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#4
07-27-2020, 11:47 PM
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Garmin for battery life and various mode/price point options. Wahoo for something not Garmin.
DC Rainmaker for reviews: https://www.dcrainmaker.com/ 
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#6
07-28-2020, 04:26 AM
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If you search you will find a number of threads on this.
I think the "Garmin sucks" mantra is mostly from the pre-Wahoo days. The current server outage notwithstanding, Garmin 520 plus and the Edge Explore have both been excellent for me, albeit with a few quirks that were minor. I think the 520 plus has been supplanted by 530 which has a little more functionality but significantly longer battery life. If you want real navigation you want at least the 520 plus (and not just 520) or higher in the garmin line. I use Ride with Gps for mapping, and RouteCourse, a third party app, along with the Garmin Connect app for routing. Once the apps are on the phone its all behind the scenes-click a button in RWGPS on the computer and the route shows up on the head unit for downloading. DC Rainmaker has the most comprehensive reviews and compares all these units. If you look at the more recent reviews he runs down how they differ from earlier units. Here are a few points from my experience, which is limited to Garmin. 520/530 : non touch screen, turn-by-turn navigation and maps but no point-to-point on-the-fly routing (but you can use your phone for that). Multiple customizable data screens and multiple "profiles", which each give a different set of data screens that are customizable. Can connect with power, heart rate, cadence, etc. sensors for performance data. 830. A bigger (almost cartoonish) 520+/530. Touch screen. Point-to-point navigation. Edge Explore: Like a navigation-centered (vs performance-centered), pared down 830-big touch screen, but more of a touring unit. Very easy to use. Can connect a few sensors, including heart rate and cadence, but, significantly, not power. Only two customizable data screens (in addition to the map and elevation screens, and one or two other pre-configured) and a single profile. (I thought who cares but I like having different sets of screens for riding without navigation vs riding a route. I also like having more than two customizable data screens. Last edited by marciero; 07-28-2020 at 04:28 AM.
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#7
07-28-2020, 04:29 AM
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If you want simple data, any unit is fine, including watches like the numerous Garmin units. Easy to wear and works well as your daily watch, including when you go swimming.
If you need mapping, Garmin. The Rainmaker link given above is a good place to start.
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#8
07-28-2020, 05:31 AM
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I will go a different direction. If you are just using it for the basic features, and don't plan much more than that, get a Lezyne.
Good battery life and price points. Doesn't have every bell and whistle, but in this case, those may not be needed.
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#9
07-28-2020, 07:47 AM
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I went from various wireless bike computers (no GPS) to a Garmin 520 to a Wahoo Elemnt Roam, and each has been a major step up. I'm a Wahoo fan because it is just easier to use and more capable. I found uploading and managing maps in the 520 a major PIA, basically because it came with a stupidly tiny memory. Perhaps that's been improved in the 530? With the Wahoo, you can set it all up with a phone app, and its map page is much easier to zoom in and out on, so much more useful. It also has a much longer battery life than the 520 (though that's probably been improved on Garmin as well).
DC Rainmaker is pretty definitive in finding ALL the information, but it's a lot to wade through. I'm pretty sure that GCN has done a head to head comparison of Garmin vs Wahoo on one of their (great) tech videos (on Youtube). That's probably easier to digest.
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#10
07-28-2020, 12:41 PM
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I'll echo KonaSS's suggestion. For what many users actually need, Lezyne computers are phenomenal.
Battery life is killer. Physical buttons instead of touchsreens. Connects to all your devices if you need/want it to. That said, I do still want an Omata One...
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#11
07-28-2020, 01:19 PM
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Buy a wahoo, keep garmin working harder.
I really like my 830, but that's for navigation. I wanted to buy a Roam. The 830 is faster. If you just want a good computer that saves data, something like the garmin 130 might do.
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#12
07-28-2020, 02:00 PM
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Read DC Rainmaker
See link for his last summary of units.
https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2019/11/...gy-buyers.html Note that some may have been updated since then as there is always progress. My personal opinion is that these days most all are decent and it comes down to what you prefer. I really like my Wahoo Bolt due to ease of use and integration with Ridewithgps.com . I have hundreds of routes on my Bolt and the Wahoo app. Read DC's reviews and think about how you want to use it. Do you want maps? Do you want it to be routable if you get off course? Do you want a major brand? What other sites do you want to integrate with such as Strava and Ridewithgps. I think once you get away from Garmin or Wahoo you are going to be sacrificing some support potentially etc. Talk to some friends who can help you get started as even the simple units can stump you some. I can answer Wahoo questions if you have them by pm. Alan
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#13
07-28-2020, 02:42 PM
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Heck - if you just need speed and distance and don't really need GPS just get a Cateye Velo 7 for <$30.00
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#14
07-28-2020, 02:51 PM
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Having done it I'd not recommend a watch unless you literally just want to record data and barely even look at it.
The screen is just too small.. it borders on unsafe, and then when you're putting it on your wrist it's a huge watch. They are less accurate too, although I struggle to think that's really an issue. (No room for a bigger antenna) Hopefully they've fixed it.. I had a Fenix 3, it was much more likely to have sensor dropouts as well. (No room for a bigger antenna)
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#15
07-28-2020, 02:59 PM
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920xt user here and I use the quick release kit to mount it to my garmin out front mounts.
Awesome multi use watch for running, notifications during the day, and cycling. Swimming too if thats your thing. Easy on the wrist, and spin off to put on your bike. 4 fields on a screen is the max, but you can have a bunch of different screens. Would recommend. 
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