Consistent problems with Garmins! whats the alternative?

eoghan84

Hi all

I had a search through the forum and couldnt see any recent posts on issues with garmins -

I was wondering if ye could give me a bit of advice based on experience on garmins. I had a Edge 705 for years (2009-2015) but eventually it stopped connecting to the computer. It was as if the socket just stopped working. I moved on to a Garmin 800 (on sale as it had been replaced by the next one). Now after about 2 of the 800, Im having the same issue. Not recognised, not connected. Game over. I havent actually used the 800 as much as I used the 705 so its pretty frustrating.

I was wondering if its just a consistent problem with Garmins? (if I google it I get loads of hits, no matter the model)

Have anyone in the forum moved on to using other brands like the wahoo? any experience with wahoo bolt etc?

Or is it a case of ah bad luck boss, they work for other ppl without issues...

Any advice is greatly appreciated!

Borderfox

I have a Garmin 1000 and don't get many problems with it, the very odd time it wont connect maybe 1/200 but other than that it does what its meant to. I have a lot attached to it aswell with a speed/cadence/heart rate/varia radar/power meter so plenty of opportunity to go bad

Luxman

eoghan84 wrote: »

Hi all

I had a search through the forum and couldnt see any recent posts on issues with garmins -

I was wondering if ye could give me a bit of advice based on experience on garmins. I had a Edge 705 for years (2009-2015) but eventually it stopped connecting to the computer. It was as if the socket just stopped working. I moved on to a Garmin 800 (on sale as it had been replaced by the next one). Now after about 2 of the 800, Im having the same issue. Not recognised, not connected. Game over. I havent actually used the 800 as much as I used the 705 so its pretty frustrating.

I was wondering if its just a consistent problem with Garmins? (if I google it I get loads of hits, no matter the model)

Have anyone in the forum moved on to using other brands like the wahoo? any experience with wahoo bolt etc?

Or is it a case of ah bad luck boss, they work for other ppl without issues...

Any advice is greatly appreciated!

only last week I swapped my 520 with a wahoo bolt. I wasn’t having problems per se with the garmin but didn’t like the screen much and the battery life was iffy. The bolt was a revelation. A doddle to setup. Instant recognition of sensors and quite a lot handier to navigate through data on the move. So far so happy. I was lucky as a chap in cork wanted a straight swap as he had vector pedals.

Alek

I got myself Wahoo Bolt after my Edge 800 died a sudden death. Everything is great, battery life, screen, GPS sensitivity etc, but coming from a more navigation -oriented device, it lacks some mapping usefulness. What drives me mad is that you cannot have the map north up when following a route... Not going back to Garmin either way.

Diarmuid

I've used a Garmin 500 for 10,000's km . It's rock solid. Newer models may be more flaky but the 500 is good.

You used the 705 for 6 years until you had connectivity issues. That's pretty good for something exposed to the elements, using standard connectors which costs relatively little.

joey100

I have a wahoo elemnt, changed after constant issues with garmins (both cycling computers and running watches) and garmins support being pretty bad. Absolutely no issues with the wahoo, it just works. Wahoo's own site prob not as good as garmins for looking at the data after but if your using another site it's no real issue.

Cee-Jay-Cee

Have a 520 for 2 years and (touch wood) its been 100% with zero issues in that time. I'm still on the original firmware that came installed on it when new, I see no reason to update as it works perfectly all the time every time.

07Lapierre

I was very happy with my Garmin 820 until last week when I upgraded from the iPhone 6 to the iPhone 7. Now the 820 won’t sync! From searching online, it appears the iPhone 7 is the only phone that the 820 won’t sync with!

secman

I have the garmin 520, pretty happy with it, twice or three times had issues with it, but eventually it sorted itself out. I would have thought 6 years is pretty good myself. Interested to hear if someone has a 7 year old alternative working perfect !

alanjgalbraith

Alek wrote: »

I got myself Wahoo Bolt after my Edge 800 died a sudden death. Everything is great, battery life, screen, GPS sensitivity etc, but coming from a more navigation -oriented device, it lacks some mapping usefulness. What drives me mad is that you cannot have the map north up when following a route... Not going back to Garmin either way.

Alex ... I saw Shane Miller had this issue .. and eventually found the setting needed... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATS7nb4Xyv8

monkeyslayer

My Garmin 500 has been good for probably 20,000 odd kms now at this stage, the odd time I've had a connectivity issue with the pc and only once it failed but its been great value for money all considered. Like most lifestyle tech these days though I'd image the more sh''t they put into these things the more its basic functionality suffers

Stevieg2009

Have just switched to the wahoo bolt myself from a 520,the 520 was fine the odd connection problem for no reason but the bolt is just a great piece of kit to use sync is flawless with 3rd party app like the today’s plan connection available on it syncs your workouts for the coming week effortlessly overall prefer the wahoo

Alek

Alex ... I saw Shane Miller had this issue .. and eventually found the setting needed... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATS7nb4Xyv8

Thanks, but I'm looking for the completely opposite - I want my maps to be always North up

At the moment this works only when I'm not navigating.


BTW, regarding the GPS sensitivity, my Bolt currently reports 6m accuracy inside the office. In deep woods, its usually 2-3m. Take this Garmin!

Macy0161

Looking at options myself. Whats the navigation like on the Bolt? Is it true turn by turn or overlay? Also, anyone used it for off road either gravel (Alex?) or mtb?

Alek

Haven't used it offroad... the navigation is turn by turn if you prepare the route in Element app or RWGPS, and more like overlay if you import from Strava. If you go off-route it will beep and blink LEDs, but continue to record and will catch the route later easily if you make a detour.

Welshkev

Hammerhead Karoo???  -Online reviews seem to be decent, including DC Rainmaker. Maybe aimed more towards GPS users too. 
https://www.hammerhead.io/
https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2017/05/hammerhead-karoo-gps-bike-computer.html

harringtonp

Was in the same boat as yourself a few weeks ago. Have a read of

https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057794741

bilbot79

Do these give you maps like a Sat nav would?

n1ey

Lezyne Super GPS works fine. The maps need to be made on a desktop at home. So much easier.

brownian

@all these wahooligans... has anyone got theirs to pick up battery levels on Di2 or eTap? Mine picks up what gear I'm in, but not how much eTap battery I have left... It says 'hold near to sensor' when I try to get it to add a new sensor, but then nothing more happens.

Thanks!

jamesd

Mine working fine picking up battery level on di2 via garmin 1000.