Garmin Edge Explore - Advanced Touring Bike Computer with Connected Features, 010-02029-00 Review

User interface is terrible. When I stopped at a traffic light, he stopped following. And it didn't restart automatically when I started driving again. Other Garmin products will continue automatically. Instead, there was a big button that allowed me to toggle between two options: save ride or exit. But there was no way to restart. There were smaller buttons that I couldn't read while driving. So I stopped. Now I could see that there was a button at the top that said "Continue". So I struck…

I had one of the original Edge Explore units and it was a quality unit. Unfortunately it was apparently NOT waterproof so after a walk in some rain it stopped working. I went back to Revain and bought the new version. Unfortunately, the new version is supposed to be waterproof, but it was definitely cheaper. I attributed it to cost cutting, but the device seemed to work well so I went with it. Fast forward to the first trip where I realized I needed to add some missing data fields to the…

I've always avoided Garmins. These were undoubtedly functional and feature-rich units, but Garmin was more interested in keeping the bean counters happy than offering a competent and functional product at a reasonable price that most other casual or enthusiast riders could afford. With this new Edge Explore I think they've finally hit the mark and delivered a value-for-money device with all the features you could want at a price point that most people won't immediately scoff at . The color…

Update 3/2021: What used to be a reliable 12 hour battery is now down to 3 or 4. This is not good. Also, it has become a burden to connect to download a route as my laptop doesn't always recognize it depending on which cable I'm using. There must be a better way. When I bought it it was good value for money, I got 3 full seasons. Maybe it's the expiration date, but I was hoping for more. After all, the redirect is the worst thing ever. It doesn't recognize if you're within 10 feet of your…

Garmin outdoor GPS units were expensive and bulky, heavy, ugly and had lousy displays a few years ago. One paid a few hundred dollars for a device, then another hundred for roadmaps that didn't include updates. The screen was a "transflective" LCD with a plastic cover. The resolution was poor, colors were washed out and a screen protector had to be used to protect the screen from scratches. In comparison, the Edge Explore is fine hardware. The price of $250 includes cards with upgrades. It's…

My new Garmin Edge Explore arrived yesterday so today I strapped it to my bike along with my trusty 8 year old Garmin Edge 705 and set off on a new route that I haven't ridden before to fully explore the Explore to experience. Since I pre-ordered the device and received it quite early, I decided to leave a review to help others with their decision. The Bluetooth connection started coming to me. I recently bought the 520 Plus but returned it 2 days later, mainly because the user interface was…