First GPS computer... what to buy

[Jono]

OP, you can see which way most people are leaning.

My Garmin story... smashed my 520 screen, sent it in and was charged about half price for a brand new 530. Chuffed

I've also heard mates complain about the connectivity of some of the lower priced non Garmin units.

[ChrisF]

Arie I started out with a Polar watch, with GPS. This was used on trails a few times - but you cant look down at your wrist while riding trails ... so the watch was then used for my commutes, just to record my stats.  It certainly did the job.  My only gripe with it was every so often it would take 4 or 5 minutes to locate a satelite ....

 

I then got a Garmin 520 for the MTB.  5 years later I am still very happy.  The only issue at the moment is that I am doing more rides in excess of 4 hours ... and then I get low battery messages.  Mostly it works to just charge it from a battery bank while stopping for a coffee .... I will need to rig up something for an upcoming event.

 

Few later I bought a Giant Neos GPS unit for our young one .... could not get it paired with the phone ... took it back to the shop, they tried for almost an hour before giving up.  Took my money and bought the Garmin 130.  The only issue we had since been resolved by a firmware update (normal updates, not sent to the agents)

 

The Garmin units certainly WORK.

 

 

My next computer may well be a 130, unless something comes along with exceptional battery life ....  For OUR USE, these basic units are more than good enough.

 

IF you want to load routes and use the Garmin as a route navigator .... well then you are looking at bigger units.

 

 

[peter85]

Garmin 130 gets my vote,  love that little thing!

[Dirkitech]

On 1/18/2022 at 11:39 AM, Arie Harris said:

So I am looking for a gps computer and dont want t break the bank.

I have been looking at the following 

Sigma rox 11

Garmin 130 plus

Lezyene Mega C 

There is a bit of a price difference but this is part of the question, would paying more for the garmin be worth it.

I am an average biker who just wants to see my trips, progress and share on strava.

Thanks

my $0.02
Garmin probably has the product with best features and a price tag to match. Excellent workmanship, a dud here or there, just hope you never have to deal with head office or aftersales.
I had a sigma cadence sensor for nearly a decade. it has fallen off and taken heavy beatings, always worked well. It only stopped working after going through the washing machine.

[Paul Ruinaard]

Garmin because of the after sales service

[The Ouzo]

30 minutes ago, peter85 said:

Garmin 130 gets my vote,  love that little thing!

my biggest gripe with my 130 (not plus) is that it does not have a battery low warning, meaning it just turns itself off when it feels like it.

 

For everything else it does what I need in a nice compact non flashy form factor.

[Frosty]

37 minutes ago, ChrisF said:

Arie I started out with a Polar watch, with GPS. This was used on trails a few times - but you cant look down at your wrist while riding trails.

I've had Forerunners all my "GPS" life. I mounted them on my handlebars using this.

Works like a charm.

edit: In fact, I forgot about the Polar watch too, which wasn't a GPS-based device, but did have heart rate. It too was mounted on one of these when I did intervals (HR-based, before power meters were affordable).

Edited January 20, 2022 by Frosty

[mecheng89]

On 1/18/2022 at 11:39 AM, Arie Harris said:

So I am looking for a gps computer and dont want t break the bank.

I have been looking at the following 

Sigma rox 11

Garmin 130 plus

Lezyne Mega C 

There is a bit of a price difference but this is part of the question, would paying more for the garmin be worth it.

I am an average biker who just wants to see my trips, progress and share on strava.

Thanks

I currently have this unit. Superb battery life. It says it does mapping, but for the life of me I cannot figure it out. It doesn't come "pre-loaded" with complete maps like Garmin, you download chuck by chuck, probably to save on memory.

I've also had my fair share of Garmin head units since 2013, and they are totally worth it. I don't know the Sigma brand as well, but I believe the ROX 12.0 is World Tour level, so the brand can't be so bad. 

I think the wallet talks in this case, and I believe the Sigma would be the most affordable. 

[Job]

I had a Roxy Sigma 10.0 I think, worst bike PC ever!I took it back to the shop 3x in a month they eventually advised me to buy a Garmin, been hooked ever since.

[ChrisF]

2 hours ago, Frosty said:

I've had Forerunners all my "GPS" life. I mounted them on my handlebars using this.

Works like a charm.

edit: In fact, I forgot about the Polar watch too, which wasn't a GPS-based device, but did have heart rate. It too was mounted on one of these when I did intervals (HR-based, before power meters were affordable).

I actually tried that with the Polar ... bracket must in a drawer somewhere ....

 

 

Let's write it off to user error, but I struggled with it.

 

[Frosty]

1 hour ago, mecheng89 said:

I currently have this unit. Superb battery life. It says it does mapping, but for the life of me I cannot figure it out. It doesn't come "pre-loaded" with complete maps like Garmin, you download chuck by chuck, probably to save on memory.

I've also had my fair share of Garmin head units since 2013, and they are totally worth it. I don't know the Sigma brand as well, but I believe the ROX 12.0 is World Tour level, so the brand can't be so bad. 

I think the wallet talks in this case, and I believe the Sigma would be the most affordable. 

Downloading the maps is for offline use, otherwise you have to have your phone connected (bad for battery and data).

as you said, tou download chucnk by chunk in the regions you want to cycle. Works well. No need to have maps of the area I don’t ride in.

[Frosty]

33 minutes ago, ChrisF said:

I actually tried that with the Polar ... bracket must in a drawer somewhere ....

 

 

Let's write it off to user error, but I struggled with it.

 

I remember the Polar ones, horrible.

 

[ChrisF]

21 minutes ago, Frosty said:

I remember the Polar ones, horrible.

 

 

jip ... that horid hard plastic .....  Getting the watch on was a mission.  Getting it off felt like I was going to break the strap ....

 

The Garmin one looks like nice rubber type product  (?)

[MORNE]

my phone does the job. get a polar H10 HR monitor (the gold standard in the medical industry btw)...link it with polar flow app, get the other sensors too if you must...and it connects to all and everything (including discovery if thats your thing).  A lot of people don't realise  you can ride a phone in airplane mode and the GPS will still operate and tracks your location if you have offline maps.

Anyway..it works for me, why i just don't see the point of spending R8 million on a garmin device when you are most probably riding with your phone in you back pocket already.  And if you have anything circa iphone XR (or Samsung equivalent)...your battery will outlast a puny bike computers on airplane mode anyway. We used one purely for offline GPS/google maps when abroad and it lasts a week on a charge when it's not constantly looking for signal. If you can ride that long in one go...well here's to your awesomeness.  

[ChrisF]

5 minutes ago, MORNE said:

my phone does the job. get a polar H10 HR monitor (the gold standard in the medical industry btw)...link it with polar flow app, get the other sensors too if you must...and it connects to all and everything (including discovery if thats your thing).  A lot of people don't realise  you can ride a phone in airplane mode and the GPS will still operate and tracks your location if you have offline maps.

Anyway..it works for me, why i just don't see the point of spending R8 million on a garmin device when you are most probably riding with your phone in you back pocket already.  And if you have anything circa iphone XR (or Samsung equivalent)...your battery will outlast a puny bike computers on airplane mode anyway. We used one purely for offline GPS/google maps when abroad and it lasts a week on a charge when it's not constantly looking for signal. If you can ride that long in one go...well here's to your awesomeness.  

Very interesting post.

[MORNE]

6 minutes ago, ChrisF said:

Very interesting post.

I aim to please?

😅