What about Gradient Lag?

How do you know your holy grail is right? Do you get off your bike, put something straight next to your bike and carry a gradient measuring device with you?

I went out with both mounted. Down a hill, turned onto another road going immediately uphill. The 1040 was showing -10% whilst the 1000 was already quickly moving in the actual plus% range. This situation on the 1040 -10% continued for at least 50-70M before it started going up, this obviously also with a lag. 

So, yes, I did put something, actually on my bike, that measured the Gradient - it was called a Garmin 1000. Still a lag, but acceptable considering how it is measured with a barometric sensor.

Why are a lot of you still trying to deny or defend the clear and unacceptable 1040 Gradient Lag. I get the feeling some of you are Garmin developers, upset with the criticism.

MikeF-Swiss 

I have to agree with you. I also have both 1000 and 1030+ and 1040 and the same experience. A disaster.

A final comment from me as too many posting are getting aggressive.

Another 1040 retrograde step is the fact that it only shows rounded percentages. This means that the inherent sensor inaccuracy (unavoidable) is added to by the difference in gradient not displayed 0.6% to 1.5% (both would show +1%).

If you are on a hill with a stable 10% gradient (i.e. the 1040 is correct, lag over), then this missing % means you have a possible 9% inaccuracy - 9.6% to 10.5%. (There is a sliding scale of this inaccuracy depending on gradient.) At lower gradients it’s not so important (although the inaccuracy is higher), but at 10% this is noticeable. 

No doubt someone will state that it’s not noticeable and nit-picking, however it begs the question:

Have Garmin included a cheaper sensor/chip in the 1040 which is not able to measure at the 0.x levels and subsequently also does not react quickly to the Gradient change?

Have the skimped on the this hardware to put the money/effort into other things?

This would void my suggestion that Garmin revert to the 1000 Algorithm as it is the fundamental hardware that is the problem and therefore cannot be fixed.

It would be interesting if one of the cycle magazines or professional reviewers would open up a 1040 to see exactly what is inside.

@BenGi : “How do I know…?” 

Actually, I have an old SkyMounti biking inclinometer/bubble level mounted on an older bike. Google it. However, almost any bubble level would also work. 

yep but 1030 (not plus ) was almost ok from Gradient display perspective , and 1030+ 1040 has different sensor (better version ) so everything is from software 

I experienced also gradient lag with the 1040. A 3% very short climb was not registered during the climb but after I finished the climb. :-(

Agreed that the 1030 regular version “was almost ok” re. gradient display response, compared to the 1030+.

However, the “different sensor” used in the 1030+ and the 1040, unfortunately does not seem “better”.

As per official Garmin point of view; 10-15 second delay for gradient changes should be accepted as normal, acceptable, and is within Garmin’s expectations, for the 1030+ 

From Garmin:

https://forums.garmin.com/sports-fitness/cycling/f/edge-1030-plus/269248/1030-gradient-issue-ii