Garmin puts safety features into cycling GPS

For cyclists looking for a change of scenery, the Edge 530 and Edge 830 feature new integrated Trailforks data as well as mountain bike dynamics, including jump count, jump distance and hang time, making it possible to predict the trails. Ideal for riding most weather conditions, the Edge 530 features a button design and a 2.6-inch high-resolution, colour display, The Edge 830 offers a touchscreen display that is quick and responsive – even when wet or used with gloves.

Dan Bartel, Garmin vice president of global consumer sales, says: “The Edge 530 and Edge 830 include new and updated features that are designed for all riders – whether you’re a podium finisher, gravel grinder, urban pedaler or somewhere in between. Offering new ride data and guidance, navigational enhancements, safety, and tracking features and more, you can truly find your Edge, only from Garmin.”

During a ride, the GPS devices use vital ride data to provide dynamic performance insights and guidance that can help cyclists improve and manage their effort. The new ClimbPro feature automatically shows the remaining ascent and grade for each climb while following a route or course, helping cyclists to gauge their effort over the rest of their ride. The new Edge cycling computers also allow riders to see how their body is holding up in different environments with heat and altitude acclimation and receive in-ride notifications when it’s time to refuel or rehydrate. 
Outside of a ride, the devices can show the previous four weeks of riding broken down in terms of low aerobic, high aerobic and anaerobic efforts to evaluate how balanced a rider’s training is and provide them with insight into where they need additional focus. When paired with compatible sensors, the Edge 530 and Edge 830 will calculate a rider’s power curve, comparing their ride effort to their previous weeks and months. For cyclists following a training plan, they can sync workouts automatically from Garmin Connect and TrainingPeaks right to their Edge and view workouts for the upcoming week before seamlessly starting their training session.

Preloaded on the Edge 530 and Edge 830, the Garmin Cycle Map includes turn-by-turn navigation and navigation alerts that notify riders of sharp curves ahead. The Edge 830 also allows cyclists to create new rides and courses right on their device. To help users ride like a local, popularity routing chooses from the best road, mountain or gravel routes most traveled by fellow cyclists. It will even guide cyclists back to the route – or back to start – if they stray away or decide to head home early. Now, cyclists using either of the devices will spend more time riding, not waiting around, thanks to route calculation speeds that are two times faster than on previous models.

For riders searching for their next adventure, the Edge 530 and Edge 830 are great companions for mountain biking. The mountain bike models come preloaded with data from Trailforks built into the Garmin Cycle Map, including detailed maps of trails from more than 80 countries, complete with trail ratings. Riders will be able to view the trails in detail on their Edge device, which helps them find the trails best suited to their skill level. When a cyclist stops mid-ride, Forksight mode automatically displays upcoming forks in the trail and shows them where they are within a trail network. During their ride, the GPS devices  tracks all the epic details with new mountain biking metrics such as jump count, jump distance and hang time. Other mountain biking features include Grit, which rates the difficulty of a ride using GPS, elevation and accelerometer data, and Flow, which measures how smoothly a cyclist descends a trail.

Whether commuting to work or out riding with friends, built-in safety and tracking features on both the devices help provide extra peace of mind while on the move. Group messaging and tracking lets cyclists stay in touch when they get separated from the pack3. Built-in incident detection will automatically send a cyclist’s location to emergency contacts if they run into trouble. For added confidence, the devices are compatible with the Varia line of cycling awareness devices, including the RTL510 rearview radar and UT800 smart headlight so riders can see and be seen. If a cyclist stops to grab a bite to eat or take in the view, the new PIN-protected bike alarm notifies them on their smartphone if their bike has been moved.

Featuring up to 20 hours of battery life with GPS, the Edge 530 and Edge 830 are available now and come in different bundle options ranging in price from $299.99 to $499.99.