New Garmin Edge 520
n4th4n007
Posts: 364
So I managed (or rather a friend) to pick up a new Garmin Esge 520 at the Ride London registration on Friday, and thought a quick review may be of use.
First off It took a while to set up. I’m pretty proficient with Garmins, having had 500’s, 200’s, Etrex’s, 800s and an 810. One of the main reasons for the time is the mapping, or rather lack of it. The base maps it comes pre-installed with are pretty poor, mainly you can just see the motorways or main A roads.
So I selected a few map tiles from Open Street http://garmin.openstreetmap.nl/and downloaded a new base map by selecting 3 tiles that cover my riding are. There is a great link from DC Rainmakers site that details how and what to do.
Adding these to my previous Garmins was easy, as you simply drop the new gmxxximg file onto the micro SD card, pop that into the Garmin and you’re half way there. Then on the Garmin itself, in my case an 810, you then go into the settings and select the map to use as obviously there could be a few.
However when I did this on the 520 I couldn’t see my map. I knew there was a 51Mb capacity limit, however my maps were only 16Mb so I knew this wasn’t the issue. One thing I couldn’t find is an option on the 520 to find the maps folder and select one of the different map images on the unit itself as you do on the 810, I assume this doesn’t exists as essentially there is only one map. So I eventually found that you have to replace the existing “gmapbmap.img” file with your new maps. You can find the original gmapdmap.img file in the “Garmin” folder.
Once this is done, you can see the new map with the increased level of detail, very good.
You still get to create your activity profiles like on previous Garmins, and changing colours, the data fields etc etc.
I paired the 520 with my iphone 6 no probs, you simply find “BT_Edge 520″ and pair together, however once paired, I tried to find the option on the 520 to enable the “Text / Call” alerts whilst riding. But I couldn’t find this for the life of me, usually found in the Bluetooth menu on the 520. SO then I looked into the settings on my iphone and noticed another similar Bluetooth profile called “BLE_Edge 520″. So I paired this also, and as if by magic the options to enable “Text / Call” alerts appeared on the 520.
The Garmin Connect app also finds the 520 easily enough, however I can’t seem to transfer courses from the Garmin Connect app to the 520 as I’ve done no probs with previous Garmins. You usually find the Course on the app, open it, the click the top right hand options button and then “Send to Device”. Unfortunately this does nothing. In the end I had to connect to the PC via USB and send directly down the cable.
Now the Strava segment live tracking was the next lot of fun and games. You have to enable this by launching your 520 via the Garmin Express link on your PC. In Garmin connect click the Strava tile on your home page / dashboard. This then launches a pop up box asking you to accept permissions to allow Garmin Connect to link with Strava. Once this is enabled, you then have the Strava Live Segments tracking enabled on your 520.
Now unfortunately its not quite as simple as you ride your bike around and your new 520 tells you where all the Strava segments are, then lets you know when to hit the gas. Unfortunately for you to view segments on your 520 you have to have either the segments “starred” or favourited on your Strava account, or have a goal set against a segment. You can star segments on your smartphone Strava app or via the internet, but it is an immense faff…..as a) you have to know really where you are going to ride so you can look to see if there any segments en-route b) if not you have to essentially know where they are before hand to find them or you simply got to Explore Segments and zoom in on the map to see ones you are interested in.
I initially starred 37 strava segments for my ride, mine wouldn't show up on the 520 itself until I plugged it in to Garmin express via USB cable and downloaded them, so no wireless transfer at the mo, again bit of a faff seeing as all 810 communication was via Bluetooth on my smart phone.
When you track the live segments there are three things that you can use as a time target:
1) your PR time
2) the time of the fastest person you are following
3) the KOM time
When you initially find segments min time defaulted to the fastest person I'm following on Strava, to change this you have to go into each segment on your 520 and click "Leaderboard" and then KOM (if you want to see where you are real time against the KOM time. A bit of a faff if you have lots of segments. As far as I know there is a limit of 100 segments you can star at anytime.
