Garmin

Edge 800 GPS

If you're addicted to touchscreen technology, you'll love Garmin's Edge 800 GPS. It has nearly all of the same functions as their Edge 705, but it comes with the convenience and ease of a waterproof, rugged 2.6" touchscreen. The full color display is as easy to see in the bright daylight as it is at night, so should you choose to pay attention as you get yourself lost in new territory, you won't have to strain to see the route unfold. And you can see as much or as little info as you like with customizable screens.

Of course, it's a Garmin, so the Edge 800 is fully GPS enabled. It's more sensitive than ever so it'll even work under tree cover, and it uses Garmin's HotFix satellite prediction to allow it to make faster calculations as you ride. It can show you where you are and give you turn by turn directions to get where you want to go. The best part is that data goes two ways with the 800 -- you can upload maps and routes from your PC or Mac into the Edge 800, and you can download the routes that you've just ridden for analysis or sharing with your friends or the world on the free Garmin Connect website. The cool thing about the sharing idea is that you can search for existing routes on the trails or roads you want to ride in a foreign location and upload them in your GPS so your vacation/ride time is spent efficiently.

And like the 705, the Edge 800 is ANT+ compatible. This means that the unit can read wirelessly transmitted data from other on-bike measuring devices. ANT+ transmitters broadcast in a small area at 2.4 GHz. Thanks to ANT+, the 800 can read information from powermeters, heart rate monitors, and speed/cadence sensors so that you can fine tune, monitor, and analyze each and every ride. In addition to the Garmin Connect site, the 800 works with Garmin's Training Center software, which is compatible with Mac and PC. The software is free and downloadable from the Garmin website. The 800 files are also compatible with Motion-Based, a web-based training data analysis and mapping site and with CyclingPeaks software. You can upload data directly into CyclingPeaks or move it from the Garmin software. Garmin also has software called Base Camp, and it lets you build a route on your computer, view it with elevations, and upload it into your Edge 800.

When riding with the 800, you can enable Virtual Partner, a rider you create, who exists only in the Garmin device and rides at your goal parameters. Motivation is tough to find, we know, but the workout planning, auto lap, and courses functions allow you to tailor your workouts, even compare successive rides over the same route to see if you're making progress with your fitness. Used with a heart rate strap, it will even count the calories you've burned over the course of your workout.

The Garmin Edge 800 is Black w/white trim. Besides ANT+ and GPS capability, it has a barometric altimeter, thermometer, and automatic time zone adjustment. The built-in base maps will get you started with cities and roads, and you can add micro SD cards for extra storage or for finer map detail with streets and/or topos. The 3.5 oz. Edge 800 has a 1/4 turn mount that installs without tools on the handlebars. It has a rechargeable Li-ion battery that gives the unit 15 hours of life before you'll have to plug it in and charge it with the included cable. The USB download cable is also included along with a quick start manual.

Please Note: The Garmin Edge 800 will work in extreme conditions without problems. It's rated for a temperature range from -4° to 140° F (-20° to 60° C) so we feel confident saying that if you can ride your bike, you could take it along with you. And if you're worried that gloved or even mitten covered hands will keep you from being able to operate the touchscreen on the 800, we welcome you to rest assured that it won't be a problem.