Garmin 520 or 820 ?

plowmar
plowmar Posts: 1,032
edited June 2017 in Road buying advice
Fool that I am I am a bit of a liker for Garmin Bike Computers, having a 705 myself for the last 7/8 years.

My wife has now started to take a greater interest in cycling on her own therefore needs a computer of her own. Hence the question that is coming up - do either or both of the 520 / 820 have quality built in uk road maps or do they have to be upgraded as my 705 was.?

I haven't been able to discern this information from descriptions of the units -doh!- other than routes can be loaded and directions given, not saying whether it is by way of a map or by turns right or left without visuals.

Comments

  • bondurant
    bondurant Posts: 858
    520 doesn't but it's easy though time-consuming to add OpenStreetMaps, albeit there's not enough space on the unit for the whole UK, only a county or three a time.
  • meanredspider
    meanredspider Posts: 12,337
    Judging by recent comments on here, you might want to consider the Wahoo options instead. Almost universally preferred over the Garmin
    ROAD < Scott Foil HMX Di2, Volagi Liscio Di2, Jamis Renegade Elite Di2, Cube Reaction Race > ROUGH
  • bondurant
    bondurant Posts: 858
    Seconded (just got a Bolt myself after two Garmins). Much better in virtually every way, at least for what I use these things for.
  • StillGoing
    StillGoing Posts: 5,211
    Thirded. Have had countless Garmins 705, 810 and the awful 820, and jumped ship to a Wahoo Elemnt. Far better than anything Garmin chuck out in terms of setup, function, support and ease of use.
    I ride a bike. Doesn't make me green or a tree hugger. I drive a car too.
  • londoncommuter
    londoncommuter Posts: 1,550
    Garmins are great, don't listen to them. Do you want a buy an almost new 520 so I can get a Bolt....
  • Palladium
    Palladium Posts: 81
    Get a Wahoo Elemnt Bolt
  • meanredspider
    meanredspider Posts: 12,337
    londoncommuter wrote:
    Garmins are great, don't listen to them. Do you want a buy an almost new 520 so I can get a Bolt....

    Many a true word. If the OP is hell-bent on a Garmin, there will be plenty in the classified ads and on eBay at knock-down prices.

    My dream (and I'm sure I'm not alone) of a worthy competitor to Garmin finally emerging seems to have come true.
    ROAD < Scott Foil HMX Di2, Volagi Liscio Di2, Jamis Renegade Elite Di2, Cube Reaction Race > ROUGH
  • londoncommuter
    londoncommuter Posts: 1,550
    meanredspider wrote:
    londoncommuter wrote:
    Garmins are great, don't listen to them. Do you want a buy an almost new 520 so I can get a Bolt....

    Many a true word. If the OP is hell-bent on a Garmin, there will be plenty in the classified ads and on eBay at knock-down prices.

    My dream (and I'm sure I'm not alone) of a worthy competitor to Garmin finally emerging seems to have come true.

    Suppose I was only half joking as, although the 520 is a nice neat unit with a nice display, I now need the extra battery and storage of the Bolt as I've got some long rides in random places coming up. If anyone does want a two month old 520 then let me know.
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,310
    londoncommuter wrote:
    meanredspider wrote:
    londoncommuter wrote:
    Garmins are great, don't listen to them. Do you want a buy an almost new 520 so I can get a Bolt....

    Many a true word. If the OP is hell-bent on a Garmin, there will be plenty in the classified ads and on eBay at knock-down prices.

    My dream (and I'm sure I'm not alone) of a worthy competitor to Garmin finally emerging seems to have come true.

    Suppose I was only half joking as, although the 520 is a nice neat unit with a nice display, I now need the extra battery and storage of the Bolt as I've got some long rides in random places coming up. If anyone does want a two month old 520 then let me know.

    How long does the Bolt battery last?
    left the forum March 2023
  • myideal
    myideal Posts: 231
    I love my 520 and think it's better than tbmhe bolt,. it was too depending on the phone to make little setting changes .

    Can see why people like the Bolt though, but with open street map I think the 520 is an excellent piece of kit.
  • StillGoing
    StillGoing Posts: 5,211
    myideal wrote:
    I love my 520 and think it's better than tbmhe bolt,. it was too depending on the phone to make little setting changes .

