Review on 🚴 Enhance Your Cycling Adventures with the Garmin Edge 500 Cycling GPS by Kyle Rodman

I bought this Garmin Edge 500 in March 2011 and have logged over 500 different activities. I follow the stats recorded by my Garmin and use them to improve my riding. I made sure I had a device that recorded every foot of every ride and that was my motivation for investing in the Garmin Edge 500. This little Garmin has endured many tough conditions. He survived a sandstorm at the 2012 Tour de Palm Springs, got wet during a thunderstorm on a MS150 trip from Miami to Key Largo, and was completely covered in mud in a 10K mud run. I found it downstairs in the washing machine. I left my Garmin in the sun for a day without opening it. I crossed my fingers and hoped for the best, I was willing to spend a few hundred dollars more because I already saw the value of the Edge 500. The next day I picked it up and borrowed it from a neighbor's Garmin Edge 800 to compare results and see if it worked. At the end of the trip, my Edge 500 covered more distance than my buddy's Edge 800! Everything was good. Feature Notice Disclaimer: I was unable to use all of the Edge 500's features. I set up my Garmin the way I like it. My pages are set up just the way I like them. Each page only shows the stats I want to see while driving. Garmin Connect and Strava give me more data after I've uploaded my activities, but while I'm there I don't need to see everything at once. These features are yet to be used but are available: 1) Create a route and send to my Garmin 2) Schedule a workout and send to my Garmin 3) Create courses and send to my Garmin One my favorite features It's actually not a feature at all, it's battery life. I attended the long lasting Century event (with breaks over 6 hours) and the device still has over 80% battery life. On my typical 1-2 hour ride, the Garmin Edge 500 never drops below 90% battery life. You never have to worry about running out of battery during an epic ride. The last thing I want to mention is the AutoPause feature, which is available on all Garmin Edge models. Again, I'm a data geek, so I like to see my accurate stats on each ride. Thanks to the Auto-Pause feature, the Edge 500 automatically pauses my ride time as soon as my wheel stops spinning and keeps the elapsed time running. At the end of each ride you'll get moving average speeds, perfect for those who want to know what their average speed was during the ride. I would definitely recommend getting a Garmin heart rate monitor with a padded strap, which has proven itself in race prep. Garmin Premium Heart Rate Monitor (with soft strap) When you start riding more seriously, you need a speed and cadence monitor. Garmin GSC 10 Bike Speed/Cadence Sensor If you have more than one bike, you can create different bike profiles in the Edge 500, which works great with multiple speed/cadence monitors. Your Garmin only recognizes the speed/cadence sensor for the selected bike profile. This is also very important when riding in a group with other cyclists. Bike Profile + ANT+ technology, used to connect your Garmin to a speed/cadence sensor, prevents your Edge 500 from connecting to another rider's speed/cadence sensor. You only get your own speed and cadence data. Pros: + Withstands a washing machine + Withstands falls (3-6 feet) + Provides very accurate GPS data + Has amazing battery life + Allows user to create multiple bike profiles + Each bike profile's track data is only for that bike selected ( total kilometers, maximum speed, etc.) + Allows you to create multiple pages with just the details you want to see at the moment + Allows you to create routes on your computer and send them to your device before you travel+ Allows you to create courses on your computer and then send them to your device before you ride+ Garmin includes multiple straps to install Garmin on different bikes+ Garmin includes a USB cable to connect to your computer+ No problem connecting the Edge 500 to other speed/cadence sensors or a heart connect rate monitor. Cons: - For night driving, it would be nice if the light stayed on for more than 60 seconds. Tips: + Make sure you install the sensor magnets very well. Everything on the handlebars and crank arms+ Put your Garmin on a stem instead of a handlebar+ The closer the magnet is to the sensor, the better data you will get from your device. Without a doubt, the Garmin Edge 500 is the best bike computer I've ever had the privilege of using. It's even good for running if you find the right place to store it while you run. So go out and record yourself, but be careful, it can be addicting! You have been warned!