Garmin Vector 2 working with 500\510\810 for most benefit?

daniel_b

Morning,

I have some Vector 2's on order (my first venture into the powermeter field) and currently have a Garmin 500, which I love, and find very useful, both for stats, and also for breadcrumb trails when I venture onto a new route - as I like to take what I deem the more interesting back roads rather than the main ones.

I have read some reports that the 10 iteration of both devices has better firmware/metrics to support the Vectors, possibly even the 2's over the originals, so was considering making the change.

I saw PBK had the 810 yesterday for £196 with the then available 20% discount and 2% quidco cashback, but didn't oull the trigger - but I thought I would then take a look at the 510, and these seem to only be a matter or £20 less or thereabouts that that price.

The only minor irritation I have with the 500 is that of course if I am on map view I can't have my stats up without toggling through the screens, does anyone know if on an 810 you can have the map on a portion of the screen, and have stats on the other part, or is it not that flexible?

I just need the unit, as the pedals give cadence, and I have more than one HR strap floating about the place ready to go.

I'll have a google around for reviews, but just wondered if anyone on here had first hand experience of using the vectors with one of the above, and or just the garmin units in general.

I gather you can download freeware maps onto the 810, is that correct, and does it work well?

Thanks

Dan

dork_knight

I would say go with the 810 as there's not much in it, price wise.

You can swipe through the screens to the map, as it's touch screen some gloves will not work correctly though which is a small thing but can be annoying.

You can find a guide on DCRainMaker;
http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2013/01/garm ... eview.html

A minor irritation with the Edge 500 (if you pair it before you purchase another model) is that it has to detect the HR Monitor, if Enabled, before you can calibrate the Vector.

daniel_b

Dork Knight wrote:

I would say go with the 810 as there's not much in it, price wise.

You can swipe through the screens to the map, as it's touch screen some gloves will not work correctly though which is a small thing but can be annoying.

You can find a guide on DCRainMaker;
http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2013/01/garm ... eview.html

A minor irritation with the Edge 500 (if you pair it before you purchase another model) is that it has to detect the HR Monitor, if Enabled, before you can calibrate the Vector.

Cheers DK, funny you should mention the HR bit, I think it must have been your post I saw when I was trawling through Garmin Vector posts on here!

I'll have a good read of the review above, but will probably start with the 500, and hope to bag a bargain 810, ie sub £200, towards the end of the year.

stueys

I've been running vector for over a year on my 800 and have just upgraded to a 1000. You do get a lot more stats on the 810/1000 which the vector gives you; you get pedalling info (similar to watt bike) and cycling dynamics (standing time, sitting time,etc, etc). To be honest I found it interesting for the first couple of rides but have now gone back to the same screen displays I used on the 800 (cadence, power 3 secs, power 30 secs, heart rate...etc).

Maybe the metrics will become useful in the futur but, IMHO, we are now at a transitional stage where the tech is giving us info that no one can really do much useful with; it's too new and there isn't a pool of data that the sports scientists can interpret. It's interesting but I wouldn't rush into an upgrade purely for the additional metrics.

Re map display, the garmins all have the same constraint of two data fields on map display.

colinsmith123

Unless you are cash rich, I'd say stick with your 500 and invest the money in trainingpeaks, and a couple of good books on using your PM, interpreting the data and getting best value out of it.

daniel_b

Thanks gents for those 2 useful replies.

I have recently taken delivery of what I believe to be the bext books out there, Training and racing with a power meter, and The power meter handbook - yet to start delving into them though.

In light of the above info I will stick with the 500, but keep a casual eye out should an 810 appear in a sale, such as an Amazon black Friday one etc etc

sloppyschleckonds

The ease of swapping screens on the 510/810 is probably worth the upgrade if you regularly ride routes you don't know and want to keep and eye on route/ watts etc, as are other features like live upload and live tracking.

colinsmith123

Daniel B wrote:

Thanks gents for those 2 useful replies.

I have recently taken delivery of what I believe to be the bext books out there, Training and racing with a power meter, and The power meter handbook - yet to start delving into them though.

In light of the above info I will stick with the 500, but keep a casual eye out should an 810 appear in a sale, such as an Amazon black Friday one etc etc

They're the ones. Just remember to keep re-visiting these two books, as things you didn't pick up on last time become relevant as you travel up the PM learning curve.

And, somewhat surprisingly I've found this book particularly useful as well.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Faster-Obsession-Science-Fastest-Cyclists/dp/1408843757

daniel_b

colinsmith123 wrote:

And, somewhat surprisingly I've found this book particularly useful as well.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Faster-Obsession-Science-Fastest-Cyclists/dp/1408843757

Like the look of that, and I very much like his writing, so that is going on my birthday list :-)
Cheers for posting.