    Can see why people like the Bolt though, but with open street map I think the 520 is an excellent piece of kit.

    What little setting changes? When you do the initial set up it's all go.

    520 and open street maps; provided you don't want to ride outside of your county due to the extremely limited memory.
    I ride a bike. Doesn't make me green or a tree hugger. I drive a car too.
  • mamba80
    mamba80 Posts: 5,032
    londoncommuter wrote:
    meanredspider wrote:
    londoncommuter wrote:
    Garmins are great, don't listen to them. Do you want a buy an almost new 520 so I can get a Bolt....

    Many a true word. If the OP is hell-bent on a Garmin, there will be plenty in the classified ads and on eBay at knock-down prices.

    My dream (and I'm sure I'm not alone) of a worthy competitor to Garmin finally emerging seems to have come true.

    Suppose I was only half joking as, although the 520 is a nice neat unit with a nice display, I now need the extra battery and storage of the Bolt as I've got some long rides in random places coming up. If anyone does want a two month old 520 then let me know.

    PM sent.
  • cgfw201
    cgfw201 Posts: 680
    +1 for the get a Bolt team.

    Had a 520 for 18 months before I got the Bolt. It's much, much better.

    Re: comment below about OSM Maps on the 520...they are OK if you have the correct map tiles for where you are. If you ever ride outside the same 50 mile square then it's a comically awful process to get new maps on there. The Bolt has OSM maps for the entire planet installed out the box. And the navigation is much better, and you can zoom in/out on the map on the fly.
  • cgfw201
    cgfw201 Posts: 680
    ugo.santalucia wrote:
    londoncommuter wrote:
    meanredspider wrote:
    londoncommuter wrote:
    Garmins are great, don't listen to them. Do you want a buy an almost new 520 so I can get a Bolt....

    Many a true word. If the OP is hell-bent on a Garmin, there will be plenty in the classified ads and on eBay at knock-down prices.

    My dream (and I'm sure I'm not alone) of a worthy competitor to Garmin finally emerging seems to have come true.

    Suppose I was only half joking as, although the 520 is a nice neat unit with a nice display, I now need the extra battery and storage of the Bolt as I've got some long rides in random places coming up. If anyone does want a two month old 520 then let me know.

    How long does the Bolt battery last?

    I'd guess around 15 hours, maybe slightly more. Did a 6 hour ride with navigation which used just over 30% of the juice, that's the longest I've ridden with the Bolt so far. My Edge 520 would vary between 4hrs-8hrs depending on navigation/backlight etc.
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 28,107
    820. Good little unit, with decent maps pre-loaded.
  • meanredspider
    meanredspider Posts: 12,337
    KingstonGraham wrote:
    with decent maps pre-loaded.

    Are they not the Garmin ones then...? :wink:
    ROAD < Scott Foil HMX Di2, Volagi Liscio Di2, Jamis Renegade Elite Di2, Cube Reaction Race > ROUGH
  • StillGoing
    StillGoing Posts: 5,211
    KingstonGraham wrote:
    820. Good little unit, with decent maps pre-loaded.

    And the worse touch screen ever. Flip a coin for an idea of what the screen response is going to be like. Had one and couldn't get rid of it quick enough.
    I ride a bike. Doesn't make me green or a tree hugger. I drive a car too.
  • chatlow
    chatlow Posts: 850
    I've been married to Garmin for the past 4 years. Refused to update my 800 because of known bugs/issues with the 810 and the 1000 was a ridiculous size. It was either the 520, 820 or bolt.

    Went for the bolt and absolutely love it. Maps/routing better than expected and you have like a million data fields to play with. Early days so battery hasn't been tested but down to 50% after 3 rides, 1 was 4 hours long.

    Super impressed - and my edge 800 is on ebay now. RIP.
  • sniper68
    sniper68 Posts: 2,910
    I "upgraded" from an Edge 800 and now have an Edge 820.I would gladly swap it for the Element Bolt.
    I "bought" a Bolt in March when the mad rush was on but cancelled when they still couldn't give me a firm delivery date by late April.
    If I can't get a swap I'll be buying one come the end of the month now they seem to be in stock everywhere!
    Lynskey R480

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