GARMIN 500

listrybabe

hello all i am considering getting a garmin 500 and i am wondering is this a good choice ? if so why ? or is their better options ? thanks guys

07Lapierre

Garmin 510 or the 810 are pretty good too.

listrybabe

what are the difference between the 500 510 and 810 and are they worth the extra euros

07Lapierre

510 has a touch screen and Bluetooth
810 has touch screen, Bluetooth and navigation via maps.

I have the 810 and I love it!

Is it worth it? At nearly €500 it's expensive but it is a great piece of kit.

Alanstrainor

07Lapierre wrote: »

510 has a touch screen and Bluetooth
810 has touch screen, Bluetooth and navigation via maps.

I have the 810 and I love it!

Is it worth it? At nearly €500 it's expensive but it is a great piece of kit.

Whats the 810 like on the battery life front?

I have a 500 and it's a superb piece of kit. The battery lasts an eternity, and it's accurate and gives plenty of info.

07Lapierre

Alanstrainor wrote: »

Whats the 810 like on the battery life front?

I have a 500 and it's a superb piece of kit. The battery lasts an eternity, and it's accurate and gives plenty of info.

The 500 battery lasts longer than the 810, but I've haven't had the 810 that long and I've yet to use it for more than 3 or 4 hours. I don't do audax rides, so as long as the battery lasts 6 to 8 hours, it'll do me.

listrybabe

500 euro would be a bit steep for me, would the 500 be worth the 230 euro price tag and would it help to improve my performance on the bike, i am a novice only cycling since xmas but i love it, i know nothing about cadence and hrm but would these help me be more efficent on the bike or am i deluding myself in thinking this way. thank you

07Lapierre

listrybabe wrote: »

500 would be a bit steep for me, would the 510 be worth the 230 euro price tag and would it help to improve my performance on the bike, i am a novice only cycling since xmas but i love it, i know nothing about cadence and hrm but would these help me be more efficent on the bike or am i deluding myself in thinking this way. thank you

Well I think you should buy the best you can afford...better to have it and not need/want it, than to need/want it and not have it!

If your uncomfortable spending €230, get the 500. Either way, you won't be disappointed..there both good.

listrybabe

can someone tell me if they actually help improve your performance on the bike and if so,how? trying to justify buying one,

Alanstrainor

listrybabe wrote: »

can someone tell me if they actually help improve your performance on the bike and if so,how? trying to justify buying one,

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Garmin-Edge-500-Bike-Computer/dp/B002O0QBE8/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1395698244&sr=8-2&keywords=garmin+500

That's without the monitors, but I got the heart rate monitor for about 15 euro on ebay.

ciaeim

listrybabe wrote: »

can someone tell me if they actually help improve your performance on the bike and if so,how? trying to justify buying one,

i would also like to know what benefits one of these garmin 500 are to your cycling. any input appreciated, thanks

Wishbone Ash

Alanstrainor wrote: »

Whats the 810 like on the battery life front

It's unsuitable for long rides e.g. Audax. It won't last for a 300km spin unless you're very fast whereas the 500 will easily do it.

(This chap got 427kms out of his 500 (Mizen to Enniskillen) before changing over to another 500 to continue to Malin Head. http://www.strava.com/activities/62271185 )

nilhg

listrybabe wrote: »

can someone tell me if they actually help improve your performance on the bike and if so,how? trying to justify buying one,

ciaeim wrote: »

i would also like to know what benefits one of these garmin 500 are to your cycling. any input appreciated, thanks

Only my own experience to talk about here but if you're prepared to work with the information you get from the garmin and make the effort to understand it you will gain some benefits, but there's no magic shortcut to being a "better" cyclist either.

Knowing your cadence in real time is a big benefit, you don't need a Garmin to get it but being able to go back later and see how it was for the whole ride is something worth having.

For me the HR was the biggest benefit, once you know the level that you can sustain on a long spin you can pace yourself better, in the heat of the moment it's easy to push too hard early (maybe trying to stay with too fast a group) and really suffer later on. Again you can get cheaper ways to monitor your HR but by the time you buy one and a cadence supporting bike computer you might have a decent proportion of a 500 spent and still not have any of the benefits of GPS, I know lots of folk use their phones for that but on longer spins battery life has to be an issue for them.

I'd be lost without my 500.

Zen0

+1 on HRM benefits, but for me the biggest benefit is motivation. Most new gear has a motivation benefit, but the added benefit of a Garmin is the motivation that comes through uploading your data to Strava. You can use a phone for that too, but battery life becomes an issue as rides get longer.

07Lapierre

The Virtual partner functions pretty good too.

listrybabe

thanks guys i have ordered the 500, hope it motivates me

BailMeOut

I picked the 500 over the 510 as I read about a problems with the touch screen on the 510.

Love the battery life on the 500. Seems to last forever.

dingdong1234567

I am currently looking at the Edge 500 however i am carious as to two different versions on Amazon - cant link as i'm in work atm

One version is 010-00829-00 and the other is 010-00829-01, now one is more expensive than the other.

Would anyone have an idea why this would be?

Thanks in advance.

quozl

The 2nd one comes with a heart-rate monitor and a speed/cadence sensor.

It's probably the one you want unless you already have those.

BailMeOut

dingdong1234567 wrote: »

I am currently looking at the Edge 500 however i am carious as to two different versions on Amazon - cant link as i'm in work atm

One version is 010-00829-00 and the other is 010-00829-01, now one is more expensive than the other.

Would anyone have an idea why this would be?

Thanks in advance.

010-00829-01 has the heart monitor and cadence meter.

dingdong1234567

Thanks for the replies guys.

Just looking online and Merlin Cycles have them Advertised for £149...although they are not in stock atm. Waiting on an email alert for when they are. I'll be in like Flynn for that price!

Edit: merlin have hrm and cadence included

http://www.merlincycles.com/garmin-edge-500-gps-with-cadence-and-heart-rate-45199.html

2 Wheels Good

Evans have them for €182

Lyaiera

I bought the Garmin 500 last year but I didn't get the cadence sensor or HRM. Is there particular versions of those I should be looking for? Accessories to go with them?

onimpulse

There is no magic bullet to become a better cyclist - just hard work and HR is only of benefit if you understand how to use it & plan to train by HR.

I'm a big garmin fan but If you're buying it to motivate you it may work short term but I doubt you'll still be getting that buzz from it in 5 years, or 10 years...

Join a club & forget about the gadgets if you're new. Most clubs have leisure sections where you can start & progress from there to racing if you want. Either way the friendships, the training partners & the common aims on the bike will keep you motivated for years if not for life.