Bicycling is one of the most fun activities which is not only refreshing but also healthy to keep our body fitness level. One accessories you may want to have while pedaling is bike computer like Polar V650 Vs Garmin Edge 1000 because with one, we don’t have to rely on smartphone anymore while still get well informed. For those who are looking at these computers, see what they can offer below before shopping so we can choose the best option.
In this article, we are going to give you information about:
– Why using Bike Computer
– How to Shop for Bike Computer
– What are Polar V650 and Garmin Edge 1000
– What Polar V650 and Garmin Edge 1000 Look Like
– How are the Navigation in Polar V650 and Garmin Edge 1000
– How are the Training Feature in Polar V650 and Garmin Edge 1000
– What else Polar V650 and Garmin Edge 1000 can offer
– Polar V650 vs Garmin Edge 1000
Bike Computer
People are getting more active in life due to the rising awareness of health problems from sedentary life and it is indeed a great thing because it means we can enjoy a more fulfilling, healthier life that count wiser food choices and an active lifestyle. Bicycling is one of the most popular sport or method that many of us adopt today because it is not only acting as a method to stay moving but also as a transportation choice, moreover with increasing cyclist friendly cities around the world.
However, if this is not just a sport and a way to stay far from getting stuck in packed roads, there is one accessory that will help you in the journey besides the necessary bike helmet like Giro Savant vs Atmos and it is a bike computer. As the name suggests, it is a dedicated device to track data as you are striving on those roads and trying to beat the recent achievement. Many of us can go by with just a smartphone, but it is not without drawbacks.
Our first reason to use a bike computer is because smartphone runs out of juice too fast and a computer is not since it keep only the necessary works. Next is aerodynamic because bike computer is small and thin as well as build more rigid than most smartphones with some also have waterproof ability. In addition, bike computer is also rich in cycling related info and is great to track data despite smartphone apps are also getting better each time.
Shopping for Bike Computer
If you are a regular cyclist and need to see and track or save the data of your previous performance as well as using the technology to improve for better, having one computer can be very helpful. However, not all of us will want the same models because we may also have different preferences and budget. Casual users may want to keep it simple with information like distance, speed and time to know how far we pedal, how far we ride, and how long the journey.
More serious cyclist will also need more from their device and as an addition what we already stated earlier, trip distance, total odometer, average speed, and maximum speed, as well as speed pointer will be very handy and useful to have. On the other hand, competitive cyclist will need all of those information and probably slightly more with cadence, heart rate monitor, and elevation gained as well as the power output from each of their journey.
About Polar V650
If you already consider which model fits the ride the most or see one that can get you enough information and feature built-in the unit, now is a good time to see what the market has to offer for there are lots of them out there. Among those options, Polar will be one of the best brands to go because many people have been satisfied with their products’ performance and quality including for personal bike computer which is very useful to have around while riding.
They also have quite the option among its collection and if rich-features is the one you want, the V650 will be a very ideal pick. This model is not a new addition anymore since today, it is already about 5 years old yet, the kind of information we have inside and its features does help much to both guide you towards the goal and keep related information handy without having to use the smartphone and it is already come with a heart rate monitor as well.
Polar V650 Design
From the outside, Polar V650 is a piece of stylish bike computer which resembles an older cell phone back in the day and is very compact as well so unless the rider is running a long stem, it is hard to notice. The screen is about 2.8-inch in size and the contrast is already good enough even under bright daylight but our favorite is the body which is made to be IPX7, waterproof. The mounting system is featured with ridges to keep the unit securely attached to your bike stem.
Polar V650 Navigation
Besides acting as a stat provider, this bike computer is also acting as a GPS device and it is supporting OpenStreetMaps which is free-source, street topographic maps. This map quality is very good and while it won’t be able to do auto-routing GPS, it is still able to give us live route tracking as we ride the bike so we can see precisely where exactly we are in and if needed, can show you a route back home. Overall, it is similar to our regular map, simple and useful.
Polar V650 Training
On the information part, Polar V650 probably will give you enough information to track everything you may want to know about the journey and here we even get 4 profiles to choose; MTB, Road Cycling, Indoor, and Other. The included information for example are heart rate, speed, distance, average hour, cadence, and inclination. Another thing we love from this computer is its training benefit because it will be a great motivation and the stat is shown in chart to be easily understood.
Polar V650 Feature
On the additional feature, what we want to mention here is the emergency light and this is not available in all similar bike computers. It is very useful when you ride at night and don’t have light on your bike so then we can still ride and don’t have to take shelter at a nearby establishment anymore. The light strength is adjustable and it is not as blinding as well to discomfort other people in front of you.
About Garmin Edge 1000
Polar V650 is indeed a very good option to accompany your training and reliable for different situations but, it is not the only rich features bike computer in the market because we also have Garmin and even by hearing their name, we are sure most of you can imagine what it can offer. The model we are talking about today is very similar to the Polar model we have talked above and it is the Edge 1000 bike computer which also acts as a GPS tracker.
This model was released in the same year to V650 back then in 2014 and still the favorite of many today. It was marketed at $600 each when first launched but today, it has been reduced quite a lot yet, still can be said as expensive compared to many similar bike computers.
Garmin Edge 1000 Design
In terms of design, this black Garmin device is pretty big in comparison with the Polar model above yet, not substantially and it is even better if you prefer larger screen as well. It is now measured at 3-inch which is an upgrade from the little brother Edge 800/810 while the screen is also nice with high resolution at 240px by 400px. In the box, there is a plethora of accessories including heart rate strap and 2 mounting systems; front mount and standard quarter-turn mounts.
Garmin Edge 1000 Navigation
On the navigation side, Garmin Edge 1000 is combining GPS and Glonass positioning system which is working reliably and fast to find itself and this is also better than what we get on Polar V650 because it is auto-routing so we don’t have to set a point manually and will help you find a route based on its database. It is also uniquely modeled after which mode we had chosen. For example Road Cycling will show us only the street and no bike paths.
Garmin Edge 1000 Training
Not only excel in navigation, this bike computer also rich in information and stat as well as training menu because with the fairly wide screen, we can display up to 10 screens that once you have done configured will work and change with a simple swipe. The kind of information we get for example are speed, altitude, power, heart race, calories, gears, and cadence, as well as distance and temperature. In addition, we can also connect it to Garmin’s online software to load certain training regimen.
Garmin Edge 1000 Feature
Another feature that we like from Garmin Edge 1000 is the ability to automatically upload the completed rides when your smartphone which is already paired with the device is nearby and if you carry them all the time, chances are the update will be done quickly as it is always near. It is very useful especially when you are a loyal user of Garmin fitness app and through the smartphone, we then can check some of the analytic charts as well as graphs.
Comparison
These two bike computers are indeed rich in features and very reliable to be your riding companion but in comparison, Garmin have the wider screen and the navigation system is already auto-routing so we can use it more conveniently, even more when connected to your Garmin account. However, unlike Polar V650, it has no emergency light to help when riding at night.
Polar V650 vs Garmin Edge 1000
Conclusion
They are an equally good options but when it comes to choosing which one will be our option, it can be complicated. However, Garmin Edge 1000 is undoubtedly a more capable device as a bike computer and if you don’t mind the price point, it is a very ideal computer to have attached.