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Garmin Edge Touring GPS Bicycle Computer Spotted

Written by Tyler Benedict
38 Comments
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Garmin Edge Touring GPS cycling computerFollowing the new Edge 810/510 GPS cycling computer introductions, looks like Garmin’s bringing out a full featured navigation model for bicycle touring.

The Garmin Edge Touring likely drops the real-time weather, live ride tracking, bluetooth connection and advanced power data usage for a complete mapping package tailored to cycling. Enter your destination or search the points of interest and it’ll tell you how to get there. Or, enter the distance you’d like to ride and it’ll pop up different route options. On road or off road (mountain biking) routes come preloaded, or use Garmin Connect and Garmin Adventure to find and download new routes or share your own. Once your route’s selected, it provides turn by turn directions.

The form factor mimics the new 810, with a weatherproof housing and 1/4 turn mount. Given the lack of physical buttons, we’d guess it uses the same touch screen, too. Street price looks to be around $270, but that’s not confirmed…and other details are missing for the moment. Except that it’s white. We know it’s white…


Garmin Edge Touring GPS cycling computer

Basic cycling computer functions like speed, cadence, distance, time, etc., are surely built in, and we’d guess Garmin’s typical GPS-enabled features like incline and altitude are included, too.

Hat tip to James for the link, who spotted it on Wiggle.
Tyler Benedict
11,282 articles

Tyler Benedict is the Founder of Bikerumor.com, where he’s been writing about the latest bikes, components, and cycling technology for almost two decades. Prior to that, Tyler launched and built multiple sports nutrition brands and consumer goods companies, mostly as an excuse to travel and ride in new places.

Based in North Carolina, Tyler also loves the Vanlife & family adventure travel and is always on the lookout for the next shiny new part and off-grid adventure.

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38 Comments
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Pancakes
Pancakes
11 years ago

If it’s non-ANT+, bummer.

If it is, it’s a cheap 800, which is awesome.

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see-fore
see-fore
11 years ago

why wouldn’t it have weather? that’s important to touring!

(who cares about ANT+?)

otherwise… this is the answer to my prayers.

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PROEDGEBIKER.COM
PROEDGEBIKER.COM
11 years ago

Blutoof 4.0 > ANT+

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Ken
Ken
11 years ago

Does “touring” mean it has enough battery life and memory space for a week-long bicycle tour?

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Slow Joe Crow
Slow Joe Crow
11 years ago

Computer with navigation would be great for my wife who always gets lost, if I could get her to use technology. My Dakota 20 is great for mapping but has no real turn by turn capability.

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Pancakes
Pancakes
11 years ago

My power meter and heart rate strap speak ANT+, but I get a touring specific model not having the ability.

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MB
MB
11 years ago

Not quite the prefect touring model. Needs to be powered by disposable/rechargable batteries unless it’ll go days on a charge.

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feg
feg
11 years ago

@MB – best to be charged by generator.

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Ham-planet
Ham-planet
11 years ago

@MB
All Garmins have rechargeable batteries. Did you really think they were single-use only?

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Mike
Mike
11 years ago

The unit will probably shut down due to software glitches so often the the battery will last the whole weekend. Check Garmin’s own Edge 810 forum for details.

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Pete
Pete
11 years ago

It looks like another dumbed down 810. Go to the garmin forums and see how many people are happy with the 810. It a complete POS

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Chew
Chew
11 years ago

@Ham
I think MB meant rechargeable batteries that can be pulled out and have the option of throwing in some duracells.

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patrik
patrik
11 years ago

Give me a call when Garmin hires a user interface designer. I’m pretty sure that their account/payroll department handled this task for the last 10 years or so.

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Mason
Mason
11 years ago

patrik, have you played with the new models? The 510 UI is much improved over the 500.

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bk
bk
11 years ago

Interesting. Was looking at an etrex for exploration and some geocaching but this may now be the unit on the top of my list. Looking forward to hearing more

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Wasaaaaaabi
Wasaaaaaabi
11 years ago

OMG OMG OMG, please please please! *crosses fingers*
Make it work with generator hubs. If it doesn’t it’s a piece of Krakatoa for all I care. I hate that garmins can’t charge and be used at the same time! What’s the point!

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MB
MB
11 years ago

@feg – I agree but for those of use without dynohubs, some AA or AAAs are best for LONG trips away from a wall charger or when the solar panel can’t grab enough light.

@Ham – use some common sense.

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Jeff
Jeff
11 years ago

Until Garmin makes routing and mapping something the average person can do, I will not give them another dollar. On a trip earlier this year, with a simple 215mile route, I spent a few hours prepping my bike, a few hours prepping my camping gear, a few hours prepping my food, and WEEKS trying to make a route with my Garmin. Finally I tossed the thing in my tool box and loaded it all in my iPhone, bought a water proof case and a few hours later, I had a working route.

The process and difficulty of trying to get routed maps into a Garmin is infuriating. I would rather just use a map and compass then fart around with that thing again.

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Psi Squared
Psi Squared
11 years ago

Note that there are battery packs that can be used with Garmin products to extend the time the computer can be active, some using batteries like AAA or AA. I know these are things that riders on double or triple centuries are using.

