Chapeau! You have successfully discovered entertainment, inspiration and advice (hot tips!) for enthusiastic social and mildly competitive road cyclists.
You’ll enjoy this channel if:
🚴♂️ You are a MAMIL (or a WILMA!) that cycles 2 to 4 times a week
🚵♂️ You like to get into the hills and enjoy wittering on about bikes (and road surfaces)
🏆 You are on Strava (optional...)
⛅ You own at least one road bike and spend a lot of time thinking about the specs for your next one (I really should get electronic gears...).
🔧 Occasionally you find yourself daydreaming about building your own bike workshop (no? Just me then...).
On this channel I share what I learn and my experiences as I try to get fitter, faster and train for more challenging events and rides.
I make videos about the places I ride, at home and (hopefully) abroad, how I train (or not) and the kit I use.
Get fitter and faster; tackle more challenging routes; be inspired. SUBSCRIBE!
could have gotten Ultegra in 1997 for the Price of the 105, so I refused the Ultegra and took the 105, or was it the opposite ? the answer is the bike was RTR :-)
I decided to try the 540 after getting tired of my sweat drops (or raindrops) changing my screen layout on my Edge 1030 (yes, I know you can lock the screen, but I often forget). I was a bit frustrated with the lack of a touchscreen for a few days, but I’m really happy with this device now, having become used to it.
I bought a 1040 last year, and I can recommend getting a matt screen protector film - it makes it much easier to read the screen when under dappled shade and (looks out of the window at UK's July 2024) "bright" "sunshine".
I've had it for about 3,000 km and it hasn't happened to me yet that it wouldn't show the car. only with the same speed and I have no problem even with 3 cars in a row.
I have an 830.. it has a touch screen,. I hate it. It is more like a….sort of, some times, finicky… touch screen. Maybe the new ones re better. I never go backwards with technology, but here I almost certainly willl
Hectic pace in that review ! Sounds like navigation/map exploration is as poor as on the 530...I've been wanting to get the 840 for that very reason. Oddly the 840 hasn't really dropped in price unlike the 1040 so they're almost at the same price now (449€ for the 1040) so that might be a better upgrade. Will watch your review again. We'll be needing your opinion on the beta x40 firmware with the 1050 features that have trickled down ;-)
The not being able to navigate to a specific address would be fine if Garmin had a good way to sent locations to it from a phone. If it would do that better i would use navigation more during courier work, to save phone battery.
i do wish this kind of writing would die out as soon as possible. NASCompares does this too. "double colour persuasion", "it is chef's kiss". i don't recall anyone ever speaking like this in real life.
Touchscreen may be superfluous (I do like mine), but the screen itself is too small for my eyes. Especially with the map it makes a huge difference. Have a 1040 and it’s great. YMMV.
this is a great computer in my mind if you want to be in the garmin ecosystem it is worth it for someone. my sister if she didnt have another brand watch i would buy her this for the holidays
I am currently using my phone for directions and map, but for long rides the battery drains out. Is the 540 screen big enough for navigation? Or better choose the Explorer2 or Roam v2? I am riding for sport and leisure but not obsessing about speed and cadence and other metrics.
Another vote for the Edge Explore 2 here. I have the Edge 840 for 'serious' rides and trainer workouts, but prefer the larger screen of the Explore for gravel and casual riding.
Thank you for your suggestions, the roam v1 and edge explore 2 are roughly the same price where i live. A difficult choice. But i think i will go for the explore 2
I have a 530 and it is very good. My only complaint is the shut down screen. When I finish a ride I want a big display saying 530 battery is 5% Varia light is 10% Sadly Garmin does not display this info, so you hang your bike up. The next time you go for a ride the 530 then tells you... Mate you should have changed. You only have 5% battery. I do not want this info when I set off, I want this info when I am turning the unit off. Small issue but it does grind my gears.
I luv my Varia! I often ride by myself, so I love the fact that it lets me know when cars are coming in advance, which gives me the opportunity to look in my review mirror that’s on my sunglasses and move over. Best accessory ever!
THANK YOU! I could not figure out how to attach it to my bag with the flap under my seat. I used 😂zip ties and now I can cut them off and do it this way. Genius!!!!!!
Good to hear an honset opinion. I commute, cycling across Tower Bridge 5 days a week so it woudn't feel so special to me (more like I'm just about to turn left onto C4 and cycle home) and yes, it is far too narrow more a mass finish. As far as I know, there were too many nimby complaints about closed roads in the affluent areas of Surrey so that's the main reason for it moving out to Essex. It's a shame they don't get to showcase more of London now. Almost like they are in a hurry to get you out along anonymous dual carriageways. I've never completed a 100miler, just a few 60mile ish ones. An 80 mile event in the hilly chilterns I did a few years ago in 30º+ heat half killed me, so I'm thinking I'll perhaps look into the 60mile event route next year.
Started watching this vid for the climb pro screen w/map in the title screen. Turned out it’s not 840 and it’s misleading. Lost interest in the bla bla after that - probably as inaccurate as the title screen. Go figure!
Can't dispute the blah blah, but I can definitely confirm that's my 840 on the thumbnail. Took the footage on the climb up to Avoriaz from Montriand, last July (the day the tour finished in Morzine)
I have two questions, you answered one: 1) No extra data fields, although larger font. 2) Is there a difference in screen readability in direct sunlight?
I like my 830 but its not without its hiccups. The screen goes bananas in the rain, the climb pro can go out of sync, and the live strava segments seem to work only when they want to, but I will stick with it for now. I do like the idea of some extra physical buttons though!
Hello, thank you for the review and your time. I have a little concern. I normally use a Garmin instinct 2 on my wrist, with Garmin Connect. I'm planning to use the Wahoo Elemnt Bolt V2 with my bike. Is it possible to use my rides inside the Garmin Connect APP ?? Has anyone experienced any issues? Thank you very much
I experienced it during my 1st time usage of Bolt V2. I didn’t have issues - only 2 duplicate rides uploaded to my Strava so you just got to delete 1 of the same activity in Strava when that happens 😊
