Garmin Edge 800 Review

As a bike computer, the Edge 800 is a fantastic proposition, since it can record all kinds of data and it's compatible with extra sensors for heart rate monitoring, among other functions. However, Computer Act!ve said that as a navigation device it's pretty much useless, making it smarter to avoid this expensive device and to go for a dedicated bike computer plus a smartphone app.

Value for money: "very good" (5 out of 6 stars), "Recommended"

PC Pro say that the GPS performance from the fairly priced Garmin Edge 800 is excellent and it locks on in a few seconds. There are other modes which can be selected, such as a heart rate sensor so you can keep track of how hard you are cycling. It offers sat nav, the Virtual Partner racing option to keep you motivated and you can load Ordnance Survey maps at 1:50000 or 1:25000.

As well as being well designed, Pocket-lint found that Garmin's Edge 800 was accurate, battery life was impressive, and they soon came to rely on it for navigating the city every day. Serious cyclists will be able to make good use of its training facilities too, but if you're an average biker who just needs help with navigation, they say you could opt for something cheaper.

"Ultimate"

Expert Reviews loved the Garmin Edge 800. Its 2.6in transflective screen is easy to view even in bright sunlight, it's waterproof, and the battery life is long enough to last for a whole day's riding. It's certainly not cheap, and they'd like to see a UK English mode amongst other things, but overall, they say it's the best satnav for cyclists they've seen so far.

"Ed's Choice"

"The 705 was good, the 800 is simply amazing. Treat yourself!"

In Wired.com's opinion, the Garmin Edge 800 is so useful that you'd be crazy to take a long cycle trip without it. It provides brilliant navigation while measuring and rating your cycling performance all along the way. Out of the box it is fast to get started and very straightforward. The touchscreen is bright and works well in combination with an intuitive user interface.

BikeRadar's first look at this GPS-enabled cycling computer is mostly favourable. They say that set-up is straightforward and its turn-by-turn directions are easy to follow. They comment that due to its price, current Edge 705 owners won't feel too compelled to upgrade, yet those with older models will surely find this to be the all-in-one GPS they've long been waiting for.

“A top bike computer, that also impresses as a GPS device. The Garmin device has the best holder in the test group. By using rubbers for fastening, the holder is able to be easily and quickly moved from one bike to the next.”

“Likes: intuitive operation; training functions; elegant look; good handlebar mount; huge choice of maps; easy navigation with Tracks; decent routing for road cyclists, but sometimes chooses detours. Dislikes: laborious transfer of data from and to PC; small touchsreen; non-removeable battery.”