Features:

  • Offers in-ride challenges through Strava live segments ; Water rating is IPX7. Reports cycling-specific VO2 max and recovery time when used with power and heart rate
  • Pairs with compatible ANT+ indoor trainers for data display and control.Battery life up to 15 hours
  • Tracks Functional Threshold Power (FTP), watts/kg and cycling dynamics when used with Vector or Vector 2 power meters. On-device segment compatibility for dynamic and engaging in-ride competition
  • Connected features: automatic uploads, live tracking, smart notifications, send/receive courses, social media sharing, weather
  • Display resolution is 200 x 265 pixels. Android requirements is 4.4 os or later. Bluetooth 4.0 or later. Apple requirements is ios 10.0 or later, compatible with iphone, ipad and ipod touch
Very reliable companion

I regularly ride alone and this small computer is always my reliable companion. With my mobile phone's bluetooth, I'm able to effortlessly synch my ride to garmin connect and auto upload it to my Strava account. Prior to having my edge 520, I was using my forerunner 305 and 910xt to record my rides. Of course the edge is far better because I'm able to easily check my data on a bigger screen. With the auto scroll setup I'm able to see more data and my route.

... is not a touch screen but the buttons work super, and it has improvements on the 510 like ...

it is not a touch screen but the buttons work super, and it has improvements on the 510 like the FTP test, automatic FTP calculation, recovery period and VO2 max.

Strava and myfitnesspal connections are good and I really couldn't be happier

The thing about computers is that they do exactly what you tell them to do, not always what you want them to do. I watched a couple youtube videos, read some of the manual and voila. It does just what I want with the information I need on screen. Strava and myfitnesspal connections are good and I really couldn't be happier.

highly recommend

I bought this unit about a year ago. I have put a couple thousand miles on my bike in the past year and I seriously can't believe I went this long without this tool; well actually, I can believe it....the reality is I just couldn't afford it. I used a rather old garmin watch to track my rides and monitor heart rate....and a different device to measure my power and show my speed during the ride, and somehow I made sense of all the data using Excel spreadsheets to track my progress. Okay, if that's you....stop it! This was probably one of the best purchase I've ever made (with the speed/cadence sensor and hr monitor). Money is an issue for some people, but as a bike racer, a data geek and frugal consumer...I can easily recommend this device and justify the cost.

Went with the better brand and higher positive feedback --

The purchase of this Garmin bicycle computer was a BIG upgrade over what I have used for decades -- namely, basic functioning wired computers. I purchased the more expensive Garmin over other options based upon reputation and positive feedback. The Lezyne Super GPS was tempting, but I decided that since nearly 1 out of 4 people rated it one star the odds were too high I might be sorely disappointed. I am still very new to the Garmin, and the setup wasn't as easy as it might have been (packaged with minimal instructions) -- but so far, so good. Pairing the Edge 520 with my Android phone was easy and simple. As time goes on I expect to become more familiar with its capabilities and customized functions.

... this on several rides now and have been very pleased. The screen is easily readable on bright or ...

Ive taken this on several rides now and have been very pleased. The screen is easily readable on bright or cloudy days. After 3 hours of use the battery is on track to last about 10 hours with gps. It can also control the resistance on my wahoo trainer which is nice. I wish it had some more on board storage. It can store maps and do navigation through a roundabout method, but its rather limited and can only hold a small amount of map data. It also paired with all my devices with ease.

Does what I need it to do

My first Garmin 520 came to a bad end and was either lost or stolen. I was happy Amazon had a closeout on this version. It is really all I need and I also use the heart rate monitor, cadence meter to record my ride. The buttons are a bit confusing and that could be because it has so many screens and measurements. I have not mastered the online tool to retrieve maps. Overall, I love this tool.

Lots of data

I've been using my 520 for over a month now. I had a Garmin 25 for the past 2 years. Wow, this thing has many more features than the 25. The amount of data is provides can be a bit overwhelming to an old dodger like myself. But after a few weeks I've come up the learning curve. It's nice that all the data screens are fully configurable. I'm using bluetooth to sync to my phone and finding the Garmin Android app to be much more useful than it was with the Garmin 25. It's easy to download routes to the 520 from the Garmin app on the phone. I can now configure my HR zones in Garmin, which the 25 didn't seem to support. The pros: 1. Garmin Live track is very cool. My wife can now keep tabs on me during the ride. 2. The accident detection feature is cool for the pedantic users. I actually triggered this on a rough MTB trail and my wife was notified. 3. Amazing variety of metrics and support for various sensors: HR, cadence, power meter, etc. The cons: 1. The gradient metric seems to lag. If your ride a lot of rollers, it may not be useful. It seems to work better on long grades. 2. Haven't been able to find a way to configure the zoom level on the map. The auto zoom was too confusing to me, so I disabled it. The default zoom level is too low for me. 3. The weather alert is annoying and needed to be disabled. If there's a thunderstorm in the area, it'll just keep alerting you every 5 minutes, which blocks all the other metrics on the screen until you clear the alert.

Excellent computer!

I love this thing. I mainly wanted it as an upgrade to the Cateye Padrone that I was using prior, and I'm very happy. I have a Wahoo speed/cadence sensor, as well as a Wahoo heart rate monitor, and they are picked up with no problem at all (both Ant+/Bluetooth). Uploading a ride to the Garmin site is painless, and very useful, though I still like Cyclemeter a little more. I have gotten into heart zone training recently and the 520 works great for that. I have a number of custom screens I've set up that let me see what matters to me. When I bought the unit I wasn't aware of the apps that you can get for free, and they've been a great added bonus. One of them shows heart rate with a sliding pointer that shows what zone you are in, and it makes it very easy to train correctly. I think the mapping is a little unrealistic, given the size of the screen, but maybe I'll warm up to that in time. I got it to be used as a more in depth computer, and it has not disappointed. I can't wait for my next ride so I can see how the tweaks in my custom screens work out. After only using it for a couple rides, I'm hooked. Now if I could only afford the Varia Vision display, I could have a second display in my glasses. Absolutely amazing. Things are a lot different since I delivered papers on my Huffy Scout 10 speed. I'm in my 50's and I love this stuff.

It took me a bit of time at first to configure it the way I like it, but I haven't had to reconfigure it ...

I have been using this bike computer for a year and a half. It took me a bit of time at first to configure it the way I like it, but I haven't had to reconfigure it since. I have two screen setups that I switch back and forth between depending on what I'm doing - one has a summary of time, distance, grade, calories, etc. The other has power, cadence, speed, and heartrate. The unit is synced with a Stages power meter and a Wahoo TICKR heartrate strap. Some newer and more expensive bike computers have touchscreens now. I like having the physical buttons so there is some tactile feedback when you press a button. With the physical buttons there is no problem getting buttons to register when it is raining, wearing gloves, etc. compared to having a touchscreen. I recommend putting on one of the silicone cases and screen protectors to protect the unit. I managed to scratch my unit when I inverted my bike on the road to replace a wheel and didn't realize that the crown on the road and the gravel on the road was enough to allow the Garmin to contact the road. The top edge of the case and screen was badly dinged and scratched from the gravel. The Garmin auto-syncs with Strava through my iPhone. As soon as I complete a ride, within about 15 seconds or so I get a notification on the phone that the ride was uploaded to Garmin and Strava, without any intervention from me. The battery seems to last for several 2 hour long rides before needing to be recharged. I have used it on one day ride that was 7-8 hours long successfully. The screen contrast is a little dim during the day but can be read ok. At night there is a backlight that does drain the battery somewhat rapidly. I like it and would have bought it again.

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