Edge 800 Announced

[urgar2002]

It will support cool features such as custom maps. Sounds real interesting. I note that it has a feature to remind you that you are moving but have not clicked on "start" a feature I would dearly love on my Edge 705. I've had numerous trips where I traveled a couple of miles before noticing that my average speed is "0.0".

On the other hand, since it's touch screen, you have to wonder what the screen performance will be in bright sunlight. As mentioned in other threads, the current touch screen units are not very useful on a bike due to visibility issues with the screens.

Best display I ever had was a GPSMap 60GS. Every unit I've owned since has not matched up to the display on that unit.

[ScottMorris]

Edge 800 looks interesting.  Here is a first look from Rich at GPStracklog:

http://gpstracklog.com/2010/08/garmin-edge-800-announced.html

Sounds like visibility may not be an issue, but I am with you 100% on the start button thing.  I finally got fed up with dealing with any GPS that has to be "started" to collect a track (and can be accidentally stopped).

No Edges for me, not if I care about the data I'm collecting!    Otherwise it looks like a great GPS.

[urgar2002]

Thanks for link. The reviews look promising on the visibility issue, but it's interesting that the article mentions that the 800 may possibly use the same display as the Dakota, which has been widely reported to be bad when cycling in sunlight.

For me, one of the main advantages to the Edge over my other Garmins (a 60Csx and a newer Vista) is the ability to display % grade, one of the measurements necessary to gauge pain & suffering on the bike. Garmin has curiously not included this field in non-Edge units (as least the ones I have, i don't know if those fields are available on the Dakota or Colorado). I typically use the 60CSx when I'm mountain biking as my RAM mount setup is much sturdier than the Edge's mounting setup (which has apparently been improved in the Edge 800).

Being the map junkie that I am, I'd love to have a few more map options available when I'm on long distance journeys on my recumbent.