Picked up the Garmin Edge 200

[Capsyze]

Picked up the Garmin Edge 200 today... fitted to my bike...

I'll take it out for a ride this arvo and let you know how it goes!

[AndyTheMan]

Price?

I heard they were only $150 which is awesome!

I have been trying to decide whether to get a bike computer OR a Garmin watch (use it for both running and bike)

If the Edge 200 is cheap enough I might be able to get both

[Capsyze]

Picked mine up for $149 from Bicycle Superstore in Albury.

They're a real simple unit - if you're after cadence, HRM and +Ant capability you're going to have to look elsewhere.

The Garmin Edge 200 is GPS device only, which delivers very minimal information such as speed and distance...
But the thing that hooked me was the ability to use the device to record my route and allow me to upload it to the Garmin Connect website so I can see where I've ridden...
It also allows you to follow a route using a "bread-crumb" map if you've uploaded one from the website.

I have an iPhone 3GS and used the MapMyRide app a few times but gave up due to slow GPS start up, and the fact the phone would be almost flat after a 3 hour ride. And before anyone suggest that the iPhone 4 is has a better batter life, NO, I'm not going to upgrade the phone just to improve my battery life (to be honest, I'm done with the iPhone fad, anyway).

The Edge 200 has a battery life of 14 hours (so says the documentation) and it mounts really nicely to the stem of my bike. (And it's water proof, unlike the iPhone).
It can also be changed from bike to bike. I've got another road bike that I need an excuse to get onto and the Edge 200 comes with 2 mounts.

Like I said, I haven't used the unit yet. I was planning to go out this arvo but looking at the time and the weather I might leave it till tomorrow and report back once I've got some KM's on it.

[GrumpySmurf]

Once you get bored with looking at Garmin Connect, start using Strava - great application which is so much more meaningful than Garmin if you ride with other people.

[Capsyze]

Yeah, I've heard about Strava.... The thing that's perhaps making me think twice about is that it looks very similar to MapMyRide.

MapMyRide has some very intrusive advertising. While I appreciate that the developers need to make money, the fact that every piece of available screen real estate has an advert on it combined with the intrusive pop-up advertising makes MapMyRide seem like a cash cow... and that makes me cynical about the cost of the plans they are offering.
Additionally, MapMyRide also doesn't offer its own technical support, instead it relies on community forums with very limited "official" support.

Strava would have to be without intrusive advertising on the free account to garner my interest.

[AndyTheMan]

Thanks cap, I would be really interested to hear what you reckon after a few kms on the road

My missus uses on of the Garmin Forerunner watches (she is a nutcase marathaon runner!) - she LOOOOVEES the bloody thing!

Currently I'm using an Android phone with the endomondo app for tracking my rides - but I guess a couple of things annoy me

Like you said, battery life is an issue, although the Samsung Galaxy has a good battery life - if you don't use the screen I can get 4-5 hours out of it using endomondo.

I don't mount the phone on the bike as then the battery life would be only a few hours with the screen running non stop etc.

I really am looking for a pretty simple bike computer with speed and an ability to map on Garmin Connect - there are soooooo many websies now for mapping and my wife uses the Garmin Connect for her running so I am familiar with that one. Its seems great to me...

I was going to get a Garmin watch but they don't seem ideal for the bike - was trying to come up with some way of mounting it on the bars....

I would be particuarly interested in hearing your thoughts on the 'breadcrumb' tracking thingy, where you can map out a ride in advance. I have very good map skills and sense of direction so all my mapping now is done on Google earth and I simply remember where I am going - but something that provides a few cues at selected points would be awesome!

Give us an update once you've done a few kms!

AtM

[Capsyze]

No worries Andy... I'm heading out tomorrow on a group ride in Albury (for those not taking part in the Bay in a Day)...

I'll plot the route and see if it's easy to follow on the way back (I haven't ridden the return route before so I'll be interested myself to see how the bread crumbs fare).

Stay tuned for an update over the weekend, at some point.

Capsyze

[sim-o]

...
I was going to get a Garmin watch but they don't seem ideal for the bike - was trying to come up with some way of mounting it on the bars....
...
AtM

I've got a Garmin Forerunner 305 (which I picked up for less than $200 online just recently), and you can get a $20 mount from CRC which works a beaut. It's made of rubber so there's a bit of friction to prevent the watch slipping or anything like that. Plus I can unclip the watch any time to go for a run, hike, paddle etc.

