Disappointed!!!

Why didn't you buy the Edge Explore 2? It has the Navigation feature without the other advanced Training stuff. The Training metrics are ofc all on the most expensive Garmin Bike Computer! Why are you bashing on the Training metrics if YOU don't need them? Most 1040 buyers do use them, thats why they bought the expensive device? If you want basic, buy basic computers and save a lot of money? Maps are Open Street Maps - Open Cycle Maps. YOU can even add stuff to it, like roads etc. Shops/Coffee places etc open/ close faster then any map provider can add them all. On Google Maps they are there because of well... Google? And Businesses adding themselves to it, for opening hours etc, and ADDS. 

It sounds like someone didn't do his due diligence before buying a product: inform yourself on the product, look at the product features and think if you need this product first.
Coming here to complain about features you don't need and don't understand while many of us are using and liking them is not a good start.

Well if you want a Tractor, don't buy a F1 car .

The problem isn't all the undesired advanced and training features, which can be disabled or ignored, but that the fundamental features don't work well or reliably.  Maybe F1 is a good analogy, because they may be optimal in the limited environs of a specific predetermined closed course, but not something you'd take on a road trip.

I bought an Edge Explore 2 but a cycle ride to Cambridge went from 45 miles to 60 after losing its way in tree-lined roads. Swirched to the 1040 despite the extra expense and all is much better now. Use a few bells and whistles but don't get myself steamed up over those I don't need but others may.

There is a navigation avoidance setting turned on by default so it takes other roads... That's mostly the main fault why navigation sux for some people 

at least on last 16.xx betas, the routing was tottally out, taking longer ways, even when you select to minimize distance.

Risking being unliked by the apparent majority here I have to say I have some coincidence of opinion with tractorboy . I have had 5 Garmin’s over the last 10+ years, I do 10,000kms most years and reckon the 1040 is an exceptional bit of hardware. The battery life is amazing, I can get 80 to 100 hours without too much effort (non-solar), the screen is exceptionally clear and bright without any backlight (day time of course , 10% is adequate at night..)

BUT it is let down by exceptionally BAD software which seems to get worse with each release. I have no opinion regarding all the “performance” stuff, I don’t use any of it but the basic navigation features are worse than my old 520, complex, unpredictable, inconsistent, yes disappointing. I make it work for me by winding back to a functionality level similar to my oldest (still working) Edge 200.

I was very tempted by the Explore 2, seemed to be everything I wanted but none of the things I didn’t want, perfect? But further review revealed that many of the artificial functional & hardware restrictions made purely for marketing reasons would result in an even more disappointing experience. As luck would have it 6 months ago a shop I used had a” one day special” on the 1040 and I got one for a reasonable non extorting level price.

So happy with 1040, yes but it could be so much better with little Garmin effort, less new functionality and try to get the basics working well first please .

I can see that the apparent delay in the release of 540/840 models is likely related to the unready state of the software currently in alpha release for the last 8 months on our 1040s

Thanks for reading, have good and safe rides .

The delayed release of the new models may not have anything to do with the state of the software and everything to do with Garmins 71% revenue decline in their cycling and sport division. Garmin may have decided to use their programmers in their more profitable divisions.

You have superior knowledge than I regarding garmin's financial performance. They have a legitimate desire to maximise their revenue /  profit like any company and we (customers) have a legitimate desire to maximise the utility we get from any purchased product, so on those numbers seems a lot of customers are questioning the utility they get from garmin devices? After a couple of almost do nothing releases recently (15.x & 16.x) I am struggling to recall the last time I installed a release and afterwards thought "that's a damn useful new feature", but I think it was in 2017 on my 520 with FW release 12.1, I absolutely loved that release, looking forward to the next time. If the Garmin programmers have been redeployed that would explain the recent 1040 releases which look like they have been produced by the management pretending to remember how to program.