Garmin Edge 810 vs 520
pirnie
Posts: 242
Hi all,
I'm in the lucky position of my GF having offered to buy me a new Garmin for a xmas present, and I'm torn between the choice of the Edge 520 and the 810 (since I already have sensors etc both are practically the same price). I've had a 500 which has served me well for about 4 years now, but feels like it might be on it's last legs so I can't turn down the upgrade.
Routing and better maps are the major draw of the 810 for me, but then the 520 is a newer generation computer so should be generally better right? There are also a lot of stories out there of people having lots of issues with their 810s (although that does seem to be true for most Garmin devices...).
I can't find much discussion on t'interwbs comparing these two devices, so does anyone have any experience of both to offer? Or anything that could help me decide?
Cheers
I'm in the lucky position of my GF having offered to buy me a new Garmin for a xmas present, and I'm torn between the choice of the Edge 520 and the 810 (since I already have sensors etc both are practically the same price). I've had a 500 which has served me well for about 4 years now, but feels like it might be on it's last legs so I can't turn down the upgrade.
Routing and better maps are the major draw of the 810 for me, but then the 520 is a newer generation computer so should be generally better right? There are also a lot of stories out there of people having lots of issues with their 810s (although that does seem to be true for most Garmin devices...).
I can't find much discussion on t'interwbs comparing these two devices, so does anyone have any experience of both to offer? Or anything that could help me decide?
Cheers
0
Posts
Without checking the spec's myself, I can't see the 520 being any better than the 810 as apart from the mapping they both have the same features.
Various vids including many Trail Centres
It has full mapping so I can't really see what the 810 offers over it.
The Wahoo Elemnt does look promising, but who is to say that it won't suffer similar problems to the Wahoo Reflct which was also plagued with them and as a bad as Garmin for support.
The 810 problems developed with the arrival of the 520 when Garmin decided to use the same platform as the operating system and introduced Strava live segments which the 810 doesn't like. True, they've been less than prompt with a solution and most of us have had to find our own work around, but things seem to have settled now.
The 810 problems have been in brief Livetrack dropping out or failing completely, screen freezing when following a course and Bluetooth connectivity. Turning Bluetooth off has solved the screen freezing for lots of us (Garmin Connect is censored anyway so why link to it) and there are better apps out there that do Livetrack for those that use it. After a ride simply enable Bluetooth again to automatically upload.
The 520 doesn't have true mapping, using a breadcrumb trail to follow a course like the 500 but in more detail. It does Livetrack and live Strava segments if that's your thing. If you want true mapping though, you need the 810 or the 1000 if you're buying new.
Has it got full mapping though? It uses a map instead of a trace line, but it is only a breadcrumb trail and not full mapping according to DC Rainmaker.
From the DC Rainmaker review:
"it’s important to note that the unit does NOT do routable directions though. Meaning, it won’t tell you to ‘Turn left on Maple Street’, but rather instead give you breadcrumb style tracks overlaid onto these maps. Additionally, because it’s not routable, it won’t be able to give you directions across town. Thus there is no point of interest database or similar.
The best way to think of this is that if you’re looking to be able to create directions on the fly during your ride, the Edge 810/1000 are far better options. But, if you just want to know where you are on the map and be able to zoom around to figure out where you’re going – this will work quite well."
Now him having said that; if you're following a course and are quite happy to keep looking down at your device to spot turn coming up indicators, then fine. Personally, I prefer to hear a beep to alert me a turn is coming up. But You Tube reviews seem to suggest the 520 does have audible alerts for turns. Some confusion out there.
I'm not talking about navigation.
However, I believe it DOES have a system of navigation, I've just never tried it, as just having the map there is fine for me.
The 520 has a better gps system so seems to lock onto satellites quicker and different system of sensor pairing as it doesn't use bike profiles. I think the 520 could also be a bit more fiddly to use on the bike as it doesn't have a touchscreen, instead it uses several buttons around the sides.
Dolan L'Etape
Cougar Zero Uno
Genesis Core 50
Planet X TOR
Well, if someone who has one does a proper write up detailing whether it can do turn by turn alerts, it'd make it a more attractive option. Like you, I only use a map to follow a course, but I tend to have my screen on data rather than a map relying on alerts to let me know there is a turn coming up. I understand that it is a limited memory and where you can load the full Europe map to the 810, the 520 memory is only big enough to load the UK or maybe just part of it?
Not sure why you'd really need all of Europe unless you're a particularly keen tourer!
On my 520 I have Brittany, most of the Alps and Majorca and there's still a fair bit of space left.
That's interesting, I have to say one of the things putting me off the 520 is the limited space, especially since from what I looked at, I wouldn't be able to put all of the parts of the North of England that I frequent onto it. Where are you getting maps from?
Not regularly needing the whole of Europe, but the whole of the UK and parts of France. I'm more curious how much of the UK the memory can hold. Loading the bits of France I might need as and when wouldn't be an issue for me personally.
Dolan L'Etape
Cougar Zero Uno
Genesis Core 50
Planet X TOR
So, actually you don't need the whole of UK and parts of France. Not in one go. You've answered your own question. Unless you are regularly doing rides from Scotland to Brittany in one go you don't. If you are, then really the 810 is what you want.
I already have an 810, i'm curious of the claims that a 520 has mapping. I think it is a misleading claim, not by Berniethebiker I hasten to add. The OP is in the market for either device and if he needs true mapping, the 810 is the way to go. The 520 from what I can decipher is just a 510 with the added features of Strava live segments and a background map for breadcrumb trails instead of just a black line.
To respond to your point though; if a rider does several events around the UK throughout the year, that's a lot of loading and unloading of various parts of the UK for a background map and I agree, again points to the 810 being the obvious choice.