@benp1: ironically I already have a Garmin Zumo that came with my motorbike…

A bit big for the mtb though!

So to save me trawling the Garmin site, what’s the main difference between an 820 and an Oregon 600/500?

The Edge 820 is a bit smaller and lighter.
The Edge has a built-in rechargeable battery. Whereas the Oregon uses AAs (NiMH rechargeables if you want). So the Oregon is a lot more convenient if you are doing a long ride, or away from a power supply for a few days, as you can just carry a few spare batteries.

The Edge also has more features for training etc.

@Dorset_Knob

The 820 is aimed at road biking so has the ability to link up to lots of willy-waving data generation things like cadence, HRM, Power meter, etc.

The Oregon series (and the Dakota and Montana series) are more generic, there’s built-in menu options for geocaching for example. You can link up a HRM but I think that’s it in terms of external devices.

The 820 has a built-in battery whereas the Oregon uses AA batteries. I think it’s a bigger screen on the Oregon. The 820 uses the Garmin twistlock style mount whereas the Oregon uses something weird and really isn’t bike friendly though they do a bike mount for it.

the Oregon uses something weird and really isn’t bike friendly

I’d disagree.

The Oregon will link to HRM and/or Cadence sensors. No idea about Power Meters.

Thanks for that – was gearing up for an 820 purchase, but the Oregon sounds much better suited (the battery thing).

@scotroutes – We’ll see at the weekend in mid-Wales 😆 I’ve not found a location for the mount that doesn’t slip yet, the Oregon doesn’t have even weight distribution so causes the mount to move. I’ve seen someone with it mounted on the bar/stem clamp which should work.

It’s maybe outside your budget (probably) but the Satmap Active 12 is a really good bit of kit. Displays Ordnance Survey mapping really clearly and is actually intuitive to use, unlike every Garmin I’ve ever tried which have been relentlessly user hostile.

Yes, you get used to it with time and the hardware is decent enough, but if you’re trashed and tired, having something that actually works as you might expect it to is a pretty good move.

@metalheart – sell the Zumo and then you can buy a really fancy GPS for everything 😀

BadlyWired – that Satmap looks good. Do you use the Satmap bikemount thingy too? Is it secure, with what looks like a fabric tensioner?

It works, but it’s not the best mount I’ve ever tried – the fabric strap uses a ratchet mechanism, so you tighten it up with an allen key it also sits higher on the bars than I’d like. Once you do that, I’ve found it’s pretty secure, though it’s a slight pain if you want to swap the unit onto a different bike.

It looks a little bit vulnerable to crash damage, though I think the back would break off the unit, rather than the actual GPS body being damaged. It uses a special back attachment for the bar mount. I’ve not broken it so far.

I keep meaning to try and bodge something so it just sits directly on top of the stem,s o slightly lower, but then forget that I was going to… so basically yes, it’s okay, but it does sit the unit a little high up. HTH.

sell the Zumo and then you can buy a really fancy GPS for everything

Except that its got hard wiring/mount on the motorbike…

The thought had crossed my mind however… 😆

Well, after lots of agonising, watching websites, seeking deals I’ve finally ponied up and ordered an Oregon.

True to form if I’d ordered when first suggested it would of cost £10 less. Ho hum.

£229 from Decathelon. Been dispatched, awaiting arrival later in the week.

Thanks to everyone who commented (constructively).

Also picked a tent end of last year so all good on that front too…. 😉

Your biggest issue will be batteries?

hora – Member
Your biggest issue will be batteries?

I’ve not found it so. A set of Lithium will last 18hrs or more in Battery Save mode. Rechargeables aren’t much less. It’ll run off Alkalines at a push. Or you can team it up with a dynamo and/or external cache battery. Makes it much more flexible than the cycling related Edge types.

Ah, carry on then 🙂

Batteries would be a similar issue on an Etrex (just a bit less so….)

Good buy! Get onto youtube for tutorials on setup. It’ll save you loads of time getting to know how to use it.

Get onto youtube for tutorials on setup

+1 😉

@scotroutes: if you think yer getting off that easy, think again 😉

You know how good I am at asking questions…

Hoping it’s here for BAM #1

Re the Oregon: Garmin reckon that only their rechargeable battery pack will work with it but if you look inside the battery compartment there’s a small button at the back which the battery pack holder pushes down. Get a thin bit of plastic or metal, cut to size, put into compartment to cover the button then put in your batteries and the unit will think you’ve got the battery pack and you can then recharge the batteries in the unit.

I’ve seen comments that the charging unit in the Oregon isn’t the best and can affect the life of the batteries but I’ve no personal experience of this.

Here’s a link about saving power on the Oregon and here’s one on all the settings.

Thanks whitestone, that’s pretty very helpful!

How are you getting on with the Orgeon? I was shopping around for etrex and came upon this thread … looking to replace my old Edge200 as the battery has now kaput after a few years good service.

Somewhat embarrassingly I haven’t used it yet.

I was wrong footed when it arrived without batteries so BAM#1 was sans Oregon.

I keep meaning to ask for recommendations for rechargeable battery set but, er, I’ve been busy… 😳

I use Duracell rechargeable AAs. Garmin do a set for £25!. This is basically a pair of AA batteries with a foil wrapper that presses on the button in the battery compartment to indicate that the batteries can be recharged inside the unit. Make your own wrapper from a bit of old pop can.

I’m interested in getting a shot of one of these when they come out in the next month or two.

https://buy.garmin.com/en-GB/GB/p/561269/pn/010-01735-11

Garmin GPS combined with a satellite SOS/emergency button like the Spot tracker, except this one allows two way text communication.

Pricey but not too bad when compared with buying two separate systems.

I think the best AA batteries are Pansonic Eneloop.

Yes, you can charge batteries in the Oregon, but it seems its not a very smart charger. You will probably get better battery life if you take them out and put them in a proper charger instead.

@metalheart – that’s shame, I’ll check back here from time to time to see how you get on with it.

I think the best AA batteries are Pansonic Eneloop

TRUE
dont lose charge much either and a spare set fits in the recess of my RAM mount

Garmin GPSmap 64? You can get a bike mount for it and it’ll pull double duty on any other kind of outdoor activity that needs GPS.

ended up buying a eTrex 35 today.
Does anybody make a decent/usable mount for it ?
-an eTrex-to-GoPro-fitting would be great as GoPro mounts are highly available. K-edge needs to step up their game