Picking the right cycling GPS for your budget and experience level is a difficult task.
There are numerous GPS models on the market, and some manufactures like Garmin have several different varieties, but which one is the best?
The Garmin Edge 530 seems to have a lot of the great features and is reasonably priced but is it worth it?
I would recommend the Garmin Edge 530, and that’s the reason why I bought it. It is well priced and has many features, some I haven’t even used yet. It connects to Strava for route planning, and the navigation never goes wrong. The colour screen is easy to view, and the brightness on the screen is simply adjusted for different lights.
The battery will last me an entire week of riding and sometimes more. Garmin does suggest the battery last for 20 hours, and it probably does.
The only feature the Garmin Edge 530 doesn’t include is a touchscreen, but the side buttons are straightforward to use, and it is simple to navigate the device.
It holds all my ride data, including heart rate, wattage, elevation, power, and so much more. It also works great for indoor cycling on a turbo trainer or smart trainer.
After I have completed my ride, it downloads to the Garmin IQ app, and it stores everything in graphs and other data sets, which is easy to review and analyse.
Overall, the Garmin Edge 530 is a fabulous cycling computer for both road cyclists or mountain bike riders.
It is the first GPS bike computer I’ve purchased, and against its competitor, the Garmin Edge 830, it has 95% of the same features but is £100 more cheaper.
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Garmin Edge 530 Key Features And Specifications
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How Much Is the Garmin Edge 530
On average, the Garmin Edge 530 ranges from £220 – £260 ($300 – $360), but I found the best price is Amazon (link here). At this price, it doesn’t come with a case protector or the mount for your bike handlebars. For a complete bundle, the cost is £319 ($440) from Amazon (Link here).
Is The Garmin Edge 530 waterproof?
The Garmin Edge 530 is ranked as IPX7, indicating it has been submerged in 1m of water for 30 minutes, suggesting it is fully waterproof. Therefore, you can use your Garmin Edge 530 when it is raining, and you don’t need to remove it when you’re washing your bike.
Although the Garmin Edge 530 has been rated to the waterproof standard, I always dry my device after washing or a heavy downpour.
That way, it keeps the device functioning for years to come.
However, if your Garmin gets water inside the screen or becomes damaged by water, it comes with a full 2 year warranty.
Does The Garmin edge 530 Have A Touch Screen?
The Garmin Edge 530 has a 2.6in, 246×322 pixel colour screen, but it is not a touch screen. To navigate the screen and functions, you need to use the external buttons on each side of the device.
Touch screens are not always necessary, especially for a compact cycling computer like the Garmin Edge 530. Because it has a smaller screen, it can be challenging to use a touch screen with gloves or cold hands.
The screen is in full colour, making it easy to see your route, and it gives written direction when in navigation mode.
Zooming in and out is easy with large buttons to the side of the screen, and you can stop and start your route at any time. The device does give you an audio alert when you need to turn.
If you want a touch screen device, then the Garmin Edge 830 is a very similar computer but will cost you $150 more.
Does The Garmin Edge 530 Come With Maps?
The Garmin Edge 530 comes with pre-set maps and routes that work with using your current location or a set location. You can find these maps inside the navigation menu under courses. You can also upload your own routes and map via Bluetooth.
Although the Garmin Edge 530 does come with the pre-set courses, and you can select your difficulty level within the settings, I enjoy creating my own rides on Strava then uploading those rides to my Garmin. It’s really easy to do.
Open Strava on route builders, then create your route, you can also you the create route feature, which will set an exact route on your specifications. To connect Strava to Garmin, you need to use Garmin Connect IQ app.
Can You Use The Garmin Edge 530 For Walking Or Running?
The Garmin Edge 530 could be used for running, walking or hiking, but you will need to change your activity on Garmin connect IQ and Strava. Because the Garmin Edge 530 is designed for cycling, you won’t receive any of the features or functions that the device is intended for. But for GPS and route-finding, the Garmin Edge 530 will work.