One rather slightly annoying thing is that the live Strava segments cannot be tracked if you are following a Course / Route. I do this often on club rides so I'm a little narked I can't do both, as soon as you stop the course the segments come up.
Also I couldn't quite understand how it was showing segments that lie within another segment. For examples Le there was a 6 mile segment on my rout today, when approaching it I was warned etc and then whI n I started it it gave me the indication where I was in respect to the KOM etc. However when I hit another segment within the long one it simply moved to this segment and once complete didn't revert back to the longer one. If you ride in a uber populated segment area you might get confused !?
All in all its good, great compact size, great screen good battery life (although my low battery alert came on after 4 hours but I think that's b cause I had the backlight on constantly, brightness at 100%, BT on and following a course!!!
First off It took a while to set up. I’m pretty proficient with Garmins, having had 500’s, 200’s, Etrex’s, 800s and an 810. One of the main reasons for the time is the mapping, or rather lack of it. The base maps it comes pre-installed with are pretty poor, mainly you can just see the motorways or main A roads.
So I selected a few map tiles from Open Street http://garmin.openstreetmap.nl/and downloaded a new base map by selecting 3 tiles that cover my riding are. There is a great link from DC Rainmakers site that details how and what to do.
Adding these to my previous Garmins was easy, as you simply drop the new gmxxximg file onto the micro SD card, pop that into the Garmin and you’re half way there. Then on the Garmin itself, in my case an 810, you then go into the settings and select the map to use as obviously there could be a few.
However when I did this on the 520 I couldn’t see my map. I knew there was a 51Mb capacity limit, however my maps were only 16Mb so I knew this wasn’t the issue. One thing I couldn’t find is an option on the 520 to find the maps folder and select one of the different map images on the unit itself as you do on the 810, I assume this doesn’t exists as essentially there is only one map. So I eventually found that you have to replace the existing “gmapbmap.img” file with your new maps. You can find the original gmapdmap.img file in the “Garmin” folder.
Once this is done, you can see the new map with the increased level of detail, very good.
You still get to create your activity profiles like on previous Garmins, and changing colours, the data fields etc etc.
I paired the 520 with my iphone 6 no probs, you simply find “BT_Edge 520″ and pair together, however once paired, I tried to find the option on the 520 to enable the “Text / Call” alerts whilst riding. But I couldn’t find this for the life of me, usually found in the Bluetooth menu on the 520. SO then I looked into the settings on my iphone and noticed another similar Bluetooth profile called “BLE_Edge 520″. So I paired this also, and as if by magic the options to enable “Text / Call” alerts appeared on the 520.
The Garmin Connect app also finds the 520 easily enough, however I can’t seem to transfer courses from the Garmin Connect app to the 520 as I’ve done no probs with previous Garmins. You usually find the Course on the app, open it, the click the top right hand options button and then “Send to Device”. Unfortunately this does nothing. In the end I had to connect to the PC via USB and send directly down the cable.
Now the Strava segment live tracking was the next lot of fun and games. You have to enable this by launching your 520 via the Garmin Express link on your PC. In Garmin connect click the Strava tile on your home page / dashboard. This then launches a pop up box asking you to accept permissions to allow Garmin Connect to link with Strava. Once this is enabled, you then have the Strava Live Segments tracking enabled on your 520.
Now unfortunately its not quite as simple as you ride your bike around and your new 520 tells you where all the Strava segments are, then lets you know when to hit the gas. Unfortunately for you to view segments on your 520 you have to have either the segments “starred” or favourited on your Strava account, or have a goal set against a segment. You can star segments on your smartphone Strava app or via the internet, but it is an immense faff…..as a) you have to know really where you are going to ride so you can look to see if there any segments en-route b) if not you have to essentially know where they are before hand to find them or you simply got to Explore Segments and zoom in on the map to see ones you are interested in.
