For those that have always had "GPS Envy" because of the price then the new Garmin Edge 200 bike computer is going to be the model for you. Packed with incredible features for mapping, accurately tracking distance and ride pace.
This is not a bike computer for those interested in pedal cadence, power output, or heart rate, like those more seriously training for club races, triathlons, or
more serious competitions. This is the GPS built for the rest of us - 90% of the biking population - whom consider speed, distance, and maps after the ride to be all the
data we need.
Who The Edge 200 Is Made For
We like to think of this as the touring model of the Garmin Edge bike computers. Send maps to the family at home, or friends. Know your distance and pacing data in real time.
Get the best of the best mapping features through Garmin Connect and transfer maps to Google Earth.
The Facebook For Cyclists
Garmin Connect is the premier social community for cyclists online to share their data, rides and more - think of it as sort of the Facebook for cyclists. Yes, it is that
way cool.
What Not To Expect
Pedal cadence is not an option with the Garmin Edge 200. If you like to train by heart rate monitor then this too is not a part of the Edge 200 experience. You cannot transfer data
from one Garmin device to another, nor can you receive vibration alerts, heart rate based calorie computation, interval training, or a barometric altimeter. These are all features that you will have to upgrade to the Garmin Edge 510 to receive.
What To Expect
You do get auto pause which stops all of your data automatically when you stop and then re-starts it again when you start, thereby avoiding the tainting of your data. It also has
Garmin Virtual Partner where you can train against a partners time, but only within a specific course. You can also use auto-lap and auto scroll features, as well as get time and distance alerts.
Training Software Compatibility
The Garmin Edge 200 works with both Garmin Connect software and with the Garmin Training Center. The battery life is roughly 14 hours between charges.
Summary Overview
If you love to Tour, ride hard, occasionally club race and, can withstand the lack of cadence, power output and heart rate. All you want is "just the facts maam" - speed, distance, and
route maps, then you are going to be a happy camper.
Rusty's Thoughts
This bad boy is just the ticket for about 90% of all the cyclists out there and, now, finally at a price they can afford. I'm so excited for touring and more recreational cyclists, but more importantly it fills a void
in the Garmin line up for affordable GPS with good basic data, so kudos to Garmin on that one.
Many of us would prefer the basic data for mapping, speed, distance but know we are not going to win the Tour de France, so esoteric measurements such as power and cadence really do not
mean that much to us, this is why the Garmin Edge 200 is huge, say H-U-G-E!
copyright 2013, Rusty Squire, author, support@heartratewatchcompany.com
