Español After last week's presentation of the Garmin Edge 20 and Edge 25The first of these is the Garmin Edge 520, whose most important new feature (among many others, especially because of the long list of features) is the integration with the Strava segments. Garmin has also made official two new devices called Variaof which I am preparing the article with all the information.
All new Garmin Edge 520
Before going into analysis, it is best to go over the list of features and innovations that the Edge 520 brings under the arm.
- Integration with Strava segments
- Recovery status information
- VO2Max estimation for cycling
- Cycling Dynamics Metrics
- 15-hour battery life
- GPS and GLONASS compatibility
- Integration with Shimano Di2
- Control of the new Garmin Varia: rear lighting and radar system
- VIRB camera control
- Training unit control with ANT+ FE-C standard
- Mobile and LiveTrack Notifications
- Bluetooth activity synchronization with Garmin Connect (and automatic export to Strava)
- Navigation with maps (own and external)
The Garmin Edge 520 has a 2.3″ colour display. It is non-touch and there are a total of seven buttons around the device. The docking system remains the Garmin classic, so it is compatible with all current Garmin and non-Garmin mounts.
The autonomy reaches 15 hours of uninterrupted use of GPS. If we use GPS + GLONASS the total duration will be affected, usually a decrease of 10%.
Of course it is ANT+ compatible, and it also has compatibility with the new Shimano Di2 electronic gearboxes. This is the ANT+ compatibility list:
- Pulse sensors
- Speed and/or cadence sensor
- Power meters
- Garmin Varia
- Garmin VIRB
- FE-C training rollers
After the full deployment of features, let's take a closer look at the main functions.
Integration with Strava
The Garmin Edge 520 is the first cycling computer to integrate support with Strava, but it won't be the only one, as it will also arrive via software updates throughout the year (estimated during Q3) to the Edge 510, Edge 810 and Edge 1000.
This new option allows you to download segments from Strava directly to the unit and they will be updated once completed (if you have a Bluetooth connected phone with you during your workout). The segments you will have available are the ones you have marked as favorites, any segment for which you have a goal and others that Strava deems that may be of interest to you and are located in your "catchment" area (i.e. if you live in Madrid, it will not download segments from Barcelona, but from your possible training zones).
These segments update your information at each connection with Garmin Connect (either wired or wireless) and will include a multitude of information, such as segment distance, leader list, map, or elevation.
The segments will start automatically and will alert you in advance so that if you want to do it, you are ready. It will indicate the remaining distance and time ahead or behind your goal or to get to be the leader of that segment.
It's certainly an important step in making your workouts much more social. If you have a lot of friends at Strava, there's no doubt it will be a continuous buzz among all of you. That's for sure, head nibbles, please.
Map navigation
The Garmin Edge 520 comes with a basic map for point-to-point navigation. It's very simple and barely provides any information, but fortunately the unit is compatible with OpenStreetMap's external map service, developed by the community and with more detail. About 50MB is available for storage on the unit, so you can't go crazy and download the entire map of Europe either, just select the area you're going to be in.
However, the navigation will not be performed as if it were a car GPS. It simply creates a route that podrás follow, but without indications of when to turn and what distance is left for that turn. It is a reference map, similar to the routes that podrás can find in GPS watches. Obviously we don't have "points of interest" either, so we don't podrás program the Edge 520 to navigate to the nearest pizzeria.
It is therefore a simple navigation, a map on which you can see yourself as a reference and know where you should go to your destination.
Control of training units
The Garmin Edge 520 will allow you to control intelligent training rollers (such as the Tacx Bushido Smart, for example). This control allows you to vary the resistance of the roller in the same way as the smartphone applications present so far.
Thanks to this intelligent podrast control, from the "comfort" of your home, follow a downloaded course (for example, from a race or the simulation of a Tour de France stage), redo an old workout or complete a workout that you create from Garmin Connect. And of course, manually control the resistance of the trainer directly.
Garmin Edge 520, availability and pricing
The Garmin Edge 520 will be available throughout this year at a price of £299 in the normal version, and £379 if you want the pack version, with heart rate, cadence and speed sensors. If you don't have these sensors it's a good option, as buying it separately would be more expensive. It will be available from mid-August.
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Support this siteYou can do this by purchasing your Garmin Edge 520 through Amazon.
Also, these are the prices you can find on Amazon
https://www.amazon.es/dp/B010SDBGQU&tag=c1mes-21
https://www.amazon.es/dp/B010SDBFIE&tag=c1mes-21
why did they remove the touch screen?
My guess is that, beyond the fact that in 510 it worked better or worse, it was to reduce price and also to leave something to highlight in the future 820.
Highlight? For me it loses a functionality. A 510/810 without touch and with 7 buttons to operate it more than novelty seems to me a delay. The price is not reduced, it will be the cost of manufacture, as both have a pvp of 299. What surprises me (and I am glad) is that these new software (not hardware) apply to previous families, so I still see it less justifiable, a new team with almost identical features. The range 510/810, basically added a bluetooth chip, but is that the capabilities and functionality that adds this option of interconnection are huge ...
I'm talking about differentiating a hypothetical 820 from a 520.
THE FIRMWARE UPDATE FOR 510/810 ALSO INTEGRATES THE OTHER METRICS
Recovery status information
VO2Max estimation for cycling
Cycling Dynamics Metrics
Integration with Shimano Di2
OR JUST THE INTEGRATION OF THE STRAVA SEGMENTS?
At this time, Garmin has only confirmed integration with Strava in its current models. It remains to be seen if the update adds more options, but there is no confirmation yet