Highly recommend it.

[AndyTheMan]

Thanks Sim

This is the sort of thing I was thinking

I might pinch the missus' watch for a couple of rides and see how it goes

She uses the Garmin connect to update her runs onto facebook - she has lots of friends overseas and this way they can compare running routines/training easily.

I wonder what her friends thing when all of a sudden she does a 60km run at an average pace of 26km/h...

[Capsyze]

Thanks Sim

.....

I wonder what her friends thing when all of a sudden she does a 60km run at an average pace of 26km/h...


.....

That the guy that's trying to fool them by using a bike needs to quicken the pace and average 30km/h instead??

[Capsyze]

Went for two short rides today, both about 30km in length...

First impression of the Garmin Edge 200 is pretty good...

Previously I was using an Echo W2 for speed and average-speed data. The problem with the Echo was visibility due to the small screen size.

The Edge has a decent sized display and presents the information clearly and concisely.

Starting/powering up the unit is quick and it only takes about 10 seconds or so for the GPS to pick up the satellites and to begin riding.

I haven't used the map feature yet but will give it a go when I head out on the usual 70km + Sunday morning ride - I had a look at it function while sitting at my desk at home and, while it seems basic in it's functionality, it may be a useful tool if riding in unknown territory.

The bike mount is the proprietary Garmin device with two mounts and heaps of stretchy bands - this device can swapped easily from bike to bike with no other caveat other than the devise must be able to pick up the GPS satellite transmission (there goes any aspiration of riding the Harbour tunnel).

Now, I'm not sure of the waterproof nature of the device... I rode in the Kinglake 120 this year and my little Echo W2 did not miss a beat, where as other riders using Cateyes were suffering failure due to water ingress... Can anyone vouch for the waterproof protection of Garmin products in torrential rain, sleet and hail?

[Sven Nijs]

Now, I'm not sure of the waterproof nature of the device... I rode in the Kinglake 120 this year and my little Echo W2 did not miss a beat, where as other riders using Cateyes were suffering failure due to water ingress... Can anyone vouch for the waterproof protection of Garmin products in torrential rain, sleet and hail?

Can't comment on sleet & hail (I left Scotland to avoid that stuff) but my Edge 500 hasn't missed a beat since I bought it (when they were first released) and I don't shirk from riding in the rain. Just ensure the little rubber USB connector cover is fully seated and you should be fine.

[Capsyze]

Well, I've put the Garmin Edge 200 through its paces... Here's the data collected from this morning's ride.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/121843696

It's essentially everything I need in a bike computer...
I don't need to see how fast my legs aren't going up a hill, nor do I need to see how close I am to cardiac arrest, so this unit is ideal for someone like me who likes to know how fast I'm going, my average speed and the ability to upload and view my route.. Still haven't used the "bread crumb" feature yet... I'll go out for a ride later today and retrace a ride I did yesterday using the basic navigation feature and let you know how it goes.

[Capsyze]

So, went out to do a loop today that I've been doing (I suck at climbing so have decided to hit a couple of hills out my way quite hard).
I used the little Garmin Edge 200 to plot the route as a "course" so that I can;

Test the "breadcrumb" feature
Compete against the previous ride's time

The "breadcrumb" feature, while very basic in its presenation, worked a treat and would be ideal for someone not familiar with a route. While it doesn't show great detail, it would certainly show if you were off path and going the wrong way.

The "pace" feature is plain viscious... C'mon, honestly. I mean, here I am trying to improve my climbing ability at my own pace... And suddenly I had the little Garmin displaying how I was doing compared to the previous ride. Damn, if I didn't bust my balls trying to better my previous time... I huffed and I puffed... and for what? An improvement of 2minutes!

Am I happy that I bought an Edge 200 instead of a 300?
For my level of riding (entry level enthusiast) it's ideal. It's not as fancy as the 300 or 800, but at the price it's certainly easy to justify spending the coin to the wife.

