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complete useless device for navigation

Mar5us
over 4 years ago

I wrote this under Edge 820 but why not posting it here as well?

Now as my 820 USB connector went south, I finally had a reason to replace this much hated device with an Edge 530. After two rides I can say, that the new device is the same piece of *** as the old one:

  • the device doesn't know where it is after some kilometers
  • if it looses the route, it just displays "wrong route" but does not show the way back to the route
  • it is always behind, also in the beginning - showing the crossing and new direction after I passed it
  • the screen sometimes freezes and does not accept any input from any button
  • sometimes, it is beeping like crazy - one want to throw the *** piece far away

I can't believe that so many professionals have this device. And nobody complaining? Should I return the device or is this normal behavior? It seems to record the route quite well, so at least I can navigate after I'm back from riding. But is that really all this device can do well?

  • 0 over 3 years ago

    I don't know but if you have such a degree why are you asking if this is normal behaviorThinking

  • 0 over 3 years ago in reply to Mar5us

    Regarding your first point -- this is the way Garmin cycling computers have always worked. This is I think for 2 reasons:

    1. The computing power in a battery operated unit is historically very limited and consequently recalculation has been problematic in the past. This issue is less important now with newer devices, but the overall efficiency of a recalculated course will always be worse than a server-side computation.

    2. The biggest reason is that if you are in a race or organized ride, returning to the course is the correct action.  It is only when navigating from point-a to point-b that bypassing the existing course makes sense.

    Newer devices, including the Edge-530, can be configured to navigate back to the course without requiring that the user returns to the point of deviation.

    Other reasons for recalculation limits include the simple fact that routing databases are far less comprehensive for cycling tracks than for roads. In many cases a cycling track is covering ground that cannot be determined from the even the best databases in the world. It is impossible for the computer to know that one could cross a parking lot or median to re-gain access to a cycle-path that was diverted from earlier unless that access has been explicitly loaded into the device. Over time this will improve as Garmin and Open Street Maps, municipal actors, etc, improve their databases.

  • 0 over 3 years ago in reply to tapuzzo
    tapuzzo said:
    Other reasons for recalculation limits include the simple fact that routing databases are far less comprehensive for cycling tracks than for roads. In many cases a cycling track is covering ground that cannot be determined from the even the best databases in the world.

    I don't expect the Edge considering cycling tracks for recalculation. Standard roads for car traffic would be fine. 

    tapuzzo said:
    Newer devices, including the Edge-530, can be configured to navigate back to the course without requiring that the user returns to the point of deviation.

    That would be great. I couldn't find that option on the 530. 

  • 0 over 3 years ago in reply to tapuzzo
    tapuzzo said:
    Newer devices, including the Edge-530, can be configured to navigate back to the course without requiring that the user returns to the point of deviation.

    The 1030+ can navigate you back to your planned route at a sensible place, not just where you deviated.  No other Garmin cycling unit can do this.  They will all notice when you get back on your planned course and continue navigation along (as long as you didn't use the recalculate option on all Edge units apart from the 1030+).