Should I buy an Edge 830 or a Wahoo Roam

I have been using an Elemnt Bolt for the last couple of years and I just ordered the Edge 830 today. I will receive it next week so I do not have experience with it yet. But what I'm expecting is faster hardware, not only one "next page" button forcing you to go through all of them, Favero IAV cycling dynamics support, more features, better integration with structured training (as of lately, it started no to show intervals you just did but only show what lies still ahead), shitty integration with Kickr Snap and power meter, and a few other things. 

And while the Bolt is not the Roam so not all the things mentioned will apply to you - that color display just looks shitty and the main hardware is the same as the Wahoo Elemnt...........and therefore getting a bit old. And seen that the Wahoo support is REALLY bad, I didn't want them to give them more of my money. 

you say?

I have Garmin devices from 2010, different models, they have great hardware but pooooor software , every device that I bought it was in beta state, after 2 years they have almost fix FW 

I had also Wahoo Bolt for 6 months , then some issues with the rubber that protects the buttons, after few emails , they have change bolt with a new one with no cost , and I did not had any warranty!

From device point of view it was great, but they don't have Garmin's ecosystem

I’m coming from the Edge 520 and the 830 is awesome.  I just completed a 265km ride this past Friday using the 830.  I designed the route in Strava which included 100km that spelt ‘Nic’.  The 830 navigation was excellent and gave me plenty of advanced notice for turns.  I also like that it pops up the turn screen with 250m to go and then once you turn it goes back to whatever data screen you were on.  Made doing the route easy.  On the 520 it would have been challenging.

From the 520 to the 830, the other big gain for me is performance.  Screen switching is quick, even when through the DFly buttons.  The lap screen doesn’t slow down either.  There are additional layouts for the screens (A, B) depending on your style.  And lastly, I like that the distance field shows a decimal once you go past 100km when you are running 10 fields on a screen.  The rounding is  gone.  On my Edge 520 it would say you were at 100km but you could be anywhere between 99.6km and 100.5km

Overall very happy with this unit.  Running FW3.50 and the latest GPS beta.  Should also note that for the 265km there were no issues.  I got the device early July and upgraded it right away.  I have not had a crash or had sensor issues.  The only thing I found (and reported and is fixed in the latest beta) was the Di2 gear ratios were incorrect and not taken from the bike   But setting them manual solved it.

Personally I don’t like the look of the Wahoo products.

Thanks ic3cold. looks like I will be sticking with Garmin even though it pains me. I think this will be their last chance. I will get an 830. It will have to work flawlessly for 6 months, otherwise it will be gone.

I guess everyones experience is different. My experience of Wahoo support is awesome. I had one of the earliest Kickrs and the power meter game strange results. I got in touch with them and they sent a replacement without any question. 2 years later I had a problem pairing new sensors, so they sent me a new radio unit no questions asked and FOC..

To be honest, your gripes with the 1000 sound a lot like my gripes with the 830. I came from a Bolt and stayed for the nice display. At night I dream of the Bolt's reliability and lack of bugs though... what good are all the features in the world if they don't work? 

If you have a chance to test a Wahoo for a few rides, I would totally recommend it. 

Agglo, don't say that! I just ordered an 830!. Hey at least the 830 will crash and then reboot more quickly with the faster processor. You got a look on the bright side. 

Why did I go with the 830

1. 830 Cheaper than a Roam.
2. Roam lighting questionable.
3. Roam has old hardware reheated with a colour screen.
4. Just not sure about maps (this is important - I recently went MTB in Madagascar easy on the Garmin.
5. Inertia, I already understand the Garmin ecosystem.
6. 830 has a touch screen (I liked this on the 1000).
7. 830 is said to be quite quick and responsive.

For me the maps are a big deal and so is how they appear on screen. For instance because the 1000 had such bad T by T routing I only ever followed the crumb trail. It would chirp at me if I strayed off track. But sometimes it tried to send me down a muddy lane on my super duper road machine. So at this point I would zoom out and visually navigate my way around the unexpected track. So this is/was my fall-back option. To do this you need good maps (I'm in the UK) and the ability to judge from them what class of track is bing shown: is it A, B, C class road or some other? I just couldn't see me doing this with the maps on the Roam. May be I am wrong.

With a Garmin you have to use it within its envelope of competence (e.g. follow the bread crumb because T by T is bad). I'll see what that envelope looks like in the next week or so. There will be gnashing and sucking of teeth, but if the envelope is big enough it stays. If not it will be returned and I will go with the Roam.

Sorry 

FWIW, I am sure you will appreciate the many improvements of the 830 over the 1000. And you don't have to get used to new software / ecosystem as I did. That should help. 

Recalculation was hit or miss for me in Switzerland, but could be much better in other regions. Maybe bring a shoe brush for the occasional muddy trail ;)

All things said, I decided to keep the 830 because the firmware updates are rolling in and I see a lot of potential. 

Good luck! 

Got the same issues with the rubber on my Bolt. 

My experience is with 530 and ROAM. The 530 I have had for 6 months. Well actually three since I have had three of them now and the third is in the box waiting to go back again....total time at Garmin 2 months, time in transit almost a month. If it hadn’t cost money it would be a joke. 

Enter the ROAM. Wow up and running in less than 20 mins. All my custom zones added and routing in less than an hour. That’s the way it should be!! Garmin about to die when people realise there is a system which is easy, setting up via phone is a no brainer.

And then the issues. Rides are not syncing between the ROAM and the companion app. Some even disappear off the unit. As a data driven cycling coach, it is not acceptable to have this level of uncertainty.

The REAL QUESTION IS if Garmin have screwed up because they can’t design software and Wahoo is unreliable, where do we go? Currently the products are not fit for the market. Ideally, you could take the Garmin screen and feel, the wahoo’s LEDs and functionality, forget the gimmicky features and you might actually have a worthwhile unit. Who makes that?