Garmin quietly rolled out two new GPS computers and updated Varia radar yesterday afternoon. The highlight is an all-new Edge 130 that packs full connectivity & basic navigation into a small package. Barely bigger than the Edge 25, it gets navigation capability, power meter track, and much more…
Edge 130 compact, connected GPS cycling computer
The new Edge 130 is the most capable small computer that Garmin has yet to make. With a small, but sharp monochromatic screen you get simple breadcrumb navigation capabilities, plus a full range of BLE & ANT+ to pair with heartrate, powermeter & more sensors.
While it hasn’t booted the smaller and less capable computers out of Garmin’s online stores yet (presumably as they move remaining inventory), the Edge 130 looks set to replace both the Edge 20 & 25 units.
Tech details
At just 1.6″/41mm across, it is the same width as the basic Edge 20 & 25 computers but is a bit taller at 2.5″/63mm. That also means it fits in a much bigger 1.8″ display (over the 25’s 1.3″) with almost twice the screen resolution bumping up to 303 x 230px. It is even thinner at 0.6”/16mm and weighs just 33g.
Battery life for the new 130 is claimed at 15 hours which has become Garmin’s go to standard, and without more advanced navigation should be sufficient for most long days out on the bike.
Basic Navigation
The small device doesn’t support basemaps, but you can upload and follow along courses for basic navigation. Breadcrumb navigation will lead you along a loaded course, and offer turn prompts from a Garmin Connect Course Creator route, or you can also track it back to the ride’s start.
Full Featured Connectivity
On the inside, the little 130 packs a lot of the same tech as its much more advanced Edge siblings. GPS, GLONASS & Galileo sensors work together for precise location tracking worldwide, further refined by an onboard barometric altimeter and accelerometer. For device connectivity it uses both Bluetooth BLE & ANT+. That will let you connect just about any speed, cadence, heartrate & power meter sensors. You can even pair it with a Varia rearview radar system as well.
Connected wirelessly via BLE you can use Garmin’s mobile phone app to speed through setup, and customize your display screens even with Connect IQ data fields (not Connect IQ apps).
Paired with the mobile app you also get the same advanced connected functionality of the more advance (and more expensive) Edge computers like Smart mobile phone notifications, LiveTrack live location sharing, the Assistance feature that lets you send your fixed location to a contact if you have a mechanical or crash, and live weather updates. Plus you get automatic ride uploads to Garmin Connect (which can then be paired for automatic upload to Strava.)
Pricing & Availability
The new Edge 130 retails alone for $200 with a simple o-ring 1/4-turn mount. But like the new Edge 520 Plus, both a road & mountain bike specific bundles are also available. The Speed & Cadence bundle sells for $250, adding in speed & cadence sensors, but no heart rate monitor.
The $250 Mountain Bike bundle replaces the o-ring mount with the adjustable MTB over-stem mount and adds a silicone protective case. Garmin’s site also says that it includes the wireless Edge remote that you mount next to the grip, but since that retails for another $50 we suspect that was included in error. The new Edge 130 and bundles are expected to be available around the start of May 2018.
