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Power-based trainings with the Edge 820

Former Member over 7 years ago

Software version 8.80

The Edge 820 is supposed to support power-based workouts, but setting up the device properly is not funny. Please find below a couple of (unsorted) issues.

The Edge 820 complains quite often that the right pedal of my PowerTap P1 pedal set is missing. PowerTap has released a firmware update in autumn which is supposed to solve this problem. I could not find Garmin’s release notes addressing this issue, too?
In “Training Zones” there are two different power configurations: 9 Coggan iLevels (PWR Zone x) or 7 Zones (Zone x). Unfortunately the “Edit Step” menu supports the Coggan iLevels configuration only (i.e. 9 levels). This means that creating a power-based workout with Garmin Connect is pretty useless since Garmin Connect assumes 7 levels. Or is there a way to change this setting in Connect, too?
It is possible to set power levels as %FTP which is very useful. But why do I have to set the minimum power level in Watt?!?
Switching from 7 Zones to 9 Coggan iLevels and vice versa on the Edge means that all existing input is lost. Enjoy typing in all zones again…
Where can I set power levels in Connect?
When programming a workout on the Edge (just some uncomplicated interval training) my Edge crashed three times. I managed to finish this somehow by regularly leaving the menu and entering it again (some sort of intermediate saving).
The German translation of the Connect workout menu is quite funny. The “Select a step type” (Abschnittstyp wählen) reads “Warm Up, Radfahren, Erholung, Erholung, Cool Down, Sonstige”. This is both wrong (note the repetition) and when comparing it with the Edge’s menu it is obvious that the programmers have not agreed on a common dictionary.
Why does Garmin insist on calories as energy unit? The SI unit is Joule and there should be a switch to change that. Interestingly the German version of the Connect App reads in the power section “Kalorienverbrauch: xxx kJ” (Calories consumption) and in the Calories section “Kalorien: yyy kcal”. In fact, there is definitely no factor 4.18 between xxx and yyy, so what is the kJ number about?
Starting a workout is quite simple. Select the workout and press the “Ride” button. Took me a while to understand that the start/stop button needs to be pressed afterwards, too…
The Edge’s workout screen definitely lacks a cadence field. This has already been raised by someone else in this forum.

Summary: Given that Garmin should have some experience with software development it is rather annoying that there is obviously no common interface definition in place between the Connect development team and the Edge development team. Besides mean software testing should have revealed at least some of the issues listed above.

0 Il_Pres over 7 years ago

+1 on various points of this thread, especially the point 10. I have the P1 pedals too and I can confirm the same message appearing randomly.

Rather than using power zones, I input a custom power range in the step target. It's a bit more complicated, but eventually will work. I don't experience any crashes on the unit, maybe you should try a device reset.

To set the power zones using the FTP% go to garmin connect device setting/user settings. There you will have the possibility to input the FTP and set the zones through FTP%. But no, if you want to do it in the workout builder it is not possible.

Honestly I can live with this. For me it's way more important to have cadence and step notes to be displayed in the workout view on the 820.

A further question is: doing a workout, if you switch to a view other than the workout, you get power too high to low warning. With the latests firmware the message is really irritating, as it is popping up after 1-2 seconds you're out the step power zone by few watts (which happen very often on the road). Isn'' it possible to change the delay after which you get the warning?

0 Former Member over 7 years ago

Thanks a lot for the confirmation. I was really afraid that I simply don't understand the beauty of this software.

Rather than using power zones, I input a custom power range in the step target. It's a bit more complicated, but eventually will work. I don't experience any crashes on the unit, maybe you should try a device reset.

Your approach is to manually define workout power ranges in absolute values and not to rely on the User Stats list? Well, should work but is not very convenient. I applied a couple of factory resets, but at the moment I'm somehow not willing to do debugging for Garmin...

To set the power zones using the FTP% go to garmin connect device setting/user settings. There you will have the possibility to input the FTP and set the zones through FTP%. But no, if you want to do it in the workout builder it is not possible.

Ah, there it is, thanks! Unfortunately 7 zones and not 9, so not useful at all.

A further question is: doing a workout, if you switch to a view other than the workout, you get power too high to low warning. With the latests firmware the message is really irritating, as it is popping up after 1-2 seconds you're out the step power zone by few watts (which happen very often on the road). Isn'' it possible to change the delay after which you get the warning?

I'm indoor user, so I can keep the expected levels quite easily and do not get warnings. But I have not found any configuration menu allowing warning delay adjustment, sorry.