Garmin has today launched the new Edge 1050 cycle computer, which the brand claims is its “smartest and smartest cycling computer ever”.
The Garmin Edge 1040 Solar features in our best bike computer buyer’s guide, and we understand it will still exist as a solar option alongside the Edge 1050, which we’ll be hoping to get our hands on soon tested together with 1040.
The unit will have an SRP of £649.99 / $699.99 / €699.99. This makes the Edge 1050 £200 more than the recently released third generation Hammerhead Karoo and puts the new 1050 at the top of the cycling computer market.
The Edge 1050 has a touchscreen and will deliver a claimed battery life of 20 hours and 60 hours in battery saver mode. That’s very capable in terms of normal road and gravel, however, it’s no match for the latest batch of battery life computers, such as the Coros Dura, which we calculated can last up to 375 hours of riding.
The Edge 1050 appears to have received some updated design changes, interesting new features like contactless payment support, as well as building on Garmin’s strong reputation for its computers that offer strong fitness and training features and support.
Dan Bartel, Garmin’s Vice President of Global Consumer Sales said;
“We’re excited to introduce our most capable and high-performance bike computer yet with the Edge 1050. Offering an exceptional on-the-go experience, superior navigation and community-focused features, our latest bike computer cycling is designed to keep cyclists motivated, whether they’re “Planning a group ride with friends or a long solo adventure.”
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So what’s new?
The new Garmin 1050 is said to have an updated design and the new unit now has a nice coating and stronger all-metal buttons. There’s also a replaceable flip mount as well as a 3.5-inch liquid crystal display.
The Edge 1050 will also support Garmin Pay contactless payments – a technology supported on Garmin smartwatches that aim to compete with Apple Pay on the Apple Watch. This technology means owners will be able to pay at the cafe using their cycle computer, leaving their cards at home and their phone in their back pocket.
There’s also a built-in speaker that Garmin says will enable riders to hear training and navigation prompts. There’s even a bike bell on the device to alert other road users of your presence.
A new on-device course creator will allow owners to create on-device courses and routes. Paved and unpaved surfaces will also be easy to see on the screen according to the brand’s press release.
Wi-Fi connectivity will allow users to use the Map Manager feature to add, share or update additional maps, and trip-specific routing will take care of mountain, gravel or road trips.
The GroupRide feature has also received brand-specific improvements, and riders can communicate via messaging on the ride. Live location and incident detection alerts can alert and even direct other riders to a cyclist in need of help. Riders will also be able to receive hazard warnings reported by other riders, such as fallen trees or potholes. These alerts will also be available on Edge 540, Edge 840 and Edge 1040 units soon.
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Exercise and fitness features
Garmin devices enjoy a reputation for strong fitness training features, and the Edge 1050 seems to back that up.
The unit includes free Garmin training plans and real-time endurance insights. The power guide feature will now take into account wind data and a rider’s current endurance level to make real-time power target adjustments.
Training insights are provided by Firstbeat Analytics, including training status, altitude warm-up and acclimatization, and V02 Max. Trend line popularity tracking will also help riders find routes most used by other Garmin cyclists. Users will also be able to send a pin from Apple Maps and navigate to that location, a feature Hammerhead Karoo also offers for Google Maps.
ClimbPro shows climbing metrics like time to go and gradient, while ClimbExplore shows nearby climbs on the device or in the Garmin Connect app. MTB pass metrics are also covered with specific metrics such as jump count, jump distance, gravel and flow.
The Edge 1050 will also include security features such as live tracking and incident detection for selected contacts. It will also be comparable to Varia products, Garmin’s range of smart radars and lights.
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