black background. I would have to remove my glasses while riding to view what was on the screen. There was no setting to change this. I think what got me pissed off was the attitude of the Wahoo tech folks when I asked if there was any setting I could change and I got a real snotty reply that this was the best way to view the TBT. I returned the unit to REI, got a 1030 on sale at my LBS and that has worked perfectly.

Koyote

Yeah, I know there are plenty of happy Garmin users out there, and their navigation is more sophisticated than the Wahoos...So I am just relaying my own recent experiences with the Edge 530 vs the Roam. (I should've put in that disclaimer.)

If the OP does just want something basic to keep track of rides and maybe do occasional navigation, I agree with cyccommute that Lezyne has some outstanding options - and they have unparalleled battery life.

surak

I bought a Garmin Edge 520 2 years ago. The features I depended on like LiveTrack and the Varia radar warnings reliably worked for a tenth of that time. And this was supposed to be a mature product, having been out on the market a while before I bought it.

I got a Wahoo Elemnt Bolt over the winter, and while I haven't been able to use it much during the pandemic, it's been a lot easier and less frustrating to use.

Garmin packs a lot of features, but be warned that their GPS computer software is buggy as heck. Maybe their newer models are better, but having already been burned once, I'll stick with Wahoo.

Ross520

Never had problems with my 530... Love it, in fact.

Also, Wahoo's are ugly as sin. Aesthetic matters (to some).

Thomas15

The Garmin Edge 530 has a lot of features, some, maybe even many of of those features are not going to be appreciated by beginners for a while. I think the Garmin is unnecessarly difficult to operate but once you get past the learning curve It's a great device. Some may disagree but in my opinion if you want the best bike computer then you will also want cadence, speed and heart rate monitors in addition to a power meter. So now you are looking at some real money.

Ross520

Power meters track cadence, and GPS tracks speed.

Senior Vagabond

I still use my old Garmin Edge 800 which still works well for longer rides requiring navigation. For shorter rides I just use my Apple watch to track the basics. I also have the option to use RWGPS app on my phone. I use the desktop version to plan all my longer rides and then export them to the Edge. I am an older rider that just wants to keep it simple!

Thomas15

Oh silly me.

Eds0123

Not so much for the newer units either, I just returned my garmin Montana 700i to REI, a very nice large touch screen full virtual keyboard unit, I wanted to make it to work for me so bad as a biking trip gps guidence and trip planning unit. I gave up after trying for two or more days to get it to work. Newer units might have bigger screen, touch screen, more colors etc but the problem is the insuffcient slow buggy interface left over from the 90's.

terrymorse 

GPS tracks speed inaccurately. A wheel sensor is better.

drlogik 

I love my Garmin Fenix 5X GPS watch. It's a tool, and a good one. Does GPS well, heart rate, steps, other activity tracking and it's also my bike computer and wrist watch. Do they cost more than a dedicated GPS? Yes, but they have the advantage that you can take it with you everywhere.

J_Chickles

I second this --- Im using a Vivoactive 4 myself , and couldnt tell you the difference between many of them, --- but the Garmin watches sync up to Strava easily and are accurate enough for my recreational use

bikehoco

100% agree. Ride with GPS is another free option.

Broctoon

I'll third it. I was using a Garmin Vivoactive 2 until recently, and now I have a Forerunner 245. The Forerunner line is optimized for running, but handles bike workouts quite well too. (I do plenty of each activity.)

If you want to track your ride and afterward view the data, including speed, distance, and many other metrics, plus look at your route on a map, practically any modern GPS bike computer, watch, or smart phone app will work. You might step up to a nicer Garmin or Wahoo if you want advanced workout features and/or navigation. I use a Garmin Edge 530 but seldom even look at the nav features. I could do just fine with an Edge 130, or even with just my watch. For me, the 530's only real advantages over the 130 are a larger display and longer battery life.

I will say that in the experiences of me and my wife, with biking and running, for fitness and fun... gathering the electronic data to "gamify" our workouts has made a world of difference. Some folks like to just go out and ride, and they don't care how fast or how far they went. I love data, and I love reviewing the maps every time I go.