If you're just stepping out and want a unit with GPS, or are a rider who's been using an iPhone/Android with a cycling app the Garmin 200 Edge will impress with it's ease of use, mounting on the bicycle is a breeze (I haven't seen an iPhone mount that I would trust that doesn't cost as much as the Edge 200 - Biologic, I'm looking at you!), and it has a fantastic battery life (save the iPhone to make calls at the end of the ride... you'll have the battery life left to do it!)..

Here endeth the lesson.

[MattyP]

ridewithgps is good.

[splunk]

I was going to get a Garmin, however Strava app on the iPhone works very well and I can not justify the a dedicated unit as all I want is the data post ride. Do not know how they do it, but battery drain does not seem to be an issue with my iphone 4 compared to mapmyride.

I went on a 5 hour ride starting at 6am and still had plenty of battery left when i went to charge it at the end of the day.

The added bonus of Stava via phone is that data is automatically uploaded via internet as soon as you end your ride, therefore no manual plugging the Garmin into computer and syncing process.

[Plastic bike]

I was going to get a Garmin, however Strava app on the iPhone works very well and I can not justify the a dedicated unit as all I want is the data post ride. Do not know how they do it, but battery drain does not seem to be an issue with my iphone 4 compared to mapmyride.

I went on a 5 hour ride starting at 6am and still had plenty of battery left when i went to charge it at the end of the day.

The added bonus of Stava via phone is that data is automatically uploaded via internet as soon as you end your ride, therefore no manual plugging the Garmin into computer and syncing process.

I use the strave app on my phone as well and i ride with a few guys that have garmin's and all the data is the same.i have also noticed that the strava app does not use much battery, I think it is because it is simple..the best thing is its free.

[toofat]

Caps
How accurate is the elevation, does it get corrected when you upload the ride to Garmin connect
how does the calories burned feature work, does the unit use the elevation profile to work the number
the calorie counting log I use only has speed and distance so can only approximate cals used on a flatish ride
thanks

[Capsyze]

Caps
How accurate is the elevation, does it get corrected when you upload the ride to Garmin connect
how does the calories burned feature work, does the unit use the elevation profile to work the number
the calorie counting log I use only has speed and distance so can only approximate cals used on a flatish ride
thanks

Elevation is corrected when uploaded to Garmin connect.

Calories burnt is calculated by the very basic "age x distance" method. There's no heart rate monitor so it's rather primitive and is no better (or worse) than any other low end cycling computer.
Having said that, there's no "calibration" required and the unit can be swapped from bike to bike in seconds.
The beauty of the device is the GPS function with route, pace and record ability...

If you're after a unit that has heart rate and cadence, look else in the Garmin range...

Know the unit's strengths and weakness.

Personally, I found it easier to justify the spend of $149 for the Edge 200 than I could $300 for an Edge 300....

Besides, I've got a Polar HRM that I wear when I'm feeling really adventurous.

[randyrob]

It's essentially everything I need in a bike computer...

...except you can't view the time of day once a ride has commenced!

[Capsyze]

It's essentially everything I need in a bike computer...

...except you can't view the time of day once a ride has commenced!

Yes you can....

While not ideal, you press the page button to return to the main screen.

Time is displayed (along with current ride time as an overlay).

To return the the ride, press the "ride button"...

Took me a while to figure that one out.

[randyrob]

Awesome thanks for the heads up must try that out!

I'm hoping with the next firmware release they will add it to the other stats down the bottom (calores, elevation etc)

Cheers Rob.

[randyrob]

Hmm this didn't work for me and according to DC Rainmaker the page button is just from scrolling thru the data fields =

The bottom quarter of the screen is changeable by pressing the page button (lower left button) and this controls a scrolling data field that displays: Average Speed, Ascent (total), and calories.

[randyrob]

http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2011/08/garmin-edge-200-in-depth-review.html

Hi DC,
Nice review.

Does it have a clock (time of day)?

Thanks,
DB

Yes, it does in the main menu - but not in either active or paused mode.

[Capsyze]

Hmm this didn't work for me and according to DC Rainmaker the page button is just from scrolling thru the data fields =

The bottom quarter of the screen is changeable by pressing the page button (lower left button) and this controls a scrolling data field that displays: Average Speed, Ascent (total), and calories.

????

Here's a video of how to display the clock by using the Page button ( you have to press and hold the page button )

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1t_DgGLZrc0