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Why a Garmin Edge?

Steve
over 1 year ago

I'm not sure I understand why people still buy these when smart phones are so common. 

Smartphones have Bluetooth and can connect to all of the heart rate, cadence, and speed sensors as well as modern power meters and smart trainers.  Smartphone displays are more responsive and faster.  There are loads of map apps to choose from, many supporting offline maps for those no-signal areas.  And most people carry smartphones for emergencies and all the many other functions they provide.

I thought the point cycling computers like the Edges was mostly privacy.  You could have maps, GPS, and collect cycling data all on a device that doesn't have an internet connection. 

But now it seems that firmware updates are only available if you effectively connect your device to the internet.  This seems an intentional change because the Edges have always been able to update their own firmware by just downloading a file and copying it onto the Edge.  I'm having trouble thinking of an altruistic reason for the new requirement to let your Garmin "phone home".

What am I missing?  What do these guys do that a phone with a nice cycling computer app can't do?

  • 0 over 1 year ago in reply to dpawlyk

    All I'm saying is that I know why I've enjoyed these devices in the past and this change takes that away.  Smart phones seem to do be able to do everything a Garmin Edge does, and better, and cheaper.  I thought there must be some reason Edges still exist, but now I'm not so sure.  It seems to me that their "killer feature" was to be able to operate independently, but now that they've lost that, they may really be obsolete.

  • 0 over 1 year ago in reply to Steve
    Steve said:
    It seems to me that their "killer feature" was to be able to operate independently, but now that they've lost that, they may really be obsolete.

    No, this isn’t a “killer” feature.

    Very, very few people care about how they are updated (which is years old now).

    Anyway, outside of updates (which, again, is years old!), they are as independent as they ever were.

    ===================

    Basically, smart phones and Edges are similar devices.

    So, it isn’t surprising that more people are using phones instead.

    Even with that, a fair number of people are still buying Garmins. Either they have good reasons for that or they are stupid. It’s not likely they are all stupid.

    The fact that you can’t imagine what they have as good reasons that work for them is “uninteresting”.

    There’s no benefit to anybody to convince you (your choice is fine!).

    Get rid of your Edge, move on, and be happy!

    ======================

    It’s fine if you think a phone is a better solution for you (phones are a reasonable choice!).

    But the update issue you imagine is a problem with Garmins is much worse for phones!

  • 0 over 1 year ago in reply to dpawlyk

    Apologies, but I would call preserving privacy and being a "TNO" device a killer feature.  Killer or not, it seems to be the only truly unique feature the Edges had going.  Why did Garmin drop it?  I've looked around some and haven't seen a PR explanation.

    I would call it a new change.  I'm not sure when they stopped posting the firmware, but I last checked for and downloaded firmware last Jan.  I'm not sure when they pulled the files but "years old" would be a max of 1.5 years.

  • 0 over 1 year ago in reply to Steve

    The “killer feature” thing is nonsense.

    Pretty much, no one cares about it and people are still buying them.

    Also, that you don’t care about the much-worse privacy issues with smart phones is kind of hypocritical and weird. 

  • 0 over 1 year ago in reply to dpawlyk

    This thread isn't about me and I think you may be inferring things about me which are not true.

    I've just asked why users of Garmin Edges choose them over smart phones with cycling computer apps.

    I haven't committed to doing or not doing anything myself and I certainly haven't said that I "don't care about the much-worse privacy issues with smart phones".

  • 0 over 1 year ago in reply to Steve

    Edge 530, perfect size and durability for mtb, dedicated functions.  I can't imagine using a phone instead of a bike computer for my purposes.  Also, part of the dedicated functions is the Garmin remote, I can page through and look at different screens without removing my hand from the handlebar.  Very important for mtb.

    The Edge is not cheap, but much cheaper than wrecking a phone if the worst should happen.

  • 0 over 1 year ago in reply to Cranky K.

    There we go!  Phone mounts that can take the impacts of mountain biking are probably  somewhere between hard to find and non-existent.  And there's a Garmin Remote accessory I've never seen before.  I have seen a cool little Bluetooth media control cluster attached to a handlebar and used on Zwift to give some buttons on the handlebar, but that's going to be a different beast.  Would take quite a special app to use something like that for the things a Garmin Remote can do. 

  • 0 over 1 year ago

    It would be interesting to use a phone instead of bike computer but what Android app can solve all sensors like power, di2, cadence, speed, hr when the phone doesn´t have ANT+? 
    I guess BT will have issues when more than 2 devices is connected.

  • 0 over 1 year ago in reply to Lindahl85

    TBH, I've never researched a cycling computer app.  I saw some around man years ago and figure there should be several pretty good ones out there by now.

    As for how many Bluetooth devices can connect at once, sheesh, I've had so many problems with just a single device being both paired and connected, but I'm probably remembering old problems with Windows XP and different Bluetooth stacks I wrestled with forever ago.  Seems like I remember 7 as being a key number for number of BT connections, but I'm not sure which versions of BT that's for and I'll just bet that lots of phones can't manage to hit the spec consistently whatever it is.

    Heck, I've even had sensor drop out problems with an ANT+ receiver sitting about a foot from a Wahoo Kickr smart trainer.  My experience is that all the wireless stuff works fine almost all the time but occasionally just doesn't and troubleshooting it's near impossible.  Still, there are so many people using this stuff more and more so surely the bugs will all be worked out someday.

  • 0 over 1 year ago in reply to Steve
    Steve said:
    TBH, I've never researched a cycling computer app.

    Steve, get a life and stop this totally useless yes-no pingpong 'discussion'