Garmin Edge Alternative – GlobalSat GB-580B. Anyone?

After my phone failed to track my ride for the umpteenth time, I’ve decided to buy a GPS computer for the bike. Looking around, I found this:

http://www.expansys.com/globalsat-gb-580p-cycling-computer-230468/

Which at £64 seems a bargain, about half the price of the Edge 500. Anyone used one? Reviews are few and far between but seem positive. Any info appreciated 🙂

I’d never hear of it. Spec seems very similar to the Garmin Edge 500, but I’m not sure if a pre-prepared route can be downloaded and followed, with alerts if you go wrong? This feature works well on the Garmin acording to friends who use it.

In my limited exp. you pay for what you get. If you can afford it, go for garmin, if not go for a bryton, if not use your phone. You’ll probably end up buying a garmin in the end anyway…

Found this

http://www.pocketgpsworld.com/globalsat-gps-bike-computer-gb580.php

Yeah, I’d seen that clubber along with a couple more that seem very positive. Wondered if anyone here had actually seen one 🙂

Feature set is pretty much identical to the Edge 500, and it seems that the developers fix faults rather than just acknowledge them and fob off….. 😀

Tempted…

I’d go for it at that money
The GPS market needs shaking up a bit, Garmin get away with silly prices for what you get when you compare it to other electronic kit these days.

Like the 500 its going to be primarily a bike comp rather than a navigation device and uploading to SportsTraks or Strava may be more involved than a Garmin device.

The expansys one seems to be the 580B model not the ‘P’

The B model accoding to the Globalsat site doesn’t have ANT+

580B

Link says “P” but spec on page is for the “B”. Do I need to worry about ANT+, what does it do?

GlobalSat GB-580B Cycling Computer Features
With a slim sports watch profile, a built-in SiRF Star III LPx high performance GPS chipset, a high resolution display with e-ink-like qualitites under sunlight, a “Trainer Mode”, that comes with a heart rate monitor, this device will run circles around the competition.

Built-in SiRF Star III GPS chipset
Rechargeable Li-Ion Battery
Large LCD for easy reading
WAAS/ENGOS support
IPX7 water-resistant design
ANT+ sport protocol with a 9ft transmission distance

Do I need to worry about ANT+, what does it do?

HRMs etc.

The cadence sensor, HRM and wheel speed. They do the P model but call it the F and it’s £125. This comes with the 3 sensors.

The other thing missing from the B model is the compass according to the Globalsat site.

580P

I quite fancy this to do some basic route following, but mainly I’d use it to record rides for upload to Endomondo…

I wonder if it would save all the data for several rides then allow me to download/upload them all to save doing it after every ride…

Conan – that’s precisely what I want it for. It will be able to store plenty of riding before it needs “emptying”.

michael – again, from the Expansys link:

Box Contents GB-580P Cycling Computer Cadence Sensor Speed Sensor Software CD USB Cable Bike Mount Mount Bands Quick Start Guide

Looks complete bar HRM to me, but we’ll see.

I’ve ordered one, I’ll post my thoughts when I’ve had it a while (if anyone’s intrested!)

If it comes as we hope, I’ll be having one. Keep me posted please!

Been using globalsat USB GPS devices for years for other uses and they have performed well.

The watches look pretty good too.

I’ve ordered one, I’ll post my thoughts when I’ve had it a while (if anyone’s intrested!)

Yes please

Quick update – arrived this morning, it came complete with ant+ hrm strap, cadence and speed sensors. Tidy little unit, bit plasticky maybe but I’ve nothing to compare it to. Be taking it out for a ride tomorrow so we’ll see how it fares then

timex cycle computer

looks the same as this

It’s the same unit mav, just rebranded for timex

Look forward to hearing how you get on with it…

Mini review – I’ve only tried the main unit, I have not connected any of the accesories as yet:

Good bits:
Took it out in some pretty awful weather yesterday for about 4 hours and it was fine, so I’m hoping it’s reasonably weatherproof. USB port is well sealed, buttons are rubberised and sealed too.

