99.9% of users are perfectly satisfied with mediocre performance or don’t properly use them or don’t understand the limitations they are being subjected to or have more money than sense
the 0.1% who aren’t go online and make a disproportionate amount of noise.
I’ll put money on you being a Linux bore.
Fenix 3 which basically just worked for years, replaced it about a year ago with a Fenix 5, which also just works 🙂
My Leyzene does route mapping, connects to hrm/cadence, texts and emails pop up on screen. Cost £50
What Leyzene model is this? I'm thinking of getting a Garmin for following routes but they are a bit pricey.
Not looking ideal in some eyes.
In some eyes yes. In plenty of others, including mine absolutely no issues (well for the 5 as opposed to 5x).
I think it comes down to whether you are one of the elite 0.1% and are a connoisseur beyond any mere mortal.
I've got a theory about Garmin.
They make a range of devices from consumer crap to top grade marine and aeronautics equipment.
Lloyds register the MCA and their equivalents would have an issue if Garmin pumped out Marine navigation equipment as bad as their sports kit.
My reckoning is they put their best development teams on the safety critical stuff; and their worst developers just end up working on the stuff where it doesn't matter.
Lets face it with Consumer grade it isn't critical that it works, all you lose is a fairly meaningless GPS trace of where you were; being lost in the middle of the Atlantic because of f***ing Garmin on the other hand is going to kill you.
My reckoning is they put their best development teams on the safety critical stuff; and their worst developers just end up working on the stuff where it doesn’t matter.
My guess is that they hire the best people that they can afford and try to assign people so as to maximize their profit.
My guess is that they hire the best people that they can afford and try to assign people so as to maximize their profit.
Depending on whether its for a regulated market there may be additional audit/testing requirements which will lessen the chances of bugs getting through to production eg for aeronautics I think to get stuff approved it really does need to go through the hoops.
I've had a Garmin 200 on my road bike for almost 4 years now, still works wonderfully. Got a Fenix 3 last year and it's also been amazing. No issues with either, and I don't get the hate for Garmin Connect really, seems fine!
I’ve had a 935 which was replaced just short of a year old (can’t remember why) and I had a Fenix 3 which was also replaced under warranty (dodgy button). All the family have Garmin. I’ve toyed with the Tomtoms, but couldn’t get on with them.
i guess my Garmin satisfaction is a solid 7/10, but I can’t see any alternative - except maybe an Apple Watch.
just counted and I’ve owned 15 Garmin products over the years 😳
I started off with a FR610 with no problems. After a few years I decided to 'upgrade' it to a cycling specific Edge 520. However running the two devices side by side, I found that the Edge was under measuring the distance consistently by 5 to 6% which was annoying (recording set to 1 sec, and GPS or GPS+Glonass enabled). My normal riding terrain is challenging for GPS - mainly under tree cover and lots of twists and turns.
I sent the Edge back to Garmin via Evans and they obviously thought there was enough of an accuracy problem to send me out a new device. I again tried the Edge/FR together, and the same 6% difference was occurring. So I gave up, and decided that not all Garmin GPS are born equal.
I know that I could fix the problem by running a speedometer on the wheel.
When on the road, the distances are almost identical - no trees and lots of straight(ish) lines.
How can I be sure my next watch be a FR610 or Edge eqivalent? Wil my regular 50km rides become a feeble 47km?
How do you know which device is wrong..... All your test proves is one is wrong.
Smart phone measures even further. I think all devices probably under measure by straight lining, some more than others. The trick is to use a device consistently to get reasonable comparisons
Old Garmin's used to assume a constant velocity when they lost coverage. Newer ones with better receivers (once they switched to third-party chips rather than their in-house designs) don't lose reception as much.
That will likely make your rides on newer devices shorter.
Thus by proving the more data you have the less you know.
As you say consistant use of the same. Device is the best you can achieve really. Only way to get any useful comparison
Yep, my Vivoactive 3 has been spot on. Very happy
Right on cue, my Fenix 3 crashed tonight. This time while saving a workout. Had to soft reset it. Hold light button down for 30seconds, till screen goes blank. Luckily it hadn't lost my activity.