As for loading routes on a Garmin, it’s a doddle. Routes can be created with online tools like Bike Route Toaster and easily downloaded to the location of your choice, including your Garmin.

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STUMPY
STUMPY
11 years ago

@ Jeff
What’s so difficult about uploading GPX Track into the Edge.
It’s also VERY easy to create Bike Friendly routes and save those as GPX.
I prepared a 400 miles 3 legs route in Quebec in a matter 1-hr.
I highly recommend the WWW site ridewithgps.com
Good Luck !

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LanceA
LanceA
11 years ago

I will work for free for these guys to help them fix all the junk they have been releasing recently:
1. UI needs a complete overhaul; it seems to have gotten worse with each new generation.
2. QC needs to actually exist, lots of bugs for such a simple device
3. Needs AA or AAA power
4. BT, drop this ANT+ crap
5. add GLONASS & WAAS
etc. etc…

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MattK
MattK
11 years ago

@Wasaaaaaabi: You might want to look at something like the LightCharge. In order for the Garmin or any electronic device to charge off a dynamo there has to be something to buffer fluctuating voltage. You can even create your own voltage regulator, I have seen ones where people internalize it into the frame and have a USB charger in their stem cap.

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Stan Sunderwirth
Stan Sunderwirth
11 years ago

As long as Garmin uses City Maps and City Maps is hopelessly out-of-date and has almost no bike paths in its database, Garmin will never be a good GPS for cycling.

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Psi Squared
Psi Squared
11 years ago

Note that it’s not necessary to buy a Garmin, especially if having one makes a person really dyspeptic. There are other brands, and if you’re positive you know everything that’s wrong with Garmins and can fix all those wrongs, you can make your own. There’s thing called Kickstarter to help you get funding to get to market.

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Gunnstein
Gunnstein
11 years ago

The Garmins work well with OpenStreetMap. Free without piracy, fantastic coverage, and if you find a map bug you can correct it yourself 🙂

Wasaaaaaabi: “Make it work with generator hubs. If it doesn’t it’s a piece of Krakatoa for all I care. I hate that garmins can’t charge and be used at the same time!” – This already works fine with my Edge 800. MattK is right, you need a buffer battery. There are many available. Luxos U is a headlight with the buffer built in, and a USB port to put on your handlebar. Works well for me.

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Edward Scoble
Edward Scoble
11 years ago

LanceA, just get the Garmin eTrex instead, they’re already a perfect touring GPS with AA battery and last for ages.

Mine last two days straight with the backlit off (during a 600k audax).

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Champs
Champs
11 years ago

LanceA, it’s hard to find a receiver that doesn’t support GPS and GLONASS these days. Almost any location device that’s come out in the last year supports both, and the Garmin x10 series is no exception.

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David Dean/Bright Bike Labs
David Dean/Bright Bike Labs
11 years ago

I love seeing a GPS tailored explicitly for cycling. A potentially huge weakness is going to be battery life (especially while touring) – and the Bright-Bike Revolution dynamo charger is a perfect solution. Better than the LightCharge, better (and a lot less expensive) than the Plug!

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Darren
Darren
11 years ago

I find Garmins super easy to us as for routes, I think what helps is I don’t use turn by turn I just load a GPX file(into the new files folder) of a route I made on Ride with GPS, and just follow the red line, and it will tell me when to turn on the screen. Harder for Moutainbike routes, since the trails are not always labeled, but still just follow the red line. I use Open Street Maps for data even though I have the Garmin USA, Europe Maps. OSM has many more Mountain bike trails, and you can add trail yourself to the Map.

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David Dean
David Dean
11 years ago

Does anyone know if this will work with the ACA waypoint files? That would be a great combination.

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Wasaaaaaabi
Wasaaaaaabi
11 years ago

@MattK & @Gunnstein! Thanks for the tips! My 200 at the moment is temperamental but I’m going to look into the solutions you guys provided!

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Mike
Mike
11 years ago

Any news or updates on when the Garmin Edge Touring will be released and publicly available?

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Tyler (Editor)
Tyler (Editor)
11 years ago

Talked to one of their sales reps this weekend and he said they’re looking at it, but there’s no specific timeline. I got the impression they realize there’s a market for it, but aren’t moving particularly quickly toward production.

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Tom
Tom
11 years ago

All sounds very good. The one missing feature would be audible turn-by-turn navigation. It might then be a home run.

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Dave
Dave
11 years ago

I’m with Tom on the need for audible turn-by-turn navigation. I suspect that more people over age 50 need reading glasses than don’t, and these tiny displays are not readable without them. And needless to say, it’s safer to keep your eyes on the road anyway. I was hoping that this would be the GPS that finally met the bare minimum of what I need on a bike, but I guess I’ll have to keep waiting.

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Steve K.
Steve K.
11 years ago

There is a lot of negativity towards the Garmins here. But not a lot of posting to alternatives. To those who keep posting about how terrible Garmin is, I’d like to hear or see posts about the best alternative devices from other manufacturers. What do you use? What is the best GPS unit for riding trails? I’d like to be able to plan a trail ride on a map and have the GPS lead me through it as I go. Can any GPS devices out there do this? Or do they only record where you have been? Not as interested in regular street maps, mostly just trails. Thanks!

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