lost my edge 520! was convinced it would turn up but it hasnt, and after trying to navigate a new area using an iphone last week i need to replace it!

the 520 was great, when i bought it i didnt expect to use the navigation nearly as much as i did, was cool just plotting routes on strava and firing the gpx’s onto my device… so now im deliberating whether id be better off with the 820?

anyone got any experience of both? also slightly dubious there may be something new in the pipeline?

I had a 520 and thought the maps were rubbish to be honest so I took it back. Got an Elemnt Bolt instead which I think is far better. I’d look into those.

My brother lost his Garmin and has replaced it with an Elemnt Bolt. Granted it was an edge 25 that he lost not a 520, but he really rates the Bolt for the money, he said he saved £150 over the equivalent Garmin.
Must admit i had never heard of them, but they seem to get very good reviews.

Ok thanks will check em out…

Bolt £150 cheaper than equivalent Edge? Not sure that’s the case. Bolt’s are £200 and Edge 820’s £250. 810’s are just over £200 ATM if that suits.

With the little reading I’ve done on this, it seems the Bolt has much better battery life which might explain why it was so popular on the recent Transcontinental race. Apart from that, it looks like the choice depends on how connected you want to be (you know, for narcissism/showing off) 😉

not sure the black and white mapping will be much use to me off road?

I’d buy an 810 and then put OSM on it. 820 if you want the extra connectivity doo dars that has.

Another elemnt bolt user here. I’ve used it a couple of times off road and it’s great, picks up pathways and bridleways no problem. I’d previously used an edge 1000 which is clunky and confusing, the elemnt is simple and does what it does very well but has less features over the garmin

Black and white works for me.
According to the many reviews I read, the Bolt has less issues with seeing the screen when sunny and the touch screen on the 820’s always getting negative reviews.

I picked an 800 off here a few weeks ago. Having full UK maps on my stem (instead of using viewranger on phone) has made a massive positive change to my rides. I’ve started exploring more because I don’t have to stop to get phone out to check where I am.

Worth noting – I’m taking about riding my CX bike.

Having full UK maps on my stem (instead of using viewranger on phone) has made a massive positive change to my rides

Same, exploring is 10x better now I’ve got gps and can have my planned route right in front of me!

Yep, replaced my 520 with an 820.

Think of the 820 as a better 520 if you like!? It’s great to go back to a touch screen, and it’s handy having the maps on it without being massive like the 810 etc etc

So am i correct that the 820 has full detailed colour maps as standard, not the horrible basemap that cam on the 520?

Someone on here recommended this.
Etrex 20x
I don’t know anything about them but I like the fact it has buttons.
Anyone have any experience of this model?

So am i correct that the 820 has full detailed colour maps as standard, not the horrible basemap that cam on the 520?

Yes and you can edit what level of detail you want

I’ve just gone for an edge touring, good maps, decent screen, and cheaper than the 8×0 series (was £150).

Seems to suit me perfectly, it’s all about mapping and routes on the device rather than segments and workouts and cadence etc.

Could be a good option depending on your actual needs?

just got an 820 explore of fleabay. 2nd hand but unused apparently…

maps thing sold it, well happy with the 520 features wise but glad i dont have to piss about with the dcrainmaker map DL etc…

If you use the map function a lot then both the 810/820 are lacking in screen size.

Elemnt Bolt here after many many years putting up with Garmin. Won’t be going back!

If you are into “firing GPX’s onto” your GPS then it’s far easier with the Elemnt/Bolt: no connecting up required, all done by magic wirelessly.

Lezyne Enhanced Super GPS, spend the ~£100+ of saved cash on other bike toys. 😉

Do the Elemnts charge wirelessly (NFC) or do they charge via USB?

USB. I find generally it’s about 10% battery per hour of use. YMMV

zippykona – Member
Someone on here recommended this.
Etrex 20x
I don’t know anything about them but I like the fact it has buttons.
Anyone have any experience of this model?

I’ve got a Dakota 20 and an Edge Touring. Dakota is very similar to Etrex.

Depends what you want them for – For me, the Dakota is the better off-road navigation device. For bike use it’s a royal PITA due to Garmin buggering up the software support so that you more or less have to use Basecamp though and getting data out of it means going into the directory and copying files – no sync of any sort anymore. This is especially annoying since when I first got it Garmin Connect worked properly and everything was super easy. Garmin have an interesting attitude to their customers.

I’ll be very interested in a Bolt in future if/when a colour screen happens.

I need the most idiot proof way for me to follow a downloaded route.
My last ride in uncharted territory saw me out for 3 hours but only riding for half of it. The rest was spent map reading and a little bit of dog fussing.

I am looking for a new Garmin. I have the full UK Garmin sd card. Can these go in the edge 820 and 1000? Also how big are the screens, had and Oregon before and felt it’s screen was a bit small.

which oregon? 450 or 600? I think the later ones had bigger/better screens.

Can these go in the edge 820 and 1000?

820 doesn’t have a memory card slot, I know that much… And I’d read some reviews/first hand accounts on the 820 first anyway if you haven’t already. Plenty will say it works perfectly fine of course and I’m sure it does for them!

Old Oregon, 2010. Think it was a 350?

Worth another look, then I like mine (600), very tweakable to give you exactly what you want to see.