Garmin edge 520 plus. Garmin Edge 520 Plus Review 2020-01-05

Garmin Edge 520 Plus Review

Assuming you want to pair the device with your phone you also need to open the Connect App, which is also somewhat slow to start up and make sure they pair. The 520 Plus comes with the Strava Live app installed, along with Strava Routes and Training Peaks apps. The first satisfaction was the removal of a touch screen. I got a Bolt and used it for two and a half months and the diplay just suddenly died. With decades of experience in engineering products to provide people with products to maintain an active lifestyle, Garmin always values the bond that the products make with the customers. Depends on your intended use. Garmin's most fully featured cycling computer is the Edge 1030 also tested.

Garmin Edge 520 Plus review

As the 520 Plus uses the 520 hardware, we've still not got Bluetooth Smart connectivity. Attaching either of these mounts is relatively easy and can be done in just a few minutes and attaching the unit to either of the mounts is done with an easy quarter turn. We found the startup time to be longer than most at around 20 seconds for the unit to boot up, compared to roughly 3 seconds for the Lezyne computers. It cost a huge £25. I have the original elemnt rather than the bolt. Ease of Use Overall, the Edge 520 Plus is generally easy to use, but it loses a little ground to the competition due to its more complicated setup.

Garmin Edge 520 Plus review

It has crashed once in that time, over the course of about 5000 miles. In essence, this takes our previous Top Pick Award winner for Strava Addicts and Racing and gives it nearly all of the navigation features and functionality of the Edge 830, minus the convenience of the touchscreen. One thing is that I haven't had a ton of updates with this one. And the Elemnt support forums and reviews are full of negative reviews too. The 520 Plus is no different to other Garmin computers, and comes with more data fields than anyone could want for. It's not all gold stars, however, as the Garmin Connect Mobile App is our least favorite of the bunch and navigating the menu and screens of the unit itself is less intuitive than other models in this test.

Garmin Edge 520 vs 520 Plus

Still, the seven-button setup on the 520 Plus just felt dependable and easier to use when out on the bike, particularly in the cold winter days with gloves on when you might want to switch between pages. I've never such a thing on my 800 in 6 years of riding with it. Just bought a Wahoo Bolt though so we'll see how that goes. As well as automatic upload to Garmin Connect, the 520 Plus can also display messages and calls from your phone if you leave it connected via Bluetooth. It still has the vibrant and easy to read color screen, an intuitive and easy to use button layout, and all the connectivity and smartphone integration of the previous version. The Wahoos make more sense. We are actually quite confused as to why Garmin's companion app is the least user-friendly of the models in this test when they are clearly the leader in the cycling computer market.

Garmin Edge 520 Plus Review

Both the models of the series have a high-resolution color display while the Edge 520 Plus has slightly different data field layout than the Edge 520. The data metrics are there, it's easy to use, the battery life is good and I think the lack of touchscreen is a benefit. I don't imagine that is something only they do. On a rainy winter's ride, I don't bother looking at the screen. The 520 Plus also has the Group Track feature so that you can keep track of members in your group as long as they also have the Group Track feature. With its enhanced navigation and mapping features, it's now more capable than ever and better suited to a broader range of users.

Review: Garmin Edge 520 Plus

The Edge 830 also tested is strikingly similar to the 520 Plus in terms of size and features but has the added convenience of a touchscreen display. The upgraded model also comes with Rider to Rider messaging with which you can text your friends directly from your Garmin device saving you the hassle of taking out your phone and messing up the screen from your sweat. I never used this on my 820, so it's not something I've missed, but if you did you'll be pleased to know there is a new app that acts as this function. It misses out on the WiFi upload, and the price is a tad high right now, but all told this would be a very sound investment. The Garmin rerouted me, figuring out the detour within 10 seconds. The Plus remains largely the same as its predecessor with notable upgrades primarily in the mapping and navigation features.

Review: Garmin Edge 520 Plus

It reflects both a product's function and value. Or a 520 with proper mapping. For me, the mapping has become an essential but if you can do without it, you might prefer the Bolt. Smartphone Integration, Live Track and Strava Segments The Edge 520 Plus has pretty good smartphone integration features but again it loses a little ground here due to its less user-friendly and intuitive companion app. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores.

Garmin Edge 520 Plus review

Additionally, Garmin has added an incident detection feature that will send your name and location to your emergency contacts when the feature is enabled. Once downloaded and synced to your phone, Trailforks allows you to add your routes, and search nearby and popular routes for navigation. The result… The with all the excellent data and performance measuring features of the Edge 520 and jazzed it up with exquisite navigational features with a preloaded base map and latest training apps like TrailingForks, TrainingPeaks, Yelp, and Best Bike Split for riders in all terrains. With navigation turned on, I got to nine hours over two days of riding with a single charge. It also has enhanced navigation capabilities with the preloaded Garmin cycle map, turn by turn navigation, routable maps, and even the Trailforks app.