Garmin Connect

I'm thinking about getting a cycling computer and i've heard from people around that Garmin is a go to cycling computer. I'm open to any recommendations and am wondering if there is a group which i could join (In Garmin Connect) and how I could do that as currently i'm only using the app on my phone.
Thanks in advance!

Hi @Vincent_Azmi I don't know if there's an ICC Garmin group but there is one on Strava, and most people sync their rides to Strava directly in any case (it doesn't count if it's not on Strava, right?!) My experience of the Garmin connect app was that it was clunky and frustrating and not necessary if you're already on Strava.

https://www.strava.com/clubs/islington-cycling-club

Hi @Vincent_Azmi, while Garmin is the more established player for cycling computers, depending upon how much you are looking to spend and what you need the computer for, I would also consider a Wahoo. They are great little navigators with awesome battery life (lasted me more than 12 hours on a single day so very useful for those epic days). The screen is unaffected by rain and has backlighting for cycling in the dark. It gives you tonnes of flexibility on at metrics you want displayed and effortlessly posts your rides on strava, Ride with GPS, training peaks and other platforms. Saving new routes to the device is just as effortless, easily doable from your phone or on a computer. It can even connect to your indoor trainer if you have one. I haven't once faced a technical issue with mine so far e.g. Rides not saving or device crashing. Anyway, ramblings over, if you are looking for a device with route navigation, consider the wahoo.

ah thank you, i’m following now :)

Thank you for the quick reply, i will definitely consider wahoo, all i need a cycling computer for is gps anyways since my phone dies after a long ride which is impractical. In terms of money id go for anything solid under £90, previously looking at the Garmin 25 but i’ll look for some wahoo now. Thanks again

It is nice to have the automatic upload at the end of a ride so now have the Garmin 520. If you don't mind connecting to your computer to upload the ride, I have a Garmin 500 you can have for free.

P.S. You need Garmin Connect I think to upload from your Garmin cycle computer, which then syncs with Strava.

No way. What. I'm speechless. I can't accept that. Wouldn't you be much better off selling it, its 14 years old and still sells over £100. Plus i'd feel too guilty accepting that for free. At least let me pay you back in some way

Oh wait never mind its not that old

Can anyone help starting from the most basic level?
I'm after a cycling computer that can sync with strava, and one that doesn't need a laptop or desktop. I only have a tablet for synching (if needed).

Got a smartphone? Get a Wahoo if budget allows.

Thanks Carl, That seems to be popular. With that, would I be able to download routes from the Islington.cc Strava page?

Yes. You may need a premium Strava account though.

A lot members use RideWithGPS for sharing routes as it doesn't require any premium membership. But you will need to remember to save/send a route to your device the night or days before a ride.

Links: https://forum.islington.cc/conversations/310095/#comment13838852

+Carl_D +petew Having had free Strava, then Premium, and now free again, it doesn't make any difference to downloading routes to a garmin, though I always do it via a PC. It may be different with a newer Garmin

Thanks guys, I tried the wahoo app and it set up real easy syncing with the club rides from Strava, and is a bit cheaper than the garmin, will go with that. Thanks!

Wait for Black Friday. I got a great deal on my Wahoo last year, and Garmin was on sale then too.

Hi,

I am doing the Great Escape on Sunday, the route is on Ride GPS and I have my Garmin 520 plus linked to Strava. I have been trying to somehow get the GPS route into Strava so I can get it onto my device via Garmin Connect. If anyone has any ideas I'd be grateful!

It’s a bit of a pain without a ride gps subscription. What you need to do is go to the Rwgps link on a laptop, click download route onto your desktop (.fit .gpx are fine). On your Garmin connect website account click make new route and there should be an option to upload the .fit/.gpx file and it’ll make that as a new route which you can save and it’ll save through onto your Garmin.

Thanks, I tried downloading the route but the laptop wouldn’t recognise the file type. Bit stuck.
I think I have subscribed to Ride GPS
I have downloaded Ride GPS to my Garmin, when I try to access it on the device it gives me a device code and tells me to go to the website /IQ to pair. Looked on the site and can’t find how / where to do that

You can avoid using Garmin Connect entirely, as any account level can manually load a planned route from the Ride With GPS site onto the Edge 520.

1. Plug in your Garmin
   
2. On the RideWithGPS website, navigate to your route or ride.
   
3. Go to the Export tab
   
4. Click TCX Course or FIT Course.
   5, If your computer prompts you to save the file to a specific location, place it somewhere memorable like the desktop.
   
5. Using the Finder, My Computer or other tool on your computer, open up the drive associated with the Garmin, usually labeled Garmin
   
6. Open the Garmin folder located inside the Garmin drive.
   
7. Click/drag the exported file from your desktop to the NewFiles folder.
   
8. Safely remove the Garmin (Eject on an Apple machine) and unplug it from the computer
   
9. After powering on the Garmin click the Courses icon and locate your route
   
   

For a more detailed example of how to get a route to your Edge 520, see Export Routes to Garmin Devices.

Thank you very much! Will try again tomorrow, think I have sworn enough at my laptop, phone and device for one night!

I have downloaded the file ok to my laptop but it won't recognise the Garmin device.

My work laptop recognises the device and creates a folder but is locked down so I can't access.

Not sure what to try next other than find someone with a computer that will see it

Thank you!

If your work laptop recognises the Garmin, download the file onto it directly

The laptop that recognised the Garmin won’t let me open the Garmin folder as it’s restricted for security (problems if working for a bank)

Going to try the library

I have an older Garmin (810) and can get routes onto it from my phone. Download from RwGPS to your phone and the open with Gamin Connect and you should be able to Bluetooth it to the Garmin

I have my Android phone, but no Garmin, with me and just went through the steps and I think it should work.