#31
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Can someone please explain Garmin to me?
They seem to have achieved Apple-level market dominance. But without Apple-style innovation or design. From what I can tell a Garmin 500/510 compares to my $50 Specialized Speed Zone thusly. a) Both tell me how long and how fast I've been riding and minor calculations like average speed. b) the Garmin twice as big c) Before the recent price drops, it cost 5-6 times as much. d) You have to upgrade to a bigger, spendier model to get decent turn-by-turn directions (but even those aren't quite Apple Maps quality.) e) It sometimes fails when you lose a satellite connection because you're riding on a tree-shaded road f) It sometimes fails 30 miles into a ride for no apparent reason g) The company doesn't really seem to care all that much. h) The Garmin does tell you where you've been after you're done. (But your Iphone with Strava does that for free, if you're really interested.) I can see the advantage of the new 520 if you're way into Strava. But as a guy coming from the outside, a Garmin seems more like a Zune than an Iphone. So I'm asking seriously: What was the appeal of these devices a decade ago that allowed Garmin to establish this kind of market dominance? And right at this moment, does it make sense to get on board the Garmin train, or is this the final days of the Garmin empire? Last edited by Avincent52; 09-04-2015 at 09:18 AM. |
#32
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^^^ Depends on what you want to do.
Garmin is a single use, dedicated device. If you are ok with your phone, go crazy with it. If you want, you can get a Wahoo RFLKT to integrate with your phone and give you a cycle-computer feel. Add a Wahoo TCKR X, and you've got heart rate too. I mean, I like riding with a GPS because it has maps. so I can go on a new road and have confidence in where it will put me out 10 miles later. That is nice, and I get to keep a record of every where I ride. That is fun for me. Is it necessary? No. it is just fun. Strava is ok too. Cool, I see I did a segment a minute faster than the last time I did that hill. That's fun information to have. Is it necessary? no. Just fun.
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And we have just one world, But we live in different ones |
#33
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Dean El Diente BH Lynx 4.829 Jamis Ventura (Kickr) |
#34
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So, as far as I know, the Spec is just a straightforward bike computer and does not do GPS at all. I'm personally not a fan of the Garmin company and their support at all, but I do like their Edge 500 fairly well.
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#35
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Yah.. Garmin's maps are still better than Google's, Apple is not even in the ballgame.. maybe some devices have T-B-T bugs which is pretty inexcusable but the ones that work (even old ones) do a great job.
I made the mistake of using Apple Maps navigating near the Charlotte International Airport in NC earlier this summer.. Apple hadn't even updated the maps with the entirely new traffic flow and roads yet.. a major airport with construction that had finished quite a while ago. The bizarre thing is you can't use Garmin Maps inside Garmin Connect. If you could load up your ride/run on their Topo 24k maps inside Garmin Connect it would be significantly better than Google/Bing maps. You use these devices because they're waterproof, work well with gloves, have UIs that work while cycling, have good battery life compared to smartphones, have screens that work in sunlight, etc, etc, etc.. it would be great if say Apple did make a device like this since Garmin does indeed have big software quality problems (but I would say they are getting better, not worse) but Apple and Google will never be building these devices because they can't sell them to the masses since the masses just don't care. |
#36
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Am I missing something, though? Can I create a ride in RidewithGPS, somehow get it up on my phone, and have it give me turn by turn instructions? Would be cool though one of those earpieces. Anyway, for now it works most of the time on the Garmin. I think I know how to work around it, and, I'm not happy, but, I have been around computers long enough in various situations that I try not to get too upset with their performance, if it rises above a certain level. I'm reminded of that Louis CK bit, when he describes a seat mate in a plane getting all hot and bothered when the wi-fi went down. You know, we're hurdling through the air at 400 miles and hour in a metal tube. Lighten up. It'll get better. And Google maps are far better than Apple maps. If there is one thing Google does well, it's maps.
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It's not a new bike, it's another bike. |
#37
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Garmin
After trying a Garmin 520, I took it back and settled on a simple Edge 20. Just enough info for me. Thanks for all the replies
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#38
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Garmin
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You can indeed ride a prepared route with subscription form of RwGPS, not the free version. You can either download or use from the cloud. Sent from my brain |
#39
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Garmin
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My 500 doesn't call out turns but with a "course" uploaded to it it will show an overview of the route as well as were you are on it. If you desire street name call outs it did not do that. Or possible I don't know how. My friend with the 1000 got a really nice map on it that you can use like you would your smartphone map. That was pretty handy when looking for roads. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk |
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