Reviews of the Garmin Edge 800

Real Reviews Submitted by Real Users!

Pros
* Works great with custom OSM GPS maps larger than 1GB, including topography, including routes searches for routes greater than 1,000 kilometers. 
* The device offers a bird's eye view with transparent OSM overlay which is perfect for cycling.
* The touchscreen is easy to use and maps load quicker than many other devices.
* The Edge is easy to install on handlebars (but doesn't seem to be designed for short stems).
* The built in workout alerts are great for helping maintain a steady cadence and heart rate.
* Works great anywhere, including cars, buses, etc.

Cons

* Customizations aren't easy to do unless you're an IT professional, though there are plenty of ready to go OSM maps which you can download for European countries.
* Prone to scratches, but as long as the user is careful, it's easy to avoid damaging the unit. I often place it in my bag while using, since it can still track my progress on GPS and monitor heart rate.
* The onboard storage on the device is somewhat limited, but it's easy to find inexpensive SD cards for storing custom maps and just swap out SD cards as needed.
* I spend a lot of time hiking and riding my mountain bike and frankly, I can't think of any better GPS for cycling.

I picked up a Garmin Edge 800 a few months back and upgraded the firmware to the latest version and just like you'd expect with a Garmin GPS, the GPS functions work perfectly. While I have yet to figure out exactly how to work the road calculation functions, but other than that it's flawless. The FIT map format hasn't been an issue for me at all, especially since I can export GPX, TCX and KML formats.

It was easy to install and set up. I mounted it on a 110 mm long stem with no problems whatsoever and I got extra mounts since I'm using it for all three of my bikes. It bears mentioning that this is a great GPS for multiple bikes, since you can select which bike you're using it on; the software includes separate odometers for each bike as well.

It was easy to install the speed and cadence sensor as well, it took just a couple of minutes. I can't really speak to the quality of the heart rate sensor, since admittedly I haven't paid a great deal of attention to it. In a nutshell, it does what it was designed to do and it does it perfectly; I'd recommend it to anyone who wants a GPS unit for any kind of cycling.

I upgraded to the Edge 800 from the Edge 705. With the exception of one small problem while I was on a training ride on my mountain bike, it's done great every time I've used it, including for racing. The touch screen works great, even while wearing full finger cycling gloves. The files from the device are also easy to transcode and upload to TrainingPeaks.com.

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