I initially starred 37 strava segments for my ride, mine wouldn't show up on the 520 itself until I plugged it in to Garmin express via USB cable and downloaded them, so no wireless transfer at the mo, again bit of a faff seeing as all 810 communication was via Bluetooth on my smart phone.
When you track the live segments there are three things that you can use as a time target:
1) your PR time
2) the time of the fastest person you are following
3) the KOM time
When you initially find segments min time defaulted to the fastest person I'm following on Strava, to change this you have to go into each segment on your 520 and click "Leaderboard" and then KOM (if you want to see where you are real time against the KOM time. A bit of a faff if you have lots of segments. As far as I know there is a limit of 100 segments you can star at anytime.
One rather slightly annoying thing is that the live Strava segments cannot be tracked if you are following a Course / Route. I do this often on club rides so I'm a little narked I can't do both, as soon as you stop the course the segments come up.
Also I couldn't quite understand how it was showing segments that lie within another segment. For examples Le there was a 6 mile segment on my rout today, when approaching it I was warned etc and then whI n I started it it gave me the indication where I was in respect to the KOM etc. However when I hit another segment within the long one it simply moved to this segment and once complete didn't revert back to the longer one. If you ride in a uber populated segment area you might get confused !?
All in all its good, great compact size, great screen good battery life (although my low battery alert came on after 4 hours but I think that's b cause I had the backlight on constantly, brightness at 100%, BT on and following a course!!!
0
Comments
-
Good write up, and very much as I expected. The 520 looks good on paper, and I fancy one, but can all the above be called user-friendly? As with all these things, you have to be quite IT minded to set them up, pairing is always a bid dodgy, and there is a big learning curve. Instruction manuals are a thing of the past, you're expected to 'learn' you way through the device. And expect numerous updates to correct various bugs.
Given that some of my more elderly mates have trouble working a TV remote, how are they going to get on? I'm all for functionality but please, make it easy to use!0 -
Thanks for the review, I'm rather encouraged you can't have live segments when following a route.
The last thing I want on our group rides is constant disruption to the group due to chasing for a pointless "trophy"0 -
Thanks for the review, I'm rather encouraged you can't have live segments when following a route.
The last thing I want on our group rides is constant disruption to the group due to chasing for a pointless "trophy"
Yes - I have that setting on my 1000 that it throws up Garmin segments and it's really irritating (I know I just need to turn it off). That said, with Strava, the idea of having to select all of the segments you want seems a bore too.ROAD < Scott Foil HMX Di2, Volagi Liscio Di2, Jamis Renegade Elite Di2, Cube Reaction Race > ROUGH0 -
It popping up for every segment would drive you mental. Having selected some favourite ones in advance seems sensible.
What happens when you are on a segment can you still see all the usual data?0 -
So after using the 520 for a few rides I though I'd update my post.
So I have confirmation from Garmin support that you cannot track live Strava segments whilst following a Course. The only work around I have found is to enable the "Always display" option in a specific course and colour it in a ridiculously bright colour that way you can still see the course and follow it pretty easily.
Once paired with the Garmin Connect app I can now send courses easily to the 520 from my phone.
I've found I have 90 starred segments and thes are all now transferring seamlessly across to the 520 as long as the phone and 520 are paired. The only faff is selecting which time you want to show up when tracking segments, you can choose from the 4 options below.
However the segment defaults to "Rival" and to choose another option you have to go through each individual segment on the 520 itself via Leaderboard to change, but if a faff. Alternatively you can do it on the fly when the segment pops up.
Goal - If you set a goal time for a segment then you will get this time
Rival - The first person from the list of people that you are following that sits above you on the leaderboard
PR - Your best time for the segment
KoM/QoM - The fastest time for the segment done by someone of the same gender as you
When a segment does pop up it reverts to the map screen telling you how far behind you are etc. you can turn it off or move back to another screen. Alternatively you can disable the entire Strava tracking if you wish.0
