Garmin010-02060-00 Edge 530, GPS Cycling/Bike Computer with Mapping, Dynamic Performance Monitoring and Popularity Routing

I have had and enjoyed using an Edge 520 for a number of years. But the battery has lost significant capacity and I decided it was time for a new one. And I decided I should get something with a few more bells and whistles, specifically navigation wise. So I opted for this.The layout is standard Garmin: on-off and scroll buttons on the left, enter and back buttons on the right, and start-stop and lap buttons on the bottom. No touch screen on this, but I didn’t want a touchscreen.I haven’t yet familiarized myself with all the screens available but I imagine there’s a screen for just about any purpose.I found it pretty easy to pair up with my phone, and also to pair up with my hr and cadence sensors. I have 2 bikes with 2 different cadence sensors and so far it seems to switch seamlessly between the two. My old Edge sometimes wouldn’t switch for reasons I never quite managed to figure out.The display visibility can be tricky. I have found it to be somewhat sensitive to the angle you have it mounted at. For me, having the display face flat instead of slanted a bit back is better. Time of day and season is a factor too. Late afternoon in winter, when the sun is low, can cause difficulties. I might add at this point, that my eyesight is not the best, someone with good vision might have fewer problems. But now that I have the display angle worked out, I can see it pretty well when in the saddle. Having the backlight turned on helps.Battery life is pretty good. I average about an hour to 90 minutes a day, 7 days a week and I can go well over a week before I need to recharge.

Sadly our old Garmin startup button failed. We had to reach inside with a small stick to activate. Finally broke down and bought this replacement. We are very happy with ease of use and accuracy. The upload to your site has been improved and works great.

Okay - well it was a secret to me at least. I'll get to that button in a moment after a quick user review of this device.As a pilot who has used a few different models of Garmin in the cockpit (430, 530, G1000), I was curious how this unit stacked up against the other options out there. After all, the Wahoo Element ROAM and Hammerhead Karoo were developed by cycling experts, while the Garmin was developed by GPS experts. The latter was great with the technology, but covered many different modes of transportation. I imagined that Wahoo or Hammerhead would "understand" the needs of the cyclist better. But ultimately, it was my experience with Garmin and the reviews of others that made me pick the Edge 530. So to be fair, I cannot compare it with the offerings from Wahoo or Hammerhead, and can only speak for this unit.There is a lot to this small screen that I am still learning, but it is Information Central on my rides. The 530 lacks the touch screen of the 830, but riding on bumpy gravel paths, the touchscreen would not only be of limited use beyond configuring things at the breakfast table before a ride, but in fact could prove a nuisance if accidently touched during a ride.And now - THAT HIDDEN BUTTON! If you read nothing else about the 530 - read this....The buttons on each side are easy enough to get used to. There is one big button however that many people apparently miss (I picture it with this review). It's perhaps the most important one of all, because without pressing it, everything on the 530 remains simply a plan and NOT an active route. It is at the bottom of the screen next to the USB port. I was wondering why my rides never started recording. The GPS directions were working, but the ride clock remained at zero. It turns out that this "play" button at the bottom of the screen - which is essentially hidden visually and less tactile than the more obvious side buttons - is key to the unit's operation. I was so confused as to why my rides never started that I called Garmin tech support and the guy on the phone laughed and said he had the same problem when he first got the unit (before he worked for Garmin) and it took him a few rides to figure it out. So if this review is any help at all - look at ALL the buttons on the unit - not just the ones on the side!That of course brings up one more piece of this review. Tech support was responsive, effective and engaging. In all, the Garmin Edge 530 is highly recommended by this cyclist.