Screen is easy to read & very customisable. I’ve got it displaying 6 fields on my “home” screen and each one is just about readable for me, but I’ll probably knock it back to 4 in the long run though.

GPS fix is quick & accuracy seems good.

There is a lot of data available if you want it, this thing is jammed with sensors it seems!

Mount is simple and seems robust – no movement whilst I was out on the bike yesterday.

It seems reasonably straightforward to set up & you can configure the unit through the software easily enough (one good bit about the bundled software, see below for the bad).

Not so good bits (not bad, just not so good!):[/u]

Manual is rubbish – but the Timex version is much better (same unit)

Bundled software is a bit naff, but it works. It’s a bit clunky, but once you’ve used it a couple of times it only takes a couple of minutes to connect, download and save the data as a GPX (you can save as GPX, NMEA, CSV, KML and TXT). I think you can use other software, but I haven’t investigated that yet. I tried the Timex software, but that didn’t seem to work – maybe I need to try again.

I’m not convinced of the accuracy of the internal barometer (elevation data), will be having a play with that to see if I can improve it.

Buttons are a little difficult to press with gloves on, and do need quite a positive press.

Additional bike mounts might be difficult to come by, which is a shame. I feel a spot of bodging coming on!

So far so good, we’ll see how it holds up after a few months of riding.

Managed to bodge a mount from one of the DX torch holders – not pretty, but allows me to mount it on any bike I like quickly. Elevation accuracy has improved, must have needed some time to auto-calibrate I guess. All in all, I’m very happy with it 🙂

Bodgetastic mount

Liking the workmanship there Woody 🙂

Think I might get one of these at the end of the month, looks good!

😀

I’ve just got mine in the post but it didn’t come with a wall charger. Is this the case for everyone here?

Did your one come with a HRM?

No wall charger with mine, but it did have a hrm belt

Can anyone tell me how to download a rides data off this?

I don’t seem to be having any luck with the supplied software.

Use:
“Data Transmission”, “Track Points”, “Download From Device”

Once it has downloaded the track headers, you’ll get a choice of which track (or all) you want to download. Download, then (if you have multiple tracks), highlight the desired one in the list then choose “Files”, “Save” and save it as a GPX if you want to use it in Endomondo or whatever. The software maintains it’s own database of your rides, so once downloaded into it, you can delete from the device.

Ok?

Can you import a route and follow a breadcrumb trail?

I believe so, yes. Not tried it though

Thanks, I will try that tonight.

Damnit, it starts to download the track then freezes at 8%. I’m seriously considering sending this back now. I’m getting nowhere fast.

64 bit windows 7 seems to be the problem here. Everything worked fine on my old XP laptop.

Don’t suppose anyone’s tried using this with a flavour of Linux yet? One good thing about the Garmins is that they mount as a block storage device, all you need to do is copy files on and off them.

Close to pulling the trigger, but wondering if 64bit Windows 8 is going to cause me headaches…

No problem using 64 bit Win 7 for me, I have 2 different 64 bit machines and I can download on both. Have you got the USB driver from the website, latest firmware etc?

http://www.gs-sport.com/support.php

EDIT: noticed on another forum that you might need to install .NET 2 if you’re using Windows 8

http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=12905757&p=18147857

EDIT 2: You’ve missed the £64 version I think Conan, can only see the 580F @ £122 on Expansys now 🙁

Yeah, missed it…

Really after something with map facilities anyway…

I bought one of these after seeing this post. Been using it for a few weeks now, and in general it seems brilliant, especially given the price it was on sale for.

I have come across one problem though with the way it tracks time. I have autohold set so that when i drop below a certain speed, the device stops recording. However, when i start again after a stop, it carries on recording at the previous time.

For example, i start a bike ride at 9am, cycle for 2 hours and stop at 11am for 30 minutes. When i start cycling again it is 11.30am, but the extracted file from the device (either tcx or gpx) says that i started cycling again at 11am because it doesnt count the pause.

I could turn autohold off, but then this would make the average speed completely wrong, because it is dropping whilst the timer is still running. Not sure if any of you have found a way around this problem. I never had this problem when i used to use my phone, and i don’t think Garmins have this problem either.